>>>I can understand the decline in marriage based on some factors we see in our culture:<<<
I would like to offer my own points.
1) Marriage isn’t marriage anymore. No fault divorce nullified wedding vows past, present and future. You can promise to love one another in good times and in bad, for better or for worse. But the state says you can still divorce, for any reason whatsoever.
2) If you break your vow, there isn’t a consequence. You split up assets evenly. If the wife is the cheater not only did she not honor her vows, but usually the man pays her money in the form of child support. That stings especially hard for men. But women who have been wronged feel it too.
3) There is free milk everywhere. The single dating age men I talk to tell me stories about the women they meet giving up sex easily And these women are innumerable.
4) non religion, agnosticism or atheism are ever more prevalent. Outside of religion, what exactly is the purpose of marriage? It’s purely optional for these folks.
Marriage is a legally binding contract with you, your spouse and the State. When exactly did we decide that some judge outta override marriage vows? Regardless the consequences have been terrible for stable lives and especially terrible for children caught between divorcing parents.
Two other points
1. With the state pushing perversion and allowing homosexuals to marry I (I am an ordained minister) refuse to marry any couple that HAS a state marriage license.
Christian couples should NOT at this time, become legally married. Marry before God but live together in the eyes of the state.
Conduct NO weddings in your church. Rent a banquet hall in a hotel, or conduct the ceremony in a private home. This prevents the perverts from taking you to court. This is not surrendering it is conducting asymmetrical warfare against the gaystapo.
I do not know how widespread this position is but I am not the only one who holds it.
2. Many, especially Western States have “Common Law” marriage laws on the books. If a couple lives together, have a joint financial account after 90 days they are considered married. Perhaps we need to look at marriage through that gestalt? Couple that live together for years are married.
For example, the actors Kirt Russel and Goldie Hawn have lived together for something like 40 years. They have children together. They’re faithful to each other. They’re married. I snicker when such people claim they are not married to each other.
Just some thoughts
Now that we have No Fault Divorce things haven't changed a bit. You still have women lying about being abused so that they can get full custody of the children and full child support. And there are still creepy detectives being used to try and entrap hapless spouses.
Another data point proving Milton Friedman's rule that every law ends up having the exact opposite effect of that intended.