[A Vast RightWing Conspirator]

Is there a species restriction? And must all parthers be alive or even born at the time of the marriage. And, if the 'number 1' is eliminated (2 people), why restrict it to '2 or more'? How about less then 2? This way, many people could marry themselves to great tax advantage and personal enjoyment.

The possiblities are endless. Think about possible 'honorary marriages'. A public personality could be married by his or her entire fan club membership. Or, a future dictator could marry the entire country population.

Temporary marriages could be arranged between whores and their clients, for the time they are performing business together. And the state could collect funds from issuing the marriage license.

Is Algore discussing all these possibilities in his last book?

[apackof2]

Exactly

And lets not forgot MANBLA

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Is there a species restriction? And must all parthers be alive or even born at the time of the marriage. And, if the 'number 1' is eliminated (2 people), why restrict it to '2 or more'? How about less then 2? This way, many people could marry themselves to great tax advantage and personal enjoyment.

The possiblities are endless. Think about possible 'honorary marriages'. A public personality could be married by his or her entire fan club membership. Or, a future dictator could marry the entire country population.

See post #10... I am interested in all of your thoughts on it...

[varon]

Or, a future dictator could marry the entire country population.

I think something very similar has already happened. It was a president instead of a dictator. Why else would Clinton have dared to f*ck the whole country unless he was exercising his conjugal rights ;-)

[BlackVeil]

Temporary marriages could be arranged between whores and their clients, for the time they are performing business together. And the state could collect funds from issuing the marriage license.

Marriage customs are very varied. Your suggestion is quite seriously followed in Iran, because Shia Islam allows the institution of "temporary marriage". This is a union contracted for a specific amount of time, which can be as short as an hour, with both partners agreeing to the duration, and the "gift" paid by the man to the woman. He is free of the obligation to support her (which always applies in a permanent union) but he has to acknowledge paternity of a child, and support it, if she has one. Men can make as many temporary marriages as they want. Women can only have one after a "waiting period" of more than 6 weeks - in order to settle any questions of paternity. Of course, most people in a temporary union do not aim to have children. In Persian slang, it is a "pleasure marriage."

This is specific to Shia Islam, the Sunnis don't have it, and indeed any mention of temporary marriage puts them in a rage. However, it has limited cases of adultery before the Islamic courts in Iran, where such cases are rarer than in Pakistan or Saudi Arabia.

Reader David, I am flagging you to this, because I think that you had commented on this in an earlier thread. You can back up what I am saying! I expect some incredulous reactions. (On the other hand, if it wasn't you, and you have never heard of temporary marriage, I apologise.)