Originally posted by whodey
Why? People are coming to the state for a marriage license so the state has the right to call the shots. Any other attitude is one of entitlement. Don't get me wrong, many have the attitude of governmental entitlement covering a wide range of issues, however, I am not one.

Because 'the state' is supposedly 'of the people, for the people, by the people'. You seem to want to impose some Christian rules on everyone. If for example counseling is mandatory or even 'incentivized' who would do the counseling and to what aim? Who decides what a marriage should or should not be? Why do you think the that prospective partners should be counseled to marry for life? You have not yet shown that divorce is always a bad thing or that a marriage that does not last for life is bad. For example what is wrong with:
1. A childless marriage coming to an end.
2. A couple who's children have grown up getting divorced.
3. A marriage for social / financial reasons.
4. A gay marriage.

In fact, since I suspect your main objection to divorce has to do with the raising of children, wouldn't it make more sense for counseling to be mandatory or incentivised before people have children? In fact nowadays, a significant number of people have children outside wedlock.

Originally posted by twhitehead
Because 'the state' is supposedly 'of the people, for the people, by the people'. You seem to want to impose some Christian rules on everyone. If for example counseling is mandatory or even 'incentivized' who would do the counseling and to what aim? Who decides what a marriage should or should not be? Why do you think the that prospective partners should hildren? In fact nowadays, a significant number of people have children outside wedlock.

How is counseling a Christian rule? As I have stated before the divorce rate is no better in the church than it is within society in general. What counseling should include is a basic education about what marriage entails and the pitfalls that come along with it. For example, the #1 cause of marital stress are finances. I know of many people who had no idea what the finacial status of their partner was going into a marriage or how that person was able to handle money. Then they get married a share a bank account and they get a shock and awe, so to speak, by learning the hard way.

Now as for the bit about people not getting married for life, that is their business. However, counseling may reveal these intentions to both parties rather than just one keeping the secret to themselves. What I am proposing is simple education and a better understanding of who they are and who they are marrying is znd a revelation of the needs and desires of both. Believe it or not, some do not even discuss raising children or fincance at all before getting married.

As far as divorce not being a financial drain upon society, I find this to be self evident. Perhaps it is not in every case but by in large it is in most cases.

Originally posted by whodey
That is a fancy way of saying that the decision was made for the citizens by a handful of judges.

You keep pointing that out like it's significant. Are you an anti-Republican? What you're describing is simple Republicanism.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
You keep pointing that out like it's significant. Are you an anti-Republican? What you're describing is simple Republicanism.

I am merely pointing out the facts. Decisions such as to legalize abortion was made by a hand full of judges who were not elected and who voted opposing the views of their supposide constituents in terms of what is moral and what is not.