Conservative view of "traditional" marriage is a myth-says Fox News (legal, economic)

[Surftown831]

Just read an interesting article on Fox News. Even though I already knew this, it reminded me that the conservative claim that traditional marriage is between one man and woman is not necessarily in-factual, but is a fabrication as it does not really encompass the entire spectrum of the unique traits that made up traditional marriages. Conservatives must get their information about marriage from 1950's tv shows rather than reading anthropology or history books. Their version of "traditional" marriage is actually a shaved down version of an institution that was often practiced for economic and political gain, arranged by relatives, and where the wife (or wives) had virtually no rights and were legally a form of the husband's property. Most of the earliest marriages mentioned in the Bible were polygamous. The state had no or little involvement in these matters until only a few hundred years ago, and the church about a thousand years ago, and when they did, there were prohibitions on marriages of mixed race couples and even couples of different religious faiths unless one spouse converted. Morally, religiously and legally there were no prohibitions against men having sexual activity outside of a marriage, though there were severe consequences for women who chose to. Men could also initiate a divorce, but women couldn't.

Marriage eventually evolved from a union based on family ties, inheritance, breeding and economics, into one that is based on love and attraction between one man and one woman (of the same race). With the advent of women's rights, women were granted the same rights as men in the marriage union as well. Then it evolved to include interracial couples. These marriages as we know them today, are anything but traditional.

If conservatives want to return to traditional marriage, keep in mind, it doesn't look like this...

http://cdn.madamenoire.com/wp-conten...nterracial.jpg

But rather like this...

http://www.allaboutthebible.net/wp-c.../Polygamy1.jpg

History of marriage: 13 surprising facts | Fox News

[ABQConvict]

Furthermore, marriage in pre-Christian northern Europe did not resemble either the earlier Semitic form of marriage, nor the later Christian version that developed from the adoption of Semitic mores as the population of Europe became Christianized.

The nature of marriage generally has a -lot- to do with the status of women in society.

[rbohm]

yes you are right, polygamous marriages were the norm back then, bot note that they still had men marrying women. and yes marriages were arraigned, in fact that still happens today. and there was good reason for polygamy in that time, women outnumbered men because men went off to war, of which they had many. these days women still outnumber men, but not by as much, and laws have changed as well disallowing polygamy.

[EmeraldCityWanderer]

Traditional Biblical marriages from the Bible with versus as refrences...

[J. Pederman]

I'm all for going back to traditional Biblical marriage, especially with multiple wives. Ol' J Pederman's got a lotta love to give to all the juicy thick-booty womens!!!