by Why do people get married?
- For some it is the culmination of a long courtship.
- For others it is the expression of feeling.
- Still others do it for the tax break.
- Some do it to legitimize their relationship.
I think in all of this talk of homosexual marriage we are losing what it means to be married, or why we should get married. I do not, however, think that homosexuality is the only problem marriage (as an
institution) has plaguing it.
Looking back two generations of my parents to my grandparents, I find a couple that, after a week of
knowing each other, my grandfather was determined to marry my grandmother. Being stationed in Atlanta, GA, and she being a secretary that he saw through a window, he courted her, and married her before going to Germany to fight WWII. They just celebrated their 60th anniversary this past December. Marriage to them meant commitment to one another.
There are many stories like this– some of people even younger getting together and producing long lasting
marriages. What did their marriages have that ours do not? Yes, it was the people involved. No, not every grandparent that I know stayed with the same spouse, but the average was greater.
Zooming forward through time we see many things that have eroded marriage.
Marriage was beginning to be redefined as an expression of love more than an expression of commitment. We had the 50s/60s with free love. Since divorce was still not that prevalent/accepted, people got married. But since love (the emotion) does not last long unless it is continually fostered (ask any long married couple), things changed, and people who were married wanted a way out. So, we introduce the
“no-fault” divorce.
The result of all of this is that we train children and teens that love is all about love and nothing about
commitment. We put them in dating situations, where once the love runs out, a boyfriend/girlfriend does too. And then, we have the divorce rate rise so that these same children/teens see how messy divorce is and we have the latest problem– live ins. People that inherently refuse to commit to one another, and yet live in the same house, and share same things, and even have kids together, and we are supposed to bless these “relationships” the same as marriage!
And if that wasn’t enough, now we’re supposed to let same sex couples enter “marriages” so that they too can express their love. They level the same charges as I do above about our supposed hypocrisy, and yet
they really don’t want marriage for commitment either.
How can I say that? Isn’t that too much of a sweeping generalization? Well, just look at the marriages. when the big hubbub was going on in San Fran, Rosie went down there, not because she needed to authenticate her relationship (for she has children with her “partner”) but to stand for the cause. Look at Canada where there’s a gay couple getting “divorced” just to expand their rights.
Homosexuality does not seem to have as it’s goal the desire to have committed relationships as much as it wants to legitimize its activity. For years, homosexuality was labeled as a psychological disorder. It was
against the law to practice sodomy in many states. Now, it’s mainstream. It’s shoved in our faces on TV. It’s glamorized in reality shows. And it’s trying to take over our institutions.
Will homosexuals be content with hijacking marriage? No. Because marriage is not its goal. They will not rest until those of us that say that “God says it is sin” or say that their activity and lifestyle choice is wrong are silent. Getting “same sex marriage” allowed is just a step in that direction.
You can see their intent in the arguments they use about equal protection and discrimination. Again, look at Canada– and the man punished for publishing in a local newspaper that God says that homosexuality is sin.
Marriage has been attacked at many angles. The governments of many states are attacking the issue of same sex marriage with constitutional amendments. This is a good thing and should be supported. However, we need to be teaching our children and modeling for them marriage relationships based on commitment through love for our spouse and them. We need to not be ashamed to state the facts– homosexuality is a sin against God. Living together without being married is a sin against God. God does not condone divorce.
We’re in a fight for our society. Will you do nothing?
Just an added comment:
The California Supreme Court annulled the marraige licenses of all of those that thought they were “married” including Rosie. I wonder if they’ll be a mass exodus to Massachusettes now?
Keep up the fight!
There is no doubt that marriage is under attack for reasons beyond what the institution of marriage is about. This is a sacred institution that is being prostituted politically to attain a goal(s) by the homosexual community. When divorce became legal, it opened up the door for the eventual fall of this institution. One of my good friends from back in high school turned out to be homosexual, and one thing I saw from that lifestyle was the promiscuity of it. He went from partner to partner faster than I could keep up with. Not only does that show commitment to be low on his list of priorities, but it advocates promiscuity. With the fear of AIDS in society today, it boggles my mind how anyone can so freely open themselves up to those risks.
I’m a single guy just trying to find the right lady(and believe me….that’s tough! ), but it just seems that no one really shares my values anymore. I liked your statement about how in our grandparents generation you’d see the quick marriages that last for so long. My parents are a great example of that…they met at a bowling alley and 30 days later they were married. Happily married for going on 39 years now!! Just hope that more of us speak out about the dangerous precedences being set these days, or we’ll be too late in saving a lifestyle worthy of saving!