Atheists and marriage

[Owlix]

Curious how other atheists feel about marriage? I personally don't necessarily see the need for it, as it was all created by bullshit in the first place. I understand having a ceremony of some sort maybe, but that's mostly just to dress up and party.
Here in the US I've been told about the tax breaks and what not (perfect reason to spiritually bind yourself to another for eternity), and I've heard from others those benefits aren't that great... and I don't want to be stuck here in America forever anyway.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

I think it means a lot. It's commitment to someone, legal commitment, you're becoming family with someone of your own choosing. And I think as humans we/a lot of us recognize that it is a big move that sometimes requires sacrifice and we value it more than, say, just moving in together.

I don't think marriage "binds you to another person spiritually", love binds you together (not spiritually, but in this realm of reality), marriage makes it a legal commitment.

[Owlix]

I only ask because marriage only exists because of religion. I've spoken to some people who are atheist and they think it's a load of bullocks, won't consider it even. I've spoken to others who said just the same as you.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

What do you mean marriage only exists because of religion? I don't remember any religious texts inventing marriage, they simply put a lot of rules around something that already exists.

[Owlix]

Whoops, excuse me that last statement came out of my ass....

[Something completely different]

I really dont know.

I wanted to get married with someone a few years ago, but since then I never met someone who I would have wanted to.

In practical terms I see no use for it, so I guess my opinion about it is mostly guided by my emotions.

[rexbeccarox]

I've never wanted to get married. I shudder to think about how life would be if I had married any of my exes.

[Lemonvariable72]

I think it is something that means allot because it shows your committing to being with one in a stable and no religion ever created it. It's possibly older then the homo sapiens species

[KichigaiNeko]

marriage in and of itself is ONLY a social contract. It is a contract entered into by two parties who will share the legal liabilities and benefits. It also makes life VERY easy should one of the parties die, the other inherits the liabilities and benefits easily.

And for the rest of it?

It's just a great excuse to have a party and invite the family.

Zen and I are "married" we mostly ignore the romantic nonsense and just have fun anyway.

[pocaracas]

Marriage is a method of making sure that any children a given woman has, are taken care for by her husband... it helps if the woman has no children prior to the marriage... or, better yet, is a virgin!

Take this raw rule of thumb and you get the first marriages...

The party itself is a way of letting everyone in the community know that those two persons are bonded and also to tell everyone else to keep their hands off.


Religions took over the task of keeping records, as a part of their rubbing their noses up into everyone's affairs.

Then states took back that privilege and now it's a mess.

Legal rights depend on where you live, but, for the most part, you get some tax breaks... in my country, you get even more tax breaks if you're legally divorced! go figure!
The religious (catholic) marriage is only valid for believers and... for some 30~50% of marriages... it becomes a nuisance because they can't re-marry.


Bottom line, for me, marriage is just a contract, where I pledge myself to keep the kids healthy and the wife happy... while she does the same for me. As long as both are willing, it works quite well. It's a partnership, at best, for the rest of your life. So... it's good policy to pick out a compatible partner.... not an easy task when all... most... girls want to be princesses, with their prince charmings and all the stuff money can get them.