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The Death of the Family [Steyn]
National Review ^ | 3/29/2013 | Mark Steyn

Posted on 03/29/2013 6:23:57 PM PDT by Servant of the Cross

Delusion and parochialism about marriage.

Gay marriage? It came up at dinner Down Under this time last year, and the prominent Aussie politician on my right said matter-of-factly, “It’s not about expanding marriage, it’s about destroying marriage.”

That would be the most obvious explanation as to why the same societal groups who assured us in the Seventies that marriage was either (a) a “meaningless piece of paper” or (b) institutionalized rape are now insisting it’s a universal human right. They’ve figured out what, say, terrorist-turned-educator Bill Ayers did — that, when it comes to destroying core civilizational institutions, trying to blow them up is less effective than hollowing them out from within.

On the other hand, there are those who argue it’s a victory for the powerful undertow of bourgeois values over the surface ripples of sexual transgressiveness: Gays will now be as drearily suburban as the rest of us. A couple of years back, I saw a picture in the paper of two chubby old queens tying the knot at City Hall in Vancouver, and the thought occurred that Western liberalism had finally succeeded in boring all the fun out of homosexuality.

Which of these alternative scenarios — the demolition of marriage or the taming of the gay — will come to pass?

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: culturewars; deathoffamily; family; gaymarriage; homosexualagenda; marksteyn; ssm; steyn
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To: SeekAndFind
I agree with everything you said. But what we must accept is that some of this idiocy going on now about gay marriage is largely our own fault. Since the 1960's, adultery, divorce, remarriage, promiscuity, abortion and single parent home rates have all skyrocketed. The "gays" aren't responsible for that - we are. If heterosexual marriage remained the recognized and respected nucleus of society, I don't believe the small percentage of homosexuals demanding equality in marriage - and honestly, even they know the majority of gays have no intention of ever getting married and cramping their promiscuous lifestyle - would have nearly as much evidence to throw back in our faces and get us to admit they have a point. Society, even ten years ago, would have (and did) denied gay marriage. Now, with the abysmal example heteros have made concerning the sanctity of marriage and keeping the family intact, is the perfect time for them to make their move. We have lost the very ground upon which we could have made a stand.

As Christians, we know that God calls homosexual acts an abomination and that marriage was instituted by HIM to be between one man and one woman and what God has joined together, let no man put asunder. That should be enough of a reason to reject gay marriage - and homosexuality as a whole - and combined with a strong, stable and superior example of one man/one woman marriage and stable families, prove it is the ONLY acceptable way. But take away what is called the "religious" reason for rejecting gay marriage, presuming upon the establishment clause preventing government's respecting one religious view over another, and the argument is lost. Our own destruction of what marriage has been about for millennia will be why they will succeed. We have brought this about. It may be too late now to right the ship and our great country will fall into the abyss that the slippery slope of relativism started. I'll never approve but I will have to watch it happen.

21 posted on 03/29/2013 9:57:24 PM PDT by boatbums (God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.)
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To: ilovesarah2012

Discouraged about what? You know where I am? Effing Faggotwood, this is where I work. I deal with these libtards, fudgepackers, Godless heathens every damn day. I should be the one discouraged.


22 posted on 03/29/2013 10:09:22 PM PDT by max americana (fired liberals in our company after the election, & laughed while they cried (true story))
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To: madprof98

“Discouraged” is a pretty mild term for what is happening to all of what was formerly called Western civilization. But I figure Christianity has now “moved on,” down to the global south and to Asia, and so the new world the PC-fruitcakes are making can just go its rotten way until the Muslims take over anything that might be left.

***

More than likely true enough, but I’m gonna go down swinging anyways.


23 posted on 03/29/2013 10:42:07 PM PDT by Luircin
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To: Servant of the Cross

Placemark.


24 posted on 03/29/2013 10:51:12 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: Servant of the Cross

Steyn is right, but he fails to go into the reasons why Marriage as an institution has become increasingly devalued.

But he does catch the point that leftist Gays are simply calling the bluff and finishing off the institution in an effort to get other people to accept and respect their sodomy as being as legitimate as procreative marriage.

Dispute it being useless, sinful, and self-destructive. Ultimately of course this entire movement will collapse upon biological realities that homosexual unions are incapable of producing a future.

Thus populations that encourage the life style as normal undercut their own growth & stability potential. For the western world this devastating as our growth rates have already been undercut by the already existing debasement of marriage, family, and abortion effecting sub-replacement level birth rates.

As a population we are already in decline, and looking towards foreign replacement not just demographically but culturally as the already eminent consequence.

As conservative the only hope we have is to consolidate our numbers and look inward toward protecting ourselves and our families from this cultural corruption.

We must secure control of our local schools, commutes and States. Such will be essencle if we are to preserve something of our civilization.


The reason marriage is dying is because as Mark said its hollowed out.

To be specific the institution is an increasingly costly and perceptually pointless(due to being hollow out by redefined & striping of function) union.

Indeed the only thing that holds marriage together is millennial of cultural momentum & social pressure by folks like us. But the fact is The marriage today is not the marriage of two centuries, or even 50 years ago.

The institution has in fact been redefined to center around the parents feelings while neglecting the unions function in children. The institution was further hollowed out by the growing cultural and legal accordance of divorce thus rendering the martial union and more a partnership.

Indeed Partnership is increasingly the term used to refer to this “union” now as people recognize the reality of what it now is.


25 posted on 03/29/2013 11:40:24 PM PDT by Monorprise
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To: boatbums; max americana

You are right. Fornicators killed traditional marriage in more ways than any other group.

But these hypocrites are too blind to see the blood on their hands.


26 posted on 03/29/2013 11:40:33 PM PDT by James C. Bennett (An Australian.)
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To: James C. Bennett

“But these hypocrites are too blind to see the blood on their hands.”

They probably wouldn’t care, it is after all the nature of such people to disregard. The bounds of the martial institution. Why should they care that they held a part in its demise.

The only group that would care are the young women looking for security of a husband and family. Sadly this demographic is going to be left wanting as their romantic fantasies are shattered, and they & their children needs are left unfulfilled.

Young men on the other hand as a group will find the new environmental prime hunting ground, at least the player portion of the population.


27 posted on 03/29/2013 11:47:03 PM PDT by Monorprise
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To: Monorprise

Even the death penalty would be too kind to them for what they have caused. Civilisation is dead where fornication is given a special pass.


28 posted on 03/29/2013 11:49:49 PM PDT by James C. Bennett (An Australian.)
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To: Luircin

“More than likely true enough, but I’m gonna go down swinging anyways.”

We can, and must fight, but we must also recognize that this fight is in our own families and communities. It is our posterity and the structure & values we provide that will decide not only our individual & families fate but the fate what remains of our civilization.

Because in the end our families(if we are successful) will be all that remain.


29 posted on 03/29/2013 11:53:40 PM PDT by Monorprise
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To: James C. Bennett

“Even the death penalty would be too kind to them for what they have caused. Civilization is dead where fornication is given a special pass.”

Not quite, we have thou out our history dealt with “fornication” even where it is successful. Institutions like marriage have mitigated its damage by both sweeping it under the rug and tying the man’s obligation, and resources to his lawful wife.(to exclude his ‘illegitimate’ mistress, whore, or prostitute’s child)

Indeed our literature & cultural history is replete examples of this kind of conflict & vice. All of which was recognized as such and generally looked down upon & condemned.

It is not the fornicatiers that has undermined our civilization in themselves, but the embracing and accepting of their practice that has perhaps contributed.

In reality however i suspect the key change was the liberalization of divorce law, both religious & otherwise.


30 posted on 03/30/2013 12:06:28 AM PDT by Monorprise
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To: Alberta's Child

Spot on for Limbaugh. It’s a show, a scripted show. He’s as often a GOPer as he is a TEA Partier. Depends on which way the winds blowing.

One thing that every FReeper should know from history is that the leadership, once far removed from the locale and view of the people is via ego nearly entirely hedonistic. Satisfying their own pleasure by power, sex, pleasure, money, etc. becomes their onlly goal. Without moral restraint they find themselves in a toilet with a wide stance. It’s sick and the nature of Big Government at every point in human history.

Why can’t we learn?


31 posted on 03/30/2013 12:44:59 AM PDT by 1010RD (First, Do No Harm)
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To: Monorprise
In reality however i suspect the key change was the liberalization of divorce law, both religious & otherwise.

Agreed. No-fault divorce law effectively negated the marriage contract transforming it into a meaningless piece of paper -this while as well giving government free reign over what was at one time individual rights government could not infringe upon unless there was proven some higher necessity.

Now all one has to do is file some papers and the courts step in and start making decisions that in effect cut the matrimonial baby in half before the baby is even declared dead. No-fault divorce is akin to marriage abortion where only one party has a 'choice' and all others must simply bend to the will of that imposed by the force of government.

32 posted on 03/30/2013 12:57:34 AM PDT by DBeers (†)
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To: Mr. K

“Whenever I read or listen to Steyn I feel smarter”

I love when he stands in for Rush; I think he’s much better (and I like Rush).


33 posted on 03/30/2013 3:14:39 AM PDT by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic war against white males (and therefore white families).)
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To: Monorprise

“To be specific the institution is an increasingly costly and perceptually pointless(due to being hollow out by redefined & striping of function) union. Indeed the only thing that holds marriage together is millennial of cultural momentum & social pressure by folks like us. But the fact is The marriage today is not the marriage of two centuries, or even 50 years ago.”

Economics were a basic reason marriage endured, and sugar-daddy “Uncle Sam” removed that (the effects of this could especially be seen in the breakdown of the black family). Removing children from the equation (or lack of regard for children in a marriage) was the final straw.


34 posted on 03/30/2013 3:19:10 AM PDT by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic war against white males (and therefore white families).)
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To: hondact200

Dan Quayle is a genius.


35 posted on 03/30/2013 4:55:46 AM PDT by cport (How can political capital be spent on a bunch of ingrates)
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To: Servant of the Cross

There is a third alternative........ the extermination of the queers.

After the first year, the closets will be occupied again


36 posted on 03/30/2013 5:00:16 AM PDT by bert ((K.E. N.P. N.C. +12 .....The fairest Deduction to be reduced is the Standard Deduction)
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To: ilovesarah2012
“I’m really getting discouraged.”

You are not alone. Many, many of us are. Rather than giving up, we need to think, discuss real solutions, and map out courses to the future that lead to a world we want our children to have. I'm not being rhetorical here. I think there are tons of constructive and tangible things we can do.

If you were Jewish in Germany in 1940 you likely were more than ‘discouraged’. If you were a colonist during the early part of the American revolution, while they were getting their butts kicked by the British, you were likely discouraged. Point being that there are always ups and downs, and we can't just lay down when faced with a downtime in our history. Don't give up. Everyone of us is needed. I chose my screen name for FR with this in mind. We are all needed and we aren't going to be able to put it all together if any of us go AWOL.

37 posted on 03/30/2013 5:03:29 AM PDT by pieceofthepuzzle
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To: Mr. K

“Whenever I read or listen to Steyn I feel smarter.”

No. That’s just you realizing you live in a nation of desperately foolish and idiotic people.


38 posted on 03/30/2013 5:23:29 AM PDT by MarDav
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To: Servant of the Cross

I call BS. The family isn’t dead, at least not mine.

These kind of articles are over the top.


39 posted on 03/30/2013 5:25:13 AM PDT by gotribe (Limit The Government's Right To Bear Arms)
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To: gotribe

Let me offer a bit of context:

I would be willing to wager that anywhere from 30 to 50 percent of the nearly 1000 students at the school where I teach have at least one parent with a different last name.

I would also be willing to wager that, compared to the pregnancy rates of teens when I was in high school (the 70’s), teen pregnancy rates are, what could be considered, off the charts (we have probably had around 30 to 40 teens become pregnant over the past year and a half.)

I have conferenced with grandmothers in their late 30’s.

In any given school year, I can have as many as 12-20 students who live in group homes.

I have countless students who, instead of living at home with their parents, live with their grandparents, aunts/uncles, older siblings.

I live with my first and only wife (of 20 years this October) and our 3 children.


40 posted on 03/30/2013 5:33:48 AM PDT by MarDav
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