Marriage: A Lost Art?

Should marriage be considered a sacred institution? Let's pull this question apart and examine it a little further. The word marriage describes a union between two people who wish to dedicate themselves solely to each other. The word sacred has a little more flexibility with its meaning. It could pertain to religious beliefs, or it could mean simply respect. Institution here means a practice, something that is done. So, let's revisit our expansion of the question from "should marriage be considered a sacred institution" to "should a union between two people be considered a respectful practice." I left the religious belief part out of the question because a lot of people don't practice religious ceremonies anymore. This newly expanded question leaves a lot of room for thought. Is this question asking if marriage itself is even a practice that should be done?

The practice of marriage now is much different than it was a few decades ago. Divorce is more common now than it was then. People don't consider marriage as serious now because they think that if it doesn't work out, they could just get divorced - no big deal. Decades ago, people married because they loved one another and wanted to vow to be loyal to one another for the rest of their lives in the eyes of God. Modern marriages are usually done now with two people who either think they love each other or really like each other, and want to show they really care for each other for the rest of their...er...until marriage gets too rough. A lot of marriages now are done without worrying whether or not the people involved are getting married in the eyes of God. Marriage is just a legal way to show someone you care for another person.