# Is marriage doomed?



## ClayPot (Feb 18, 2012)

Here is an article about the state of marriage from Foxnews: Is Marriage Doomed? | Fox News
The gist: people don't need to marry to do what they want like be in a relationship, have sex, and have kids. And women are becoming more educated, so they don't need a man to support them. 

The disintegration of the family in our culture is terrible, and I don't think the full effects will be felt for some time. Many of the trends mentioned in the article are becoming more prevalent in the Christian community, which has adopted many of the same views of the world in regards to the role of men, women, and family.

This is a good reminder to me of why we need to preach the gospel so that sinners will be saved, God will be glorified, and God's blueprint for the family and world will be seen with greater frequency. And of course it's a good reminder to me that I need to be leading my home and guiding my family to live in accordance with God's revealed will to help prevent this destruction.


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## Zach (Feb 18, 2012)

I was reading in the NY Times this morning that more than half of births to women under the age of 30 occur out of wedlock. May God have mercy on us.


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## Peairtach (Feb 18, 2012)

Marriage isn't doomed, but Western society is doomed if it doesn't embrace marriage.


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## Bethel (Feb 18, 2012)

I found his argument somewhat compelling, but a little over-simplified. If marriage is doomed, then why are so many fighting for same sex marriage and/or civil union? Marriage is not just a cultural institution (as implied by the article), but part of God's plan. Regenerate or not, we are all created in His image; therefore, marriage will continue whether or not it's pragmatic.


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## Rich Koster (Feb 18, 2012)

In my humble opinion, most of society has embraced the Godless elements of Marxism and Darwinism that factor out to this sad end. If a person doesn't have a proper understanding of who they are, they will also have an improper understanding of marriage.


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## Rufus (Feb 18, 2012)

Peairtach said:


> Marriage isn't doomed, but Western society is doomed if it doesn't embrace marriage.



Unless a remnant of Westerners can keep it going after the fall (which would be a really awesome novel).


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## Rev. Todd Ruddell (Feb 18, 2012)

Richard beat me to it. Any society that does not embrace the structure of family as set forth in God's Word will also reject the Lord's direction for the Church and the State. The Lord will judge all those who refuse His foundational directions for societies.


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## O'GodHowGreatThouArt (Feb 18, 2012)

Marriage will never die in the Christian mindset, but with society as a whole, I think it would be a fair argument to say that marriage (as we know it) is on its way out the door.

Gay marriage is recognized, being legalized, and seen as legitimate. Abortions are at an all time high. Kids at a wedlock are at an all time high. Sex outside of marriage has reached unfathomable levels compared to 100 years ago. Divorce is being treated as a small thing, and not the life-shattering monster that it really is.

One thing is for sure. As Americans (PARTICULARLY those professing to be Christian) we do not understanding what marriage is in relation to the faith. We do not understand what it means and what it takes to love our spouses as we would ourselves and Christ. And we do not understand the very foundation of that marriage. It's not based on the love of the other person as many believe, it's based on Christ and Christ alone.

Eventually, your love for your spouse is going to reach a season where it is going to wane. It's at this point in time that many jump ship in this country, citing "irreconcilable differences". The reason they jump ship is because their love for their spouse IS the basis. When that love falls, why stick around? As Christians, while we should love our spouses dearly, the basis of our marriages to them is NOT our love for them, but our love for Christ. If we truly love Christ, we will love our spouse like Christ loves His Church.


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## FCC (Feb 18, 2012)

In Ephesians 5 Paul equates marriage with being a representative of the church's relationship with Christ. When much of what is perceived to be the "church" isn't rightly dividing the word of truth, how can we expect the world to do the same? How that Christians would again be salt and light in the world and bring a message of hope, of change and of redemption!


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Feb 18, 2012)

R.J. Rushdoony wrote quite a lot in the 1960's of the effects and consequences of the Darwinian and Marxist principles that were being adopted (mostly unconsciously) by the church and its leaders in education, psychology, etc... at that time. His insistence of the adoption of consciously Christian principles and processes having been ignored and mocked by a large section of the Church we should not be surprised by the outcome.


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## R Harris (Feb 18, 2012)

It is interesting that Charles Murray, the social scientist who wrote the recent book "Coming apart: America from 1960 to 2010," delivered a lecture to the American Enterprise Institute two weeks ago and stated that America's decline both economically and morally can be statistically tied to the low marriage rate and the increase in divorce and out of wedlock children. He said this continuing trend can do nothing but guarantee dire consequences for the US.

What's even more interesting is that Murray described himself during the Q&A session as an "agnostic wannabe believer."
I think that's the first time I have heard THAT term!


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Feb 19, 2012)

Watched his AEI lecture last night on C-Span. I ordered the book and look forward to reading it. 

It is interesting that you note the "agnostic wannabe believer". It is something I have noticed that is nearly ubiquitous in the younger conservative intelligentsia. Folks like Jonah Goldberg and other writers at National Review, The Daily Caller, Reason, etc... have mentioned their want to embrace the so-called "Judeo-Christian ethic" without the outward trappings of Religion. Even older writers like Thomas Sowell have mentioned similar things in their writings.


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## smhbbag (Feb 19, 2012)

> It is interesting that Charles Murray, the social scientist who wrote the recent book "Coming apart: America from 1960 to 2010,"



The title of the book is Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010.

Amazon.com: Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010 (9780307453426): Charles Murray: Books


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## kvanlaan (Feb 19, 2012)

Marriage is not doomed, but secular civilization is. The community that I am a part of (that most here are a part of) is thriving and dynamic - our own church is growing by 5-10% per year from simple organic growth: new births. And these are births to people who are married, are happy being married, and statistically will be married until they die. The world is dying. God's love and the hope that it instills for the future and present give us life both eternally and temporally. While this is likewise a simplification, I see a future for these families in the church that I do not see in the world in general.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Mar 17, 2012)

bump


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