“But ‘marriage’ exists for the purpose of creating families and providing a stable environment for the raising of children- and deep down, everybody knows it”
And maintaining civilization by the commitment of a man and a woman to be together as one.
Marriage has great value even without children.
I agree- I am in a childless marriage and surely feel it worthwhile
However, there was no such thing as “Lincensed Marriage” until the late 1800’s.
There shouldn’t be now, as it no longer has a “traditional” value.