Go and research the history of marriage (especially the western marriage that the whole world copies). It was a customary arrangement that used to broker agreements over land,farm animals,sealing peace between different tribes/countries etc The man/woman involved had little or no say. There was nothing like courtship or love. Marriage was seen as a carnal/wordly ceremony and the church abstained from it. Fast forward some centuries and the church has realized the profits of joining man and wife. Fast forward a bit more, governments have realized the benefits of "legalizing" marriage. Read up before you post abeg. A lot of people in the US marry because of joint medical insurance,social security,retirement benefits etc . Do I need remind you that the only thing government declares illegal is something they can't gain from or TAX?

Cohabitation existed long before foriegn religion,government and ideology spread all over the world. Get your facts right abeg.

You don't get my point? Let me simplify it for you : You are talking abot cohabitation as if it's a new trend that's begun to spread. You talk about it as if it's immoral and unlawful. My point is, it has been going on long before democracy came to being and long before the slave buyers brought their religion called christianity to africa? Is my point clearer now? Or do I type in pidgin?

@ harakiri = cohabitation back in the day was nothing like it is today, you can't compare the two.

Cohabitation nowadays is dependent on the person's moral and ethical point of view - some wouldn't do it, others have no problem with it, whether it leads to marriage or not.

In any cohabiting arrangement, women have the most to lose but again, morally and ethically some people see nothing wrong with this arrangement. That's just my opinion.

Immoral Cohabitation, Hell No

I don't approve of it and I hope by God's grace I'll never be caught dead in it. I don't want to say I'll never do it because the adage Never say Never has given me a few hard knocks on the head.

The detriments in my opinion
1. It grossly hinders an effectual relationship with Christ
2. It creates issues (disrespect, contempt born out of familiarity),and it leaves baggages in cases where the cohabitation doesn't work out like low self esteem, bitterness, feelings of being used etc.
3. The milk is being gotten for free, what would be left of it much later? And besides the cow may not be bought afterwards.

I think it is an unhealthy way to carry on a relationship

Nice points On the detrimental part Madoba!

**Its a pity N.l havent got a smiley for thumbs up, i would have given u One**

Cohabitatn is wrong
That we hav gotten to d point of debating it at all, shows we are in trouble & our values messed up.

Seriously let someone cite examples of cohabitation in traditional African societies. Just asking.

I think cohabitation is a modern invention for the so called liberal minded man. In a subtle way it undermines the sacredness of marriage.

Now having said all that I won't mind cohabiting with Kourtney Kadashian for the rest of my life. 

I approve

Of course the men will think it is a great idea.

Cohabitation at least 6 months before marriage

Yes, cohabitation is very neccesary. You get to know the real person. I keep meeting women amd wanting to cohabit with them for a few hours.

No,I don't.

chika98:

Of course the men will think it is a great idea.

But the men cohabit with women, not so? It obviously takes 2 to tango here.

harakiri:

Cohabitation existed long before foriegn religion,government and ideology spread all over the world. Get your facts right abeg.

Where is the proof of that statement? Cohabitation is a relatively modern occurrence.

No way. I don't approve.

i don't approve cohabiting. People ought to follow right procedures to start staying together.

Cohabitation is okay because you come to learn better the person you love before committing to each other and you learn all the ills of that person but the problem is that once your partner gets a problem or accidentally dies it becomes a big problem but generally it is fine.