Why do people still have so much hope for marriage?

[Apollo Celestio]

Especially when divorce rate in the Christian community is the same as the rest of the world...falling apart. No one can argue some pathetic view that they aren't real Christians or not seeking God together when their faith and their love means everything to them.

It is sad how people think there is such a thing as full proof ways to find ever lasting love.

Christians believe when it's all said and done that's all there will ever be. Thus either we're the greatest of fools, or not.

Idealization of marriage is probably like the idealization of becoming an adult. It's the next step of most people's lives and the culture or human nature has made people monogamous by nature.

 

[Supplanter]

Ummmmm. It sort of seems like some people are not reading the posts here about Christian marriage or are dismissing what they are actually saying in order to propagate the view that Christian marriages aren't any different so we can just bash marriage in general.

If you don't want to sign up for something as difficult as marriage then don't. Christian marriage may be even harder than a secular marriage because we are striving for something beyond ourselves and our own happiness, but the benefits are also greater in the end should we be able to stick it out.

And it is very easy to throw around that the divorce rate is the "same" but so what if it is, it does not negate that a Godly marriage is different than others or that a Christian marriage should represent Christ and His Body. People fail. Not evyone will succeed at this sort of marriage, but if they don't then it is generally their own doing (not always).

If you don't believe marriage works for you then don't pursue it, but it sounds like to me the issue is selfishness and bitterness and in order for people to try to avoid the fact that they are selfish and bitter when it comes to relationships, they instead blame the institution of mariiage.

 

[Sunset2009]

I told my SO last night that I want to love him in every single way I can. I don't believe I can do that (rightfully) unless I'm married to him. I can't serve him extensively unless I'm married to him, I can't show my love for him physically unless I'm married to him. I can't show him that I want to spend the rest of my entire life with him and him only, unless I'm married to him. I mean, couples can experience the bulk of that if they're living together/having sex. But they still don't have that lifetime commitment they've made to each other.

 

[Im_A]

Christians believe when it's all said and done that's all there will ever be. Thus either we're the greatest of fools, or not.

So that must be why their rate of marriage is the same like everyone else eh?

Idealization of marriage is probably like the idealization of becoming an adult. It's the next step of most people's lives and the culture or human nature has made people monogamous by nature.

I don't equate as having anything in comparison to becoming an adult...especially when children have gotten married in our history and still do today in certain parts of the country and letting the government recognize who I would thus hopefully have regular sex with and make some commitment doesn't seem like 'growing up' to me.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

So that must be why their rate of marriage is the same like everyone else eh?

I don't equate as having anything in comparison to becoming an adult...especially when children have gotten married in our history and still do today in certain parts of the country and letting the government recognize who I would thus hopefully have regular sex with and make some commitment doesn't seem like 'growing up' to me.

Coming of age, marriage, all milestones in life.

 

[Im_A]

Coming of age, marriage, all milestones in life.

So it would be better to have many, many milestones. Be the most wise and grown up person alive!

 

[leothelioness]

Christians believe when it's all said and done that's all there will ever be. Thus either we're the greatest of fools, or not.

Idealization of marriage is probably like the idealization of becoming an adult. It's the next step of most people's lives and the culture or human nature has made people monogamous by nature.

Some Christians teach that marriage is the culmination of adulthood and that those who aren't married have yet to reach it, or are living in an "extended adolesence". Which I don't agree with.

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

Walt Disney has caused many a girl grief.

Maybe because they touched on something real that you'd rather ignore.

 

[leothelioness]

Maybe because they touched on something real that you'd rather ignore.

They're called "fairy tales" for a reason. I'll just leave it at that.

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

They're called "fairy tales" for a reason. I'll just leave it at that.

They also express, along with many other stories, what is best and true about humanity. They reveal a truth that has been forgotten and degraded by cynicism and apathy.

 

[Fremdin]

For every 50 stories I hear about divorce and heartbreak I only hear one story of 2 people who are in love and stayed in love and stayed together, through good times and bad times. Those aren't good odds but, my God, they are good enough odds for me. I remain optimistic and hopeful.

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

Marriage is work, but people in today's society are not willing to work at anything

 

[Gym]

For every 50 stories I hear about divorce and heartbreak I only hear one story of 2 people who are in love and stayed in love and stayed together, through good times and bad times. Those aren't good odds but, my God, they are good enough odds for me. I remain optimistic and hopeful.

well here's a third for ya
my parents remaind together through thick andthin till the day my mother died

 

[this_is_new]

They also express, along with many other stories, what is best and true about humanity. They reveal a truth that has been forgotten and degraded by cynicism and apathy.

Yup like not taking apples from old ladies . I like them as much as anyone but the princes to me almost always seemed 1D. In Snow White it was hard to know anything about the guy.

 

[Fremdin]

well here's a third for ya
my parents remaind together through thick andthin till the day my mother died

I'm sorry for your loss, but that's a very sweet story

 

[mina]

For every 50 stories I hear about divorce and heartbreak I only hear one story of 2 people who are in love and stayed in love and stayed together, through good times and bad times. Those aren't good odds but, my God, they are good enough odds for me. I remain optimistic and hopeful.

This, but I know lots of older couples that have stayed together through thick and thin and seem really truly in love decades later. And it does give me hope that people can make it. In the past 10 to 20 years or so I've been observing and trying to learn thier secrets and learn from them instead of learning the wrong things from tv shows, people on Dr. Phil., and the scads of other couples that have the attitude that "if it doesn't work out; we can always get divorced".

 

[MacFall]

They also express, along with many other stories, what is best and true about humanity. They reveal a truth that has been forgotten and degraded by cynicism and apathy.

What truth, that women should wait around for a prince or some magical being to rescue them instead of being proactive and courageous in their own lives?

 

[explodingboy]

For every 50 stories I hear about divorce and heartbreak I only hear one story of 2 people who are in love and stayed in love and stayed together, through good times and bad times. Those aren't good odds but, my God, they are good enough odds for me. I remain optimistic and hopeful.

It's because the good news doesn't sell well.

It doesn't matter what the subject of discussion is, you'll always hear more negative points than good.

 

[explodingboy]

They also express, along with many other stories, what is best and true about humanity. They reveal a truth that has been forgotten and degraded by cynicism and apathy.

Alternatively Walt Disney has rather.. watered down the message of the story to a formulated happy ever after. Less Disney more Brothers Grimm.

 

[PassionFruit]

They also express, along with many other stories, what is best and true about humanity. They reveal a truth that has been forgotten and degraded by cynicism and apathy

Funny you should say that, a lot of these fairy tales were quite dark before Disney got a hold of them.

What truth, that women should wait around for a prince or some magical being to rescue them instead of being proactive and courageous in their own lives?

You brought up another function of fairy tales. Not only do they exist to give idealized notions of love, but they also function as a way to enforce social roles. Why do you think women in fairy tales with power are always viewed as a "witch" or always ugly?

The message is quite clear.