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Who of us is mature enough for offspring before the offspring themselves arrive? The value of marriage is not that adults produce children but that children produce adults.

With children no longer the universally accepted reason for marriage, marriages are going to have to exist on their own merits.

When people get married young, you don't really understand the true definition of marriage.

Marriage is a core institution of societies throughout the world and throughout history. It's something that has provided permanence and stability for our very social structure.

Marriage encourages the men and women who together create life to unite in a bond for the protection of children.

Certainly it may, under present imperfect conditions, often be a duty not to destroy the outward form of marriage for the sake of the children. But by no means can this duty be preached as universally binding.

My argument is simple, which is, that for several thousand years in Western civilization, marriage has been the union of one man and one woman. Research is overwhelming that children need mothers and fathers.

Marriage is the mother of the world. It preserves kingdoms, and fills cities and churches, and heaven itself.

I think marriage is only necessary if you've got children. It's quite nice for them.