How Long Has It Been Since Marriage Was Marriage?
The Supreme Court has ruled that marriage is a public declaration of love. This is not new. It’s been that way for at least 40 years now. All of the people, who have spent the past few years crying about the downfall of “traditional” marriage, were and are dead silent when it comes to “no fault” divorce, or when one or both parents could declare unhappiness and renunciation of marriage vows. Society, the church, and the government gave and still give tacit approval. This approval was probably due to either maintenance of relationships, fear of condemnation, or accordance with the basic philosophy of divorce. I suspect it’s all three to some extent. All to the detriment of millions of children and faithful spouses.
Society has refused to condemn divorce, and has even call it heroic and necessary. Until gay marriage came to the political forefront, marriage was a veritable non issue in politics, society and the church. The people who now oppose gay marriage had made peace with divorce and illegitimacy. Faced then with that sordid tale as a personal history, is it any surprise that millennials and many others don’t give a f*ck whether or not that farcical arrangement is limited to heterosexuals?
Marriage Was Marriage When?
As a civil institution, it was repeatedly wounded and weakened throughout the course of the 20th century, with the coup de grace being the adoption of no fault divorce laws. Since then it’s been a walking corpse. If marriage can be so easily tossed away when “love” or “happiness” dissipates, then what’s the point of it? How is that traditional?
I’m pleased with today’s ruling for many reasons including finally the forcing the people who long for “traditional” marriage, but abhor gay marriage, to confront the ridiculous state of heterosexual marriage. Marriage has not been “marriage” for decades now.