Is marriage the right of each and every citizen?

[sapphi_snake]

mrstickball said:

Actually, you would find an argument to support this. Church as in the Christian church, or religious organizations in general.

I'd suggest reading up on the contemporary foundation of marriage at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage#History_of_marriage_by_culture

You can find a significant amount of information in regards to the church establishing and codifing the requirements of marriage millennia ago, and in law for most European countries for centuries. You can cite many exmaples of marriage existing before Christianity, but again, it was never codified.

Forms of marriage are present in all cultures, but none codified it except for the church. Thus why I argue they are the torch bearer for the definition of marriage. But as such, history shows us that all cultures have had common-law marriages, which should be the basis for the state (civil unions).

The link you provided in no way brings any information I didn't already know. Just because christianity tried to hijack marriage in the West, in their attempt to take control of alll aspects of society, doesn't mean that that has any relevance now. I also stressed the 'in the West' part, because the Church has no connection to marriages outside the Western world. The fact that you call them 'common-law marriages' just shows your ignorance, considering that marriage is strictly codified in all cultures, even if not written. Not to mention that by your logic, only christians can get married.

Also, in current society the State is the one who regulates marriage, as marriage is a legal institution.