Anyone who is familiar with Ricky Gervais and the messages he conveys in his work should understand why he and his longtime girlfriend Jane Fallon never chose to get married. Gervais, widely known for his atheistic beliefs (even writing and starring in a movie centered around the perceived inanity of religion), has stated that the real reason he and Fallon decided not to get married, despite considering her his “soulmate” (per The Mirror) is because he sees marriage as a bureaucratic and religious ceremony; one which he considers unnecessary when it comes to declaring his and his partner’s love for one another.
“We are married for all intents and purposes,” Gervais has said, per The Mirror. “Everything’s shared and actually our fake marriage has lasted longer than a real one. But there’s no point in us having an actual ceremony before the eyes of God because there is no God.”
Gervais is right — according to Rainscourt Family Law Solicitors, the average length of a marriage in England and Wales was around 30 years in 2018. Gervais and Fallon are celebrating their 40th anniversary together sometime in 2022. Meanwhile, divorce rates tend to be lower among atheists than religious people, likely because areligious couples are less likely to get married under pressure, either explicit or implicit, from their families or community. Naturally, Gervais and Fallon never felt such pressure.
Nicki
