Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Divorce Is The Biggest Threat To Heterosexual Marriage

Why people don't get this, I don't know. Christians all over the U.S. are up in arms about gay marriage while heterosexual marriages are crumbling right and left. Sadly, many of them are taking place between evangelical Christians. I cannot tell you how deeply disturbing I find this to be.

It was brought to my attention yesterday that approximately six active and well known couples from my former church have divorced since I left there a little better than a year ago. This church is pastored by a couple that has been married for 27 years and are very pro-marriage. Being very vocal against couples living together, against gay marriage and even against people remaining single late in life (the pastor feels such is abnormal, esp. for a male) and being a ministry very involved in the personal lives of its congregants, I find the news of these divorces to be rather surprising. I know it happens...but, six!?

(SIDENOTE: Mr. Free and I, needless to say, had our issues at this church as we were not a "State married" couple and we didn't allow them to push us into being so. I loved my church, though, and I loved the pastor and his wife, even if they bugged us relentlessly on the legal marriage issue, lol. While I was very active in the church, I was unable to lead any groups because I lacked a secular marriage contract. Yet, divorced and remarried people were allowed to do so, despite what the bible teaches on such being a sin. I've always found that to be a bit hypocritical, but whatever...)

With four high profile Christians in the news recently with major marital drama, I have to ask: where is the outrage? The protests? The proposed amendments to the Constitution? Okay, I'm going overboard, but I really do wonder when we are going to treat divorce as a sin and speak up? When will we recognize divorce as the MOST major threat to hetero marriages? In fact, it's not even a threat...it is the actual destroyer! And where is the accountability? As witnesses to and/or officiants over these marriages, when are we going to hold people accountable to their vows? To their covenants? I know we can't force people to remain married, but should we just sit by and silently watch their marriages go down in flames and accept this as a fact of life? And, on the whole legality of these marriages, why have anyone sign a contract if a breach of that contract holds no repercussion? What's the point?

And how do we tell our children that they should even get married, remain married and never divorce when they see divorces happening right there in church? I don't even want to add up the weddings I've taken my son to where the couples are now divorced. How do we expect young people to honor the institution when they see people make and break their vows to each other and to the Most High every day?

I don't have the answers, but the questions certainly frustrate me.

I'm ranting and I know I'm being judgmental, but I'm really, REALLY saddened that we spend so much time and energy fighting to keep marriage sacred, yet we treat it as anything but when we accept divorce as "just a part of life".

This is kinda like Christians fighting for the 10 Commandments to remain on display in public places, yet they don't even observe all 10 or even believe all 10 to be relevant. Ask a Christian when was the last time they observed the 4th Commandment and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about. But, I guess that's a rant for another day.

None of it makes any sense to me.

*===== pushing my soapbox back in the corner now =====*

Okay, I'm done.

~Free

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