Temporary marriage, it's about time

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The discussion centers around the proposal of temporary marriage licenses in Mexico City, allowing couples to opt for contracts lasting a minimum of two years, with the option to renew. Proponents argue this could reduce the financial and emotional burdens of divorce, as many couples would prefer an easy exit strategy rather than a lifetime commitment. Critics express concerns that this could trivialize marriage and diminish its perceived value, suggesting that it may lead to increased divorce rates. The conversation also touches on the idea that couples should know each other better before committing, advocating for longer engagement periods. Overall, the concept of temporary marriage is seen as a progressive alternative to traditional lifelong contracts.
  • #51
I have a couple of friends/former co-workers who are 'way ahead of Mexico in the temporary marriage business. One is a woman who has either been married or cohabitated with at least 5-6 guys over the years. The other is a guy who always manages to marry young women (on 5th marriage) and currently has a 4-year-old son by a twenty-something woman.
 
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  • #52
QuarkCharmer said:
Evo, I meant in no way to insinuate that women are leeches. I just think that the idea of a temporary or specialized marriage would not fly with the fairy tale image that we are led to believe exists in marriage.
That's another very important point about why marriages fail, it's the fairytale aspect.
 
  • #53
Evo said:
That's another very important point about why marriages fail, it's the fairytale aspect.
So true! When my second-cousin got married, the bride's parents' family spared no expense. They rented a large facility for the reception, with a restaurant-quality kitchen, staffed with cooks and servers. Sit-down multi-course meal with plenty of wait-staff and an open bar. My great-aunt was allowed to invite 30 people. The bride's mother invited over 300. The bride never sat down all afternoon, since she had to dance with all her male relatives and family friends (huge Italian family), and they gave her 50s and 100s. She was beautiful, as were the bridesmaids and their gowns (surprise!) and the wedding ceremony was traditional Roman Catholic in a beautiful old church.

I think the marriage lasted about a year. She alleged spousal abuse, probably as a way to smooth things over with her family, since divorce was a real no-no in the 60's.
 
  • #54
This thread is sad. I have only been married 12 years now, but I feel that the shared hope of a permanent connection is beautiful and helps make my marriage more fulfilling. Even if it falls apart later (God forbid), I wouldn't want to make what we have today any less by starting with the idea of a temporary convenience for tax purposes.
 
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  • #55
Interestingly, in Islam you actually have the concept of temporary marriages. They can last anything between less than a day or more than a year. Though sometimes people state this is just a manner for Islam to legalize prostitution.

Then again, some people jokingly refer to marriage as a legalized form of prostitution. But, heck, guess they didn't get it.

Under most communist regimes, women's emancipation and a simple manner out of marriage are also common. One of the thing which surprised me about Hungary is that they have child support, for example, but no women's support (equality of the sexes/worker classes I imagine.)

Personally, I think it's about time to take the whole concept of marriage out of the legal system.
 
  • #56
maybe the fairytale marriages should include a reduction in rights for the princess brides. or grooms, i suppose. even the queen of england needs a mate, eh?
 
  • #57
MarcoD said:
Interestingly, in Islam you actually have the concept of temporary marriages. They can last anything between less than a day or more than a year. Though sometimes people state this is just a manner for Islam to legalize prostitution.

Then again, some people jokingly refer to marriage as a legalized form of prostitution. But, heck, guess they didn't get it.

Under most communist regimes, women's emancipation and a simple manner out of marriage are also common. One of the thing which surprised me about Hungary is that they have child support, for example, but no women's support (equality of the sexes/worker classes I imagine.)

Personally, I think it's about time to take the whole concept of marriage out of the legal system.

Actually, this is just practiced in Shia Islam. The majority of Muslims (sunni) stay away from that. It is legal prostitution because the man has to give dowry. What some men do is "marry" the bride for an hour, pay the dowry and consume the marriage, then they move on with their lives. It is widely practiced in Iran along with sex-reassignment surgery.
 
  • #58
CheckMate said:
Actually, this is just practiced in Shia Islam. The majority of Muslims (sunni) stay away from that. It is legal prostitution because the man has to give dowry. What some men do is "marry" the bride for an hour, pay the dowry and consume the marriage, then they move on with their lives. It is widely practiced in Iran along with sex-reassignment surgery.
The proposed change in Mexico would be a two year minimum, since IIRC ~50% of marriages end in divorce within that time frame.
 
  • #59
Evo said:
The proposed change in Mexico would be a two year minimum, since IIRC ~50% of marriages end in divorce within that time frame.
Wow! Is that a valid statistic for Mexico?
 
  • #60
turbo said:
Wow! Is that a valid statistic for Mexico?
Don't know what the actual statistics are, but this is what the article said
Around half of Mexico City marriages end in divorce, usually in the first two years.
Don't know the exact numbers for the first two years.
 
  • #61
How would this apply if the couple have children and then get a divorce? If the mtoher doesn't work, how much could she get from the husband?
 
  • #62
article said:
The Church holds considerable sway in the country with the world's second largest Catholic population after Brazil.

I would have thought it would be tough to get traction for such an idea in a country that is so heavily Catholic.
 
  • #63
turbo said:
I would have thought it would be tough to get traction for such an idea in a country that is so heavily Catholic.
That was my first thought. Of course the Catholic church is against it.
 
  • #64
I could see it work for students. You can marry your college sweetheart and by the time the marriage ends no one is going to call you a fornicator (not that people use this word often in the western world)
 
  • #65
Ryan_m_b said:
Not to mention it's an extremely effective way of deciding who owns a woman.

The correct answer is "no one. Ever."
 

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