Would you have been offended?

That's probably the reason.

Lol at her assuming that the kind of people who get married have "one night stands", or whatever she was trying to imply!

Maybe she's a moody jilted spinster who has 23 cats and only ventures out, to chair a "stitch and b!tch", night, so she can well and truely "b!tch" about the "problems" in society!!

I think I would have been thinking "okaaaaaaaaaay" and my eyebrows may have started working their way up to my hairline.

I don't think i'd be offended, but i'd just add her to the "weirdo" pile ?. I respect other's entitlement to have an opinion, just object to the way in which they express that soemtimes, and I doubt any good would have come from discussing her opinions with her. Fruit loop!

(glad your space is back by the way)

I was trying to work out what the *** was in your post, Mrs Magic. Thankfully ooh la la has cleared that up for me! ?

I think I'd have a bit of a snigger about her rather than be offended, to be honest! She obviously has 'issues'!

How very odd!

I'd have let the tumbleweed roll across the room I think ? then said "Anyway.... " and steered the conversation away from Planet Rude. What a strange thing to say to people you've only just met. "Hello, knit one, purl one, your values are rubbish and I know better, knit two purl one" ?

So that's two weirdos in your group now then ?

Offended no, but a bit flabberghasted probably. And I'd feel rather sorry that she has appears to have such a cynical outlook on life - not just marriage but long term relationships as a whole.

? I thought hitched might have allowed bitch!

Puss, that's pretty much what I did to, well that and trying not to laugh when I caught eyes with the 21 year married lady!

Oohlala, she's actually really trendy, stylish (who would think you could feel inadequate at a knitting group ?), constantly busy and is quite well off. She has a horse which she is devoted to which could be one of the barriers.? She's probably just an independent woman who feels she doesn't need a man but would have expected her to be offended if we said we didn't believe in not getting married and that it should be complusary for all women.

It was just such an odd thing to say.

<duely added to weirdo pile> which is a shame.?

hmmm, yeah, just put it to one side, thinking that she's just an opinionated moron, and leave it at that......I just hope for your sake she wont be like that every week!!!x

? that has just made me laugh out loud.

Thanks ladies. I know offence was probably the wrong word but couldn't think of a better one.

I was just glad to talk about something other than horses this week as last week it was all just girls from the stables who were there. I mean I like horses but having never even sat on one, I couldn't really share their enthusiasm!

I had a similar opinion expressed to me at work during coffee break - one of the few men in the building, who had an affair for several years with another colleague (whilst with his girlfriend who had his baby) and is currently with the girlfriend again after splitting up several times. I was literally just back from honeymoon when he decided to tell me something along the lines of 'Well, good luck to you, marriages never last these days you know'.

I believe I may have used phrases such as integrity, commitment and ability to keep it in your pants in my response. Nobber. Such people are to be pitied, how sad to go around with such a cynical opinion of the world.

I must be really odd as I don't really see what she has done wrong. She has an opinion on marriage and that's it. I have to say, looking at most of the marriages around me I'd say a good portion are a total farce ? For me, having someone with a differing opinion makes for good conversation and debate so I'd enjoy having a "weirdo" in the group. Surely her opinion is just as valid as those that believe in marriage? I can't see anything written that would have been offensive to the person married for 21 years, it's only like me saying I don't want children and listing the many reasons why not, when people are talking about having kids?

Oh blimey, it's not her viewpoint and I'm sure lots of people are of the same opinion, it was more the way she said it in such an abrupt way during a conversation about how 21 years of marriage is fab.

In my mind it's more similar to people talking excitedly about their impending motherhood and someone who is essentially a stranger saying "ugh, I hate children, I don't understand why anyone would actually choose to have a child" in a really abrupt way. It's not a debate, more a dismissing someone's choices. I do love a debate but this really wasn't.

ETA, the weirdo thing was a joke btw. ?

SC, that would have really annoyed me!

I completely agree with you Mrs Magic. And I am the kind of person who would find that kind of "expression of opinion" quite threatening. I wouldn't want to discuss anything, for fear of being pounced on and being told that my morales and beliefs are a farce!

But maybe that's just me.