Do you believe in marriage?

[Ciel_Rouge]

No. I do not "believe in marriage"

As far as I am to understand, this marriage thingy is nothing more than a social contract that will ensure both parties will easily inherit property, goods and chattel from their union should one or the other dies. This being extended to all offspring of the union.

Inherit property? I suppose this is a bit more in the background compared to the fundamental changes in life this contract brings about. First and foremost, it ensures that you will not have any new sexual partners any more, at least theoretically. What often follows is:

1) a breakup after about 4 years which is a typical lifespan of normal pre-marital relationships
2) no breakup but mutual or one-sided mental and/or physical abuse due to frustration

There is no need for "belief", it is written in law and has probably been in society for as long as man has walked the earth. (which would be a lot longer than the abrahamic religions would have us "believe")

Religions like to deceive us into thinking that their concepts were "always there" because they are probably "natural". Lifelong monogamy is not the only "established in prehistory" and "natural" solution - the muslims established a lifelong POLYgamy and having multiple wives is "the right way" according to them. Furthermore, we do not know what the world was like in the era of matriarchy which collapsed some time before ancient Babylon etc., replaced by a societal system based around "female suppression" that formed subsequently and still sort of exists to this day.

Otherwise it is a foolish person that thinks it is more than a societal contract.

Indeed. True feelings do not have to take a form of a warrant issued by the state, do they?

I totally understand the enthusiasm of people who actually like each other and are soon to be married. But: do you really need this? Aren't you scared of the permanence of this decision?