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Traditional Marriage - What Is It?Category: Politics The debate over same-sex marriage rights continues in Ottawa. Since many opponents to equal marriage rights insist that we should not, or indeed cannot, redefine the meaning of marriage, it's useful to consider just what exactly is the "traditional" definition of marriage. To illustrate my point, let's look at some recent history. In 1867, all Jewish, Catholic and Protestant marriages were legally recognized in Canada. Before that, in Upper Canada, only couples married in an Anglican church were considered legally married. Is that the traditional definition of marriage? It's not long ago that women were expected to quit working once they got married. With few legal rights of their own, wives were considered subservient to their husbands. Even today, some brides in some especially conservative congregations still insist on using the word "obey" in their marriage vows. Is that the traditional definition of marriage? Finally, some communities strictly adhere to the idea that raising children is the primary purpose of marriage. Up until relatively recently, couples in many conservative rural villages in Europe (such as Giethoorn) could get married only after physically demonstrating their ability to sire children. Is that the traditional definition of marriage? If it's not already obvious, my point is that there's never been a static, unchanging definition of the word "marriage". As times change, so too does the institution of marriage. Language is constantly in a state of flux, and it's the job of the lexicographer to record the ever-changing meanings of words, such as "marriage". Hans path: /Politics | permanent link to this entry  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
