Divorce Around the World

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Different countries, and different continents, are home to many different cultures.
In each of these different cultures there are differences, some very slight and some extremely profound, in the way major landmarks are approached.
From birth, the way a child is welcomed into the world and guided through its early years, through adolescence and the changes which that brings on.
Young adulthood is experienced in a range of ways, all of which take account of the radical substantial change in priorities, and middle age passes into old age and, finally, to death.
All of these are viewed as major landmarks in whichever culture the person experiences them in, and all are treated in slightly or massively different ways.
In most cultures, the concept of marriage is fundamental.
To have an official ceremony and document a connection between two people, one must recognise that what is brought together may also, one day, come apart.
In different parts of the world, the way divorce is approached will be substantially different too.
In the major world faiths, approaches regarding the separation of a marriage are radically different and, further to this, in the countries where these faiths are practised, the approaches can be more or less pronounced.
In the view of the Catholic Church, for example, divorce is simply not recognised as the end of a marriage.
In the eyes of the church, the couple are still viewed as married.
In many traditionally Catholic countries, such as Ireland or Italy, divorce is, however, legally allowed.
In other Catholic regions, such as the Vatican or the Philippines, however, divorce is not available according to the law.
In the Jewish faith, divorce is different.
The religious practice regarding divorce, traditionally, consists of a husband presenting his wife with a divorce document known as a get.
The text of the document is in itself quite short, consisting of the sole sentence "You are hereby permitted to all men".
That is to say, the laws of adultery no longer apply and the wife is free to live life as a single woman.
That the wording of the text is somewhat ambiguous is a sign that the practice is a tradition.
It is, however, indispensable if there is to be a prospect of remarrying within the Jewish communion.
In Israel it is still required to have the marriage dissolved by a rabbinical court for marriage to legally be considered dissolute.
In the absence of a get, a wife can still petition to a rabbinical court, who may or may not grant a divorce based on the reasons she presents.
Within Islam, the practice of divorce is possible in both major branches but is frowned upon and discouraged to the extent that it is considered highly undesirable, and brings upset on both families.
Part of the divorce process is to attempt to reconcile the couple within the sight of their families who act as judges.
The Shi'a approach to divorce is considerably more strict than the Sunni version.
Different faiths have different approaches to the dissolution of a marriage, and all tend to discourage it.
Recognition that provision must be made, though, is virtually ubiquitous.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.
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