Marriage Laws?

We've all heard about the gay marriage battles in the US... Is there any reason why that should be a law, when religion is not supposed to be in the legal system? It's ridiculous.

In most places, Polygamy is illegal. What's the actual justification here, besides a bias towards western morals/religion? I can't think of any I think are deserving of being enshrined in law.

The whole idea of marriage is a social construct, and a very poorly designed one. IMO legally defined "marriage" should be much more flexible, allowing things like group marriages and similar organizations. But maybe i'm really misguided and there's a really, really good and secular reason for what i'm seeing as arbitrary and biased laws.

Originally posted by King Kandy
We've all heard about the gay marriage battles in the US... Is there any reason why that should be a law, when religion is not supposed to be in the legal system? It's ridiculous.

In most places, Polygamy is illegal. What's the actual justification here, besides a bias towards western morals/religion? I can't think of any I think are deserving of being enshrined in law.

The whole idea of marriage is a social construct, and a very poorly designed one. IMO legally defined "marriage" should be much more flexible, allowing things like group marriages and similar organizations. But maybe i'm really misguided and there's a really, really good and secular reason for what i'm seeing as arbitrary and biased laws.

Polygamy/andry allows a person to claim an arbitrarily large number of dependents for tax purposes.

Frankly I don't think the law should have anything to do with marriage in the first place but at the moment is does and I'm told that is one of the secular reasons that polygamy is outlawed.

I ain't havin' no gosh darn tootin' shirt lifters gettin' hitch'd on my land or dem group sinners . Dey tuk r jubz.

I don't think I'd make a good hillbilly. hmm

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Polygamy/andry allows a person to claim an arbitrarily large number of dependents for tax purposes.

Frankly I don't think the law should have anything to do with marriage in the first place but at the moment is does and I'm told that is one of the secular reasons that polygamy is outlawed.

I honostly just don't believe polyamory works. Every documentary you see about it shows these ackward relationships fused with massive amounts of jelousy being touted as perfect by the people in them. Although you can just tell by the way they look at their partner's other lover that there is a lot of hate there. Humans are simply monogamous.

Let them get married but I believe there will be a very, very high divorce rate.

Why would you want to have more than one wife?

Or more than one husband. I mean in the interest of fairness it would obviously have to work both ways.

Originally posted by §P0oONY
Humans are simply monogamous.

its pretty clearly not as simple as that...

Yes, for some people... unfortunately marriage laws really limit things to only people who have a monogamous mindset.

I'm not even arguing that point of view. Human desire is clearly counter-productive to their long-term happiness when it comes to sex. For a supposedly "monogomous" species, we are apparently willing to risk huge familial relations for sexual gratification.

Families might work best, and people might be too jealous, sure, but we aren't monogmous.

Oh, I guess I didn't communicate that well... I was actually trying to agree with your statement there, not argue against it.

lol, i was just expanding, I knew you agreed, I might have just read more of a pro-poly stance into it. I was trying to say even people who don't want polyamoury aren't monogomous 😉

word

I would totally agree with that. It's kind of like what Jesus said in the bible (can't believe i'm actually going to use a bible quote): If you look at a woman lustfully, you've already committed adultery in your heart.

I don't see why three people who all work well with each other shouldn't be allowed to form a sort of triangle-marriage. It just seems logical.

well, i dont really see what would be the point in even having marriage at all, then (though i guess thats kind of what youre saying above as well). what difference does it make if youre married to three people or seventy, in which case, i feel that the purpose "marriage" to begin with kind of goes out the window.

i always thought that marriage symbolized some kind of heart to heart bond that supersedes every thing else. it wouldnt be possible to have that kind of bond with three or more people.

I'm totally with you King. Whether it works in the long term or not shouldn't even be a consideration as a) there is no reason to believe they aren't as stable and loving or b) most 2-person marriages don't work, and I'm not just talking about divorce.

I don't see why it would be hard to believe that, as there are some people who are just totally not into polyamoury, there are some who are. Obviously if there are any laws surrounding marriage, they should accomadate such choice so long as it isn't abused for tax purposes or other things.

Originally posted by Ms.Marvel
well, i dont really see what would be the point in even having marriage at all, then (though i guess thats kind of what youre saying above as well). what difference does it make if youre married to three people or seventy, in which case, i feel that the purpose "marriage" to begin with kind of goes out the window.

i always thought that marriage symbolized some kind of heart to heart bond that supersedes every thing else. it wouldnt be possible to have that kind of bond with three or more people.

i agree with most of this, only because I've always seen marriage as a property exchange... EDIT: thats a bad term to use.... not property, but like, it turns people into property, something to be given from person to person... argh, not going to rant...

Its probably more the ritual than anything (rituals REALLY bother me, like, even birthdays and stuff) but ya, the whole thing is creepy. I tend to just naturally just read way too much into everything.

My parents just got married at a courthouse with no wedding (they did have a party later, but no vows or anything). I think that's kind of a good way to go about things.

marriage is unnatural. it's man made. and anything that is unnatural is unhealthy for the mind and the body. nature and the unnatural mix like vodka and milk, like oil and water. they don't work out. never have, never will. why do you think divorce rates are nealry 70%.

not to mention the draconian laws and religious myths that are thrown into the processed mixture making things less than favorable.

just fall in love, or be with someone if you want, be together, have a child or 2 if you want and be happy, naturally.

Originally posted by FistOfThe North
marriage is unnatural. it's man made. and anything that is unnatural is unhealthy for the mind and the body. nature and the unnatural mix like vodka and milk, like oil and water. they don't work out. never have, never will. why do you think divorce rates are nealry 70%.

not to mention the draconian laws and religious myths that are thrown into the processed mixture making things less than favorable.

just fall in love, or be with someone if you want, be together, have a child or 2 if you want and be happy, naturally.

Originally posted by King Kandy
There still should have to be some kind of formal joining for tax purposes...

yea, it's called a civil union.