AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH, not GREMLINS!

*readies all firespells to prevent the latest threat*

(Sorry, Bill D, you just made a stock joke from another forum I hang out in... It's too good an opportunity to pass up! ;) )

Ok, ok, going on topic now...

What is the purpose of marriage, really? I always felt it was to provide a stable structure for the raising of children, more than for any other reason. And we don't really need many more children in the world for the forseeable future, so why get married?

And for companionship and partnership in day-to-day life, well, you don't have to be married to give that.

The only other advantages I can see are tax advantages, but that's mostly because the government is trying to encourage marriage. Why?