The Case for Marriage by Dennis Prager

This video is just under five minutes long, but I think it's still too long, so I'm sharing my notes. You can read them in much less time, and you will get the gist of his ideas:

  • Men need to think more about marriage because women more naturally seek commitment (yes, there are exceptions, but the genders generally approach it this way).
  • Do you want to build a life with someone? Live life more deeply. "Marriage makes you more mature" because life with a spouse changes "me" to "we." Husband and wife is the deepest relationship in life. Nothing compares to it. [Note Martin Luther's phrase: "Marriage as a School of Character."]
  • "It's just a piece of paper." Really? If that's all it was, people would "just sign it." There's a tremendous difference between boyfriend and husband. Girlfriend and wife. Partner and spouse. [And I invite you to look up the meaning of "spouse." It's very specific.]
  • Do you want a single, deep, lifelong relationship, or do you want a tombstone that reads, "Here lies Harry Player. Eight great relationships and nothing to show for it?"
  • And that leads to the last fallacy he covers: Marriage isn't worth it because divorce is rampant. By the same reasoning, you shouldn't drive a car because you might be in a wreck. [Take a risk!]
  • Finally, Prager says you have to marry the "right person." [But love is a choice, not a feeling. And that includes love in a marriage. You must choose to make the marriage work. That will reduce the risk of the marriage failing. Of course, some marriages do fail because of the failures of husband or wife – domestic violence, adultery, destructive addictions, etc. But a miracle often happens as a result of the vow to stay together "for better or worse." Many marriages overcome tribulations!]

It's also worth visiting Dennis Prager's page where he embeds this video. It contains links to other valuable resources: prageruniversity.com/Life-Studies/The-Case-for-Marriage.html

Edited to correct length of video. Shorter than I first thought. Also edited to add a link.

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