Marriage-a societal construct devised in the early centuries.

We should look at the reason societies invented marriage in the
first place.

Remember the days of the foundlings, when it was common practice
to leave babies in baskets on the door steps of hospitals and churches.

They didn't have modern ways of detection back then so it would
have been very hard to find who left the babies there.

The state and churches, found themselves the carers and also financially responsible for
feeding, clothing, schooling & the housing of these abandoned babies for at least the first 15years of
the children's lives. Hence the nasty children's work houses they had back in those days. Well described by
Charles Dickens.

The church because they preached that they were holy men could not
be seen to not take these babies in.

It was an age of orphanages and work-houses for children.

I believe the State and Church found a way to stop this drain on the state and church coffers, (remember this was a time of no contraception and severe hardship for people with many children. So they abandoned children they could no longer care for in droves.

So the State and the church decided to make it legally binding for the parents of the children to stay and care for them, especially financially, this was given a name--marriage.

This also suited the churches just fine
too, because they didn't want the cost or responsiblity either.
So it conveniently became part of their doctrine that marriage was
sanctioned by god and it was a sin to diss0lve marriage.

Like everything it was all about the money, taxes and the like.

Marriage a union put in place by God-rubbish!

Based on the comments so far I'd have to agreed with the author. This is a stupid nation in the sense that it is incapable of even dicussing rationally the damage being wrought by such things as alcohol, pornography and disregard for loyalty and commitment in marriage. It's a society that does not have a strong moral code to defend itself from those making a fast buck by encouraging people to discard noble instincts and virtues in favor of their base instincts.
Alcohol is the root of so much harm yet our society accepts these costs.
Portraying humans, usually female, as objects of sexual gratification is also socially accepted but somehow our children are to be raised to think otherwise.
And marriage. A contract where male and female can engage in intimate and sexual relations and conceive with clear undertakings in terms of rights and responsibilities towards themselves and their children. Obviously this too is something that this society has discarded for no apparent reason.
The only point where I disagree with the author is in the use of the future test. Society IS reaping what it has sown.