Lesson 5
Destruction of the Family
1
1 Tim 2:1-4
1 First, I tell you to pray for
all people, asking God for
what they need and being
thankful to him. 2 Pray for
rulers and for all who have
authority so that we can
have quiet and peaceful
lives full of worship and
respect for God.
3 This is good, and it
pleases God our Savior,
4 who wants all people to
be saved and to know the
truth.
Do
you
pray
America?
2
“America is great because she is
good, and if America ever ceases to
be good, she will cease to be great.”
Psa. 9:17
The wicked
return to the
grave,
all the nations
that forget God.
1835
3
How To Destroy
America
• Destroy Her Faith in
God (Christianity).
• Destroy Biblical
marriage/divorce.
• Destroy the Biblical
role of gov’t.
• Christians remain
silent/retreat
4
How To Destroy
“The
America
philosophy of
• Destroy Her Faith in
God (Christianity).
• Destroy Biblical
marriage/divorce.
• Destroy the Biblical
role of gov’t.
• Christians remain
silent/retreat
the schoolroom
in one
generation will
be the
philosophy of
government in
the next.”
Abraham Lincoln
5
How To Destroy
“The
America
philosophy of
• Destroy
Her
Faith
in
the schoolroom
Judg 2:10-11
God
(Christianity).
in onehad
10 After
that whole generation
been gathered
to their fathers,
anotherwill
• Destroy
Biblical
generation
generation grew up, whobe
knew
marriage/divorce.
theneither
the Lord nor what he had
done
for
philosophy of
• Destroy
the
Biblical
Israel.
government in
role
of
gov’t.
11 Then the Israelites did evil in the
the
next.”
eyes of theremain
Lord and served the
Baals.
• Christians
Abraham Lincoln
silent/retreat
6
Two of the best known school books
in the history of American education
were the 18th century New England
Primer and the 19th century
McGuffey Readers.
It is estimated that at
least 120 million copies
of McGuffey's Readers
were sold between
1836 and 1960.
Henry Steele Commager, Jr. Columbia University
Historian, educator and scholar (also taught at
Harvard & University of Chicago) wrote in the intro.
For a paperback reissue:
7
What is most impressive in the McGuffey
readers is the morality. From the First
Reader through the Sixth, the morality is
pervasive and insistent, there is rarely a
page but addresses itself to some moral
problem, points up some moral lesson –
industry,sobriety, thrift, propriety, modesty,
punctuality – these were essential virtues
and those who practiced them were sure of
success…The world of McGuffeys was a world where no one
questioned the truths of the Bible, or their relevance to
every day conduct.”
“That our children, today, are better taught than were their
luckless predecessors is generally conceded, though we are
sometimes puzzled that we have not produced a generation
of statesman as distinguished as the founding fathers.”
8
What is most impressive in the McGuffey
readers is the morality. From the First
Reader through the Sixth, the morality is
pervasive and insistent, there is rarely a
page but addresses itself to some moral
problem, points up some moral lesson –
industry,sobriety, thrift, propriety, modesty,
punctuality – these were essential virtues
and those who practiced them were sure of
success…The world of McGuffeys was a world where no one
questioned the truths of the Bible, or their relevance to
every day conduct.”
“That our children, today, are better taught than were their
luckless predecessors is generally conceded, though we are
sometimes puzzled that we have not produced a generation
of statesman as distinguished as the founding fathers.”
9
Gen 2:20-24
23 The man said,
"This is now bone of my
bones and flesh of my
flesh; she shall be
called 'woman,' for she
was taken out of man."
24 For this reason a
man will leave his father
and mother and be
united to his wife, and
they will become one
flesh.
One man
One woman
For life
10
“Marriage: The act of uniting a man and a
woman for life; the legal union of a man
and woman for life. Marriage is a contract
both civil and religious, by which the parties
live together in mutual affection and fidelity,
till death shall separate them. Marriage was
1828
instituted by God himself for the purpose of
preventing the promiscuous intercourse of
the sexes, for promoting domestic felicity, and or securing the
maintenance and education of children.”
Webster’s New World Dictionary, 3rd ed. 1988:
“1. the state of being married; relation between husband and
wife; married life; wedlock; matrimony;…
4. any close or intimate union.”
11
“Marriage: The act Florida
of uniting
a man and a
Marriage
woman for life; the
legal union
of a man
Protection
Amendment
and woman forBALLOT
life. Marriage is a contract
SUMMARY:
both civil and religious, by which the parties
This amendment protects
live together in mutual affection and fidelity,
marriage as the legal
till death shall separate them. Marriage was
union of only one man
1828
instituted by God himself for the purpose of
and one woman as
preventing the promiscuous intercourse of
husband and wife and
the sexes, for promoting domestic felicity, and or securing the
provides that no other
maintenance and education of children.”
legal union that is treated
as marriage or the
rd
Webster’s New World Dictionary, 3 ed. 1988:
substantial equivalent
“1. the state of being married; relation between husband and
thereof shall
wife; married life; wedlock; matrimony;…
be valid or recognized.
4. any close or intimate union.”
12
Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should
be honored by all,
and the marriage
bed kept pure,
for God will judge
the adulterer and
all the sexually
immoral.
13
The State of Our Unions
The Social Health of Marriage in America
2004
MARRIAGE
Key Finding: Marriage trends in recent decades indicate that
Americans have become less likely to marry, and the most
recent data show that the marriage rate in the United States
continues to decline.
DIVORCE
Key Finding: The American divorce rate today is more than twice that of
1960, but has declined slightly since hitting the highest point in our history
in the early 1980s. For the average couple marrying in recent years, the
lifetime probability of divorce or separation remains close to 50 percent.
UNMARRIED COHABITATION
Key Finding: The number of unmarried couples has increased
dramatically over the past four decades, and the increase is continuing.
Most younger Americans now spend some time living together outside of
marriage, and unmarried cohabitation commonly precedes marriage.
14
Introduction
In this year’s essay, David Popenoe
argues that long-term trends point to the
gradual weakening of marriage as the
primary social institution of family life.
More Americans today are living
together, marrying at older ages or not at
all, and rearing children in cohabiting or
solo parent households. Overall, the
U.S. trends are following the faradvanced trends toward nonmarriage in
Northwestern European nations, albeit at
a slower and more uneven pace.
15
Introduction
Popenoe attributes the weakening of
marriage to a broad cultural shift away
from religion and social traditionalism
and toward faith in personal
independence and tolerance for
diverse life styles – otherwise known
as "secular individualism." This
cultural shift is a central feature of
modern societies and therefore
unlikely to be reversed.
16
How Abortion Became Law
• Darwinian evolution in public
education
• Alfred Kinsey & 60’s Sexual revolution
• No Fault Divorce Law
• Feminist Movement / Planned
Parenthood
• Media/Entertainment’s attack on the
Traditional Family & Christian values
• Activist Judges
17
Until 1969, every state in the Union had a fault-based system
of divorce laws. (The lone exception was Oklahoma, which
introduced no-fault divorce in 1953.) Under the fault-based
system, a plaintiff (the aggrieved party in the divorce action)
had to charge the defendant with certain actions that
constituted grounds for divorce. These grounds might include
mental cruelty, physical abuse, desertion, adultery,
imprisonment, alcohol or drug addiction, or insanity. Without
showing grounds for divorce, no divorce could be granted.
18
“Is it lawful to divorce for every cause?
Matt. 5:32
• Matt. 19:5 …leave father
“I say to you that
and mother and cleave to
everyone who
his wife”
divorces his wife,
• Matt. 19:6…”what God
for any reason
except sexual
joined…let no man
immorality
separate”
causes her
• Matt. 19:9 …divorce only
to commit
for sexual immorality
adultery;…”
19
Is Jesus’ Word Final?
“The Jesus who modern research has
placed in his social environment is not
able to offer completely adequate
moral guidance for today…Could a
simple carpenter in Galilee 2,000
years ago have uttered the final word on
human relationship? Is there nothing more to
be learned? Can we regulate marriage today
with all its complex problems by insisting that
‘man shall not put asunder what God hath
joined together’?”
(J. H. Randall, Religion in the Modern World, 1929)
20
Florida Law
61.052 Dissolution of marriage.
(1) No judgment of dissolution of marriage shall
be granted unless one of the following facts
appears, which shall be pleaded generally:
(a) The marriage is irretrievably broken.
(b) Mental incapacity of one of the parties.
However, no dissolution shall be allowed unless
the party alleged to be incapacitated shall have
been adjudged incapacitated according to the
provisions of s. 744.331 for a preceding period of
at least 3 years….
21
Floridadivorce.com PROCEDURE
1. How can I get a dissolution of marriage (divorce) in Florida?
In general one party needs to testify that the marriage is
"irretrievably broken" in other words it cannot be put back
together through marriage counseling or any other means.
Generally speaking, few people ever contest whether the
marriage is irretrievably broken. Thus, in general you can
get a divorce simply by asking for one and there is little that
your spouse can do about it. Also, one party to the marriage
must be a Florida resident for the six month period
immediately preceeding the filing of the petition for divorce.
There is nothing else that you need to prove to get a
divorce in Florida. This is different than some states where
for example you have to prove adultery or violence or some
other grounds.
22
Floridadivorce.com PROCEDURE
1. How can I get a dissolution of marriage (divorce) in Florida?
In general one party needs to testify that the marriage is
of no-fault
"irretrievably broken" in other Over
words80%
it cannot
be put back
divorces or
are
unilateral.
together through marriage counseling
any
other means.
Generally speaking, few people
ever contest
whether
This means
that one
partythe
marriage is irretrievably broken.
in general
you
to theThus,
divorce
objects
to can
get a divorce simply by asking for one and there is little that
the marriage ending and
your spouse can do about it. Also, one party to the marriage
no-fault
laws
away
must be a Florida resident
for the
six take
month
period
control
immediately preceeding the that
filing parties
of the petition
forover
divorce.
theytocan
There is nothing else that whether
you needortonot
prove
get a
divorce in Florida. This is different
some
states where
savethan
their
marriage.
for example you have to prove adultery or violence or some
other grounds.
23
Until 1969, every state in the Union had a fault-based system
of divorce laws. (The lone exception was Oklahoma, which
introduced no-fault divorce in 1953.) Under the fault-based
system, a plaintiff (the aggrieved party in the divorce action)
had to charge the defendant with certain actions that
constituted grounds for divorce. These grounds might include
mental cruelty, physical abuse, desertion, adultery,
imprisonment, alcohol or drug addiction, or insanity. Without
showing grounds for divorce, no divorce could be granted.
California's no-fault divorce law was drafted by
Assemblyman James A. Hayes and signed into
law in 1969 by then-Governor Ronald Reagan.
The rest of the nation quickly followed
California's lead. By 1974, forty-five states had
passed no-fault statutes of their own. By 1985,
every state in the union was a no-fault state.
24
Excerpt from Michael Reagan's Book:
TWICE ADOPTED
Chapter 2, A Broken World, pp. 42-44
“Dad later said that he regretted signing the
no-fault divorce bill and that he believed it
was one of the worst mistakes he ever made
in office. That law set in motion one of the most
damaging social experiments in the history of our nation. “
"Divorce is where two adults take everything that
matters to a child---the child's home, family, security,
and sense of being loved and protected--and they
smash it all up, leave it in ruins on the floor, then
walk out and leave the child to clean up the mess."
p. 37
25
May 27, 2005
Connecting the Dots by Rebecca Hagelin
"In 1950, for every hundred children born that year:
12 entered a broken family
4 were born out of wedlock
8 suffered the divorce of their parents.”
“By the year 2000, that number had risen fivefold,
and for every one hundred children born:
60 entered a broken family
33 born out of wedlock
27 suffering the divorce of their parents."
26
What Does God Think
About Divorce?
Malachi 2:16
"I hate
divorce,"
says the
LORD God
of Israel,…”
27
August 28, 2000
Divorce: Ignoring the cost
by Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
What
wouldbody
you say
if I toldscience
you there's
a sure-fire
waythat
to
A
growing
of social
research
shows
reduce child
poverty,
kids to
more
likely
stay in school
marriage
is the
bestmake
antidote
a host
oftosocietal
ills and
and less
likelyistomore
experiment
with
and cause
crimepeople
rates
that
divorce
harmful
to sex,
children
than most
to drop even further?
think.
28
Some Hope?
"I think getting a divorce should be much harder
when children are involved. . . . Divorce has
become too easy because of our permissive laws
and attitudes." She goes on to say, "The good news
is that attitudes about marriage and divorce seem
to be changing. Some states are beginning to
examine whether their divorce laws are too lax.
Grass-roots campaigns to help preserve marriage
are flourishing around the country."
William A. Galston, a professor at the University of Maryland and a
former domestic policy advisor to President Clinton: "For couples
with dependent children, we should eliminate unilateral no-fault -where one person can readily obtain a divorce without the other's
consent -- and return to an updated fault-based system, with the
alternative of a five-year waiting period. And even in cases where
both parties consent, there should be suitable braking mechanisms:
a mandatory pause of at least a year for reflection, counseling and
mediation."
29
Remove prohibitions and
legitimize prostitution.
Make abortion a "demand right“
United Nations protected by national & international
law, with unrestricted access for teenagers, and make
the non-provision of abortion a crime in all cases, even
for reasons of conscience.
De-emphasize the role of mothers and increase
incentives for them to work rather than stay home to
care for children.
Reduce parental authority while expanding children's
rights.
Encourage governments to change religious rules
and customs that impede its efforts.
30
Remove prohibitions and
Arthur M. Schlesinger
legitimize prostitution.
wrote in “The
Disuniting ofright“
America:”
Make abortion a "demand
United Nations protected by“History
national
& ainternational
is to
nation...
asteenagers,
memory is toand
an make
law, with unrestricted access for
the non-provision of abortion aindividual.
crime in An
all individual
cases, even
deprived of memory
for reasons of conscience.
becomes disoriented and
De-emphasize the role of mothers
and
increase
lost, not
knowing
where
he has
been
or home
where he
incentives for them to work rather
than
stay
to
is going, so a nation
care for children.
denied a conception of its
Reduce parental authority while expanding children's
past will be disabled in
rights.
dealing with its present
and future.”
Encourage governments to change
religious rules
and customs that impede its efforts.
31
No-fault divorce
was pioneered by
the Bolsheviks
following the
Russian Revolution
of 1917.
32
The 1918 Decree on
Divorce eliminated
the religious marriage
and the underlying
ecclesiastical law, by
replacing them with
civil marriage
sanctioned by the
state. Divorce was
obtained by filing a
mutual consent
document with the
Russian Registry
Office, or by the
unilateral request of
one party to the court.
33
The Marxist position
on the family is
found in The Origin
of Family, Private
Property, and the
State by Friedrich
Engels. Its basic
premise is that the
patriarchal family
and its subjugation
and exploitation of
women and children
were born out of
private-property
relationships.
34
“Under socialism
the abolition of
private property
would result in
relationships
between couples
founded solely on
love, and the
emphasis on
collective life
would diminish the
importance of the
family as a unit for
nurturing
children.”
35
The opposition to
the proposed law
seemed to centre
around four
points: (1) that it
would abolish
marriage; (2) that
it would destroy
the family; (3)
that it would
legalize
polygamy and
polyandry; (4)
that it would ruin
the peasants
36
The Atlantic
Monthly | July 1926
"Men took to
changing wives
with the same zest
which they
displayed in the
consumption of the
recently restored
forty-per-cent
vodka."
by A Woman
resident in Russia
37
The Atlantic
Monthly | July 1926
“Every divorce in the
villages brings with it
family discords, feuds,
trials, revenge,
murder, and ruin. One
must take into
consideration the
backwardness of the
village population,
which feels that the
new law will bring
polygamy, grief,
demoralization, and
the dying out of the
race.”
38
Romania tried it
* divorce rate tripled
by 1960.
* 1957 abortion on
demand
• Concern for population reproduction and
future labor supplies
• Romanian Family
Code
* 1966, abortion was
virtually outlawed,
• a new divorce
decree made the
dissolution of
marriage exceedingly
difficult.
39
In his book Perestroika,
Mikhail Gorbachev
reflected on 70 years of
Russian turmoil:
"We have discovered that
many of our problems -- in
children’s and young
people’s behavior, in our
morals, culture and in
production -- are partially
caused by the weakening
of family ties."
40
In his book Perestroika,
Mikhail Gorbachev
reflected on 70 years of
Russian turmoil:
Ps 127:1
Unless the
"We have discovered
that
Lord
builds
many of our problems -- in
children’s andthe
young house,
people’s behavior, in our
morals, culture
andbuilders
in
its
production -- are partially
labor
in vain.
caused by the
weakening
of family ties."
41
When We Divorce Unlawfully
• We are covenant-breakers / liars (Rom.
1:31;Eccl. 5:4).
• We are doing what God hates and are treating our spouse treacherously (Mal. 2:16).
• We are creating for ourselves and our spouse
a stumbling block (Lk. 17:1; Matt. 5:32; 1 Cor.
7:5).
• We are giving the world opportunity to mock
God’s gift of marriage (Heb. 13:4;1 Tim. 4:3-6;
Rom. 2:23-24).
• We are discouraging and asking our brethren
to reject us (2 Jn. 9-11; Eph. 5:11).
42