The Sad Consequences of 'Shacking Up'

Recently that Hollywood scholar Cameron Diaz gave us an illustration of the secular/godless worldview on marriage: "I do [think marriage is dead]. I think we have to make our own rules. I don't think we should live our lives in relationships based off old traditions that don't suit our world any longer."

The current generation in America is shunning marriage for cohabitation at an unprecedented rate. According to the 2010 edition of the State of Our Unions report by the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia and the Center for Marriage and Families at the Institute for American Values, "The number of unmarried couples has increased dramatically over the past five decades. Most younger Americans now spend some time living together outside of marriage, and nonmarital cohabitation precedes most new marriages."

According to the report, between 1960 and 2009, cohabitating couples in the U.S. increased more than fifteen-fold. Also, "About a quarter of unmarried women age 25 to 39 are currently living with a partner, and an additional quarter have lived with a partner at some time in the past. More than 60 percent of first marriages are now preceded by living together, compared to virtually none 50 years ago."

Now, those of the worldview of Miss Diaz might ask, "so what? Why shouldn't we make our own rules?" As is often the case, when we go our own way, ignoring the wisdom of the One who made us, there are tragic consequences. According to a recent federal study, the Fourth National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect, children living with their mother and her boyfriend are about 11 times more likely to be sexually, physically, or emotionally abused than children living with their married biological parents.

Likewise, children living with their mother and her boyfriend are six times more likely to be physically, emotionally, or educationally neglected than children living with their married biological parents. In other words, according to W. Bradford Wilcox, "one of the most dangerous places for a child in America to find himself is in a home that includes an unrelated male boyfriend -- especially when that boyfriend is left to care for a child by himself."

According to the study, children who live with their cohabitating biological parents don't fare much better. In these circumstances, children are more than four times more likely to be sexually, physically, or emotionally abused and they are three times more likely to be physically, emotionally, or educationally neglected than children living with their married biological parents. Again, according to Wilcox, "a child is not much safer when she is living in a home with her parents if her parents' relationship does not enjoy the legal, social and moral status and guidance that marriage confers on relationships."

Also according to the study, not only does cohabitation do little to prepare couples for marriage (which is often the excuse for cohabitating), but "a substantial body of evidence indicates that those who live together before marriage are more likely to break up after marriage."

The solution to this travesty goes far beyond simply uttering "I do." However, the solution does begin with a simple step of recognizing that marriage is not a man-made institution that we are free to redefine using "our own rules"-at least not without devastating consequences.

At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason. www.trevorgrantthomas.com

Page Printed from: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/05/the_sad_consequences_of_shacki.html at May 29, 2011 - 05:18:28 AM CDT

I would advise against marriage, especially in America.

My ex-wife-(who is taking half my paycheck each week and complaining that it is not enough) is currently with a guy his 40’s and he is successful.

My ex keeps saying, “Look how successful and rich he is!”

Yeah, that's because he has never been married, you freakin’ fool! He knows what he's doing. You're taking half my income and then comparing me to him? What part of You're an Idiot do you not understand.

He has been ‘dating’ (if that is what you want to call it) her for a year and a half and has never said the ‘L’ word and has never indicated in any way that he is thinking about marriage. And yet she fawns and drools over him constantly.

You know, I don't really like the idea that he is banging my wife, but at the same time I respect what he is doing. She is an idiot, and thinks he is going to ‘propose’ every time she sees him. The guy has the game down pat. Imagine being stuck in perpetual ‘dating’ mode. Every man's dream.

He is smarter than me, that's for sure. I would be so much better off today if I had never married. That guy is the guy I could have been without marriage. Just needed a couple of more brain cells, I guess. It was stupid to get married.

But yeah, the way American Law is set up today, marriage is a life-killer. The woman will have your balls mounted on a trophy, while she looks for the next.

Really, Why buy the cow?

if there are no children involved

And if we glue some turkey feathers on the unicorn, he'll be able to fly!

When a man and a woman have sexual intercourse, it's not long before "children are involved" ... children who are then either born in the shack-up/unshack relationship, or are aborted.

How, after 40 years of sex education, have we ended up with a population - irrespective of their age or level of schooling - that is apparently totally ignorant of the fact that sex makes babies? Elementary-school children are taught about personal behavior that would make ancient Romans vomit, but adult women with college degrees are shocked, SHOCKED! when they "fall pregnant." For example:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2726703/posts

Oops - my sense of humor failed to appear to some!

While it’s true I did say to the daughters and sons-in-law that I would be picking their son’s wives, it was because I was insinuating there would be no ‘perfect’ female for our grandsons, of course, therefore I would need to do the choosing because I would be older and wiser than they!

After having 4 daughters and no sons, these 5 grandsons-in-a-row was hilarious, and very precious! (The 6th came afer some granddaughters).
Therefore, I was moved to make the humorous declaration, and I intended to sound ‘bossy!’

I’ll be happy to be alive when they start marrying - the oldest is 23 - - - I would like to dance at their weddings. : )

As an aside, we have never lived near OUR families (USA states separating) after marriage. Can only wonder how that would have gone. Looking back, we kind of robbed some of them of their bonding with our kids....

But 3 of our daughters live near us.
We in no way intrude, but/and do babysitting for the youngest g-kids. And do holidays, etc. together. We’re all rather civil!

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