End of Marriage As An Institution?

Dust&Ashes · Mar 12, 2015

It seems to me that the American landscape is becoming too diverse for the current or traditional institutions to remain.

School districts in America have had to cease honoring Jewish/Christian holidays because members of other faith groups whose children also attended wanted to know why their own holidays couldn't be celebrated.

Sikhs, Muslims, Buddhists, Mormons, and plenty of other such groups have pushed in the past for their own religious holidays to be honored by government officials.
But because this would cause an undo burden on the system, public institutions are increasingly ditching any religious exemptions.

When asked about the future of America and the whole LGBT movement, I think something very similar will happen.

LGBT's are pushing for 'marriage,' which really means they want LEGAL recognition of their unions. But if the legal definition of marriage is obscured by people wanting different 'types of marriages' accepted, the legal purpose behind marriage as an institution may become pointless, causing it to be done away with.

Do you guys think that is what will happen?

marctorres · Mar 15, 2015

Indeed I believe it will and I'm pretty sure a number of LGBT activists said they wanted to overthrow the institution of marriage itself

Trickster454 · Mar 19, 2015

There are laws in place for married couples, laws so concrete even the Federal government can't break them (like how couples can't testify against each other). Married couples get special status in deciding medical stuff.

If the institute is down away with, I wonder how these things will change?

Dust&Ashes · Mar 19, 2015

At least Pastors won't be political targets in the culture wars. Since their power to enact marriage wont be a political item, hopefully they'll be left alone a lot more.

Sevensong · Mar 20, 2015

My biggest fear about the war against marriage (though I'm not at all traditional about it, or about many things in general) is that it will lead to the legalization of polygamy, and eventually, child "marriage." This would have devastating effects on the welfare of women and girls - as it already does in every country/sub-culture in which such crimes are practiced with legal impunity.

Dust&Ashes · Mar 22, 2015

Americans are nervous about telling someone they can't do something. It feels very... unAmerican of them. If we want to get the message through that stuff like 'child marriage,' or anything else in the sex/romance/marriage debates is wrong, we need to find concrete examples of how it hurts someone.
Americans may not like telling someone they can't do something, but it also feels very American to criticize something if it is obviously hurtful.

That FLDS Mormon church out in Utah is probably a good example of 'child marriage' and how it is intrinsically wrong.

Albion · Mar 22, 2015

Sevensong said:
My biggest fear about the war against marriage (though I'm not at all traditional about it, or about many things in general) is that it will lead to the legalization of polygamy....

That much is guaranteed. In fact, it's already underway.

graceandpeace · Mar 23, 2015

Dust&Ashes said:
School districts in America have had to cease honoring Jewish/Christian holidays because members of other faith groups whose children also attended wanted to know why their own holidays couldn't be celebrated.

Sikhs, Muslims, Buddhists, Mormons, and plenty of other such groups have pushed in the past for their own religious holidays to be honored by government officials.
But because this would cause an undo burden on the system, public institutions are increasingly ditching any religious exemptions.

Source?

What is meant by "honoring" holidays? What is meant by "exemptions?"

In many areas, winter & spring public school breaks coincide with Christmas & Easter, two major Christian holidays. If the breaks didn't coincide with the holidays, so what?

When asked about the future of America and the whole LGBT movement, I think something very similar will happen.

LGBT's are pushing for 'marriage,' which really means they want LEGAL recognition of their unions. But if the legal definition of marriage is obscured by people wanting different 'types of marriages' accepted, the legal purpose behind marriage as an institution may become pointless, causing it to be done away with.

Do you guys think that is what will happen?

I would caution against making generalizations about LGBT people.

Yes, SSM will be legal in all 50 states sooner or later.
No, it will not cause the institution of marriage to be "done away with."

dayhiker · Mar 30, 2015

I don't think that the institution of marriage will go away any time soon.
I don't think polygamy will become law .. if it does happen it will be a generic poly relationship where women and men can have more than one partner. Which I'd be for because monogamy didn't work for me. But think that is years away.
I think more people will continue not to get married. This is where the church can reach out I think. People will need some stability and it would be good for churches and Christians to provide stability to single people and single parents. But the church will have to turn down the judgement of those groups to welcome them in and give them Christ.

joshuanazar · Jun 22, 2015

I think as Christians we focus more on the government's institution of marriage, than on God's institution of marriage. Just because our government is beginning to recognize same sex marriage, does not mean that God is forced to. In God's eyes people of the same sex cannot be married because he cannot accept that union. The governments institution will eventually collapse, I am sure that there is a very good chance that the government itself will collapse before Jesus' return, and that is not far away. When America's marriage institution collapses, God's marriage institution will still be standing; they are separate institutions. It isn't traditions or ceremonies that make a couple married, it is God. But yea the Government is just becoming more corrupt each year. I believe that we need to focus more on changing lives than trying to change laws which will never work. Our government is sinking and persecutions will soon begin.

Albion · Jun 22, 2015

joshuanazar said:
I think as Christians we focus more on the government's institution of marriage, than on God's institution of marriage. Just because our government is beginning to recognize same sex marriage, does not mean that God is forced to. In God's eyes people of the same sex cannot be married because he cannot accept that union. The governments institution will eventually collapse, I am sure that there is a very good chance that the government itself will collapse before Jesus' return, and that is not far away. When America's marriage institution collapses, God's marriage institution will still be standing; they are separate institutions. It isn't traditions or ceremonies that make a couple married, it is God. But yea the Government is just becoming more corrupt each year. I believe that we need to focus more on changing lives than trying to change laws which will never work. Our government is sinking and persecutions will soon begin.

There's a lot to like in your comments here, and I've tried looking at it from your perspective before. On the one hand, there will be persecution of anyone who dares not use the approved language or reserves the right to think marriage is what the Bible describes, but on the other hand, this won't stop with Gay "marriage" as the advocates want us to think it will. Any possible combination of men, women, boys, girls, those in between, and in any number of them, combination, and degree of relationship to each other will shortly become "marriages" in law and the institution will cease to have any meaning except to the religious among us.

joshuanazar · Jun 23, 2015

Albion said:
There's a lot to like in your comments here, and I've tried looking at it from your perspective before. On the one hand, there will be persecution of anyone who dares not use the approved language or reserves the right to think marriage is what the Bible describes, but on the other hand, this won't stop with Gay "marriage" as the advocates want us to think it will. Any possible combination of men, women, boys, girls, those in between, and in any number of them, combination, and degree of relationship to each other will shortly become "marriages" in law and the institution will cease to have any meaning except to the religious among us.

That is inevitable. We are coming into the era where ungodliness is the socially acceptable norm. In my honest opinion, politics is not where we need to focus. I believe that our main focus should be the people. Politics will inevitably get more corrupt and they will persecute the Body of Christ and not just because our view on marriages. We just need to share the truth and love of God to the lost and hurting people of this world. Death will eventually be the punishment for confessing Christ. But the fact that we suffer to the point of death for Jesus' name and still love those who beat and kill us, that will show the world that there is something to live for. It will not stop with "gay" marriages, but we cannot tie ourselves up in battles that we cannot win.

hedrick · Jul 1, 2015

graceandpeace said:
Yes, SSM will be legal in all 50 states sooner or later.
No, it will not cause the institution of marriage to be "done away with."

Unless conservative Christians do it in spite.

graceandpeace · Jul 2, 2015

hedrick said:
Unless conservative Christians do it in spite.

There has been a lot of hysteria since the SC ruling, to be sure.

Albion · Jul 2, 2015

hedrick said:
Unless conservative Christians do it in spite.

Spite has nothing to do with it, Hedrick. They fear, for good reason, being prosecuted for adhering to the dictates of their religion. If getting everyone out of the marriage business except as a sacramental act is necessary, "spite" has nothing to do with it.

And anyone who imagines that we are not going to see an uptick in the war against Christianity in this country, following this triumph of one special interest group over what it thinks is its main body of opponents, is very shortsighted. History is full of examples of one contestant exacting revenge upon the other after winning the contest; all that is to be determined is whether or not it will succeed in this particular case. The courts may prevent it from happening, but who in his right mind would count on that?!

Paul of Eugene OR · Jul 24, 2015

Dust&Ashes said:
It seems to me that the American landscape is becoming too diverse for the current or traditional institutions to remain.

School districts in America have had to cease honoring Jewish/Christian holidays because members of other faith groups whose children also attended wanted to know why their own holidays couldn't be celebrated.

Sikhs, Muslims, Buddhists, Mormons, and plenty of other such groups have pushed in the past for their own religious holidays to be honored by government officials.
But because this would cause an undo burden on the system, public institutions are increasingly ditching any religious exemptions.

When asked about the future of America and the whole LGBT movement, I think something very similar will happen.

LGBT's are pushing for 'marriage,' which really means they want LEGAL recognition of their unions. But if the legal definition of marriage is obscured by people wanting different 'types of marriages' accepted, the legal purpose behind marriage as an institution may become pointless, causing it to be done away with.

Do you guys think that is what will happen?

I think men and women will be forming couples until Jesus comes.

Dust&Ashes · Jul 28, 2015

I didn't say people wouldn't be forming couples, that is, getting married. I just said that marriage will become a wholly private sector kinda thing.

Albion · Jul 28, 2015

Dust&Ashes said:
I didn't say people wouldn't be forming couples, that is, getting married. I just said that marriage will become a wholly private sector kinda thing.

That's possible...and so is the idea of marriage simply ceasing to be commonplace.

JCFantasy23 · Aug 7, 2015

Dust&Ashes said:
Americans are nervous about telling someone they can't do something. It feels very... unAmerican of them.

Yes, the melting pot has started boiling over.

It hasn't helped that so many seem to be looking for a reason to get offended, and social media makes a downright hobby of gathering together to find causes to lobby against.

gtmyers · Nov 16, 2015

The government will do what it wants with regard to gay marriage. Hopefully it will stay out of the church and let churches decide for themselves.

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