(April 19, 2015 at 5:50 pm)Mezmo! Wrote: Now that the word marriage has been changed from the legal and sacred union of one man and one woman what DOES it mean? What are the boundaries that distinguish it from other contractual arrangements, social obligations, and familial relationships?
One boundary between marriage and other civil contracts is that breach of marriage obligations can be taken to criminal court by the state. You can go to prison for abandonment or failure to support a spouse, just the same as failure to pay child support. We tend to forget this since financial obligations to spouses aren't enforced as vigorously as child support is.
A boundary between marriage and other familial relationships is that a marriage can be dissolved while parenthood generally cannot be.
I think gay marriage is okay, though gays contemplating a marriage may wish to think about the implications. With marriage, you can't just pair up and split up at your own convenience; you'll need legal permission to divorce which costs a lot of money and you may be financially committed long after love is lost, especially if you're the higher earner.
