Is marriage mostly just a superstitious ritual?

Defining terms:

Monogamous: the practice or state of having a sexual relationship with only one partner.

Arbiter: a person who settles a dispute or has ultimate authority in a matter.

Ritual: a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.

Subservience: willingness to obey others unquestioningly; blind compliance.

Superstitious: irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome.

License: the permission by competent authority to do an act which without such permission, would be illegal.

Onerous: having or involving obligations or responsibilities; burdensome, oppressive, or troublesome.

Why do people get married?

It's not, "for the symbolism of love and commitment", that's what the ring is for. How often do you see your friend's marriage licenses? Exactly, It's the ring that symbolizes love and commitment within a monogamous relationship, not the marriage license that the state and or church gives you.

Lots of people superstiously believe that the final step of commitment in a monogamous, and or exclusive relationship, requires having the state become involved, or making a promise to their God of choice; despite it actually accomplishing nothing objectively. Okay, fine, I get it, you're delusional and or superstitious, that's acceptable, but acknolwege it, and own it. If it's a matter of commitment, then really ask yourself; how is a couple that gets the state involved with their relationship any more committed than a couple who chooses to not have the state's involvement?

It's not for the tax cuts, as they are negligible when they're even present in the absense of the conditions outlined within, "the marriage tax penalty."

5 reasons why people actually get "married"

1) Their religion has taught and or instructed them to.

Indoctrination! Makes perfect sense! Your doctrine explains why you would want to participate in a ritual to get, "married". You believe that your promise to God is more important than your promise to your partner. While this is delusional, and even superstitious, it does explain it, so it is an acceptable reason. Plus, religion is all about rituals; and they aren't exactly objectivist.

2) They want a binding contract with an accompanying arbiter.

First of all, no marriage rituals need to be performed in order to draw up a contract; that can be done at anytime, by anybody, for any reason. Although, I suppose that it could be argued by some that the drawing up of a contract is, in of itself, a ritual.

Anyways, I can't help but wonder why a contract would ever be needed between two people who trust each other and are in a monogamous relationship together.

Setting binding contractual conditions to what would otherwise be a mutually voluntary monogamous relationship, seems unnecessary at best, and like sexual slavery at worst. It certainly isn't romantic gesture, or a convincing indicator of ample trust.

I can only imagine the phrasings...

"Under the condition that you wash the dishes no less than 3 times a week, the monogamy will continue."

In all seriousness, wanting a binding contract between you and your significant other is not grounds alone to participate in a marriage ritual; as you can have contracts drawn up without being, "married"; but, because a contract is created within the process of getting "married", and even though it is the subservient route, marrying for a binding contract through the state is a half acceptable reason.

3) Subservience to the state.

Getting a state marriage license while not under any chosen God's instruction, is subservience to the state, and it objectively accomplishes nothing, while contractually giving jurisdiction to the state over your relationship and family.

Black’s Law Dictionary defines "license" as, "The permission by competent authority to do an act which without such permission, would be illegal."

So without a state permission slip, it's, "illegal", to get, "married". Why anybody require permission from a "government" in order to get "married"?!

Most of the perceived benefits of getting "married" are obtainable through other legal processes, such as establishing a legal domestic partnership. Some of those privileges include; the ability to adopt, applying contractual conditions to the relationship, the marital communications privilege, victim recovery benefits, adding each other to a healthcare plan, conjugal visits, visiting the ICU, and making decisions about medical issues and funeral arrangements. Becoming a leach off of the state welfare system(s) is another story. If you're marrying for welfare, you're a lost cause, and I'm surprised youre still reading.

Cohabitation laws are still in effect, and it is still illegal in 4 states for a monogamous couple without a marriage license to live together. In 2001 it was still 7 states that had those edicts! (More here) and Here

If subservience is of concern, then you might want to check out this list of 82 ridiculous laws that may interfere with your relationship and or need to be subservient to arbitrary edicts.

4) Societal pressures experienced because of cultural norms.

"So when are you finally getting married?!"

"You better get married before I die!"

"It's been X (amount of time), are we ever getting married?!"

"What is taking so long?!"

Family and societal pressures can certainly become onerous, especially when pertaining to marriage. Lots of people get married merely because of the pressures experienced from their parents and or significant others. Imagine that, just because of peer pressure, a large percentage of people choose to allow the state to become involved with their relationship, and or family. Just because of peer pressure, people throw together elaborate and financially draining wedding ceremonies to invite their friends and families to, instead of saving the money for securing their future and or budgeting responsibly.

Although not all that commendable, getting married due to peer pressure is a normal occurence and an actual reason that people participate in marriage rituals.

5) Culture has introduced them to the concept, they like it, and they believe that it will subjectively increase the love, and or bond, that is experienced within the relationship.

Tv, movies, books, poetry, music, theater; these are just some of the sources of influence on a developing mind that are infested with the concept of "marriage" being love's final destination. It's everywhere.

The concept of marriage, and the accompanying rituals, have existed since before recorded history. To get "married" for that reason though is an appeal to tradition at best, which is a logical fallacy, or a bandwagon fallacy at worst; but let it be noted, that if youre not getting "married" because of religious indoctrination, or for the desire of a binding contract to accompany a monogamous relationship, that this is the only other reason why people do get married. You want the ring and the ritual because of culture and society introducing you to the romanticized concept. At this point, it has been sold to you, because in reality, a marriage ritual objectively accomplishes nothing.

If you're getting married for this reason, that's fine, nobody is saying that you're doing anything immoral; just that you're superstitious for believing that quantifiable results pertaining to love, devotion, and or status, can be derived from an arbitrary ritual.

Conclusion

If you're not doing it because your God told you to, or for contractual reasons, then you are doing monkey see, monkey do; as it quantifialbly, and objectively, accomplishes nothing, and in the long run, was just an expense.