Well I chose my bride almost 24 years ago and I must say that despite a few 'ups and downs' we have a great relationship, still love each other and could not imagine life apart.

I adore my wife and often consider myself as very lucky, although it has taken some hard work at time, from both sides.

As for being married, well, each to their own, but I wanted my kids to have a mother and father that were married.

Again, it's all about choices.

Bring on the next 20 odd years I say!

Is Marriage Necessary?
The primary necessity of marriage is to provide a stable environment for raising children.
Arguably, in a society which aborts a significant percentage of its children and then institutionalises the majority of the survivors immediately after their birth so that their mothers can work in order to consume more then the wellbeing of children no longer has any real meaning and hence marriage is largely redundant.
SSM will be the final nail in the coffin, effectively rendering marriage meaningless.

Dear Ginxy,

Fair enough. Many people see marriage as an
"institution."

Dear Examinator,

You big chicken you. Such glib answers.
Darn!

Dear Pericles,

I'd say religion does play a big part - definitely.

Dear JAD,

The philosopher Kahlil Gibran once wrote about
marriage: "Stand together, yet not too near together.
For the pillars of the temple stand apart."
As you point out - that's not easy for some people
to buy because, for some - there's always got to be
a boss.

For me a healthy relationship is when your partner
is working alongside you.

Do I think marriage is necessary? It's
a personal choice. I can understand
that some people desperately want to get married -
(my nieces do),
there's an innate part in some of us that needs ritual
and ceremony. I'm happy that I did. But through my
experience I've come to understand that although
the wedding day - is beautiful - it's what comes
after it that really matters. And unless you're
prepared to work at the relationship - you're not
going to be happy.

cont'd

Dear Jewely,

I know how you feel - mine's exactly
the same!

Dear Rehctub,

Lucky man!

Dear KMB,

It's important to remember that we're born
alone and we die alone.
Whoever we choose to share our life with - is
just someone we choose to share our life with.
None of us is perfect. We all make mistakes.

im glad your happy[so you neednt read further]

the marrage agreement is formerly registered with govt..[for the reason that we are wards of the stae[..legally speaking], the act of registration creates a serf/master legal status[that gives govt the right to interfere in your marrage[and or eventual divorce

churches sold out to the state for tax egsemption,thus concicrate the ritual that rightly should be between two people swearing before god of their ongoing love and support for[with]..to each other

there is a lot more legal stuff we submit under in formalising what should be a sacred trust between two people in love[sadly we form a trust with the articles of state]

but you dont want to be hearing of that legal cccrap trap, so i will be joyfull for you..[in your ignorance of the state machinations into the affairs of the heart]

Dear Foxy, Nothing like the shared pain of spending ones life with a reasonable person. Soon as he says something like "I think your point is valid" I am seriouly tempted to embrace all kinds of violence.

But on marriage. I signed a contract and took a vow and consider it a moral obligation. I will never be accused of being a vow breaker while sane or not under threat of violence.

I am not religeous and have little respect for most laws. But to be me and live with me I will never intentionally break a promise/vow/contract with another human.

But along with for richer and poorer, sickness and in health there was never to my recollection "put up with saintliness".