Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sarah Jane Hall on January 16, 2013 at 10:55pm

To be honest with you I have been married twice.  The thing about marriage is, once you sign that paper it's WAY more difficult to get out of then it is to get into.  Marriage license cost about $15.00 but divorce even at it's least expensive costs about $300.00 US.  If no one cares if you get married I say forget it!

In addition you can have a super big expensive party and not sign anything.

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Permalink Reply by Melvinotis on January 20, 2013 at 8:05pm

I don't know why anyone would enter unnecessary contracts.

Boom. That's the sound of my jaw hitting the floor with the impact of your statement. Thank you. And you are right about cake, I guess I want it and to eat it, too. :)

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Permalink Reply by SteveInCO on January 16, 2013 at 7:44am

So we got married.  God wasn't there, incidentally.

I am sure you left the doG at home for the honeymoon too.

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Permalink Reply by Nate Lundgren on January 14, 2013 at 10:31pm

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Permalink Reply by Nate Lundgren on January 14, 2013 at 11:02pm

I just like this video. I'm not for or against marriage. I think that is something that has to be decided by the individuals in a relationship.  Traditions can be comforting but so can the feeling of liberty from government and social norms. Your personality already knows what is the best for you. Trust your own mind and heart. :)

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Permalink Reply by Melvinotis on January 15, 2013 at 10:58pm

Thank you Nate, that was excellent.

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Permalink Reply by Natalie on January 15, 2013 at 3:11am

I think Colleen says it very well.

I've personally been with my "husband" for 14 years now. We are in no way married. I started calling him my husband about 4 years ago after we had our daughter. We both found that this created a lot less confusion and odd looks from people when you try to explain who your significant other was to you. In fact I didn't even announced it are anything. I just started call him that more and more over time. So when I called him that around my parents for the first time they lost it, thinking we eloped or something and never told them. lol.

At first we were still in high school when I had been talking about marriage with him, we had been together for 3 years at that point. However as time progressed I stared pushing it back with reasons like, college, money, and other things. After I had our daughter right on our 10 year anniversary I was kind of getting depressed. Something else had just pushed our marriage back again. And it made be feel terrible for thinking it. So I started addressing the issue. This was also the time when my atheism was really staring to bloom. There was also a lot of gay rights talking floating about too. I felt bad for these people but at the same time I didn't. I soon started to realize. I don't need to be legally recognized by someone or thing as a united couple. Why should I? It's my life. We're fine just the way things are. Why should I care what others think about it?

My parents and other people have stated it would be easier financially to just 'get it done'. I have never looked into how much of a benefit I would receive my getting married because then it becomes a nagging financial obligation. That's not the point of marriage. Yes I'm sure there are things that are possibly unavoidable legally. I have yet to run into it. For instance I had to jump though a lot of hoops to get my work to recognize my partner for my non health benefits.
I think someday I very well may get married to him, or at least have a ceremony for us. I'm not sure just yet.
Bottom line is simply do what you feel is best for you. Don't let any one else idea of what is right dictate what you do. It sounds like you have a lovely relationship and a wonderful lady at your side.

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Permalink Reply by matt.clerke on January 15, 2013 at 4:55pm

what being a married atheist means

Tax cuts and legal recognition of partnership.

I've been married for about 8 months now and I can see no difference between our lives before marriage and our lives after marriage. Before marriage we were a defacto couple under Australian law, after marriage we are a married couple under Australian law. Very little changed.

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Permalink Reply by Yahweh on January 15, 2013 at 9:25pm

Marriage means she gets half of what you have if you split up unless you get a prenuptial agreement. 

Bottom line it's just a piece of paper showing the govt that you're with someone. This way they can find new ways to reach into your pockets. or reach further down

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Permalink Reply by Strega on January 15, 2013 at 9:35pm

I don't think I'll get married again. I'll just find a woman I don't like and give her a house.
-- Lewis Grizzard

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Permalink Reply by Unseen on January 15, 2013 at 11:27pm

Marriage protects children, though it does tend to do so mostly when the marriage fails. The idea is that divorce is an emotional affair with the parties often acting irrationally and fighting over the children. A court then can step in and advocate for the children, making rational choices on their behalf and forcing the parties to agree to certain commitments in support of the children.

That's the theory, but as the Indian chief said in Little Big Man, "sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn't."

I think on the whole it's a good idea for people to marry if they intend to have children. Otherwise, not so much. 

Your situation is different and it sounds like the kids are no longer terribly young, so it probably makes no difference. In many states, simply by living with someone and their children you get treated as if you were married even if you break up! I've heard of men ending up with child support payments even if they didn't live with the mother and her children if the relationship was fairly long term and even if their interaction with the children was fairly minimal.

The state tends to want to find monetary support for children even if the relationship with the kids was  borderline imaginary. 

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Permalink Reply by Gregg R Thomas on January 16, 2013 at 11:11am

Prenuptial agreement first, State sanctioned marriage (property) contract second.

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