Also See: "Marriage & Forgiveness. What That Means For The "Other Woman" (or Man)"
Arguably, the foundation of any society and community is the family. Though modern families come in all kinds of sizes, shapes and component parts, traditionally, the most fundamental element of the family is the marriage between a husband and a wife. In fact, in Western society, the whole social system is built on this type of union.
This is often called the
nuclear family, which includes about 2 to 3 children and a pet thrown in to spare. Until recent times this type of union (between a man and a woman) was a standard part of the American culture and a solid part of the American church. However there are all sorts of arrangements marital, non-marital, cross-generational and even cross gender core units that now comprise the basis of "family".
There are many factors that have led to the changing face of the family. To name a few, it can't go without noting that there is a rapidly growing diversity of social moral values within the American population, changing demographics, partially promoted by culturally accepted relativism, and an increased post modernistic approach to previously formed social structures. In addition there are financial pressures, high incarceration rates in some demographic groups, and increased substance abuse issues which in many cases are a reflection of the lack of self-worth and value. All of this has led to the traditionally oriented nuclear family becoming simply one type among many types of family structures within society.
Marriages. How Stable Is The Foundation?
To our shame, these are the facts of our marital condition:
- According to Religious Tolerance.Org current research shows that the overall divorce rate peaked around 1980 and appears to have declined modestly since then. Divorce rates per 1,000 marriages were 22.6 in 1980, 20.9 in 1990, and 18.8 in 2000. (1)
- A recent study by the Barna Research Group throws extreme doubt on these estimates. Barna released the results of their poll about divorce on 1999-DEC-21. 1 They had interviewed 3,854 adults from the 48 contiguous states. The margin of error is ±2 percentage points. The survey found: 11% of the adult population is currently divorced. 25% of adults have had at least one divorce during their lifetime. Divorce rates among conservative Christians were significantly higher than for other faith groups, and much higher than Atheists and Agnostics (nonbelievers) experience (2)
- Estimates of the incidence of marital infidelity in the United States range from 20% to 50%. (3)
- One estimate rated the percentage of all Americans who would have an extramarital affair during their lives as high as 70%! (4)
- Nearly half of all U.S. marriages are remarriages for at least one of the spouses (5)
- In a 2001 report, the CDC stated that 1/5 (20%) of first marriages end within five years; 1/3 (33%)within ten years. Second marriages fare even worse. The CDC found "a strong probability that second marriages will end in separation or divorce: 23% after five years and 39% after ten years.”
- Researcher Donald Hughes states that 90% of divorce among Christians occur AFTER they have been saved. (6)
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