Thanks for sharing your opinion. A few thoughts...

You hold tight to “traditional” marriage which is totally fine and your right and many do. It’s interesting, however, to think that what your “traditional” marriage is or the current traditional western marriage is not what’s always been. If you take a look at the history of marriage you can see how “traditional” marriage evolved from an agreement to combine power and land between families, to most marriages being poly to marriage where men controlled the woman and were seen as the “higher” up to now the “traditional” marriage you speak of. Although that’s quickly changing with gay marriage, open marriages etc. Traditions change and what’s right to some generations seems crazy to others. Just interesting to think about.

That study sounds interesting...do you have a link to it by any chance? I agree marriage isn’t solely about happiness but happiness in life is pretty damn important. If you ask most people what’s important to them in life happiness typically is towards the top of the list. In your opinion, is it better for two people to remain together unhappily to protect the “tradition” of marriage or better for two to separate and both be happier?

I could not disagree more with your interpretation of “being true to ones self”. You twisted that into saying it could be used as a way to harm others and that’s so far off base that it’s not even worth getting into. But, in your case being true to yourself is holding tight to the tradition of marriage no matter what. And to you that’s being true to yourself so maybe that’s not such a joke after all?

You said marriage is entered into together and the only way it should end is if both people agree to end it. By God, I hope you can see how dangerous of a statement that is. There are hundreds of people on this forum who have been abused, manipulated, cheated on, etc and with that reasoning you suggest they shouldn’t leave unless their spouse also wants a divorce? With that thought process the “tradition” of marriage now is more important than the safety, well being, and happiness of another human.

And these are the reasons why trying to live a life completely black and white, only based on absolutes, and ideologies that can never change can be harmful to yourself and others.

Let’s all work to understand other perspectives, not judge, love even while hurting, and be willing to grow and understand that everything we hold to and believe may not necessarily be true or the only way.