Covenant Marriage

[Jenna]

I was just watching the news tonight and caught this story that they had about "covenant marriage". I thought that it was interesting, and wanted to get everyone's ideas on the idea.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6766358/

 

[mojorising]

That seems fair; perhaps it should include abandonment. People can do that literally as well as emotionally. Interesting article!

mojo

 

[Flipper]

Very cool.

 

[LegacyOfLove]

That article actually sounds pretty amazing! I like the idea of couples really having to think seriously about the "commitment" they are making by getting married and I like that they are making it harder for people to just divorce for "any and every reason."

 

[Gwenyfur]

ok...I'm torn on this one....

Part of me wants to jump and shout and praise the Lord that a lawmaker has seen God's wisdom in making marriage a covenant...

The other part is fuming that it would take a law of man for people to realize that marriage is a covenant.

 

[bkg]

I'd have given anything for this a year ago in MN...

 

[LiberatedChick]

I think it's a great idea. Too many people just give up on marriage if things get a little tough, this should prevent that.

 

[Truly Blessed]

ok...I'm torn on this one....
....The other part is fuming that it would take a law of man for people to realize that marriage is a covenant.

I agree; Also, isn't the marriage vows a covenant to begin with. So we make a covenant regarding a covenant?

Next we will make a sworn statement stating that the sworn statement that we made is true.

 

[WashedClean]

I caught this article on MSNBC this morning. I think it's great, especially for non-believers. If we're in a Christian marriage, I would hope it's not needed, but I know that's naive.

Only three states so far have made it a law (optional) but many have proposed it. Naturally, where I live (Connecticut) they haven't because it's such a liberal state. Arg.

It will be interesting to see how it affects these marriages. And I agree with whoever said abandonment should be one of the grounds for divorce...

 

[Jenna]

They do say that it is proposed for many more states in the future, so it looks as though this could spread across the country if given enough support. Being that I live in Michigan, we don't have it here either. I believe that I heard that the guy who came up with the idea is wanting to "convert" his marriage (obviously a decision between him and his wife) to a covenant marriage soon. I think that it is interesting that it can be done after the fact, and isn't neccessarily limited to those who are going to be married.

It is sad that people don't already look at marriage as the covenant that it is already, especially a good number of Christians. I view the marriage of the unchurched in a different light since they don't follow the same rules as we do. I think that this could be very good for their marriages and overall, their families. I also liked the idea of the marriage counseling, though I think that making a couple wait for up to two years is asking too much. Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances that demand things to be done a little faster.

 

[murron]

I can understand why it seems redunant for Christians to sign a "covenant marriage". It is sad that marriage is such a disposable event for many. However, I think the difference is that lawmakers are realizing they have relaxed the laws so much that it is just far too easy to get divorced, and so they are trying to rectify that. It wasn't too many years ago when alienation of affection was on the books; and that deterred at least some extra-marital affairs. Many other things have taken place, through the laws, that have enabled marriage and divorce to become as commonplace as shopping for groceries. I applaud any laws that are designed to make people work through their problems instead of flushing the marriage down the toilet.

 

[WashedClean]

It is sad that marriage is such a disposable event for many. However, I think the difference is that lawmakers are realizing they have relaxed the laws so much that it is just far too easy to get divorced, and so they are trying to rectify that.

I've always thought it should be harder to get married in the first place. A waiting period (not 2 years, I agree this is too long) or some kind of mandatory counseling. Not sure who would pay for it though.

 

[Jennifer615]

I think it's a great idea. Although I'm divorced and remarried, I too believe that it is far too easy to get out of a marriage simply because you "fall out of love", "need to find yourself", or have other selfish motives.

In Australia we actually have to wait 12 months before we can apply for a divorce. It is not like the USA or UK where you can be married one day, and divorced the next. With a covenent marriage you need to be separated for 2 years. I was personally separated for 3 years before I divorced my ex-husband.

I do however think they should add "cruelty" to the list of grounds for divorce, which was my case. Mental and emotional abuse is as bad as physical abuse, and the scars take longer to heal.