Should we make getting marriage a little more difficult? Would secular America take it more seriously?

Question

Yeah, I know atheists. I know. "But....but.....12.3% more Christians get divorced than atheists in Idaho on Thursday's!!!"

Yes. Congrats. You got me. **Golf Clap**

Now that we got that out of the way, why does our atheist/secular/wobbly Christian culture tolerate broken marriages with such ease?

Obviously there are times when a union must be broken. It's biblical to have clearance when your spouse cheats on you.

But I get the impression with phrases like "starter wife" and "Trophy wife" that there are many fools out there that don't take this covenant between a MAN and a WOMAN with Jesus at the center of your lives very seriously.

My heart breaks for the children stuck in these situations. Perhaps less TV, less fantasy sports and less Internet p**n would lead to better marriages?

Perhaps men should actually grow up past the age of 15 mentally?

Perhaps women should wear a top out in public that is decent?

Answer 1

It's not just Idaho and last Thursday, and it's more than 12.3% delta.  21% of Atheists and 39% of evangelicals have divorced.   Our divorce rate is almost half that of fundies.  We share the lowest divorce rate with Catholics.Source - www.barna.org - an evangelical Christian reseacrh company.

Why?  Because we are more likely to rationally assess marriage just like everything else and so come to better decisions which last longer and more often.

With Catholics of course, it's the guilt.

Answer 2

Heh

I am glad you aren't running the show.

No mistakes allowed EVER.

Divorce is much more complicated than simple immaturity and low cut blouses.  Divorce occurs because people feel compelled to marry, when they are in fact not required to do so.

Answer 3

I saw a diagram once of a triangle. God was at the top point, the wife was at the lower right point and the husband was at the lower left point. If you took the husband and wife and moved them up the lines of the triangle to get closer to God on the diagram they automatically became closer to each other on the diagram. That's how life works I think, the better our individual relationships with God become the better our relationships in general will become.  

Answer 4

IT TAKES TWO PPL AND SOME PPL ARE FOOLS...

some ministers do counseling... Its not about training...It takes commitment, love, caring and maturity....

to your ques....NO....THEY ARE ADULTS...IM not their keeper..

Answer 5

Marriage is already difficult.  That's why there are so many divorces and people living together.

The only best thing to hold a marriage together IMHO is God.  He is what helped my husband and I through the tough times and why we have been married for 18 years.  

Answer 6

Women should wear a decent top out in public...

There are some many things wrong with that.

I agree that marriage isn't taken that seriously anymore but realize that wearing a low cut shirt doesn't make you a cheating ho, nor gives a husband a reason to divorce his wife. p**n has been known to attract both men and women and there are people that incoporate into their married lives.

People take marriage lightly because they're immature. A lot of marriages end because people don't have a strong enough will to keep them going. And sometimes, honestly, people just shouldn't be together anymore.

Marriages end. It has nothing to do with Jesus, it's entirely human.

And  it it's morally wrong then let Jesus get mad at them, and live your own freakin life.  

Answer 7

You're a perfect example of why people can't stand holier-than-thou christians. Your morals are not my morals, my marriage is not your marriage. You have no right to determine who should and should not get married, or stay married. I agree that often people don't put enough thought into it but then they are the ones who have to live with the consequences. It's none of your damned business.  I also have g*y friends who have every bit as much right as I do to be married to someone they love, and THAT is none of your damned business, either.

Answer 8

Clearly you're never going to get married...

Answer 9

I think that marriage would be considered more thoroughly if divorce was harder. I believe marriage is only for people who want to make that commitment to love someone for the rest of their life. If they do not believe this, they shouldn't get married as this is clearly not right for them. Simple.

Answer 10

The reason divorce rates are higher now is because women are no longer regarded as property, and can make their own way in the world without their husbands.

Originally, marriage was nothing other than a man buying another man's daughter.  It progressed from there into a "loving relationship".  But regardless, women were hard-pressed to make a living without their husband to support them.  So they worked hard to ensure that they didn't p**s off their husbands.  

This is the world of Leave It To Beaver, that we no longer live in.

Marriage is as outdated as your religion.  It's not my fault.  I'm just the messenger.

Answer 11

Are you trying to link to much TV time to... bad marriage?

I fail to see the connection

Answer 12

The problem is that the vast majority of the people that get married aren't entering into a covenant relationship with another person with God at the center, to them marriage is something entirely different.

I almost think that we just need two different terms/kinds of marriage.  We need the "civil union" that lets two people say, "I love you, let's make this official but I can bail when it doesn't work out." And call marriages that are based on the christian concept of the union between a man and wife, a "religious union".

I don't have a problem with a g*y couple wanting the same civil rights as a heterosexual married couple, I just have a problem with them claiming the title of "marriage" and saying that its something that isn't against what I believe the Bible teaches marriage to be.  

I think some states have the concept of a "covenant marriage" where you have to go through counseling and its more difficult to get a divorce.  Maybe extend that reasoning some.

Answer 13

Satan attacks Christians.He does not need to attack his own children.

Answer 14

Marriage has no intrinsic value.  It's only value is in helping those who desire to get married enjoy themselves.

Marriage should be abolished as a governmental institution.  People who want social contracts should have them.  People who want ceremonies should have them.  People who want children should adopt.

Answer 15

i was going to say yes to your initial question, but then i read your details.  if making a marriage more challenging to obtain would be done by your standards, i would be totally against it.

seems to me you might be one of those men who should actually grow up past the age of 15 mentally.  one of the traits of being a teenager is thinking the whole world should operate the way you think it should.

Answer 16

>>>Yes. Congrats. You got me. **Golf Clap**

Golf Clap?  Is that the nasty disease that you caught in your Link, when your wife thought that you were playing eighteen holes, and you were only playing in one?

>>>Now that we got that out of the way,

No you haven't.

>>>why does our atheist/secular/wobbly Christian culture tolerate broken marriages with such ease?

Atheists are not interested in forcing their morality on to others.

It is not for us to say that a couple should stay together, or separate, or get together, or stay separate.

We leave such interference to the religious, so don't expect us to support you in our interference.

Our morality is is natural, not forced, and so divorce to us, is only immoral, in our eyes, when practiced by those who preach against it.

>>>My heart breaks for the children stuck in these situations.

So would you rather that the children grew up, watching their parents fight constantly, being taught that marraige is misery, perhaps even see one, murder the other?

Incidentally, statistically, the devorce rate is higher among christians, than among any of groups that they so love to demonise as immoral,  and peaks among those claim to be the most devout.

But then, sexual immorality of every sort, seems higher among those who preach hardest against it, like tele evangelists.

Answer 17

You are way off.  It has nothing to do with "christian" marriages.  You are ripping so many things that are unrelated.  It comes down to commitment.  Commitment to faith, family and marriage.  It could be shopping and daquiris.  Or pets and dancing.  It doesn't matter.  Too many "christians" are worried about immediate gratification and not enough about commitment to a quality to life.