Replies to 'Ready for Marriage?'

I'm all for living together before formalizing the engagement. 

If one's intent in marrying is only personal gain and living together is purely to "check them out first", then the marriage will probably have problems. Relationahips work when the intent of the marriage is agape (sacrificial) love. When one puts the other before themselves (and they both do it for this reason), it is highly unlikely that anything will happen to break the union. In that event where is the problem with living each other prior to marriage?  

Furthermore, in this day living together afore marriage no longer has a social stigma attached to it because it is now the norm, for the most part. 

I hope and pray that other couples share the happiness my boyfriend and I possess together, a promising relationship, a home and a life filled with love. Everything else, is mere material. 

I take offense to your comment. How can you be so judging in this day and age. I may be young and make mistakes like everyone does, but I look at it like this. Why marry someone without living with them first? How do your know that you are really going to be able to live with that person day in and out without trying before you take the plunge. I have lived with two different men in the past 7 years and thought I do regret living with the last, my life is so wonderful now living with my boyfriend. How do you sort out every little thing that bothers you about living with your husband before even living with him? I was treated like crap in my past relationship but I by no means thing it was my fault. I didn't sign up to be treated like crap when I signed the lease. Maybe you are older than me but times have changed. Living together in my opinion is the best way of ensuring that your marriage will last. I recommend it to everyone before they get married then maybe the divorce rate in this country would go down. I do agree that people are having children out of wedlock alot more than in the past, but there is really nothing that can be done, people are gonna do what they want to do. I think you should maybe try to rethink your harsh judgments of others.

Everyone is different and are entitled to their own opinions. My boyfriend moved in with me because he had no place to go. He was just divorced and was staying with his mom till he got back on his feet. Well, she kicked him out and he had no other place to go. I wasn't going to be cold hearted and say "oh well" "That's not my problem" I am an adult, and I can choose to live with a man before I get married if I want to. We got pregnant and it was unplanned. But we worked through it. We are still together and have a wonderful daughter. I personally wouldn't want to marry someone without living with them first. I would want to see how they live and if we got along living together. I think your comment was very rude and cold hearted for thinking everyone is wrong for living together and "rushing" into everything. You don't know everyone's situation, and therefore shouldn't be so judgemental. That whole saying "why buy the cow...." doesn't work for everyone. It doesn't work in my case here. Next time, think before you speak!!!

I used to agree with you completely. Until i met Peter... when i moved in with him i got to know him alot better then when we were just dating. It gave me the chance to see what he is like in the morning. I learn boundaries and we have gotten alot closer. I dont want to have children before we are married but that is a personal choice. I take my relationship with peter very seriously and now we are getting married. I know what i am in for because i know how well we work together... i know that he will help with chores, i know his favorite tv shows... i know how long he takes in the shower.... lol i know he sings in the shower. I know the old saying why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free... cuz i know alot of cows that wont be with that farmer long if all he wants is the milk.

THATS NOT ALWAYS TRUE OR ALWAYS THE SITUATION...ME PERSONALLY DISAGREE WITH THAT COMMENT!!!