VI. SOME IDEAS ABOUT MARRIAGE

A. A common traditional formulation of marriage is "The two shall become one" (ie, two individuals become one individual). The arithmetic, 1+1 = 1, is faulty and perhaps, so, the concept.

If psychological functioning is, in fact, a manifestation of the soma/body (see Post V.), a natural formulation of marriage might be, 'The two (halves) become one (whole)" (ie, two half-individuals become one individual). The arithmetic is, then, 1/2 + 1/2= 1.

In the somatic realm, the sperm cell and the ovum each contribute half of the chromosomes of the new life entity; the man and the woman each contribute different and complementary halves of the procreational process.

B. The traditional '1+1 = 1' non-natural and the non-arithmetical formulation of marriage requires the intervention of a social contrivance such as the Church or the Government to be accomplished.

Also, there is no logical or natural reason to suppose that the '1+1=1' must be the adding together of individuals of two different sexes. Thus, the 'man + woman' traditional concept of marriage is quite arbitrary.

And, in any case, the sameness doctrine of 'political-correctness' entails that the male sex and the female sex are, interchangeably the same -- so that every '1+1 = 1' marriage is a 'same-sex' marriage.

C. However, if the '1/2 + 1/2 = 1' (viz., Two half individuals become one individual) formulation of marriage [based on the '1/2 + 1/2 = 1' natural model of somatic procreation (both microscopic and macroscopic - see Post V.)] is endorsed, the validity of male-female marriage is evident - with or without the intervention of social institutions.

'1+1 = 1' marriage may be termed, "Institutional Marriage", whereas '1/2 + 1/2 = 1' marriage is "Natural Marriage".

If both halves are male or both halves are female, this blogger submits that the interaction doesn't quite mesh - and to the extent that it does (eg, sodomy) the interaction is one of initiation and programming rather than impregnation, conception and birth-giving.

Same sex intimacy may be emotionally powerful, creative and productive - but lacks capacity for procreation (either somatic or psychological).

D. While contemporary Psychotherapy emphasizes the importance of a person maturing to become individualistically independent of others, this blogger submits that babies are born as whole, albeit dependent, individuals and the process of maturation involves a male person shedding many of his female attributes while a female sheds many of her male attributes. Psychological and anatomical features of the opposite sex become vestigial (eg, the usually non-functional status of male nipples).

Thus, each gradually becomes, more and more, a half-individual representing his/her own sex who finds fulfillment in procreative endeavor (psychological +/- physical) with the other.

However, social (eg, 'political correctness') and/or environmental (eg, the presence of estrogen-like chemicals in water/food) factors may inhibit or otherwise alter such maturation.

E. Perhaps 'to marry' is best regarded carefully as a transitive verb, (viz, expressing something that one entity does to another entity).

Then, regarding the interaction between the sperm cell and the egg cell (and the anatomical male and the anatomical female), one can say that the male element 'marries' (ie, does something to) the female element.

Analogically, the same principle may apply to psychological interaction such that a male's words do something to a female. They effect/inform/define her. The 'soul' that he, a protagonist, composes and addresses to her marries her 'spirit'/meaning/context.

[Reviewing the 'Garden of Eden' scenario, Adam tried to excuse himself before God by saying that Eve's words (ie, temptation) had done something to him! Adam said, in effect, 'But I'm a married man. What do you expect?']

This blogger submits that it is a man's role to marry a woman - not to be married himself. And it can be a life-time task for a man to competently marry one woman - so that she is thoroughly married.