Atheists- What Are Your Views on Marriage?

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I've never understood why Atheists get married other than it being the conventional thing to do, which is relgious thing, which totally contradicts with their Atheism. I asked my Mum, and the general message was in the event of things not working out, things are easier like money and such, which contradicts with the whole point of marriage!
So, I was just wondering if there's any Atheists who are married and why?(I'm not against the idea, I just think it seems a bit hypocritical[not trying to insult, just want to know why])
EMZ=]

Tax and other Legal Purposes. Without a "Lawful" marriage cert one's partner is not accorded familial status for Medical & other purposes.

This is why there is such an argument in the US over "Gay Marriage" (why Gays want it).

The Religious aspects are wy Religious types don't. They are arguing from two totally different platforms so the conjunction is simply a mess.

Marriage carries certain civil and legal obligations and benefits that merely living together does not. Inheritance of money and property, for instance, usually passes to the closest living relative by default if there is no will. So does custody of any children.

Married couples also receive financial breaks with regards to insurance and taxes (but not Social Security, I'm told).

Finally, many Atheists seem to realize that having sexual relations with a third party is not "cheating" unless at least one of the people involved is married. Thus, many Atheists seem to go through the marriage cermony (civil or religious) to gain financial advantages, establish rights of inheritance and powers of attorney (who's gonna sign off on YOUR "Do Not Resuscitate" order?), and secure a little extra incentive for marital fidelity.

So you see, marriage is not a strictly "Religious" thing. If it were, then there would be no legal recognition of marital status in any way, shape, or form - just like baptism and communion, neither of which have any legal significance.

In my view, a marriage is nothing more than a binding contract in which you give away half your assets to someone who may or may not decide to honor their end of the agreement...

I think that most marriages today happen because of tax or insurance benefits.

I think Mae West put it best when she said "Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready for an institution yet."

Although you can successfully argue the religious ties to marriage, at its core marriage is a state thing -- not a religious thing. Otherwise government could say nothing about it and could not issue marriage licenses (nor the benefits thereof)

As an atheist, marriage has both emotional and practical value. At its core, it is the ultimate celebration of love and commitment to my designated female accomplice . Practically, marriage provides legal securities with regard to inheritance, insurance, possession, contracts, taxes, among other things.

I can see no reason why any atheists would advocate against marriage as it stands unless it is to separate marriage from the government and hand it to churches, thereby turning marriage into nothing but a useless ritualistic ceremony, and then give government the power to distribute civil union licenses in its stead, in order to disallow any arguments for discrimination.

But that's just me

...every woman's end, and every man's finish...- Anon...

Marriage is a societal institution, and quite stupid one at that. Look, if two people love each other they will stay with each other, and don't need a legal contract. It's a tool, that's all.

So marriage, in my view, is useless! Man and women don't need the so-called social institution to stay together!

"marriage" seems to be a silly contract that speaks louder than the voices of the 2 people that are bound by it.
it provides a sense of security to people who are otherwise unconvinced as to the natural permanency of their relationship.

it is also a choker chain that strangles the 2 people if they suddenly want to run in opposite directions from each other.

maybe it has a use as being a dampener of ill considered spontaneous actions of repudiation.

but i only answered this thread because there is no interesting threads happening at the moment here.