Hmm.
You’re probably quite right. I’ve never really been exposed to deeply pious Hindus, even when I was sent to “Hindu camp”. Most of the Hindus I know are religious in the Church of England sense - they go to temple to see friends, not to see God.
Er… we’ve totally hijacked this thread. 
Sure, not a problem at all as long as you don’t mind doing all the dishes. And taking out the trash. And cleaning the bathroom.
So us Anglos are at the bottom of the heap? The more I learn about this, the more…improbable… the British Raj seems.
In SM Stirling’s The Peshawar Lancers, Anglo-American and European civilisation is wiped out by climate changes and tsunamis after cometary impacts in the Atlantic in the late 1880s. The survivors of the British Isles are evacuated to the Empire; Queen Victoria relocates to Delhi. Amidst the chaos, the British establish themselves as a warrior caste among others in India. It’s an interesting take.
You realise, of course, that those are all forms of extended foreplay? She’s hittin’ on you, tdn!
I’m sorry about the hijack.
I’m starting a new thread to answer that since this one is supposed to be about proposals and so on.
Here: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=9692600#post9692600
I’ll probably be expected squish bugs, too, right?
If this were a John Cusack movie then you’d meet again years later on the eve of your wedding to some guy you weren’t really interested in and would leave standing dumbfounded on the altar. Everyone would cheer for you and nobody would think it creepy or disturbing. Either that or he’d come blazing down the aisle on a motorcycle firing HK USPs in both hands.
Stranger
No! Poor little buggies!
You pick them up gently with a cotton ball and deposit them outside.
No, I don’t mind the bug squishing. Not that I would want you to save bugs for me to squish, because that would be gross, but I would not mind doing the squishing should it be necessary.
Oh. In that case, this is just kind of a hobby. Yeah, that’s the ticket.
Not exactly a proposal, but:
A long time friend was visiting us a few weeks ago, and he had a wedding in town to attend. Saturday morning we’re up and puttering around in PJs/robes and he’s getting ready. The doobell rang (some guy canvassing for a free rides to church program or something) and since my friend was the only one really decently dressed (and because we like to torment our friends) we made him answer the door. Dude launches into his presentation, and my friend says, “I’m sorry, here, I’m going to hand you off to my wife while I finish getting ready.” He grabs me from out of sight of the door and presents me, frumpiness and all, to the guy.
(Further information: My actual husband was sitting right there and this friend is gay.)
My moment of sleepy confusion following that exchange was probably enough revenge for making him answer it in the first place. 
We also had an informal winter dance at my high school called “Nobody’s Wedding” that generated lots of silly fun. I’m not sure if anywhere else had it, but it was just a typical high school dance with the theme that you could jokingly “marry” anyone–friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, teachers, entire groups, yourself…more like a theme party than anything. You know, free plastic rings, veils, flowers, and certificates, music, snacks/drinks–great fun. Well, once three of my friends basically attacked this poor unsuspecting student teacher (all in fun, as far as I know, none had a crush on him or anything oogy like that):
“Mr. [Whatever]! Marry us!”
“No girls, thanks but I don’t think so.”
“Come on!”
Then of course a group formed to egg it on, and it all ended with him hanging desperately onto a door frame yelling “But it’s illegal in at least 47 states!”
I used to work with refugees. I worked primarily with the Somali Bantu population. I was asked by the elder to be his wife. I was honored. The only problems besides the fact that he was definitely too short for me were…
HE was** DEFINITELY **too short for me.
He was in his 60’s and unable to work.
He was of a different faith.
He was not my type at all.
His English wasn’t very good.
The main problem was that he was already married. He had had to leave 3 other wives in the refugee camp, but brought one with him to the states.
Now, she was perfectly fine with it. She told me that we would be friends and she would do all of the cleaning.
I asked him why he wanted to marry me and he said that his children would be tall and that I would make beautiful babies. (I’m 5’11 to his < 5’)
In front of a reporter he actually gave me an ultimatum that if I wasn’t married in one year then I would have to marry him or he would call *911.
He was going to tell them that the reason he was hurting himself is because I refused to marry him and that they must force me to marry him.
I hated to be so cruel…I just couldn’t do it!!! Hopefully, he has gotten over me!!
I hated to break his heart!!!
In the refugee camp they were told for any problem…call 911.
This was going to be a fun thread and I killed it! Sorry!!!
I’ll repeat one of my favorite stories, from when I was a youngster (~21) working at a social services agency in DC. I was walking down North Capitol and a homeless guy fell into step with me.
Him: Can I ask you a question?
Me: As long as it doesn’t have to do with money.
Him: Will you have sex with me?
Me: No way!
Him: Why? I don’t have AIDS.
Me: Even so.
Him: OK then. You got a quarter?
Actually, wife originally just meant “woman”. A midwife doesn’t have to be married; nor does a fishwife, or one of those “wives” that tell old tales. It’s just that “housewife” became the most typical compound of the word, leading to the misconception that “wife” was necessarily the counterpart of “husband”, as opposed to “man”. Cite.
I don’t actually quite see how the word wife is subjugating anyhow.
I’m pretty sure it wasn’t in my wedding ceremony though, come to think of it. I don’t remember what it said.
I used to do some computer consulting and home training on the side when I was in college. I was hired long term to teach this Korean woman’s kid how to use his computer.
They were thrilled with my work and the mom asked me if I was interested in getting married to her niece who still lived in Korea. She said they would take care of everything. They supposedly would fly me to S. Korea to meet the woman, then bring the both of us back so we could be married, then we would open a store together. She even tried to convince me that this girl would be better for me than my existing girlfriend and that Korean women are the best lovers in the world.
I politely declined.
Dragwyr, why did you decline? You could be very happy today. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?
Holy crap, am I late to this thread! tdn, don’t buy any more cows until we’ve had a discussion about free milk!