Marriage – Family Council

The Benefits of Marrying Early

May 1, 2023Guest AuthorMarriageMarriage

According to a recent study from the Institute for Family Studies, “On average, early-marrieds enjoy slightly higher marital quality than later-marrieds” on metrics like “relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, teamwork, and communication.”

Women who marry early, for example, reported an 11% lead in sexual satisfaction over those who marry later in life. For men, the gap is even bigger, at 14%. This supports findings from another IFS study that, “spouses who have only had sex with their current spouse have the highest levels of sexual satisfaction in their marriage.”

These findings counter widespread cultural assumptions that couples should be sure of “compatibility” and that sexual autonomy and so-called “sexual freedom” is the path to personal happiness. God gave marriage to the world as a gift, as the best context for sex, and as a real-life sign of His love for His people.

We shouldn’t be surprised when His way actually works.

The Divorce Risk by Marital “Age”

Aug 22, 2022Guest AuthorMarriageDivorce, Marriage

A recent article in Fatherly summed up the risk of divorce by married years. Years 1 to 2 are “high risk.” Years 9 to 15 go down to “low.” By years 15 to 20, the risk rises again to “average.”

“Newlyweds and old married couples,” concluded the article, “can never get too comfortable.” 

The numbers don’t lie, but the danger of studies like this is portraying divorce as something that just happens because of “falling out of love” or something like that. The truth about marriage is, thankfully, more complicated.

Couples committed enough to fight for their marriage stand a good chance of making it. Eighty percent of couples who participated in Focus on the Family’s Hope Restored Marriage Intensive are still together two years later.

It also matters what we believe about marriage. As of 2019, divorce in America had reached a 50-year low, but that’s because fewer Americans are getting married at all. So, the ones who marry tend to believe there’s something to it.

And there is, which is why when it comes to marriage and the health of our society, none of us should be comfortable.

Family Council Joins Letter Opposing “Respect for Marriage Act”

Jul 27, 2022Jerry CoxMarriageMarriage, Same-Sex Marriage

On Tuesday Family Council joined 82 other conservative, grassroots organizations from across the country in urging Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel (R — Ky.) to reject the so-called “Respect for Marriage Act,” H.R. 8404.

Among other things, H.R. 8404 fully repeals the Defense of Marriage Act and forces states to honor any definition of marriage that is recognized in another state. That raises serious questions about what happens to marriage laws in states like Arkansas if other states change their laws regarding polygamy or child marriages.

The measure also carries serious implications for Americans who still believe marriage is supposed to be the union of one man and one woman.

The letter to S e n . M c C o n n e l says,

The [Respect for Marriage] Act, which was suddenly rushed through the House without any public hearings or input, is an attack on millions of Americans, particularly people of faith, who believe marriage is between one man and one woman and that legitimate distinctions exist between men and women concerning family formation that should be recognized in the law. . . .
H.R. 8404 effectively deputizes activist groups to sue religious individuals, organizations, and businesses that operate according to their sincerely held religious belief that marriage is between one man and one woman and also act “under color of state law.” The U.S. Supreme Court has recognized this as a term that might apply where a private organization participates in a joint activity with a state, is performing a function traditionally performed by the government, or even when its operations are entwined with government policies. Activists will argue this includes (1) faith-based foster care providers who are alleged to be performing a state function through child placement services; (2) religious social service organizations that are heavily funded by and work jointly with the government to serve their communities; and (3) religious organizations and businesses that provide services under contract with the government. Although the issues to be litigated would be many, there is no question the proposed Act subjects religious people, businesses, and organizations to countless new lawsuits merely for practicing their faith.

The letter also notes that if passed, the IRS could use the “Respect for Marriage Act” to target churches and charities that believe in a biblical definition of marriage.

The House of Representatives hastily passed H.R. 8404 last week, one day after it was introduced. The proposal received 47 Republican votes. Most of the Republicans in the Senate have yet to take a position on the measure.

We’ve heard time and again about Christian photographers, bakers, florists, and wedding chapel owners being investigated and dragged into court because they declined to take part in a same-sex wedding or ceremony. Sometimes the Christian business owners win their cases. Other times they lose.

Passing the so-called “Respect for Marriage Act” could simply make situations like these worse.