Marriage has to be redefined in modern society. Do you agree?

1. The divorce rate for all marriage in 2010 stands at 50% while second and third marriages face a divorce rate of 60%. 67% of recent marriages end up in divorce. This indicates the increasing rates of divorce around the world.

1.1. . For example, in India, Delhi the figures go thus: 1960’s – 1-2 cases per year, in the 1980s – 100-200 cases per year, in the 1990s – 1,000 cases per year and in the 2000s - a jump to 9,000 cases per year (http://nitawriter.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/why-is-the-divorce-rate-increasing/)

2. Furthermore, as times change, some views may not remain relevant. The redefining of marriage is merely a part of modernising our values with our new knowledge: just a part of the betterment of society. Therefore, redefining marriage is for a good cause and allows us to stay relevant in this ever globalising world.

3. Counter Argument: Marriage between a man and a woman is a natural order that should not be changed, but instead strengthened.

3.1. People with the traditional view of marriage may argue that marriage between a man and a woman is a natural order that should not be changed. Marriage should not be redefined but instead strengthened.

3.2. These people who are against heterosexual marriage argue that the true functions of the human reproductive organs are neglected in heterosexual marriages and the population would be affected in the long run, affecting the country’s development in the future. (http://johnstonsunrise.net/stories/Strengthen-marriage-dont-redefine-it,47717?print=1)

3.3. In addition, they believe that redefining marriage would be ignoring the fundamental biological fact that the union of man and woman is the only relationship that was designed and is capable to unite them and to create and nurture children.

3.3.1. Redefining marriage would mean that the meaning and purpose of marriage would be changed – marriage would no longer be about children or future generations, but would be merely a private relationship of consenting adults that is solely about satisfying their desires. (http://www.drvc.org/pdf/why_marriage_shouldnt_be_redefined.pdf)

4. However, I disagree with their views. Everyone has their rights to freedom, and they should have the freedom to marry whoever they want regardless of race, age, and sex excreta.

4.1. Marriage should be based on love and not procreation. Wanting to have children should not be the sole reason to get married, because if the two parties are not committed to one another, it would eventually lead to unhappiness and an unwanted relationship which it complicates things, especially if children are involved. ( http://www.debate.org/debates/Marriage-should-not-be-redefined-or-gay-marriage-should-be-illegal/1/)

4.2. In the past, the view is that only after marriage, then can a couple start a family. However, as times change, this is not necessarily the case. For instance, a famous celebrity couple, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have not tied the knot yet, but they have children, both adopted and their own, and they are considered a family.

5. The increasing trend of cohabitation shows that marriages should be redefined to the changing circumstances

5.1. • Cohabitation refers to the arrangement whereby two people decide to live together on a long-term or permanent basis in an emotionally/and or sexually intimate relationship.

5.2. • More and more people see cohabitation as their form of marriage and believe they are in fact more committed to their partners as compared to those who are legally wed simply because their relationship is not binding. Due to the fact that cohabitation is not institutionalized, cohabiting couples do not face the emotional and financial problems that comes with divorce. Hence this makes them more dedicated in the sense that some wedded couples might just be together because they do not wish to go through the difficulties of divorce especially if they have children.

5.3. • Furthermore, people that live in feel as if they are not stuck in a rut. They have that option of freedom and can always give up this responsibility without upsetting the norms of society. This gives people a perceived control that often lacks in marriage. They may also feel more free to reinvent their relationship outside the moulds of traditional expectations.

5.4. • This increasing trend can be seen in undoubtedly one of the most influential countries in the word - United States of America. There are more than 5 million unmarried couples in USA, about eight times the number in 1970. In addition, about 40 % of babies born in 2007 had unmarried parents with most of them being "committed unmarrieds". Other influential people such as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and even Oprah Winfrey, a woman who has topped the Celebrity Forbes list repeatedly has decided to live in with her partner.

5.5. • Hence, the definition of marriage should be broadened to include those that choose not to have the government sanction their marriage and prefer cohabitation. Many a times, these couples have gone through traumatizing experience of past failed marriages and feel that in this way, they too can find their own share of contentment without feeling the fear of going through divorce again.

5.6. Some useful links:http://socyberty.com/relationships/is-cohabitation-replacing-marriage

5.7. Some useful links:http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=6642#Marriage

6. Marriage has to be redefined as it should also consider the union of 2 people of the same sex

6.1. Typically, marriage has been between one man and one woman

6.1.1. New node

6.2. This should be changed as marriage should not soley consider that of one man and one woman but also look into homosexual couples. Although they feel and think differently for their own gender, they should not be denied of a chance to be married as it is afterall, a social union between two people

6.3. Same-sex couples, like hetrosexual couples, should be given a chance to get married and be granted an official status of their union

6.3.1. Instead, homosexual couples face discrimination from the society as they are deemed to be abnormal and unnatural

6.4. There is also increased support for same-sex marriage, which signifies that more and more people are open to the idea of marriage between homosexual couples http://www.gallup.com/poll/147662/first-time-majority-americans-favor-legal-gay-marriage.aspx

6.5. Therefore, marriage should be redefined as most societies do not allow homosexual couples to get married. The narrow definition of marriage defined to be that between one man and one woman has to be looked into again as modern times and views have changed, and marriage cannot be looked at in the same way anymore

6.6. Blog of a married homosexual couple: http://thealisonandbeckystory.tumblr.com/

6.7. http://www.youtube.com/user/NOH8Campaign?ob=0&feature=results_main ( no H8 campaign that supports same sex marriages)

7. Introduction: In the past, many defined a marriage as two people of different genders uniting. During those conventional times, only married couples were allowed to start a family. Also, couples were not permitted to live together unless they are married. However, in todays mordern society, people have changed views and traditional beliefs no longer exist. This is shown by increasing rate of cohabitation before marriage and also the legalization of same sex marriages. Thus i strongly agree that marriage has to be redefined in todays modern society. In fact, the rights to freedom in todays society has played a major role in redefining marriage.

8. In conclusion, with traditional views disappearing, society becoming increasingly modern, marriage is no longer defined as before. Today marriage can even be considered to be the union of two people of the same gender or people nowadays are allowed to cohabit even before marriage. This are all evidence to how much people views have changed due to changing times. therefore, the definition of marriage certainly has to be redefined in todays modern society.

9. Marriage should be redefined because the perception of marriage has been changed in this generation as time passes by

9.1. People are unhappy in marriages and are more liberal about divorce

10. This indicates a change in perception and attitude towards marriage as divorce is becoming increasingly common nowadays. The traditional view of marriage does not tolerate this as marriage is considered a bond between man and woman.

10.1. As times change and the world is becoming more globalised, people would be more liberal in terms of their perceptions of things and this would change their perception of marriage. Therefore, marriage should be redefined to keep up with the advancement of mankind.