An Increasing Trend Among the French

The having no children only means that their adult actions wont have to be "endured or defended" by innocents. Which is a good thing.
As far as commitment goes, the defintion ( of commitment) doesnt change but as adults they can handle any situations that might come up, as adults.

Despite or in spite of Church intrusions or morality issues, living together when its ONLY adults is not necessarily ( IMHO) immoral but it does tell something about the participants, like any action or inaction does.

The nature of the media story is to soften the blow or in fact eliminate it as a negative from the up coming election.

We know that many people will go along with the majority of opinion just so as not to be different and if its known that ( marriage in this case) is on the decline, that norm will or should be more acceptable.

While people can and do it all the time, seperate their private lives from their social lives, it doesnt make it any less relavant and in fact is usally seen as a negative to be one wayin private and another way in public.

Other than that I have no opinion on the subject

Many people agree with you when it comes to having children and marriage being the next step....

But, what about couples who have no intention of producing children? May have them by a previous marriage .... and want to maintain their financial independence? Does that make them any less committed??

I suspect not --- but would like to hear what others have to say.

Marriage or not getting married I should say is not about "sticking it to religions" etc

Non religious people opt to get married.

Marriage is a next up step in a relationship.

OK, so you have children and by- pass the marriage part.

I can not say people who live together love any more or less than those who get married.

Its just another step in the "show" of love.

that "show" of love than transfers down to the children.

ahhhh, the children.

sure, if enough people are doing something ( not getting married) maybe down the road the children wont feel so different.

But if marriage is just another step in that "show of love" than it gets down to people acting like they are ok without marriage but deep down it just wont feel right, be right and they will never address ( their parents not showing that extra step of love/commitment/trust) an emptyness in their souls.

That has nothing to do with people who get married and mistreat each other I am only talking about a healthy relationship that takes that next step into love.

No Comment!!

The Wash Times is south of the NYTimes amd they had it there, too.

Same article that appeared in the Wash. Post. Wonder if it will run in the deep South ....

This was in the Boston Globe this morning:

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/ar...s_to_the_altar/

Ellen:

I am so glad to hear that.


Al, you do have a point. Perhaps those aren't the companies offerering the domestic perks.

The only reason you could think this is that the evangelical Christians and the rest of the religeous right are so vocal about it. More people in the US do believe in marriage, for sure. But I don't think, as you mentioned, that it is thetrend ..

Karen,

I think I may have misspoken; an increasing number of companies and governmental entities are offering domestic partner benefits, both to opposite and to same-sex couples. Sorry!

Ellen: I'm surprised to read your last statement. There must be some type of movement for "equal rights." NO?

Karen,

My sense is that in the US the trend is toward marriage vs. cohabitation sans marriage. That's not based on anything factual though; just a feeling. Having said that, I think that there's a much higher tolerance for people living together who aren't married than there was, say 20 years ago. I do know people who aren't married, but who are every bit as committed to each other as if they were.

Also, a bit off the subject, more and more US companies are offering benefits to same sex partners, but not for unmarried male/female partners.

More Longtime Couples in France Prefer L'Amour Without Marriage

By Molly Moore
PARIS -- Sandrine Folet and Lucas Titouh have two children, a stylish Paris apartment and a 15-year-old partnership.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...er=emailarticle


Do you think more Americans will follow their example? It's even "politcally" correct.