In this exercise, define what a TRADITIONAL marriage means for your culture. How does this culture view love? What would this culture do about affairs? Divorce? Are there old myths and stories related to love?
Hi,
In my culture, with no actual religion, its a case of, if you find someone in which you feel happy with, care for and enjoy spending time with, and these feelings are felt by the other person, the partner, then this equals 'love' which goes on to marriage. In my culture it does not matter a great deal whether or not each family approves of your partner as long as 'you are happy'. Although whether or not the family approve of your partner, during marriage it is the families individual right, if invited to the wedding ceremony, to make a decision weather or not they would like to attend the wedding ceremony. This can cause upset with people in each family and effect the couple who want to marry. It is usually best if each family do as they are asked by the couple who want to marry to see the couple happy.
Divorce
Divorce / break-ups happen when one of both of the couple are no longer happy, due to lots of reasons. lack of communication because one has lose interest in the relationship, unfaithfulness, one of the couple feels there needs are not been full filled, one of them thinks they can have something better and continuous arguments, bickering and failing to agree on anything anymore, just to name a few. Divorce is a almost always a 'messy' process, with the law having to be involved in most cases to help deal with houses, house hold items and children as well as savings accounts and other things. This causes lots of resentment towards each other for the once marred couple.
Arraigned marriages
I have thought about this to my self before. I don't know many people who believe in arranged marriages. But it doesn't help me stop thinking this: "How often do i read about or hear about an arranged marriage breaking up, or causing unhappiness between families and the couple ?", the answer is pretty much never. They seem to work..
How often do i see couples of a culture with arrange marriage arguing in the street ? Never
How often do i hear about messy break ups / divorce resulting in arson or death or a partner due to jealousy / betrayal ? Never
How often do i hear couple of a different culture with arranged marriage losing a house or savings due to divorce / break up? never
How often do i hear of cultures with arrange marriage fighting for custody of children ? never
how often do i hear about cultures with arrange marriage having children before marriage and been a single parent ? never
And finally how often do i hear about family arguments, disapproval in cultures of arrange marriage ? never
Is this because cultures with arrange marriage make things work better because they are 'told to be together'...?
Even though i am not in this culture i feel that it is a more secure culture.
People who do not have a religion around marriage, like me, seem to have more heart breaks, more fights and upset in life.
Or am i missing the point..