I think that suggesting it makes a good point.  A lot of Christians seem to only want to uphold "traditional" values when it doesn't cause them to have to change their lifestyles.

That said, the idea itself (a divorce ban) is a terrible one.  Divorce needs to be an option in some cases, such as domestic violence or unfaithfulness.  Sure, it is true that a lot of people enter into marriage with the mindset that if they don't end up liking their partner in a few years, they can just get a divorce, and I disagree with this view (I would not get married unless I thought at the time that it would be a "forever" kind of thing), I'm certainly not going to impose my own moral code on others.

Wow, I don't believe in divorces at all, when you marry someone you made a commitment.  Banning divorces on the other hand are others choices, they should let them be free to do what they please. 

I mean, I wish that certain reasons for divorce (irreconcilable differences) were banned. But truthfully, even though divorces are very high and seem to be a mostly thoughtless decision to solving a problem, I don't know that they should be banned. It's a great idea in theory: people who definitely think before they got married.

But, as stupid as divorce is, it's neccessary sometimes. At least when it comes to major issues. Like the whole cheating thing..

First of all, Christians don't need to control everyone's decisions. We simply need to live out our Christian convictions.

Secondly, banning divorce does not address the problems that lead to divorce. Is it better for a couple to stay "married" on paper and cheat on each other, despise each other, or abuse each other for the rest of their lives? Does that really please God any more than divorce?

In all probability, it's not gonna happen.  But if it did, I think the number of marriages would decrease, and you'd see a lot more people just living together while unmarried.

I want to start off by saying that i don't believe in everyone's traditional ideas of marriage. At least not by a religious point of view.

The original marriages were essentially contracts entered in to by two families, in exchange for land, etc. Love often had nothing to do with it, and God certainly didn't either. Therefore, "traditional marriage" to me is just that, a contract between two people stating that they can now formally obtain the other's property and assets and file jointly on taxes. Just like contracts can be broken with or without agreement, I believe marriages should hold that right as well.

There is supposed to be a sepparation of church and state but all around me, I see marriage being twisted into this pureley religious thing, and divorce as well. It has lost it's original purpous, and that is fine by me, however that purpous needs to be brought back.

Here is what I propose. Keep Marriage, but call it marriage. Marriage can be the cerremony recognized by the religious sects, with each sect holding their power over whether or not the marriage may be broken and the two may be divorced. But allso keep the Civil Unions, etc. Let them be the legal, the traditional "Marriage contract", the real marriage contract between two people. Let Civil unions and marriages be two different things, but one in the same. You don't have to have one to have the other. If you want to affirm your love for each other in front of your god, then get married, but if you want that binding contract that says that legally, you two may now share assets, etc, become civily united. Let the curches instill their laws for marriage, let the government instill their laws of civil union, laws that have nothing to do with moral values or religious reasons.

Doing this would both uphold the religious traditions of marriage, the legal and the traditions... and make everyone happy in the long run.

For more of what i'm talking about when i say the true traditions and values of marriage, you can check out my most recent blog on my page titles Marriage and Sex: a more in depth look at the most prominent reasons for waiting. I know the questions addressed in it have more to do with sex than anything else, but the information contained in the blog itself are strictly about the history and origins of Marriage.

What!? That would never get through, I mean seriously that's a complete infringement upon the civil liberties of a whole group of people...oh, wait...

There's a Divorce magazine?!

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. (Matthew 19:4-9)

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)

@AOK4WAY@xanga - Pretty serious admonition isn't it? God considers marriage so seriously that unless you have adultery --a breaking of the covenant --then there is no divorce. If so, then it is adultery. People think a judge on the corner marries them, then divorces them with the stroke of a signature. God doesn't see it that way. Revelation 21 says that all who commit adultery (with others including the non believer) will never enter the kingdom of God. Do you think God forgives the sinful divorce, where there was no adultery present? 

"Statistically speaking, almost half of all marriages in the United States end in divorce."

Not quite right.  Check the true figures because this has been circulating for years and is so easy to report in error. 

In the state where no-fault divorce originates?  God, I hope so.  What'd I'd like to see more than a law is a change of heart.  That would be even better.

@sarahb_86@xanga - All the Christians are for divorce?  Where do you see all the Christians for divorce?

@ShamelesslyRed@xanga - I sometimes struggle with this issue. Really struggle. I'm divorced myself. I didn't want it that way, but that's the way it is.

Sister, not one single sin ever was or ever will be overlooked by the Most High God, not one single sin ever goes unpunished or ever will. YHWH is a God of righteousness, perfect righteousness, and He can not overlook even one sin. He is just, and the law must be applied equally to all men and every sin.

But in spite of all the talk I hear from so many people about all the judgment and condemnation they associate with the Most High God, all I can see is a God who was dying to forgive, literally. The entire Old Testament points straight to the day that He would do it! When Yeshua's blood was spilled, when He died on that cross, atonement was made for every single sin ever committed. The sovereign King of all Creation declared the penalty, and then He turned around and provided a substitute to pay that penalty in our place, His own Son at that. He died for adulterers, fornicators, blasphemers, thieves, liars, murderers, drunkards, and every other kind of sinner, according to the will of YHWH. According to the will of YHWH... He loved us so much that He actually willed His Son to suffer and die in our place.

But I don't think that forgiveness equates to a free pass to ignore the call to righteousness. In fact, I think it compels us to seek after it. Since Yeshua tells us that divorce results in adultery, let's see how He handled someone who was caught red-handed in that very sin:

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. (John 8:3-8)

That seems to have had some kind of impact on that bloodthirsty mob...

And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. (John 8:9)

I guess I'd have had to drop my rocks too. So here's this terrified, embarrassed woman, who until that second knew for a fact that she was about to be killed in a very painful way. She's still trembling, her adrenaline is still pumping like crazy, still in terror for the most part I'd imagine. Everyone else was gone, no one left standing there but her and this man who had rescued her from death, so why would she have remained in place? Why wouldn't she have trucked on out of there? Because in His presence was the only place she felt safe all of a sudden (oh man do I know that feeling)! Walk away, and who knows what mob might be around the first corner waiting for her, right? Yeshua calls her attention to the change in her situation...

When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? (John 8:10)

He's calming her. He's reassuring her. Has no one condemned you? It starts to sink in...

She said, No man, Lord...

Yeshua perfects forgiveness, assuring her that the one man left standing there doesn't condemn her either. She is free. But He adds something before she goes...

And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. (John 8:11)

Sin no more. He met her right where she was at, caught red-handed, rescued her from the penalty, and admonsihed her to sin no more. Yeshua meets us in exactly the same place. We're caught and we know it. We know the penalty, too. He rescues us, and admonishes us in the same way that He did that woman... Sin no more.

I surely can't claim to have a perfect understanding of it all sister, but as far as I've been able to discern, we just need to apply the measure of knowledge He gives us, and we know that if we've been given the gift of faith in redemption by way of the slaughter of the Lamb of God, that perfect atoning sacrifice on the cross, every sin we've ever committed has been wiped away. We also know that once we're redeemed from the curse of the law, which is to say from the death penalty, we're to sin no more.

So if we've been divorced and we're not yet married again, it seems to me that we should remain that way, and if we're divorced and married, we should stay that way. But maybe I'm making it harder than it has to be. Like I said, I don't understand these things perfectly, I'm just a humble servant who tries his best to understand the Master's will and then to do it (and need I say it, I fail often, I'm the most unworthy of servants. Anyway, there are things in scripture that lead me to believe that once we're forgiven and made new in Christ, we might even be entitled to marry again...

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

If I'm a new creature in Him, then I'm not the person that was married all those years ago. If I'm not, then I'm in the clear... Right? Maybe?

Like I said, I struggle with it sister. But I pray that my merciful Master will grant that I never forget to fear the Most High God, the Creator of the universe, the maker of my body and of my soul. And may He grant me the grace to keep that fear before me as I continue to struggle with this and other things, so that I'm less likely to make a decision I could wind up regretting forever!

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. (Psalms 111:10)

Yeshua's peace be with you and all reading.