Changes

[[Image:Bride and groom signing the book.jpg|right|275px]]

[[Image:Bride and groom signing the book.jpg|right|275px]]

'''Marriage''' is the divinely ordained [[covenant]]<ref>Marriage between the sexes is a covenant, not a [[contract]]. Since time immemorial, some men disposed of a wife (woman) after her childbearing years to pursue a younger female consort. God, being a defender of women, ordained marriage by his perfect will to protect women's rights and not allow a man (male) to abandon them to homelessness and poverty with no marketable job skills other than homemaking or child rearing. This, however, is not the only reason the covenant of marriage evolved between the sexes.</ref>  between one man and one woman, and is intended to be for life. ([[Genesis 1-8 (Translated)#2:24|Genesis 2:24]])<ref>See also [[Perfect will of God]] vs [[Permissive will of God]].</ref> This is recognized by the majority of churches.<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm Article 7, "The sacrament of matrimony"]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/basicbeliefs.asp|title="Basic Beliefs," Southern Baptist Convention|accessdate=March 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/topics/relations_04_marriage.cfm|title="Marriage"}}</ref><ref>http://www.studylight.org/com/bnb/view.cgi?bk=39&ch=19 [[Albert Barnes]], Matthew 19]</ref><ref>[http://live.e-sword.net/app/ [[Matthew Henry]], Matthew 19]</ref>   

'''Marriage''' is the divinely ordained [[covenant]]<ref>Marriage between the sexes is a covenant, not a [[contract]]. Since time immemorial, some men disposed of a wife (woman) after her childbearing years to pursue a younger female consort. God, being a defender of women, ordained marriage by his perfect will to protect women's rights and not allow a man (male) to abandon them to homelessness and poverty with no marketable job skills other than homemaking or child-rearing. This, however, is not the only reason the covenant of marriage evolved between the sexes.</ref>  between one man and one woman, and is intended to be for life. ([[Genesis 1-8 (Translated)#2:24|Genesis 2:24]]) This is recognized by the majority of churches.<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm Article 7, "The sacrament of matrimony"]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/basicbeliefs.asp|title="Basic Beliefs," Southern Baptist Convention|accessdate=March 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/topics/relations_04_marriage.cfm|title="Marriage"}}</ref><ref>http://www.studylight.org/com/bnb/view.cgi?bk=39&ch=19 [[Albert Barnes]], Matthew 19]</ref><ref>[http://live.e-sword.net/app/ [[Matthew Henry]], Matthew 19]</ref>   

The unity between a man and a woman in marriage is an expression of the spiritual relationship that God desires His creation to realize with Him. The first marriage occurred nearly 6,000 years ago in the [[Garden of Eden]], in the area of the world that we now know as the Middle East. The first couple was Adam and Eve, and the Lord Jesus specified that it was male and female that God joined together in marriage for life. (Matthew 19:4-6)  See also: [[Christian marriage]]

The unity between a man and a woman in marriage is an expression of the spiritual relationship that God desires His creation to realize with Him. The first marriage occurred nearly 6,000 years ago in the [[Garden of Eden]], in the area of the world that we now know as the Middle East. The first couple was Adam and Eve, and the Lord Jesus specified that it was male and female that God joined together in marriage for life. (Matthew 19:4-6)  See also: [[Christian marriage]]

Marriage has been practiced as such in most cultures across geography and time.<ref>"Because there is a natural complementarity between men and women - sexual, emotional, temperamental, spiritual - marriage allows for a wholeness and a completeness that cannot be won in any other way. ([[Bill Bennett]], ''The Broken Hearth'', Page 197)</ref>

Marriage has been practiced as such in most cultures across geography and time.<ref>"Because there is a natural complementarity between men and women - sexual, emotional, temperamental, spiritual - marriage allows for a wholeness and completeness that cannot be won in any other way. ([[Bill Bennett]], ''The Broken Hearth'', Page 197)</ref>

Marriage is a lifelong commitment, and typically this involves a public ceremony (a [[wedding]]) in which vows are exchanged by the parties and before God. Approximately half of all traditional marriages in America end in [[divorce]],<ref>Divorce is within the permissive will of God, Deut. 22:13; divorce however, is due to sin entering the world, which God is willing to redeem. God himself in fact is divorced from Israel ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%203:8-14&version=KJV Jer. 3:8-14]; see also [http://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/isaiah/passage.aspx?q=isaiah+54:5-15 Is. 54:5]), or for that matter, all unredeemed sinners.</ref>  many due to [[Facebook]] and other [[liberal]] activities.

Marriage is a lifelong commitment, and typically this involves a public ceremony (a [[wedding]]) in which vows are exchanged by the parties and before God. Approximately half of all traditional marriages in America end in [[divorce]],<ref>Divorce is within the permissive will of God, Deut. 22:13; divorce, however, is due to sin entering the world, which God is willing to redeem. God himself in fact is divorced from Israel ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%203:8-14&version=KJV Jer. 3:8-14]; see also [http://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/isaiah/passage.aspx?q=isaiah+54:5-15 Is. 54:5]), or for that matter, all unredeemed sinners.</ref>  many due to [[Facebook]] and other [[liberal]] activities.

[[Dinesh D'Souza]] wrote:

[[Dinesh D'Souza]] wrote:

:Based as it is on the principle of [[complementarity]], marriage is also about a great deal more than love. That "great deal" encompasses, above all, [[procreation]]. The timeless function of marriage is childbearing and child-rearing, and the best arrangement ever developed to that end is the marital union between one man and one woman ...<ref>''The Broken Hearth'', Page 197)</ref>

:Based as it is on the principle of [[complementarity]], marriage is also about a great deal more than love. That "great deal" encompasses, above all, [[procreation]]. The timeless function of marriage is childbearing and child-rearing, and the best arrangement ever developed to that end is the marital union between one man and one woman ...<ref>''The Broken Hearth'', Page 197)</ref>

What Bennett's words ultimately imply is that, in terms of the value of marriage to anything which stands outside of it, marriage is most principally for the production of additional marriages, and, thus, is a progressive type of scale-invariance such as the Mandelbrot fractal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dectech.org/publications/LinksNick/FoundationsTheoryAndMethodology/Scale-invariance%20as%20a%20unifying%20psychological%20principle.pdf|title=Scale-invariance as a unifying psychological principle; 1999|accessdate=March 11, 2020}}</ref>

What Bennett's words ultimately imply is that, in terms of the value of marriage to anything that stands outside of it, marriage is most principally for the production of additional marriages, and, thus, is a progressive type of scale-invariance such as the Mandelbrot fractal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dectech.org/publications/LinksNick/FoundationsTheoryAndMethodology/Scale-invariance%20as%20a%20unifying%20psychological%20principle.pdf|title=Scale-invariance as a unifying psychological principle; 1999|accessdate=March 11, 2020}}</ref>

So, marriage is the most glorious kind of relation between human individuals because it alone is what most essentially defines humanity. The ''good'' of humanity is defined as an integration of all naturally enduring mutual benefits between all free individuals. But, all those benefits are created-and-sustained by the existence of marriage as that one relation for the preservation of which is invoked the most special legal recognition, because...

So, marriage is the most glorious kind of relationship between human individuals because it alone is what essentially defines humanity. The ''good'' of humanity is defined as an integration of all naturally enduring mutual benefits between all free individuals. But, all those benefits are created and sustained by the existence of marriage as that one relation for the preservation of which is invoked the most special legal recognition, because...

...'''Marriage not only historically is the very first form of human society, it is logically the most beautiful, perfect, simple, and potentially productive human institution possible.'''

...'''Marriage not only historically is the very first form of human society, it is logically the most beautiful, perfect, simple, and potentially productive human institution possible.'''

*1899 — polygamy outlawed in the US

*1899 — polygamy outlawed in the US

*1967 — interracial marriage legalized in all states

*1967 — interracial marriage legalized in all states

*1981 — rise of community property laws as men no longer seen as the sole owner of all marital assets

*1981 — the rise of community property laws as men are no longer seen as the sole owner of all marital assets

*2015 — same-sex "marriage" legalized

*2015 — same-sex "marriage" legalized

==Attacks on the institution of marriage==

==Attacks on the institution of marriage==

Any society which has lessened the sanctity of marriage has perished, whereas those that have upheld the sanctity of marriage have endured. It has been argued that Ancient Rome's decline and its eventual fall in A.D. 476 were due in no small part to a growing tolerance of extramarital sex, particularly of [[homosexual acts]], beginning in the Late Republic period ending in 27 B.C.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/11-02-2011/116875-homosexuality-0/|title=Is there anyone left to defend traditional marriage?|accessdate=March 11, 2020}}</ref>

Any society that has lessened the sanctity of marriage has perished, whereas those that have upheld the sanctity of marriage have endured. It has been argued that Ancient Rome's decline and its eventual fall in A.D. 476 were due in no small part to a growing tolerance of extramarital sex, particularly of [[homosexual acts]], beginning in the Late Republic period ending in 27 B.C.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/11-02-2011/116875-homosexuality-0/|title=Is there anyone left to defend traditional marriage?|accessdate=March 11, 2020}}</ref>

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, there is no approval of [[sexual intercourse]] other than between man and wife, even if the parties agree otherwise; anything which tolerates or permits [[promiscuity]] is considered sin.

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, there is no approval of [[sexual intercourse]] other than between man and wife, even if the parties agree otherwise; anything which tolerates or permits [[promiscuity]] is considered sin.

{{cquote|“According to Barna, ‘Forty-two percent of adults who associate with a faith other than Christianity had co-habited, while atheists were the most likely to do so (51%).

{{cquote|“According to Barna, ‘Forty-two percent of adults who associate with a faith other than Christianity had co-habited, while atheists were the most likely to do so (51%).

“It is critical to stress that it is a well known fact that cohabiters experience a very high number of ‘breakups’ before getting married. ‘Millions of people … believe that cohabitation is a prelude to marriage. And for many, it is. However, Smock reports that 45% of cohabitations break up with no marriage. Another 10% continue cohabiting.’

“It is critical to stress that it is a well-known fact that cohabiters experience a very high number of ‘breakups’ before getting married. ‘Millions of people … believe that cohabitation is a prelude to marriage. And for many, it is. However, Smock reports that 45% of cohabitations break up with no marriage. Another 10% continue cohabiting.’

“Barna did not include this enlightening fact in his research. Thus, if 21% of atheists divorce after marriage, and 45 % break up once or more before marriage, what we have is the astounding rate of about 66% of atheist couples experiencing ‘at least’ one break up. If, however, the number is 37%, then we have a shocking figure of 82% …

“Barna did not include this enlightening fact in his research. Thus, if 21% of atheists divorce after marriage, and 45 % break up once or more before marriage, what we have is the astounding rate of about 66% of atheist couples experiencing ‘at least’ one break up. If, however, the number is 37%, then we have a shocking figure of 82% …

“What needs mentioning is the fact that many atheists do not cohabit as a prelude to marriage. They in fact see cohabitation as ‘equivalent’ to any marriage relationship … These break ups were not included in the Barna research …

“What needs mentioning is the fact that many atheists do not cohabit as a prelude to marriage. They in fact see cohabitation as ‘equivalent’ to any marriage relationship … These breakups were not included in the Barna research …

“The appellation ‘Christian’ a Christian does not make. There are great numbers of people in this world who call themselves ‘Christians’ but have never internalized the teachings of Jesus Christ." …

“The appellation ‘Christian’ a Christian does not make. There are great numbers of people in this world who call themselves ‘Christians’ but have never internalized the teachings of Jesus Christ." …