Mockery or Marriage: What It Really Means to Say "i Do"

The American dream used to be having a job, a house, a family, and a white picket fence - now it seems that vision has been redesigned, and Americans are embracing several families, and several homes. People who are getting married today tend to be doing it for the wrong reasons, and generally aren't prepared for the lifelong commitment it entails. Until death do us part has now been replaced with "until we get bored, or someone better comes along," and the divorce rate is steadily rising throughout the world. Celebrities and political entities alike have flaunted sexual trysts and their dishonorable behaviors for the tabloids. Heterosexuals have made a mockery of the institution of marriage, so what is left that is worth defending?

First, it is necessary to evaluate the many reasons people get married today, compared to sixty years ago. People today are getting married not simply because they are in love as they typically did in the past; they are getting married for a plethora of reasons aside from romantic love, or compatibility. Glorified on television has been teen pregnancy, where teenagers may marry due to familial or religious pressure - which is not in the benefit of the young couple or their unborn child. Sexual compatibility should not be the basis for what should be a lifelong commitment, and teens are not capable of emotionally handling the responsibilities of parenthood, much less being a reliable spouse since they are still in high school and haven't even given serious consideration to their future. Another reason that people are getting married are for benefits of various kinds, such as insurance, military lovers, and also to stay within the country so they won't be deported. In America specifically there are a large number of uninsured and it is understandable the need for benefits especially when you may not qualify for public assistance, however this is not an acceptable reason for marriage - even if both parties are aware and understand. With the military being so prominent throughout the world, it's easily understandable that members who serve will eventually find a companion. Yet they often get married before a deployment or boot camp generally in a short span of time knowing one another simply so that they can be "taken care of" if something happens, they can have military benefits and move together so they can stay together. A relationship with a person who is in the military is not a relationship to be entered into lightly or without great consideration because deployments, as well as boot camp can often raise concerns, stress, and increase chance of adultery. Another instance that some people will use marriage for - is to gain citizenship in a country. Granted marrying someone merely for the purpose of citizenship is illegal, it does not change the fact that it happens, and often can lead to deportation if it is discovered, as well as divorce because the two people, who entered into the contract of marriage, did not know each other well and cannot live well together. These are just a few examples of the abuse of the institution of marriage and are not mere justifications, and there are consequences when entering into this contract with such intentions.

Divorce rate throughout developed countries is substantially higher than in lesser developed countries and is really a tragic statistic that taints the view of marriage. Greater access to resources is the reason for this stark difference, since we now are able to process a divorce for a lower cost, and as simply as processing it through the internet in cases where it is uncontested. Religion is not as prominent in society currently and allows for more people to process a divorce more guiltlessly than previously known. Practicing Catholics never would consider divorce because it's not accepted within the church however