We now live in a generation that would rather live together than be married. L. Lamor Williams wrote an article entitled AR Seeing Less Marrying, Divorcing in the AR Democrat-Gazette on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009 concerning marriage and the family, giving information why marriage rates fell 32% in AR from 2006-2008. While some thought AR was just slow catching up with the trend of the rest of the country, it is an alarming dropoff in marriages-which have been on the decline since 1992. Williams mentioned several reasons he believed contributed to the marriage dropoff:
*A general attitude that marriage is not so important
*Sexual freedom as a result of birth control
*Cohabitation (in US in 1960 - 430,000 and in 2007 - 6.4 million) and like a test drive for marriage, just to see if there is compatibility
*Women choosing to be single mothers
*Women now have better paying jobs (forced quota hiring practices)
*Cost of divorce (alimony, child support)
*Older ages for getting married (27 for women, 30 for men)
*Desire for a higher standard of living starting out
If this marriage trend contionues, we will see the demise of the family unit in America. The family is the most basic societal unit. America (or any nation) cannot long survive with marriage and the family.
Williams reported the following advantages children have from married families:
*More healthy (receive better health care, nutrition, parental safeguards from danger)
*Learn better values
*Learn to accept responsibilities, including responsibilities for their own actions
*Self reliant (become tax paying citizens not on the public dole)
In the last days of this church age, 1 Tim. 4:1, 3; 2 Tim. 3:1-5, the Bible teaches the breakdown of marriage and the family. God's people need to pray for and encourage young marrieds, teens and unmarried young adults concerning God's plan for marriage and the family.
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Youth pastors and pastors already see the effects of this destructive behavior. I don't know about everyone else, but every church I've worked in that had children showed 80% or more children came from a broken home.
ReplyDeleteMost of these children, therefore, have no one bringing them to church or teaching them doctrine. They must learn on their own and come to church on their own. Then, when they hit 18, since most ministries don't emphasize the ABSOLUTE need to rely and follow God, these students quit church altogether. How many 20-30 something year olds are you in your church that were raised in an ABA church?
These sad statistics just mean the church needs to step up and do even more to reach out to the young people in showing them their need for God in life. If not, what will churches and America look like in 30 years?
I'm sad we didn't see any more posts on this. One of those things that VERY much matter.
ReplyDeleteSatan knows if he can destroy familes he can hinder the work of the Churches. Churches are made of families. I too have seen the negative effect that broken homes have on children. My we join in prayer for them, but also put "FEETS" on our prayers and go out and help those who really desire our help. At least gfive it a shot.!!
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