What is the US legal definition of the sanctity of marriage?

Answer 1

Sanctity of marriage is the idea of the sacredness of marriage. Marriage is one of the holiest of relations two people can have. Therefore, marriage is not something to be entered into lightly. Further, once you are in a marriage, you must work hard to make it work. You have to treat it as sacred, and spend time making it work, no matter the cost.

The greatest threat to the sanctity of marriage is lack of respect for it, thus leading to degeneration of the marriage, and often divorce (in the US). Giving up on a marriage is considered sacrilegious and selfish. Sanctity of marriage is not subjective, and to be interpreted at the whims of people who have found it too hard or too difficult. The sanctity of marriage demands personal sacrifice, and pays back in great rewards.

Answer 2

A reasonable synonym of "sanctity of marriage" is "holy matrimony." Of course, holiness is a religious concept that does not have any clear meaning in civil law.

Traditionally, marriage vows read (paraphrased, as couples are usually free to cite their own vows) "Let this man and this woman be united before God and let no man put asunder"; i.e. they put the sanctity of their union in the hands of a higher power, and let no earthly being destroy that union. Therefore, marriage is not something to be entered into lightly. Further, once you are married, you should treat it as sacred, and spend time making it work.

However, judging by the roughly 50% divorce rate (i.e. number of divorces per year compared to number of marriages) there is no 'sanctity' of marriage anymore. Too many people, apparently, get married for the 'wrong' reasons. "Sanctity" is defined as holiness, or sacredness, and apparently, not enough people hold their marriages to that standard. So, using this concept, 'sanctity of marriage' is whatever the married persons hold it up to be.

"Marriage is a wonderful institution. But who would want to live in an institution?"--Henry Mencken

An alternate viewpoint holds that the greatest threat to the sanctity of marriage is lack of respect for it, thus leading to degeneration of the marriage, and often divorce (in the US). Giving up on a marriage is considered sacrilegious and selfish. In those terms, sanctity of marriage is not to be interpreted at the whims of people who have found it too hard or too difficult. The sanctity of marriage demands personal sacrifice. But again, these are religious and philosophical concepts that do not have legal definition.