Marriage is Outdated
Is it true? Could marriage be on the verge of extinction? Apparently Cameron Diaz feels that marriage is unimportant and old-fashioned.The divorce rate is high and continues to rise. Many choose simply to live together without marrying. Others procreate outside of marriage.
Does marriage still have value? Why or why not?
Fear of divorce seems to be enough to keep many from ever walking down the aisle. Why get married if it won’t last anyway? I’m curious what you think? Is marriage simply a contract with no real meaning, or is marriage a beautiful covenant that can be a lifelong celebration?
4 Comments
Rach
I'd have to say that it is the latter. After many long, hard years of being celibate, I can certainly attest that marriage is the most fulfilling life experience I have to participate in yet! Many values and ethics held dear for multiple generations are quickly eroding, but it doesn't mean that it is right. It hurts my feelings that celebrities who have been given an enormous amount of power and respect make such flippant and degrading comments regarding the holy sanction of marriage but it won't stop me from treasuring my vows or my husband. There is peace, love and overflowing joy to the man and woman who obey God's commandments within the confines of marriage. There is a blessing and a hedge that the world can not penetrate, hard as it may try, and I treasure my covenant between God, my husband, and I. I think allowing the Lord to have his perfect way in our lives and living by his holy commandments is the most exciting and wonderous way to do life! I wouldn't trade all the sorrow and heartache I've endured because joy has come, and the dividends are the sweetest, most rewarding I have ever known.
karen
I often feel awkward commenting on marriage, but I'll leave you my two cents worth.
All relationships seem to have become disposable. If you don't like how someone looks at you, it's perfectly acceptable to no longer include them in your circle of friends. Rather than fight for the relationship, folks just give up.
A coworker recently announced her engagement. When asked how it happened (because the story is part of the journey, right?), she replied that her lease is up, and he needs to move out of his parents house, so it just makes sense to get married. Sounds more like a business deal than a marriage, but who am I to judge?
I believe marriage is on the endangered species list, and we need to fight for it. We need to be praying for marriages BEFORE they are in crisis mode.
We've made it too easy to throw a marriage away. When I was 7, my parent divorced and when I told an adult at school about it, I was told to not discuss it with anyone. Divorce was embarrassing. Now, it's a badge people wear with pride.
Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good marriages out there. There are a lot of people fighting for their marriages. But living together, divorce, unbalanced or unhealthy marriages plague the media world and we call it entertainment.
I heard a quote recently that said "I will not allow myself to be entertained by anything that Jesus died for." If we just take the concept of marriage and apply that concept, we'd all throw out our tvs and stop going to movies.
Sorry for the long comment.
Babetta
Rach,
Your positive view of your marriage is inspirational. I certainly agree with you that we cannot allow incorrect views of marriage to color how we view the union ourselves. May God continue to bless you and your husband for many years more!
Babetta
Karen,
I'm glad you decided to weigh in on this topic. Your insights are always valuable to me, and you're always welcome here. It truly made me sad that your coworker was marrying for such a flimsy reason. I guess we don't truly value relationships any more. Everything is disposable. Marriage is hard, but it would seem that divorce is even harder.
The images of marriage on the screen are anything but encouraging. Your admonishment not to be entertained by things that God died for was so timely. I felt convicted to analyze all that I view and discard what is not pleasing to God.
Relationships should not be disposed of so easily.