What is the main purpose of marriage?

Question

It is not uncommon for people to come on this forum and spout marriage is for raising children. A recent Pew Research Survey disuputes this assumption.

For adults 18-64

68% said marriage is for mutual happiness
21% said marriage is for raising children

even when asking those people that attend religious services atleast weekly, mutual happiness was still #1 at 58%, with raising children a distant second at 25%.

Here is a link to the survey
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/526/marriage-parenthood

Kramer T - feel free to review the questions and how they were asked here...

http://pewresearch.org/assets/social/pdf/Marriage.pdf

Pew Research has nothing to hide. This is one of the reasons I prefer visiting their site.

Answer 1

The main purpose of marriage is not to procreate, otherwise infertile or elderly couple would not get married.

Procreation is a side effect of marriage, or more specifically, of sex.

Both straight and gay couple raise kids, but the anti-Same Sex marriage people hate gay children and don't want them to have equal rights, merely because their parents are gay. They make a big exception if your father in the Vice-President, though.

Marriage has a historical meaning, which is no longer relevant: In ancient times, marriages kept tribes from fighting. Wives and husbands were traded as political pawns to keep peace between warring families and countries.

Today, marriage signifies the commitment between people have love each other and who desire to fashion a family together.

Historically, most marriages were between one man and multiple wives. For a short period of Medieval and modern European history, marriage between one man and one woman has been the norm, and this has been romanticized in the culture, songs and stories.

In fact, most people married one person, but many had many mistresses and lover, which defied or ignored their marriage contract.

So marriage seems to have the meaning that individual couple choose to give to it. On a legal basis, marriage is important because it gives legal protection to the couple.

Answer 2

This may sound cold hearted, but I don't mean it as such. I don't see how marriage brings 2 people who already love each other any closer. I will not love my boyfriend any more just because we have a piece of paper saying we love each other. I see marriage as having legal purposes. You are able to receive tax benefits, share health benefits, and be a guardian over your spouse if something should happen. Other than that, I don't see a lot of purpose in getting married. As far as raising kids, I don't see that as a reason either. What makes me a better mother is time, patience, and support from the father. We do not have to be married to support one another. The only thing in that respect is the same last name, which can be done regardless of marital status. Don't get me wrong, I am not against marriage. I just think that it will not necessarily make me happier or a better mother. It will simply make my family publicly acceptable, and easier as far as legal issues are concerned.


EDIT: By the way, that is very interesting research. It really shows the difference in generations and belief systems and the views if each. I will keep this site bookmarked, it is the only one I have seen to be unbiased and simply find factual statistics and state them without trying to sugar coat things in the favor of one view or another. Thanks for the reference!

Answer 3

I don't think you can give a single reason, as there are many flavors as to why a marriage is undertaken. Some are religious based, others financial and others for status or power.
Whatever the reason, there are definately consequences of the action. 'Consequences' is not to be read as good or bad, simply that there is an effect to the married couple as well as to the entities around them (beit governement, families, religions, taxes, laws etc...)
As with every action and every decision there is should be an understanding and acceptance of the effects. Whatever a particular reason is, in any pariticular situation, it behooves us to acknowledge the effects, both good and bad. If the effects are in line with the reasons and the expectations, then there is balance.
If there is balance, the reasons have taken care of themselves.

Answer 4

why people do anything is a great question,however why people must marry as opposed to just living with each other is the modern corporation between two people who claim their devotion/honesty/love forever to the other but really donot trust each other thus the incorporation,also the goverment has made it important so as to get certain benefits.
certainly contentment would be a logical first answer for any 2 people to marry,whether it is a man and a woman or same gender marriage it is the bond/love/trust/sharing/caring/giving/friendship formed out from the mouth in words I do the wed til death do us part that is important,.. or once was.
Im sure Iam leaving something out oh well.

Answer 5

'marriage' in the context of the question seem to serve the purpose of security for 2 individuals....and their families. just so that the couple knows that each of them has a pillow to fall back on. and the families involved feel like they've fulfilled their purpose of bringing up their children as mirror images of themselves! it gives their genes some kinda security. people also hide behind the pretext of marriage to escape the questions raised if they weren't...

this kinda of marriage has had a ceiling effect in society and that is why queers had/have such a hard time getting accepted...till the concept of unions came into place.

one word would encompass the purpose of marriage...unions...or otherwise....'companionship' would be that word. when the marriage is outlived...then all that will be left of it is the essence of the 'marriage'.
in companionship...to grow....for mutual happiness...to share...

Answer 6

Marriage in my mind many years ago, meant forever, it was a contract before God and Law that it would be just that, forever. Just like within a business contract etc,things change, partnerships grow apart through difference of opinions , marriage's change too , people grow up, change direction, develop different expectations, grow apart not together. What is the main purpose of marriage? Its to grow together, be unselfish and to give body and soul (keeping just alittle for yourself though). Marriage is not for just raising children together, that is the bonus at the end of a rainbow if the end has been achieved together.

Answer 7

Yes, mutual happiness. And when the happiness isn't there anymore, it's time to get a divorce and find new mutual happiness. This is why over half of all marriages fail.

If you believe that peoples glee is the reason for marriage, then why do you think that it should be regulated by the government at all?

Answer 8

I think the main purpose of marriage is to share love and happiness

Answer 9

the main purpose for me as a lesbian is when I die and I will or when she dies and she will that either one of us will be ok money wise. Because as a gay couple if I write a will and someone in my family contests it. She wouldn't get a dime. that is why I want to be married. To ensure our future because love can't be translated onto paper but the government wouldn't give us the same rights if we were and could be married like a normal straight couple.

Answer 10

I agree with the mutual happiness thing. Marriage is about spending your life together with the person you love. For some people, kids are just an added benefit.