That's fair, but I just don't see why anyone would allow a "vow" to have any hold on them in extreme situations unless they felt some cosmic thing were being vi

That's fair, but I just don't see why anyone would allow a "vow" to have any hold on them in extreme situations unless they felt some cosmic thing were being violated. There is certainly no legal or even significant social pressure to stay with a spouse at any cost, so what significance does breaking the "vow" hold? Not being true to oneself? Then you're sort of your own god, willing to punish yourself for something everyone else is readily willing to forgive you for. I can't imagine someone making a personal vow to pay back their mortgage at any cost, when they're legally allowed to walk away. Even if it meant the total destruction of their future.