Should Underage Marriage be Permitted?

[Denarius]

Re: Should Underage Marriage be Permitted?

I find it unethical for a pair-bonding on an emotional level to be only recognized if signed and sealed by a government body.

That's the only way that the legal system can recognize anything.

As for people, it is not unethical to be wrong. Stupid, maybe. Unethical, no.

It's a societal issue, to be sure. One that as far as I can tell won't be resolved until people are comfortable introducing their significant other as lover or some other non-matrimonial term. Such as life partner, soul mate, or whatever. As it stands, that would be weird, scandalous, or at the very least unusual.

At any rate, doesn't it really only matter if your family and friends recognize your pair-bond? As I said earlier, marriage is the way that the government recognizes pair bonding. Should their be other recognized forms of it, or other types of marriage? Maybe, but that's a legal issue not an ethical one.

I just don't see the role that ethics play in this.

[thalassa]

Re: Should Underage Marriage be Permitted?

I just don't see the role that ethics play in this.

I've met a number of people that find the idea of the government in the marriage business to be morally reprehensible, so I can see the role that ethics plays into this, in terms of the government's interest in what two people do together being unethical. I don't necessarily agree, because I think there is a role for the government to play in terms of determining who has rights to children or spousal support, inheritance, etc...and that reality hasn't changed yet.

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Should Underage Marriage be Permitted?

I'm unmarried, and I agree with Ljub. I don't think the government has any business, well, gettin' all in my business, as it were.

[Denarius]

Re: Should Underage Marriage be Permitted?

Marriage is a legal contract, it's more the government's business than the people getting married.

[Willow]

Re: Should Underage Marriage be Permitted?

That's the only way that the legal system can recognize anything.

As for people, it is not unethical to be wrong. Stupid, maybe. Unethical, no.

It's a societal issue, to be sure. One that as far as I can tell won't be resolved until people are comfortable introducing their significant other as lover or some other non-matrimonial term. Such as life partner, soul mate, or whatever. As it stands, that would be weird, scandalous, or at the very least unusual.

At any rate, doesn't it really only matter if your family and friends recognize your pair-bond? As I said earlier, marriage is the way that the government recognizes pair bonding. Should their be other recognized forms of it, or other types of marriage? Maybe, but that's a legal issue not an ethical one.

I just don't see the role that ethics play in this.

I read this and my brain kind of went out the window... I'm thinking maybe we're on different wavelengths? Or I'm just missing my brain today. ^^

[DanieMarie]

Re: Should Underage Marriage be Permitted?

It is mostly about property and inheritance. And I have no issues with the people entering into an agreement with each other. I find it unethical for a pair-bonding on an emotional level to be only recognized if signed and sealed by a government body. And yes, I know there are alternatives... in most cases.

Where did I ever say someone was in the wrong?

That's not true everywhere. For example, in Canada common law marriage gives many rights over common property, and you can will your property to whomever you want (regarding inheritance). If you live together more than 6 months in BC, for example, you have to split all common property acquired during your cohabitation if you break up, and if you can't do that, you have to go to court. In many cases, your relationship is recognized as a marriage, whether you get married or not. More and more often, legal marriage is turning into a commitment thing rather than a legal thing.

Each province has different rules about common law marriage. Most (except Saskatchewan) only allow you to be in a common law relationship with one person at a time, and all require you to be an adult. The federal government recognizes common law marriage when it comes to federal laws, taxes, and benefits.

[Maria de Luna]

Re: Should Underage Marriage be Permitted?

That's not true everywhere. For example, in Canada common law marriage gives many rights over common property, and you can will your property to whomever you want (regarding inheritance). If you live together more than 6 months in BC, for example, you have to split all common property acquired during your cohabitation if you break up, and if you can't do that, you have to go to court. In many cases, your relationship is recognized as a marriage, whether you get married or not. More and more often, legal marriage is turning into a commitment thing rather than a legal thing.

Each province has different rules about common law marriage. Most (except Saskatchewan) only allow you to be in a common law relationship with one person at a time, and all require you to be an adult. The federal government recognizes common law marriage when it comes to federal laws, taxes, and benefits.

That is wildly different from the united states. It takes years for a common law marriage to take effect, and nothing would be recognised between sam-sex couples or multiple people. The thing is, as long as marriage is a government recognised institution there should not be limits on who can be in one, I think within reason, 7 year olds clearly do not need to be getting married, but I do not even remotely feel like a pair of 16 year olds should be unable to wed, again with the provision of parental permission. Minors are still minors and should have to have parental permission before making any sort of legal decision, but I think barring it completely is unnessecary. But thats my opinion and it should be taken for the pair of pennies its worth!

[DanieMarie]

Re: Should Underage Marriage be Permitted?

Oddly, you can still be legally married as a teen with parental permission. It's just that you can't have a common law marriage if you're under 18.

I like common law marriage. I wish we had it here. It's horribly convenient.

[Juniper]

Re: Should Underage Marriage be Permitted?

I like common law marriage. I wish we had it here. It's horribly convenient.

This is the only reason DH and I went through the motions of getting hitched in Vegas. Surprisingly, Oregon doesn't have common law marriage, either.

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Should Underage Marriage be Permitted?

This is the only reason DH and I went through the motions of getting hitched in Vegas. Surprisingly, Oregon doesn't have common law marriage, either.

I told my bf that if we're ever in Vegas, we're getting Elvis to marry us, and a homeless person as a witness, and then we're tearing up the contract after and going gamblin'.