Marriage can be defined as a social union between two people. Essentially it is a religious contract, that states you are together with your soul mate, and vow to be faithful. In the Christian based contract it states, "Believing that marriage is a covenant, intended by God to be a lifelong relationship between a man and a woman, we vow to God, each other, our families and our communities to remain steadfast in unconditional love, reconciliation and sexual purity while purposefully growing in our covenant marriage relationship."
Does it mean anything?
No, it is worthless. It means nothing. If you truly trust your soul mate, and are committed to them, marriage means nothing. It is a true waste of time and money. However; it can be said, that marriage is not an absolute waste of money.
Marriage solidifies the love shared between a man and a woman, (or one man or woman and another man or woman). It demonstrates a commitment a man has to the woman, and a woman has to the man that there with (or the opposite, for example lesbians and homosexuals).
For example, lets look at Gene Simmons. Gene and Shannon Tweed have been together for 28 years, and have never been married. (Myself, I have been with my significant other for 13 years, and have never married. We believe that marriage is a contact. We're still together because we want to be.) Recently, though, they have decided to finally get married.
Gene wants to show Shannon that he is committed to their relationship, and that he will stop appearing with other woman, and stop deleting his text messages. Shannon wants him to demonstrate that he is committed.
In retrospect, the concept of marriage is still foreign to me. It still means nothing, except a public declaration of love between a man and a woman. In viewing the drama between Gene and Shannon, I agree with Shannon. Maybe marriage does have some meaning after all.
"Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." Macbeth Quote (Act V, Scene V).
