Dr. Albert Mohler has an interesting article on his blog today about the percentages of heterosexual couples who live together without getting married. Dr. Mohler writes, "The U.S. Census Bureau has just reported that cohabitation among
heterosexual couples has hit record numbers as living together -- as
opposed to getting married -- becomes more and more mainstream." He goes on to explain that the article is misleading because it shows that only 10% of Americans are actually "shacking up," proving that marriage is still mainstream for 90% of heterosexual couples.
While I think Dr. Mohler makes a good point, I am still disturbed by the trend. This article started me thinking about the television shows that I regularly watch. Just the other night I watched The Closer on TBS and realized that I had no problem watching the star of the show and her boyfriend/fiancee live together--and all the things that entails. How about Rules of Engagement? This sitcom is about a young enagaged couple who live together down the hall from a married couple. Even on Everybody Loves Raymond reruns you can find Robert living in the same apartment with his girlfriend Amy before they are married.
My point is this. It seems that the more we see this type of behavior in front of us on television or know people who are our friends who live this way that seem to be decent people, the more we come to accept that this is just a normal part of life. The message being sent to our children is that there really is no need to rush into marriage. Just find someone and live with them and eventually you can get married if you want.
What I am not saying is that we should make this an issue for the next election. I was listening to Alistair Begg on the way to work yesterday as he preached on the Kingdom of God. He was discussing the difference between the World and The Kingdom. He kept reminding me that it is not our job as Christians to make the World into a paradise on earth. It is not our job to find what unites us to other religions in morality--issues like marriage and abortion--and then to come together in some false unity. He reminded me that my citizenship is of God's Kingdom and I am just a visitor here. It is my job to ceaslesly point out the difference between the Kingdom and the World--Jesus Christ. My point is to encourage others with membership in the Kingdom of God to fix their eyes on heavenly things--I am now talking to myself. It is time to turn off the television and stop letting the way the world believes and lives infiltrate my mind as normal or right. Any thoughts?
heterosexual couples has hit record numbers as living together -- as
opposed to getting married -- becomes more and more mainstream." He goes on to explain that the article is misleading because it shows that only 10% of Americans are actually "shacking up," proving that marriage is still mainstream for 90% of heterosexual couples.
While I think Dr. Mohler makes a good point, I am still disturbed by the trend. This article started me thinking about the television shows that I regularly watch. Just the other night I watched The Closer on TBS and realized that I had no problem watching the star of the show and her boyfriend/fiancee live together--and all the things that entails. How about Rules of Engagement? This sitcom is about a young enagaged couple who live together down the hall from a married couple. Even on Everybody Loves Raymond reruns you can find Robert living in the same apartment with his girlfriend Amy before they are married.
My point is this. It seems that the more we see this type of behavior in front of us on television or know people who are our friends who live this way that seem to be decent people, the more we come to accept that this is just a normal part of life. The message being sent to our children is that there really is no need to rush into marriage. Just find someone and live with them and eventually you can get married if you want.
What I am not saying is that we should make this an issue for the next election. I was listening to Alistair Begg on the way to work yesterday as he preached on the Kingdom of God. He was discussing the difference between the World and The Kingdom. He kept reminding me that it is not our job as Christians to make the World into a paradise on earth. It is not our job to find what unites us to other religions in morality--issues like marriage and abortion--and then to come together in some false unity. He reminded me that my citizenship is of God's Kingdom and I am just a visitor here. It is my job to ceaslesly point out the difference between the Kingdom and the World--Jesus Christ. My point is to encourage others with membership in the Kingdom of God to fix their eyes on heavenly things--I am now talking to myself. It is time to turn off the television and stop letting the way the world believes and lives infiltrate my mind as normal or right. Any thoughts?
