Cole_1_DQ1&2

The United States maintains a significantly higher divorce rate than that of India. The freedom to choose a spouse is an ideal primarily put into practice within the United States, and it is because of this that the notion of arranged marriages (which seems to yield successful marriages in India) has returned to the spotlight as a plausible path to a successful family. However, it would be impractical to claim that arranged marriages are the ultimate solution to marital problems. Divorce rates are nothing more than a statistic. The United States is a world power, and India can arguably be categorized as a third or second world country. There is a wide gap in the amount of problems between the two countries, a natural result of the United States surpassing India's GDP by about 13 trillion dollars (as of 2011). With less money, India's citizens cannot afford to throw away someone who could constitute as "useful." Furthermore, divorce rates do not account for deaths, marrital desertions, and other problems that frequent less wealthy countries. But the economical distinction between countries is not the only significant difference between the United States and India; religion has long dictated the actions of a vast number of people. Hinduism is the primary religion of India, and its followers do not wish to feel the stab of karma for defiling a marriage. Christianity is the primary religion of the United States; though it too states that divorce is wrong, the primary tenet of most Christian believers is to acknowledge sins and believe in the salvation granted through Jesus Christ in order to earn eternal life. When eternal life has already been granted, there is not as much pressure for Christians to act in fear that their actions will return to haunt them. Despite India's marriage success rate, marriages should not be dictated by a parent's whims. Humans will never be perfect, and there is no reason to believe that the judgment of a father might prove less faulty than the judgment of a son. However, the wisdom and experience that comes with time is an asset that parents possess more of than their children, making marriage consultation a smart strategy. Approval should not necessarily be required, but it should not be necessary for two lovers who are comfortable sharing one another's presence with the world. Sadly, parents will not always approve, but their children are obligated to at least attempt to win approval. An effort must be made in order to overcome differences in any relationship situation, regardless of if it is romantic or simply social. As a United States citizen, I have had unlimited freedom when it comes to choosing a partner, but I am a slave to the tastes of society. Race, socioeconomic standing, and locale of origin have never been obstacles for me in today's modern-minded world, but I am still limited in options (primarily religion and education) because the only women I have frequent interaction with are similar in their mindset as me. Belize is the furthest any girl I have talked to has originated from, though I met her while I was there on a mission trip. Location is not a barrier in this Internet savvy world, but it is an inconvenience to impatient people. http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD < Information regarding the GDP of various countries.