3 of 38

Outdated

Write now Article Tools

Romeo and Juliet is a classic example of why an arranged marraige is outdated and ends in tragedy. The times required most young women and men to enter into a relationship, not of their choosing, but that of their parents. Some of these children were promised to be married at the age of five by ascenting parents for no more than the furtherance of financial gain and stature.

Some of these pre-planned marraiges were used as a bargaining chip to cease a war between opposing family feuds. It is clear throughout history as far back as the Romans and the Greeks, that war was averted by the marraige of opposing cultures as a means to peace and prosperity.

Middle Eastern cultures today still sell off their children (as I call it) into marraige as a means of stature in the community at large; benefiting not the children per se, but the adult members.

You would not think that in todays society that arranged marraiges still exist, however, in the case of the well-to-do, the parents are still planning their childrens life; albeit, the children are adults. This being for the sole purpose of maintaining the wealth for both families.

In the case of a young girl being married to an adult male, that is propagating pedophilia at its worse. In our country, we have laws prohibiting pedophilia for any reason, yet we have sects that forceably give young girls in marraige to older males for the strict purpose of propagating to increase the size of the sect. This is 2008 and yet the federal government allows this behavior because these sects say that it is in the name of religion that these precepts should be allowed.

These children are brainwashed into believing that this is normal behavior and that love or any other emotion is not their right but to blindly concede to the wishes of the parents. We have not stepped forward in time to rational thinking but have fallen into an abyss of biblical proportions.

That may sound to some as being too descriptive (biblical proportions), but realize that in biblical times, children were married off to other family members for the sole pupose of continuing their lineage. That was thousands of years ago and yet it is still happening in todays society.

Traditions are one thing, but outdated, irrational, new age slavery is another thing. I realize that whether you marry for love or not, it can either turn out good or bad, but there should be the opportunity of choice not mandatory rule.

Learn more about this author, Nanette Piotrowski.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Are arranged marriages a good tradition or an outdated notion??
We want to hear your view. Write now!