Why Marriage?

Have you ever thought about the importance of marriage or the purpose of it? The purpose of marriage seems to be in question in the world today and the need for it as well. It is becoming more and more common to live with your partner before you are married and divorce rates are higher than they were 50 years ago. Why is marriage crumbling and why does it matter? 

From personal experience, I have heard from friends and family members of why they choose cohabitation. The most common theory I hear is the "test the car before you buy it" theory. I hear so many people say that they want to live with each other before they get married so they can see if they are compatible enough. Although this thinking may make sense, it does not work and couples who cohabitate before they marry are more likely to get divorced.  Not only is marriage on the decline, but divorce is on the rise. But why should we care? What value does marriage bring to society?

According to the "State of Our Unions", "Marriage is not merely a private arrangement; it is also a complex social institution. Marriage fosters small cooperative unions—also known as stable families—that enable children to thrive, shore up communities, and help family members to succeed during good times and to weather the bad times". It is more than just a piece of paper, marriage helps strengthen families and benefits our children more than we know. Not only does the union of marriage benefit the couple in many aspects, but it has a profound affect on the children. Children are less likely to thrive and grow up into successful adults in a home where the parents are cohabiting together. I feel like if people recognized the benefits children have living in a home with married parents, then they would reconsider their life style.

Sources: State of Our Unions 2012; The National Marriage Project