Is marriage as we know it a thing of the past?
That depends on what each of us 'knows' as marriage. Everyone's reality is not the same. Many have seen disfunctional abusive marriages and know no different other than T.V. Is marriage suffering a decline in its importance and reverance as it relates to society....I believe so. We are more focused on gratification rather than commitment. So....the institution of marriage will suffer.
What does marriage mean to you?
To me it is a union entered into for the purpose of friendship, love, companionship, and child birth.
Do you feel it is religious sacrement or a civil ceremony?
For me it is both. In religious terms all that is required is witnesses to the union. Man has added the minister, the ceremony, and the legalities. In order to be recognized by law, we must jump through the hoops...so we do the civil ceremony.
Do you feel people use marriage in selfish ways?
Now this answer may draw some debate....
Marriage (especially in America) is nothing but selfishness. We don't get married for any other reason than to please ourselves. There are differenct things that satisfy our selfish gains...but they are all selfish. Some do it for love, some for money, some for sex,some for children, some for companionship, some to live like the jones', some to please society, but I would submit that VERY few of us get married in order that another person(or
family) gets something out of it.
There are people in some parts of Africa, Asia, South America, and the Middle East, who still get married for unselfish reasons....mostly to enhance the families power, wealth, and to provide stability for their communities...and ironically those marriages continue to last for 30,40,50 years while ours are ending very quickly either because we don't get that we are looking for...or because we have gotten it and its time to move on.
On men swearing off marriage IMHO..many just don't feel it is worth the hassle. They can acheive everthing in life without the headache of having a wife. They can have kids out of wedlock and still take care of them without having a wife(not saying its right only that it is a thought process)...so all that's left is love and companisionship in old age..and they can worry about that at 50 or 55.
Before that age why not have their cake and eat it to without having to be accountable to a wife for their actions.
peace and luv
Dre'