Posted on 05/21/2025 6:35:26 PM PDT by DoodleBob
‘Tis the season for weddings, and chances are the next several weeks will find many of us sitting in a lovely venue, decked in our best, watching a man and a woman pledge themselves to one another for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health.
The good news is that more of these sweet couples may remain true to their vows. Statistics from the Census Bureau show that U.S. divorce rates have dropped from 10.0 in 2008 to 7.0 in 2022. Although that drop could be caused by other factors (such as increased cohabitation rates), it is an encouraging statistic.
What’s not encouraging, however, is the statistic showing which partner tends to initiate divorce. Data shows that roughly 70% of divorces are now initiated by women. Each of us can likely affirm this number just from our own circle of friends – indeed, most of the divorces I’ve known about in the last decade were more prone to be instigated by the wife than the husband.
That’s tragic, particularly since many of these divorces seem to stem from boredom or dissatisfaction with the partner rather than truly dangerous situations where the wife must leave the marriage for safety’s sake. What’s even more tragic is that these same women, in instigating divorce, often seem to ignore the effects their choice will have on their offspring.
Just how negative the effects of divorce are on children is shown in a new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). The data presented only serves to underscore that divorce is a major blow to the stability of a child’s life … and the ripples of that instability will only spread as that child grows. Here are just a few of those negative effects:
These are points of fact, scientifically presented by a leading research organization. Yet sadly, many seem to turn a blind eye to them, convincing themselves and others that their children will be far better off with divorced parents. Evidence of this tendency is seen in an X post highlighting the study where many commenters were left seemingly justifying divorce and trying to cast shade on the study’s results.
This reaction fits perfectly with what G. K. Chesterton said. “The definition of divorce, which concerns us here, is that it is the attempt to give respectability, and not liberty,” Chesterton wrote in “The Superstition of Divorce.”
Many women (and men, too) convince themselves that they will be free — free to live, laugh, and love as they want — if they only divorce their spouse and start fresh. But as the statistics above show, bondage, not liberty, is pretty much the assured outcome of divorce for both parents and especially children. And I would argue that this bondage extends beyond children to the nation as a whole.
Why is this?
“Marriage makes a small state within the state, which resists all such regimentation,” Chesterton writes.
That bond breaks all other bonds; that law is found stronger than all later and lesser laws. They desire the democracy to be sexually fluid, because the making of small nuclei is like the making of small nations. Like small nations, they are a nuisance to the mind of imperial scope. In short, what they fear, in the most literal sense, is home rule.
In essence, Chesterton is saying the family is a small nation, and the more we have of these tiny nations functioning properly and refusing to break apart, the more we as a large nation are able to resist tyranny, government overreach, and other breaches of our freedom.
It’s highly unpopular to question divorce these days simply because it’s an issue that affects many. None of us want to admit that our personal actions may have led to deleterious bondage being placed on many others. But if we want to push back on the tyranny and government overreach that has persisted in recent years, do we need to recognize that seemingly small, individual decisions – such as the decision to pursue divorce freely and fully – may be playing a larger part in the gradual loss of freedom the nation as a whole is experiencing?
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The republication of this article is made possible by The Fred & Rheta Skelton Center for Cultural Renewal.
Yep, at least thats what it has been turned into. Wasnt always like this, but its crazy to enter a one-sided legal contract. Only men are stupid enough to enter it. If the terms were reversed, and the women were the only ones held accountable and their house kids and finances were over 90% of the time taken from them, no woman would ever get married.
Marriage is only the womans insurance policy. Theres no legal upside for men. It needs to be fixed.
You’re free to take that up with my wife any time you’d like to.
You allow her to communicate with other people? How generous.
Thats why its called the redpill. Traditional myself, but realized everything around me is not.
Thats why its called the redpill. Traditional myself, but realized everything around me is not.
Oh noes, women who drink and cheat rewarded with everything. Go check the stats
Mom DID teach me well, thank you for praising her.
There are plenty of terrible women. Look at the DNC…MSNBC…Dixie Chicks. The list goes on. Women are sinners, too.
We Christian men don’t blame women or society or whatever for our problems. We handle this in a masculine way, and tackle our problems, head-on.
Feminized men, however, go on and on about how this woman was X, and this woman was Y, and “I was defenseless”….it is a classic milquetoast Victim Card play.
I posted earlier about the feminization of men, at https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/4318390/posts?page=76#76.
‘Adam for his part got stuck with the problem of not wanting to be separated from his wife. He chose the pleasure of being around his wife rather than listening to God and obeying his command. He ate the fruit, and rather than accept responsibility he half-blames his wife and half blames God.’
Those are the options: masculinity and responsibility, or feminization and victimology. It’s not too late to reject the latter.
We are all analyzing what is happening in this country. If the laws make it costly for people to get married because it is likely that they will get divorced, don't be surprised to see if everyone is becoming more cautious about entering marriage.
I called it quits on my first marriage in the ‘70s. One day two of my supervisors called me in, closed the door, and advised me that it wasn’t OK for me to come to work with obvious marks and bruises. I was young. And it really was before domestic abuse issues were mentioned much.
You dont know how to read. I never said men are defenseless. You like to make strawmen up and then arg7e against them.
What is happening is men have seen what has happened to so many other men, friends, fathers, relatives. They have also seen what has become of the modern woman in general. They have seen what society has decided how things will go between men and women in business settings and “family” court. And many are just deciding the risks outweigh the rewards, and are deciding to pass. Not because they hate women, but more for a matter of personal safety and security, and to not add unnecessary stress and drama to their lives.
Thats what is going on.
You allegedly never said men are defenseless.
You proceeded to type “What is happening is men have seen what has happened to so many other men, friends, fathers, relatives. They have also seen what has become of the modern woman in general. They have seen what society has decided how things will go between men and women in business settings and “family” court.”
And so on.
Good day.
Result: Single mothers incapable of taking care of the family
Explaining is not complaining. You seem not to want men to discuss with each other what is going on and make their decisions based on what they and others have experienced. If it comes across as negative to you, its “complaining”. Interesting. The shaming framing from you is women-level.
Yep. But red pill can be biblical. You dont worship women. You don’t give things to people who dont deserve them or appreciate them (casting pearls before swine). The men back then knew womens nature well, thats why their testimony only counted for half of a mans. They knew women lied and distorted things to prevent themselves getting in trouble, trying to get sympathy/play victim, or framing someone else for something. That nature hasn’t changed.
Be well.
You are absolutely correct ...
That’s my mom. Married at 16. Three kids by 24. Then she started going out and having fun at honky tonks.
Dad separated for 3 years.
Got back together for us kids. Stayed together until he died after 55 years of marriage.
You too. We gotta find a better topic to talk about.
📌💲👀
Monkey branching.... or....
The Wall.
Watch your hair Sampson.
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