Rates of Marriage Are the Lowest Since Recording Began



The number of married people per 1,000 people is now the lowest it has been since records of marriage began. I'm wondering where cohabitation fits into any Christian denomination today. I don't recall ever hearing of a denomination which says anything like, "God approves of you living together outside of marriage." Now, many churches can add cohabitating couples to their list of those condemned to hell. Are cohabitating heterosexual couples as sinful as cohabitating gay couples? I don't know about such technical differences.

Marriage rates are lowest among low income people. Church attendance is lowest among this same group. Marriage and church are for people who can afford them. If the Christian faith wants to regain its numbers it needs to solve this problem. My guess is it cannot.

This is another example of the faith putting its money on the wrong horse. It, or much of it, made the same mistake with interracial marriage, birth control, abortion, women clergy and gay marriage. By making up definitions of "sinners" the faith made its market smaller. With a smaller market and shrinking market share, what will the future bring?

Many churches are large enough to have singles groups. I have a friend who has been divorced for a year and has found lots of support and comfort in a large Methodist singles group. There is a pastor who facilitates and is skilled at keeping most members engaged in that church. Making room for a singles group is one way churches can stay engaged in the culture. I don't know how couples who move in together are seen by this church, however.

Contrary to the belief of many Christians, the church did not invent marriage. It or some version like it existed long before Christianity. Christianity moved into the practice of marriage uninvited and claimed it as its own. With marriage on the wan it is now paying the price for it intrusion into a practice that existed before Christianity.


Comments

  1. Ardy BMay 14, 2020 at 9:05 AM

    Jon,
    “By making up definitions of "sinners" the faith made its market smaller.”

    If the till is near empty it’s time to broaden the customer base. One thinks of a new and improved existing product, repackaging, maybe a new line of products, or massaging the message. Most of those options seem to be in play already. In this case opening the pearly gates wider involves restricting the hell bound traffic. That would involve a policy change by the board and the chief executive. Of course divine revelations are quite common. Perhaps something more nefarious is afoot like the tyrannical imposition of dogmatic religious beliefs by the government, legislated by fanatics, and enforced by a court system packed favorably by the vary same zealots. Nothing like broadening an already fear driven market when eternal hell fire has lost its sting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jon LindgrenMay 14, 2020 at 9:52 AM

    Ardy B "Of course divine revelations are quite common."

    Christian comments here are often about institutional creeds and beliefs adjudicated by officials. The brands that are growing, however, are the free lance ones. Maybe hide bound denominations could do a little free lancing by divine revelation. If they could free themselves from discrimination against women and gays they might save their futures.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ardy BMay 14, 2020 at 11:30 AM

      Jon, May 14, 2020 at 9:52 AM “free-lance brands”

      Which brands are free-lancing? Can their growth be attributed in part to a change in the profile of a sinner? Great description “hide bound denominations”.

      I read somewhere this week that the controversy over the Equal Rights amendment is in part driven by concern that it will lead to more abortions once women are no longer hobbled (my term). The unbridled intellectual and emotional intelligence of women scares the b’jesus out of a lot of powerful men including clergymen.

      Delete
    2. little helperMay 14, 2020 at 4:28 PM

      re. "Free lance divine revelation" Let me remind you some of the results; The peasant's war;1500's ; Waco Texas Adventist group), Mormons, Jw's, Heavens gate, Fundamental ( FLDS, Jessop), Hinn, Paula White, The Peoples Temple Guiana; Tilton, Popoff, Oral Roberts, and a host of others.

      Delete
  3. Jon LindgrenMay 14, 2020 at 2:17 PM

    Ardy B -- Free lancing, I'm thinking of Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar and the other prosperity gospel preachers. Then there are the healers and etc. I've notice on the websites of these celeb preachers the preacher appears with the wife--leaving the impression they are equals. There must be appeal with that and I wonder if that will affect the hide-bound branches that do not allow women clergy. The Catholics try to side step this by featuring Mary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ardy BMay 15, 2020 at 2:15 PM

      John Lindgren May 14, 2020 at 2:17 PM

      Oh yes! Flimflam preachers using sham god gimmicks. Some with a wife prop. Damn, I was thinking of “hidebound” denominations filling pews and plates because of a more inclusive message. You know open mindedness and acceptance of the unusual damned suspects — those shunned spiritual miscarriages with “personhood”. Of course they wouldn’t be hidebound denominations then would they? If I may, I’ll add a flimflam president with a sham god gimmick and a female preacher prop to the mix.

      Delete

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