How has marriage evolved over the years?

Is it better now or better better 'before?'

How has it changed?

Smashing Young Man mentioned the liberal establishments negative changes to marriage, what are those?

I think it's worse

Divorce is much more popular now than it was before.

Marriage isn't looked at as binding anymore.

I agree. It's almost become disposable. Noone really takes marriage seriously anymore.

Originally posted by Manu
How has marriage evolved over the years?
I oppose evolution of any kind. Marriage is a divine institution.
Is it better now or better better 'before?'
I don't buy all the whining about increasing divorce rates. It's better imo.
How has it changed?
I doubt it has changed much at all.
Smashing Young Man mentioned the liberal establishments negative changes to marriage, what are those?
SYM has it right. When I think about it there is nothing to worry about. As long as there are pretty young women walking the malls, kids will get married. I oppose gay revolution. I like marriage, babies, and dancing with women.

A man's role in the great mating scheme has been reduced to little more than that of a sperm donor and open wallet when the child support comes due. Masculinity is considered an undesirable element these days. Liberals expect men to be more like women in almost every way; of course, if men do that, then what's their purpose in the family unit? I think women have the feminine/nurturing role covered pretty well. If a guy starts acting like the woman (trying to behave in a motherly fashion), then he has nothing to bring to the table except a paycheck. Of course, women usually get the paycheck anyway after the divorce.

Let's get one thing straight: marriage isn't about love between a man and a woman, it's about setting the foundation for a family. Men's role in the family has been displaced, which has basically robbed marriage of it's purpose.

Originally posted by Smashing Young Man
Let's get one thing straight: marriage isn't about love between a man and a woman

That's rediculous. Sterile people get married, people who don't want children get married. Widows and widowers get remarried, as do divorcees. Also, people get married who have neither the funds nor the environment to raise a child, and so they don't have children. Marriage and family may have a sequential order in your idealized mind, but one is neither a cause nor effect of the other.

about the divorce rate, my anthropology teacher touched on this when we went over marriage. she mentioned that one of the thoeries going around lately is that the western society has had this new tradition in teh past century or so and really more recently in the past fifty years of non arranged marriages. i know we are all, for themost part, very used to the idea of having the freedom to chose our mate, but this is a very recent tradition. the theory is that one of the major reasons for the higher divorce rate in our society is that we do not do arranged marriages.

Originally posted by Stage Monster


That's rediculous. Sterile people get married, people who don't want children get married. Widows and widowers get remarried, as do divorcees. Also, people get married who have neither the funds nor the environment to raise a child, and so they don't have children. Marriage and family may have a sequential order in your idealized mind, but one is neither a cause nor effect of the other.

Well, a big reason people get married is so they won't die old and alone. However, the first and most important function of the institution of marriage is to be the foundation for starting a family. Getting married then having kids are two things that have most always gone hand in hand; it's not just the way my "idealized mind" thinks it should be, it's the way it usually is.

Originally posted by Smashing Young Man
However, the first and most important function of the institution of marriage is to be the foundation for starting a family.

And you say that a loving union between two people is irrelevant to the foundation for starting a family? I don't buy that. A marriage is formed oftentimes without the presence of a child beyond the twinkle in the parent(s) eye(s), and in many cases stays that way until the couple decide that they want children. The function of a marriage is to be a loving bond between two people. The function of a family unit is to provide the environment and eventually children necessary towards raising a family.

Originally posted by FallenAngel
I think it's worse

Divorce is much more popular now than it was before.

Marriage isn't looked at as binding anymore.

People used to be SCARED to divorce. That doesn't mean those marriages weren't mistakes. Let's face it: most people are too stupid to be responsible and really choose the right person. If culture had permitted it, there would be just as many divorces, and I don't see anything wrong with that as long as it makes people happier. Sure, it's hard on the kids, but avoiding this should be rooted in the earlier steps. People seems so happy to get married, but are they sure this is what they want? Is the right person? These aren't answered well enough; that's the problem.

Originally posted by Horse_weed


People used to be SCARED to divorce. That doesn't mean those marriages weren't mistakes. Let's face it: most people are too stupid to be responsible and really choose the right person. If culture had permitted it, there would be just as many divorces, and I don't see anything wrong with that as long as it makes people happier. Sure, it's hard on the kids, but avoiding this should be rooted in the earlier steps. People seems so happy to get married, but are they sure this is what they want? Is the right person? These aren't answered well enough; that's the problem.

Don't get me wrong. I agree with divorce to an extent. Sometimes it's necessary. I think my parents should get a divorce. And you're right some people get married too quickly and don't ask themselves those questions you mentioned

I honestly think marriage was different in my parents day. In their day most people did not have sex until marriage. Back then marriages were more likely for life. Less people cheated.

Not everything was perfect. Women were often abused and expected to take it. Women did not work outside the house as much. But on the plus side marriages did last.

In ireland, it is no longer seen as a death penalty for the last 10 years as in the last 10 years, we've legalised divorce agains thte catholic church wishes