Marriage vows, for Christians or anybody.

[ThePainefulTruth]

What is the purpose of the oath of fidelity in marriage? To insure that they love one another until death? Can you promise to feel the same about them for the rest of your life no matter how carefully you vetted each other. No, though many do, as I did. And few object to divorce in a childless marriage, which often happens because there are no children.

The purpose of fidelity is for the strength of the family, and that's applicable even for empty-nesters. Adults get over a breakup, but children seldom do, they're the ones that pay the price for adult---ery.

[connermt]

[Replying to post 3 by ThePainefulTruth]

Do you think a significant number of people are merely saying it for forms sake and don't mean it, like the one third that end up in divorce court?

Yes, and I think many believe it AT THE TIME without actually thinking about what it really means.
People mostly like to adhere to standards of society. This one is no different

Should open marriage be more common?

I think whatever a marriaed couple agrees on that doesn't harm anyone else should be OK

[ThePainefulTruth]

[Replying to post 3 by ThePainefulTruth]

Do you think a significant number of people are merely saying it for forms sake and don't mean it, like the one third that end up in divorce court?

Yes, and I think many believe it AT THE TIME without actually thinking about what it really means.
People mostly like to adhere to standards of society. This one is no different

Should open marriage be more common?

I think whatever a marriaed couple agrees on that doesn't harm anyone else should be OK

I couldn't agree more, especially about the "People mostly like to adhere to standards of society", part. Why? I guess because they make it so you don't have to think. How do those standards come to be and why is it so hard to break them, even in the face of their obvious corruption? I'm afraid simple momentum plays a much larger part in this world than we'd care to admit.

[Davidjayjordan]

What is the purpose of the oath of fidelity in marriage? To insure that they love one another until death? Can you promise to feel the same about them for the rest of your life no matter how carefully you vetted each other. No, though many do, as I did. And few object to divorce in a childless marriage, which often happens because there are no children.

The purpose of fidelity is for the strength of the family, and that's applicable even for empty-nesters. Adults get over a breakup, but children seldom do, they're the ones that pay the price for adult---ery.

But the painful truth is few wedding vows, state that the two partners must remain sexual exlusive and the property of the other sexually. Its almost always unwritten and just assumed by our sexually exclusive strict societies. It helps control people via church and state, and helps for tax purposes and tithing etc etc..

We didn;t vow such a vow, but stated almost 40 years ago before the justice of the peace....... to love and honor and uphold til death do us part, through thickness or thinness, or whatever words we swore..... and we have kept that vow til now. Love works and is the bond, not a certificate and definitely not the state or church system. But we have a certificate to do it in case people barge into our bedroom unannounced.... or if the tax man cometh.