but I know tons of people who think this is a good idea

[kimba1]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20781129/site/newsweek/


the thing about dating is at least some effort is made to make the other person like em

[Universe Prince]

And earlier this year, Delaware took similar steps, requiring anyone younger than 18 to petition family court for permission to marry, because the state's pregnancy provision conflicted with its statutory-rape law, which classifies sex with anyone under 16 as a felony. At the time, the Delaware lawmaker who drafted the law, the clerk of the peace for Newcastle County, said he'd called police on a couple of occasions to arrest one of the newlyweds on statutory rape just after they'd left his office. More, in a number of cases potential brides were old enough to get married but still not old enough to go to court on their own to get a divorce.

The question I have is: why is the answer to this raising the legal age to marry? We've got 15- and 16-year-olds getting jail time and being registered for life as sex offenders because they had consensual sex with one another, and we're thinking that raising the legal age for marriage is going to solve social problems? Have we just completely thrown reason overboard? Is this how we respond to social issues? Knee-jerk calls for more regulations? Are we going to try to legislatively shelter our children until they're 18? Or 21? And yet, we wonder why some people have trouble learning to be responsible citizens.

[Plane]

Greater distance between the sexes while young ?

[Lanya]

I agree with Prince. 

[Universe Prince]

Greater distance between the sexes while young ?

How about teaching them responsible behavior rather than trying to prohibit it with laws? Drinking age limits do not stop "underage" drinking. Laws regarding age of consent do not stop 15- and 16-year-olds from experimenting sexually. We need to seriously rethink our approach to these situations. We keep trying to extend childhood, and then wonder why people have such trouble adjusting to adulthood. We are not going to rear children to be moral and responsible people by removing all their choices from them. And we certainly do not help the situation by making legal rites of passage out of drinking alcohol and getting laid. That practically guarantees that many if not most teenagers are going to try to do them at the earliest possible moment. No, I'm not saying give teenagers liberty to do anything they want nor as a parent to have no rules for one's children. I'm saying help them into maturity by preparing them for the world, not trying to keep them from it. No, I don't have children of my own, but let's just say I speak from a different sort of personal experience (and that is all I'm going to say about that). In any case, I'd say there is abundant evidence that trying to control teenagers with laws does not work. We do not need more of the same. We need a different approach. Or else we should just quit trying to rear children and leave it to the government to do for us.

[Xavier_Onassis]

The success rate (as determined by the percentage of divorce per marriage) for parent-arranged marriages is better than the rate for Western marriages. Of course, there are other factors at play, because in countries where arranged marriages are typical, women are at least in some ways, second-class citizens.

In some countries (China and India, notably) astrologers and geomancers are used to find Mr or Ms Right. In India, you have to choose someone of the proper caste, language and subcaste as well, and all manner of dating services have sprung up just so these eligible persons can meet.

I don't think that every culture should have to follow the lead of the US or the Western world. It is a bit arrogant to say we have all the answers, considering the number of Kramer vs. Kramer divorces and such.

[kimba1]

actually thats deceptive to say arranged marraiges has a better success rate western marraiges.
the option of divorce is ectremely limited in arrainged marraiges.
a friend of mine was arranged.
she thinks of marriage as a involuntary job
an obligation to the family
if you think about it thats pretty much true.
she and her husband don`t hate each other or think of much of each other
you can`t ask for much more in a marraige