Posted on 11/18/2010 8:11:18 AM PST by mlizzy
WASHINGTON — Is marriage becoming obsolete?
As families gather for Thanksgiving this year, nearly one in three American children is living with a parent who is divorced, separated or never-married. More people are accepting the view that wedding bells aren't needed to have a family.
A study by the Pew Research Center, in association with Time magazine, highlights rapidly changing notions of the American family. And the Census Bureau, too, is planning to incorporate broader definitions of family when measuring poverty, a shift caused partly by recent jumps in unmarried couples living together.
About 29 percent of children under 18 now live with a parent or parents who are unwed or no longer married, a fivefold increase from 1960, according to the Pew report being released Thursday. Broken down further, about 15 percent have parents who are divorced or separated and 14 percent who were never married. Within those two groups, a sizable chunk — 6 percent — have parents who are live-in couples who opted to raise kids together without getting married.
Indeed, about 39 percent of Americans said marriage was becoming obsolete. And that sentiment follows U.S. census data released in September that showed marriages hit an all-time low of 52 percent for adults 18 and over.
In 1978, just 28 percent believed marriage was becoming obsolete.
When asked what constitutes a family, the vast majority of Americans agree that a married couple, with or without children, fits that description. But four of five surveyed pointed also to an unmarried, opposite-sex couple with children or a single parent. Three of 5 people said a same-sex couple with children was a family.
(Excerpt) Read more at comcast.net ...
Pravda Media is hyping this “study” all over the airwaves today.
The goal of smashing monogamy and the institution of marriage is still not accomplished. Bash bash bash.
It’s interesting that we’re having this ongoing debate about homosexual marriage, at the same time in which marriage itself is declining as a lifestyle choice.
This is some scary stuff. What is wrong with you ? Has America totally rejected Christianity ?
Sad,,,pathetic.
One of the main reasons this country is in such trouble. Socialists have always wanted to destroy the family.
...more and more I see three generations living under one roof...grandparents have to pitch in to support single mothers.
In Texas, where same sex marriage isn’t even recognized, homosexuals are pushing for the right to divorce each other.
It is NOT about “marriage”. It’s about “change”.
I didn’t mean you. I meant to say “Hey America, What is wrong with you” ?
I just hate when they twist these to fit their agenda.
“People are rethinking what family means,” Cherlin said. “Given the growth, I think we need to accept cohabitation relationships as a basis for some of the fringe benefits offered to families, such as health insurance.”
And how exactly is this going to work?!?
“Four in 10 say marriage is becoming obsolete”
My wife would disagree but I can see why men would not want to marry, what with lawyers and judges cutting you nutz off with a rusty butterknife in any divorce hearing.
I wonder what young people will say as they get older.
My husband and I were young and stupid and lived together before we were married. (I was a Christian too. Just certainly not secure in my faith.)
We’ve been lucky and we’ve been married now almost 20 years. We have 3 kids. Our kids don’t know that we lived together, and I definitely would not support it for our kids. My husband would probably be more okay with it than me.
I don’t think we really understood what marriage and family was about when we were in our 20s. My husband was getting over his parent’s terrible divorce. He knew that he never wanted to put his kids though that, but he didn’t know how to avoid it. He thought that if we lived together we would find out more about each other and be prepared for marriage. (I don’t think either of us think that now.)
If our kids ask, I’ll tell them about our mistakes and what we learned. I’ll also say that I think God knows best, and I should really rely on Him instead of myself.
In these “Times” when an agenda is pushed so hard it does say alot, I think, that 60% think marriage is NOT obsolete.
this to me is all about the inability of people to take an oath and commit to it such as oath of office, vow of marriage etc.
it is easier just to trash an oath instead of just admitting they are incapable of honoring an oath (vow).
Actually, the the two are interrelated / part of a vicious circle:
The declining honor and dignity accorded (traditional) marriage (resulting, in large part, from the boom in divorce starting in the 1960s, and the ensuing rise in serial polygamy) make homo-marriage seem less preposterous in comparison.
By the same token, as homo-marriage gains more acceptance, traditional marriage loses its specialness and sanctity, and becomes "just another lifestyle choice."
Regards,
Most, if not all, societies traditionally valued marriage. We’re not just rejecting Christianity; we’re rejecting all ethics except “Just do it.”
Yeah, because the government will take care of us and raise our kids for us, so that they become good little Democrats. Who needs a family?
The scary thing is that liberals and leftists actually believe the above. Even though families have existed in probably all cultures throughout human history, in the brave new World we won’t need them.
This type of survey is incomplete without looking at the state of our society today as opposed to say, the middle of the last century when (it seemed) people were more values-focused and an out of wedlock pregnancy was frowned upon and divorce was an intensely private matter.
I was born in the late 50’s and grew up on what was certainly better television programs - the kind that reflected the better values and morals that we see a lack of today. While things may not have been simpler back then, families were certainly more united.
Are single parent families really as good as two parent families when it comes to instilling proper core values?
Finally - a story I heard on the radio this morning here in central Florida about a 33 year old man arrested for shooting at another car on I-4 because he said the car cut him off and the driver flipped him the finger. So he pulled a gun and shot at him. 33 year old - means he was born around 1977. I wonder what his upbringing was like? Single parent? Too many video games? Too much violence on TV?
Just saying.....
of they do;
http://www.uhuh.com/nwo/communism/comgoals.htm
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