I thought traditionally dowries belonged to wives so they would have some financial security in the marriage?
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Courtship?
- Thread starter Obedient Christian girl
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Dowry is what would be considered "hers" but under her husband's stewardship. It would revert to her or her father/relative if she was divorced or widowed. Bride price is an acquisition cost paid to the father of the woman.
*edit* At least that's my understanding.
*edit* At least that's my understanding.
Good to know! I have kept a watchful eye and raised them as best I can, no social media, no internet app games. My eldest grew up like I did in the early 90's. Playing outside everyday instead of playing on tablets. I do feel sorry for her future husband however LOL my eldest was raised by myself, as a single parent back when was in the military. Shes strong willed and stubborn to a degree, very proud of her heritage and family orientated. She has a dream of finding a husband that owns a castle or ruin and told me to find her one HAHA (This will be a hard search). I've raised her with the mindset that everything we do should be for the next generations, to prop them up and practice family craft.
Land, Animals, Metals - real currency of the people and lands.
Fiat debt based reserve notes - Ancient Babylonian money magic.
This is probably already mentioned and argued about in the forum.
Traditionally, does a father approach a suitable potential husband or does the man's family or himself reach out to the father of the women?
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Who cares about traditional… I say do what’s best for your child. Personally speaking, I’m reaching out to solid men all over the place who are raising daughters well in hopes I can get my sons together with them when the time is right and see if any sparks fly.
I’m working now to find them as many options as I can find. Don’t wait until your children are ready. Prepare ahead of time so they can begin getting to know prospects before it’s time to marry.
I dont know as much about dowry, but I second @NickF notion. Once I learned that dowry is often misused in place of "bride price", I have since focused my attention on bride price.
A potential husband pays the father a bride price for the honor of marrying his virgin daughter, because the father is losing great value in his home when she leaves and transfers that value into her husband's house. This assumes she has skills that make her a great home maker.
I completely agree with no social media, no devices. When I have seed of my own (Yah willing) they won't have access to that because I think it makes them better people. I'll teach them to use tech of course, but they won't sit around all day unattended on a phone, computer, TV nuna that.
Bride price is another one of those topics that sets my hair on fire. Why would we take resources from our daughter’s new homes?
I wholeheartedly agree! Were I to have a daughter marrying a young man. I’d be more inclined to give them a gift to assist in their future prosperity. But that’s just me.
I hear you and agree to an extent, but there could be circumstances where it would work and may be beneficial.
Say two competing families' sons want to court the same daughter. The father of the daughter's house is having financial troubles due to having many other young children and or unemployed, or recently widowed. The young men are equal in health and character. I would imagine the family that could benefit the bride and fathers house the most would be the best choice in this scenario. It could allow the fathers house to put more away for all the offspring's inheritance or save the family farm.
In my mind a bride price wouldn't always have to be a monetary value or liquid assets. What if its raw land, livestock, or even an ownership/shareholder percentage in the petitioning family's business, to combine the houses for everyone's mutual gain. Just because it sets one's hair on fire doesn't mean it's wrong for others.
Times are getting darker and more complex, economies are failing, banks are failing. The family units have been actively attacked and destroyed for almost 100 years. If families are to get ahead and build generational wealth, they should practice the same type of family craft as the old world and as the elites of this world still do.
I like the idea of both families donating to the newlyweds.
My brother, I am under no persuasion to force you to accept a bride price for your daughter. But at the very least, if you grant me the honor, Ima force you to take a gift of some kind!
It too often plays out that way. But not always.
IIRC. Dowry was sent with the new bride. Think of it as the ancient financial equivalent to all the gifts people give to newlyweds. It could be household fixings, land, cash, cattle, what have you. It was the opportunity for the brides parents to get the young couple a good start in life.
Bride price went from groom to father but was less payment and more security for the case he divorces her. It would often be kept in trust by the father or groom as an inheritance for her children.
Think how much better our society would be if instead of giving newlyweds towels and kitchen appliances the two extended families came together to build them a new house on a gifted piece of land that would provide them sustenance.
Instead we give trinkets and young families struggle to make it living in small houses while the grandparents live the high life while enjoying their McMansions.
There’s a difference between a voluntary gift, I’ve thought a reproduction historical pistol would be an excellent gift between men, and pridefully demanding my daughter’s quality of life be diminished so that I can profit or benefit. If a son in law really wants to give me something then I’d like grandchildren please. And he’ll need his money for that. I can provide for my family, by God’s blessing, adequately enough.
And it’s not like there’s a plethora of quality men clamoring to be godly husbands these days. Why would I complicate her chance at the best possible match with something that is not defined or commanded?
There's a reason there is no set bride price in scripture, only that there is one when making the literal purchase of a woman. She is the fruit of your field, (your woman went to work after being plowed) and as such is a product, much like one would sell vegetables... But more valuable, generally. If the father wished to give her away for free, there is nothing wrong with that. Me, I'm probably going to demand some sort of payment, even if it is just a token sum, so that I can say she was "bought for a price." Everyone involved would know that this marriage was a decision between men.
If she's a widow, or uncovered by neglect, or orphan, I don't see any price being paid. I only see a command to care for the fatherless.
If she's a widow, or uncovered by neglect, or orphan, I don't see any price being paid. I only see a command to care for the fatherless.
You have complete control, you aren’t bound by anything.
You may find that requiring a bride price is beneficial in some cases, and you have the right to use it for the benefit of the couple.
There is the story of a man in a culture where they had a bribe price of a number of cows who intentionally overpaid for his wife.
When asked about it he replied that he wanted her to see herself as a woman worth five cows, as opposed to a two or three cow woman.
When asked about it he replied that he wanted her to see herself as a woman worth five cows, as opposed to a two or three cow woman.
He be cow simpin'! 
I love this. It’s like a more practical version of a big honking diamond ring!
Prostitution was allowed in ancient Rome, even in many patriarchal societies. Women were not caged by their Fathers.
So women always had some degree of freedom.