what does marriage symbolize?
372618
It depends on who you ask. Some would say that it is just a piece of paper. Some would say that it represents the ultimate public commitment to your partner. Biblically, it represents a divine bonding that brings a man and a woman together forever. Many other things. What does it symbolize to you?
556274
I don't have first hand knowledge of this but I had to do a similiar project. This is what I found:\n\nAN AFRICAN VALENTINE: THE BEAD CODE OF THE ZULU’S\n\nFinding a spouse is maybe the most difficult thing for people to do. In many traditional societies, marriages were arranged by parents or other elders. Sometimes the young people involved could turn down a marriage they did not want, but other times the couple had no choice at all. Most if not all cultures have kind of symbol system to show whether a person is married or single. In Canada, most common is the use of wedding and engagement rings. Among traditional Mennonites, if a door is painted green, it means there is a daughter eligible for marriage. The Zulu people of southern Africa developed a complex code using coloured beads.\n\nIn Zulu tradition adulthood comes with marriage, and married people have advantages over those who are not. This created a major incentive for young men to gather enough wealth to purchase what was required as marriage goods. Traditional wealth was measured in cattle, and only a man with enough cattle could afford to marry. \n\nYoung girls learned beadwork and the meaning of the symbols and colours used from their older sisters. The beadwork was usually worn as a head or neckband. Men depended on female relatives to explain the code. They can see whether a woman is engaged, married, unmarried, has children or unmarried sisters. The patterns and colours can also tell what region a woman comes from and what her social standing is.\n\nThe one basic geometric shape used for this kind of beadwork is the triangle and a maximum of seven colours. The three corners of the triangle represent the family: mother, father and child. The point of the triangle is facing down is the symbol for an unmarried man or boy, while a triangle with the point facing up is the symbol for an unmarried woman or girl. A married man is symbolised by two triangles joined at the point forming an hourglass shape. A married woman is shown by two triangles joined at the base making a diamond shape. \n\nThe seven colours used are black, blue, yellow, green, pink, red and white. Each colour has two meanings, one positive, and one negative, except white. White has only one meaning, purity and spiritual love. When another colour is used beside white, it takes its positive meaning. For example, a blue band with a band signifies "fidelity" or "faithful". This colour combination is commonly used to show if someone is engaged. Blue, white and black bands are a standard combination to show marriage.\n\nA Zulu valentine, called an Ibheqe, is a narrow beaded band with a rectangular flap that rests in the hollow of the throat when worn around the neck. The flap shows the design made up of triangles in various combinations. One example might be White, Red, and Blue. The red beside the white could be read as "I love you". The blue band in this case, would mean "request", that is asking for answer. Beside the white/red combination, it would ask, "Will you be my valentine?" A boy would use the girl symbol (triangle pointing up).\n\nRed for them means \npostive - promise or high status\nnegative - anger or heartache\n\nHope that fleshes things out a bit...
1036173
It doesn't.  I think that marriage is a personal thing, so what marriage means to one person can mean something very different for another.  Unfortunately, this "institute of marriage" also means that you are allowed certain privileges and rights by the government that singles are not entitled to...that's what all the fuss is about.\n\nPersonally, I'm a straight single woman and I have many friends that are gay and straight.  I would have to say that of all my friends, I admire my gay friends the most .  They face scrutiny about their lives and personal beliefs on an everyday basis and at the end of the day, they stand proud of who they are and the lives they lead.  It is through this adversity that you truely understand yourself and your place in the world. I'm not sure I would fair so well if I had to constantly justify my life and my decisions. Kudos to those that stand up in the face of adversity.\n\nLet gays marry so they can be unhappy like the rest of us. =-)
418160
I would like to first address the use of the term marriage in relationship to same-sex unions. Marriage is a religious definition in use for four or more thousand years to signify the union of a man and woman for the purpose of procreating and maintaining a long term relationship to raise the children of this union. It is also necessary to have this union to exist within a community. Marriage has at its' heart the goal of extending ones' heritage and history. \n\nThe Old Testament of the Bible which is the basis for Jewish Religion, combined with the New Testament which is the basis for Christianity and is a revered book of Islam support this  definition. With this in mind, same-sex unions do not fit the definition for marriage.\n\nNow laws that forbid same-sex unions have been in effect for this same period of time. The reasoning for this is that they do not serve  needs of the community and are viewed as deviant behavior in nearly all cultures that exist today.\n\nOnly in cultures that place the needs of the individual higher than the needs of the community, is there a tendency for homosexuality and same-sex unions to be allowed.\n\nLaws forbidding these unions exist in matriarchial societies as well as patriachial societies. Other reasons given for laws governing marriage and sexual behavior are to maintain the health of individuals within the community. Another reason given is that this behavior does not follow within the norm for the behavior for a culture.
270904
It means total honesty, trust, compassion, willing to compromise, have similar interests and goals yet have your own identity. It means being best friends and be willing to stick it out the the most awful times which you will run into.  There is a fine line between love and hate and at times you may feel you hate your mate but it usually comes from them doing something to either hurt you or frustrate you. Marriage is hard. You have to work at it every day. It's almost like a flower. If you don't nourish it every day it will just wither and go away.
1039194
The ring symbolizes the concept of the groom encompassing, protecting and providing for his wife.\nThe groom does not get a wedding ring in Jewish tradition.
326880
A deeper level of intimacy, an emotional connection.  A person you have a relationship with should be more than just a friend and yes the possibility of marriage. Relationship is based on emotional love.\n\nThis might help...\nFriendship http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship\nRelationship http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relationship
148414
Maybe I look at this slightly differently than most people, but it almost boils down to a business transaction to me.  Marriage means being able to make medical decisions on behalf of your SO should something happen. It also means being jointly responsible for things like mortgages, car loans and other financial transactions. \n\nGranted, marriage should not be about these things alone. It should be a vow to be with the person you love forever(but you don't need a piece of paper to do this).  That's a very important part of marriage, but so is being protected should the union disolve or should one partner pass away.
831290
I like my marriage, sometimes it is not easy and it is lots of work but i love it, we have so much good time and I do not even like to think of me with out my husband.\n\nA good marriage is an intimate and loving relationship which gives both partners security, friendship, companionship, support, comfort, and deep love that penetrates every aspect of life. None of this can be achieved without work and sacrifice.\n\n      Marriage may be compared to a plant that requires daily nurture, daily attention, daily care and cultivation. It will not develop of its own accord; only as effort and will are exerted will it grow and mature. For a marriage to succeed, both husband and wife must be committed to its success. They must build an enduring love relationship that is centered in the heart of their consciousness. Their relationship must be nurtured with the water of loyalty and love.
603765
Being married to my dear husband gives me such a sense of fulfillment and belonging. We have been married almost 20 years and are more in love than ever. It means we can rely on each other no matter what. We have been through some seriously difficult times but have always been there for each other. I don't know what I would do without him. I tell him he is my knight in shining armor. We have our disagreements, but they are much fewer in number now. We complete each other. Our marriage is a blessing from God!
971265
What's the point in getting married?
183811
Marriage is necessary in any attempt to realize the purpose of man for at least three reasons: 1) marriage joins together two separate entities and thus demonstrates the creative, unifying principle of the universe, called God or the Absolute Beauty; 2) marriage, by joining two people of the same purpose, provides a greater depth of resources and thereby a greater ability to realize that purpose--a life in active contemplation of the Absolute Beauty or God; and 3) marriage establishes a creative and healthy environment whereby mankind can propagate and ensure its immortality and spiritual evolution.\n\n1)     Marriage demonstrates the principle of unity by joining two separate individual entities. The two people become more than forces acting in sympathy, they merge into a common force acting toward a single goal: that of life in contemplation of Absolute Beauty, life dedicated to the knowledge and worship of God.\n\n    Marriage is at the very heart of man's social identity. It establishes the basis for the other forms of social cohesiveness from the basic family unity, to the community, to the nation state, to the world community. It is this demonstration of the principle of unity by marriage that establishes the foundation for greater social endeavours as 'Abdu'l-Bahá states:
82298
Used to be like a symbol of purity.... (but no one is a pure vergin anymore when they are getting married... but the dresses are still white for some reason)
254947
marriage is an earthly relationship, designed for earthly beings,which angels are not-they are heavenly beings.
510879
Marriage is also a ritual of religion or faith or way of life
292823
People get married for.......\nLove, Money and Companionship.
632770
It's a symbol of bonding, security and love for one another.\nWe do it here in Scotland on a grand scale at New Year when we sing auld lang syne.\n\nKinship.