(October 29, 2012 at 6:30 am)Ben Davis Wrote: I've never heard a rational argument in favour of government/religious institutions getting involved in personal relationships;
There is just one - if one of the participants is not in the relationship out of his/her own volition.
(October 29, 2012 at 6:30 am)Ben Davis Wrote: Further, I take personal insult at the accusation (inherent in the marriage ceremony) that my commitment to my partner/s is somehow not 'trustworthy' or 'valid' until ratified by a external agency who not only can not know anything about the details of the relationship but can have no access to any information which might actually qualify them to pass judgement on it.
That is the case with most of the social contracts. The validity in this case does not refer to emotion or commitment on your side but to whether the contract is enforceable by law.
