What is your definition of marriage itself? Let's compare definitions to discuss

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   Kylyssaposted 8 years ago

   What is your definition of marriage itself? Let's compare definitions to discuss marriage equality.
   
   I think there's a confusion regarding the definition of marriage because there are different assumptions about what marriage is on both sides of the marriage equality issue and people aren't bothering to compare definitions, just arguing about who gets to be married.
   
   Please define marriage, leaving out the genders of people involved and just describing what the marriage relationship is supposed to be for. I think we'll see some very different answers.
   
   I define marriage as a loving commitment between two adults, intended to form a family of two or more.
   
   Image: Paul Fris freeimages.com
   
   

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2. 84

   gmwilliamsposted 8 years ago

   
   
   Marriage is a union of two people, regardless of sexual orientation, who truly love, respect, encourage, & nurture each other.  Marriage is furthermore a union between two mature, evolved adults who view each other as equals.  Marriage is a union where two people stick by each other through thick & thin.  Marriage does not tolerate abuse of any kind.  Marriage isn't pretentious or based upon some superficiality.   
   
   Marriage is not a contest of gamesmanship nor dominance.  Each partner is to value each other, viewing each other as sacred.  Marriage is also an evolution of, encouragement, & appreciation of growth.  Marriage is not an approval game nor the pleasing of another to the detriment of self.   Marriage is never subjugation of one partner's need to that of another.   Marriage is not leaving one partner because the other partner wants a new thrill or greener pastures.  In essence, marriage is for two mature grown ups who value, cherish, respect, & are soul mates.

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   1. 90

      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      This is a beautiful definition of marriage and one with which I completely agree.

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      gmwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      THANK YOU !

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3. 0

   LoliHeyposted 8 years ago

   No one will like this answer, but I go with the definition in the bible.  A man will leave his father and mother and stand by his wife, and they will be one flesh.

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      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      The idea is to get different definitions so there are no wrong answers. A bit of a longer explanation of what that entails and specifically means to you would be nice, but it isn't necessary. Thanks for your answer.

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4. 81

   dashingscorpioposted 8 years ago

   
   
   Marriage is a (legal status) in which the state and federal government recognizes the union of two adults/offspring as one family unit.
   Among the benefits include the right for one to receive social security benefits if one's spouse dies, make healthcare decisions upon their behalf if they are  incapacitated and so on.
   Another benefit that most newlyweds hope they never have to embark upon is in the event that there is a divorce they are entitled to split up any assets accumulated during the marriage.
   Cohabitating doesn't automatically have that benefit.
   With regard to the "loving commitment", that actually comes before there is a wedding! No smart person would ever marry someone who had not been committed to their relationship prior to getting married.
   (Commitment is a behavior and not a marital status.)
   There are lot of married couples who haven't been committed to one another for many years! You compare that with a couple like Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell who have lived together for over 30 years and now plan to get married this New Years Eve. Many couples after 30 years of being together are contemplating divorce!
   Love, commitment, romance, having children, buying a home together, and staying together does not require having a marriage license.
   In many ways marriage is a (government sanctioned prenuptial agreement) guaranteeing a couple certain benefits for both uniting and in the event things fall apart in the future!
   Oftentimes people just want to experience the ceremony and pageantry of the wedding tradition. As I said they should already be (committed prior to exchanging vows). The marriage license gives them a {recognized legal status and certain financial benefits}.

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   1. 90

      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      This is a great explanation of a legal definition of marriage. Thanks for your answer.

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      bradmasterOCcalposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Why should marriage be governed by the gov? Marriage has an implied but ambiguous and vague contract. The state makes assumptions about marriage, while a contract defines the terms of the parties. A personal partnership wb a better instrument.

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   bradmasterOCcalposted 8 years ago

   Marriage Equality
   How does Equality come into a definition that now includes divergent groups?
   What was wrong with the original definition, of a Man and a Woman?
   It is the gov that is discriminating, as they bestow benefits on married couples. Marriage is the domain of the states, and it is the state that licenses it, not the fed gov.
   
   The Feds could give those 1135 benefits including the right to file a joint income tax return for any couple in a relationship, or they could just take all the benefits away, and come up with another mechanism that would serve the same purpose.
   
   But marriage shouldn't be discriminatory against single people and unmarried couples. That is discrimination.
   
   The traditional marriage of man and woman didn't discriminate by race, that was a separate law that was applied against those marriages. It was held unconstitutional, because it was still one man and one woman.
   
   How can you have marriage equality when you change the rules and change the parties? There isn't even any equality among the group that got the SCOTUS to decide in their favor.
   
   What is the equality among the LGBT? The SCOTUS never took Judicial Notice of what defines the members of the LGBT. The definition of these individual and divergent groups is still unknown. So it comes down to their preference at the moment, and this is especially true for BiSexuals.
   
   SCOTUS and the feds are discriminating against unmarried couples because they are not getting those 1135 benefits, and they can't file their income tax jointly. The feds have made the Income Tax filing unconstitutional, but in matters of the Income Tax the SCOTUS has always decided in their favor.
   
   Is it the relationship of the couple, or the legal status of the couple that is the important factor in getting the benefits. If we apply it to the SCOTUS decision on gays and marriage, it can be construed that it was the relationship that was the important factor.
   
   I would suggest that marriage exist only as a religious ceremony, and not apart of the gov domain.
   If the government wants to bestow 1135 benefits on couples, and let them file their income tax jointly, then replace the marriage status with a personal partnership, that would be like a business partnership, but for couples that d/n want to get married, but have these benefits, and control with their partners.
   
   Otherwise, we would need an amendment to determine marriage equality. We had one for Black men to vote, and another one for Women to vote.

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   1. 90

      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      So your definition of marriage is "a man and a woman?" I don't really understand how that is a definition of a relationship. It's just the genders of two people. What is their relationship?

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      bradmasterOCcalposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Really, is that all you got from my comment?
      Their relationship is complimentary and the reason why there are two genders instead of just one.

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   3. 90

      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      You didn't actually define marriage, just asked, "What was wrong with the original definition, of a Man and a Woman?" You said a great deal about marriage but never actually defined it. It's a great answer to some other question.

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      bradmasterOCcalposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I was answering Marriage Equality, and that was the focus of your ?.
      discuss marriage equality  and my def of a man and a woman is the differing factor of other definitions.  A legal union betw a man and a woman

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