Why in America are couples usually married by a religious leader, such as a minister or priest, but divorced by an attorney? Does this reveal anything about their culture?
by 
Jerrykim
ANSWERS: 3
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Because "marriage" is an institution of God. Divorce of a consummated couple, for which there is no Godly provision, involves a new contract for the dividing of assets and child custody. Follow the money.
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Actually, clergy only officiate the wedding ceremony. The marriage union is not considered legal until and unless filed with the state by an authorized representative. At that point it becomes a legally binding contract which can only be dissolved by a judge. Attorneys are merely the officiators of the dissolution, and technically are not required for it to take effect. The process is not too different in most modern countries so I don't see how it reveals much about our culture.
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Excellent observation! I wish more people would recognize this because it just goes to show that marriage is a contract and nothing more. You can add love and religion and commitment if you really want to, and that's all fine and dandy, but they have no bearing on what the marriage contract actually is: a contract tying two people into one unit, making them accountable for one another's money. If the husband acquires debt, the government recognizes that the wife also has that debt. If they have a child, the government recognizes that they both have a responsibility for that child. You don't need permission from anyone to share your life with someone, and I doubt you'd actually need gods' permission to love someone, but you do need permission from the government to legally co-own each other's possessions and money.
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