I have heard some religious people argue that marriage is an institution ordained by god between a man and a woman, which naturally leads to the question: "Why would atheists want to get married?" Well for starters, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Marriage is the "state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by the state" so no its not a religious anything... While many couples may get married in churches, mosques, etc. because of their religious affiliation, this doesn't mean that theists should have a monopoly on matrimony.
If you don't want to get married by a minister, find a judge to conduct your ceremony. Don't want to get married in a church? Try a court house, a decent sized ballroom, or if you have the room for it, get married in the comfort of your own backyard. There are plenty of ways to do it, and religion is not necessary to get the job done. As for reasons to get married (and this goes for anyone, not only atheists) there are several:
~Sharing employer benefits (i.e. medical insurance)
~Filing joint tax returns
~Receiving veterans' and military spouses benefits
~Obtaining joint adoption rights
~Special visitation rights in hospitals, prisons, etc.
~Residency benefits (if your spouse isn't already a citizen)
...and the list goes on. I don't think the question is why should you get married (if you're considering it). The question is why shouldn't you? Think about it...
Peace & Love,
Chantal Wallace
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