[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Again, I'm not trying to be a dick or make a point, so please don't take what I say as anything but sincere questions.

I take it from your previous posts that you're anti marriage because you think it's caused members of your family, and yourself, a great deal of pain. I think this is a bit of flawed reasoning. It isn't the marriage that caused the pain, it was the breakup and divorce.

Nobody gets married believing they're going to get divorced. Life happens and I'd like to be able to keep things as uncomplicated as possible.

A lot of folks subscribe to the "It's just a piece of paper" philosophy, and if that's the case, why would you be unwilling to sing some piece of paper to maintain a relationship with someone you love?

It's not just a piece of paper. Marriage, especially weddings, are also expensive. There's a tonne of religious dogma behind marriage that I, as an atheist, want no part of. I also believe it to be a pretty outdated tradition. Marriage has also been used as a tool for discrimination in many areas of the world. I have a lot reasons to be against marriage.

Does that piece of paper really make ending a relationship that much more devestating? I'd argue no.
If you've been living together long enough, the breakup can have just as many financial complications as a divorce.
If there are children involved, then I really hope there is no difference at all between the two.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, that if you're anti-marriage because you don't want the marriage to end badly, then I'd argue that you're not anti marriage, but anti commitment, as a breakup after years of living together isn't much easier than a divorce.

Disagree. It's certainly a lot easier to keep your affairs separate in a common-law relationship. Yes it can be just as complicated as marriage if you let it become that way.