- Failure to intend a lifetime commitment at the time of the wedding. Easily, instantly claimed.
- Unwillingness to ever beget children at the time of the wedding. Even if children are begotten? Again, easily, instantly claimed.
- Failure to consumate; impotence at the time of the wedding. So, Stephen Hawking can't marry?
- Mental incompetence at the time of the wedding. Based on whose assessment? Define "incompetence." That disqualifies a huge segment of society for marriage.
- Etc. Exactly. "Etc." is the all applicable excuse.
I'm not sure what you mean. I've spoken with people who told me that they took the vows, but in their hearts reserved the right to divorce.
That is not easily proved at the time of the wedding.
- Unwillingness to ever beget children at the time of the wedding. Even if children are begotten? Again, easily, instantly claimed.
Again, not sure what your point is. The fact that a couple has children does not prove that, at the time of the wedding, they did not intend to ever have children.
- Failure to consumate; impotence at the time of the wedding. So, Stephen Hawking can't marry?
Today, that is correct. At the time of his marriage, when he was healthy, he could enter into marriage.
Consider the alternative. Under your rubric, any couple that cannot bear children, in principle, can be married.
We are witnessing the result of the acceptance of that principle today with homosexual "marriage."
I don't want to lay a bum trip on anyone, but the homosexual "marriage" movement is the logical consequence of the widespread acceptance of birth control (voluntarily sterile "marriage").
- Mental incompetence at the time of the wedding. Based on whose assessment? Define "incompetence." That disqualifies a huge segment of society for marriage.
Judge, jury, precedent, etc. This is where the rubber meets the road. But the fact that rubber meets road does not negate the principles of rubber and road.