Marriage Contracts

[jamongo]

Quote From Cornell Law School

For entire writing, click link below:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/index.php/Marriage

marriage: an overview

In the English common law tradition, from which our legal doctrines and concepts have developed, a marriage was a contract based upon a voluntary private agreement by a man and a woman to become husband and wife. Marriage was viewed as the basis of the family unit and vital to the preservation of morals and civilization. Traditionally, the husband had a duty to provide a safe house, pay for necessities such as food and clothing, and live in the house. The wife's obligations were maintaining a home, living in the home, having sexual relations with her husband, and rearing the couple's children. Today the underlying concept that marriage is a legal contract still remains but due to changes in society the legal obligations are not the same.

Is marriage as we know it today out-dated, because of these "changes in society? Should the marriage contract be changed? If so, in what way. Should it be a binding contract for a specified period of time, five years, ten years, etc.? We have today pre-nuptial agreements. Something unheard of not too many years ago.

And one other thought. Are men treated fairly with respect to marriages? This applies to the dating period, the marriage itself, and to the divorce if that unfortunate event occurs.

[Tormod]

Are you married yourself? Are women treated fairly with respect to marriages (since you ask about men only)?

I don't see the problem here. Divorce is so common today that a marriage that contracts won't help at all.

I am married but if I had a contract that said in ten years' time it's up, I'd feel as if I were living under a Damocles sword.

If anyone needs a contract for marriage, they are probably married for the wrong reasons.

[Mercedes Benzene]

Originally Posted by Tormod

If anyone needs a contract for marriage, they are probably married for the wrong reasons.

I agree entirely!

[jamongo]

Are you married yourself?

What does my marital status have to do with this thread?

Are women treated fairly with respect to marriages (since you aks about men only)?

If anyone feels it necessary to add their comments on this subject, they are free to do so.

If anyone needs a contract for marriage, they are probably married for the wrong reasons.

Possibly. I couldn't say if that is true or not.

I was reading another post about RFIDs and started wondering what our human situation might be in the future. This started me thinking if when we mated with another, would we have RFIDs installed in our butts or something.
It is a curiosty about the future and what might develop. Humans, robots, cybernetics, perhaps a mixture of them all, what will happen to our emotions such as love, hate, anger, etc. Will marriage turn in to a type of business arrangement? That then prompted the thread.

[Tormod]

Originally Posted by jamongo

What does my marital status have to do with this thread?

It is a simple question. I suspect from your post that you are not married, and that you do not know what it means to be married.

Although many cultures have arranged marriages, where the partners are in a business agreement (more or less), most of the Western world has marriages based on (hopefully) the consent of the partners involved, not their parents.

[LJP07]

Ridicule. Having a contract for a marraige, sounds like an Insurance Policy to me, or a buying a product that you will enjoy, then probably get bored and terminate the contract.

What's the world coming too.

It's true to say that marraige is not the same as it was say in the last century with having a divorce is as common as bigamy.

[Freddy]

Prenuptuals are not used by the majority of married couples today. Here in the US 50% of all marriages end in divorce. Clearly, the "til death do us part" is not as widespead as it once was. Being married is a legal and socio/economic contract that the two parties agree to. When the parties no longer agree they separate and/or divorce. However, divorce does not end the economic agreement, especially when joint property and children are involved.

I am married and my wife of almost 10 years has recently put my name on the title of her condominium. However, if in the future we were to separate I will not try to claim half of the condo's value as she owned it long before we met. Hopefully, our marriage will last "til death do us part".

Since marriage has such a high failure rate I do think there should be a class for the prospective couples. It could be part of the marriage licensing process where you attend a class and are required to read a booklet on how to make a successful marriage and then pass an exam. Meeting with a marriage counselor to discuss what being married means to the couple could be helpful.

[jamongo]

It is a simple question

But not relevant to the subject.

I suspect from your post that you are not married

Your suspicions are incorrect.

and that you do not know what it means to be married

Again you are incorrect.

I tried to carefully explain that I was curious as to the future and what changes people thought might take place.

You seem to be disturbed by this post, and you appear to be attacking me. If you don't like it, remove it.

[Rebiu]

Personally I find the idea of any authority sanctioning marriage ridiculous. I consider myself married though I have never sought recognition of that fact form any religious or governmental authority. There are some benefits to legal sanction of the relationship but I find that simple letting others assume and not clarifying is just as effective.

Many like to condescend to those of us in the real world about how you should not get married if this or you do not understand marriage if that. If we all waited until we were as perfect as they were many of use would die alone and childless.

I am 34 years old and have been with my wife for ten years. We have three children including her first born whom I am not the biological father of. She has had reoccurring problems with addiction, depression, anxiety, stress and her families intrusions. I am very satisfied with my life. I like my wife most of the time. I value my family most of all. I could pretend that I am in this flawless relationship where all problems can be talked out and a no one feels the need to threaten the relationship but it would be a lie. I doubt many relationships are composed of two people so mature, understanding and diplomatic.

[Tormod]

Originally Posted by jamongo

I tried to carefully explain that I was curious as to the future and what changes people thought might take place.

But you shrugged at my bouncing question about whether marriage was treating women badly. So I am confused by your stand on this issue. I don't understand your original post, and asked for clarification. Instead you jump on me and cry foul.

You seem to be disturbed by this post, and you appear to be attacking me. If you don't like it, remove it.

I am not disturbed by your post. I am more disturbed by your strange behaviour.