Dude, they'd been saying that since the liberalization of divorce laws that came about more or less at the same time as Vatican II, I think.
Dunno about the USA, but in Canada, common-law is recognized. And what's worse than a loyal couple living common law (if you're somehow against that concept and think a piece of paper or a church service is somehow necessary or magic) is actual married couples who cheat or have an "open" relationship, which makes the whole idea of "marriage" a mockery. And don't get me started on how silly the fucking wedding industry has become. Anyone with half a brain should just elope and use the money they save on the wedding on a goddamn house.
which makes the whole idea of "marriage" a mockery
Marriage was a mockery from the moment it ceased to be an agreement made with God and became a government recognized tax scheme.
Heck, we can go back further and say marriage was dead the moment a bunch of hedonistic "artists" started hyping up "passion and romance" as the most important part of couplehood.
The modern conception of "love" is actually a nightmare. Love is a continual choice. Or a description of an established state of being (see Fiddler on the Roof). It is a component in marriage, but probably doesn't even crack top 5 in importance.
The concept of marriage was created because ancient humans understood that children do much better when raised by two parents rather than one, and they wanted to coerce couples into staying together. If everyone just goes whoring around, randomly producing children who have no idea who their father is, the society quickly crumbles. We're watching it happen right now.
It's manipulation, sure, but it's a necessary one. You can't just say "you have to stay together because it's the right thing to do", because ultimately very few people actually care about morality. The only way to get most people to behave is to threaten them with some dire consequence.
Dude, they'd been saying that since the liberalization of divorce laws that came about more or less at the same time as Vatican II, I think.
Dunno about the USA, but in Canada, common-law is recognized. And what's worse than a loyal couple living common law (if you're somehow against that concept and think a piece of paper or a church service is somehow necessary or magic) is actual married couples who cheat or have an "open" relationship, which makes the whole idea of "marriage" a mockery. And don't get me started on how silly the fucking wedding industry has become. Anyone with half a brain should just elope and use the money they save on the wedding on a goddamn house.
Marriage was a mockery from the moment it ceased to be an agreement made with God and became a government recognized tax scheme.
Heck, we can go back further and say marriage was dead the moment a bunch of hedonistic "artists" started hyping up "passion and romance" as the most important part of couplehood.
The modern conception of "love" is actually a nightmare. Love is a continual choice. Or a description of an established state of being (see Fiddler on the Roof). It is a component in marriage, but probably doesn't even crack top 5 in importance.
It basically boils down to "being able to put up with each others' bullshit while also being able to work together to run a functioning household."
Which, barring mental illness, is a choice, rather than a magic field.
Love is literally Disney propaganda.
Marriages have always been a bad business agreement sold to you by religious figures through glorified Mafia tactics.
The concept of marriage was created because ancient humans understood that children do much better when raised by two parents rather than one, and they wanted to coerce couples into staying together. If everyone just goes whoring around, randomly producing children who have no idea who their father is, the society quickly crumbles. We're watching it happen right now.
It's manipulation, sure, but it's a necessary one. You can't just say "you have to stay together because it's the right thing to do", because ultimately very few people actually care about morality. The only way to get most people to behave is to threaten them with some dire consequence.