Marriage and Divorce Marriage and divorce can be approached in different ways by a couple depending on the vows and rituals they undertake before, during and after the wedding ceremony. Marriage as a family is an institution for everyone, regardless of religious beliefs. The basis of a marriage varies in different cultures; in the West...romantic love, while in other cultures marriages are arranged by parents for political, financial and cultural reasons. In the Western world, the Christian and Jewish communities consider monogamous relationships, those that occur between a male and a female, to be acceptable. Modern Christianity and wealthy societies insist that marriages should be strictly monogamous (a man should have only one wife and a woman should have only one husband). In some religions it is believed that marriages should remain exclusive until one partner dies or the marriage is annulled. Due to the ever-increasing number of divorces and remarriages, the practice of having multiple spouses consecutively (serial monogamy) is becoming more and more common. In Christian cultures, polygamy is considered immoral and adulterous. It violates one of the Ten Commandments: "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Polygyny, the practice of having more than one wife at the same time, is widespread in some cultures, for example in Islamic societies in Africa and in the Church of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) in Utah, USA. Polyandry, the possession by a woman of more than one husband, has never been recognized and is condemned by all major world religions. People can easily "fall in and out of love" with someone who they are physically... middle of paper ......consenting to child marriage or bigamy. Annulment means that the spouse can bring an action to have the marriage declared null and void, meaning it never legally existed in the eyes of the Church. Children also remain legitimate within the annulled marriage. The sanctity of marriage in today's society is becoming an ideal rather than a reality. Ever-increasing divorce rates mean that divorce is no longer stigmatized but a realistic way to end a marital breakup. Many couples no longer need to marry, as society no longer looks down on unmarried couples, and children from unmarried unions are now considered acceptable. Society has evolved and developed a modern and realistic approach to marriage, cohabitation and premarital relationships, realizing that in modern times marriage is more of a choice than a necessity..