Group proposes ballot measure requiring pre-marriage education

UPI.com ^ | January 20, 2014

[Maceman]

A proposed ballot initiative in Colorado would require couples to take a mandatory pre-marriage education classes, officials said.

The Colorado Marriage Education Act would require first time brides- and grooms-to-be to receive 10 hours of pre-wedding marriage education, the Denver Post reported Monday.

[JoeFromSidney]

We used to learn that at home, from example. What went wrong?

[Bigg Red]

I think the problem is TOO FEW people getting married after they shack up.

&&&
I think the problem is the shacking up....

[Bigg Red]

Hugs to you for your loss.

[ZULU]

True. Too much of that too.

[Politicalkiddo]

No doubt the classes involve pro-abort semimars.

[Politicalkiddo]

*seminars

[catnipman]

I wonder if this outlaws Colorado’s common-law marriage rules, e.g., without “counseling”, a common-law marriage would be invalid? Also, would the state still recognize out-of-state marriages without such “counseling”? Are existing marriages grandfathered (or grandmothered if you like), or does everyone have to start over because their marriages occurred without benefit of “counseling” and therefore are inferior marriage? Would a guy be prohibited from doing the “right” thing by marrying a lady he got pregnant if they didn’t get “counseling”, leaving the poor lady in the lurch? Also, would “counselors” have to have benefit of marriage themselves, and a SUCCESSFUL marriage I might add, with NO divorces themselves? (I for one would hate to have be “counseled” by someone who had not been married or had been divorced.)

Sounds like the authors would much rather have folks live in sin than comply with some kind of ridiculous nanny-state nonsense. Oh, and assuming non-counseled, out-of-state marriages are still recognized, I foresee a resurgence of Vegas marriages from Colorado if this stupidity makes the ballot and passes!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Meddling busybodies. This crap will never end.

Nanny State PING!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[clearcarbon]

Would this apply to everyone or just normal people?

[Eleutheria5]

My local rabbi has a better idea. Make marriage a purely religious matter, with the state giving no tax deductions or other benefits to married couples, so as to keep them from mandating recognition of gay marriages, pre-marriage education, and other such intrusive folderol. Divorces, I suppose, could be limited to property, support and custody issues, without asking the state to intervene and secure religious divorces, as has been tried. But no such scheme that I know of has yet passed constitutional muster anyway, so it’s a small loss.