"Though we profess abhorrence of divorce, I suspect that the divorce rate reflects our national values with great exactness, and that conventional modern marriage-an external commitment with loopholes galore-expresses precisely the degree of loss of autonomy that we are able to tolerate"(Rottenberg 288).
Divorce is rampant in today's society. I suggest that because of the values taught to me by my parents and my religion my marriage will have a better chance of surviving in our world today. The following is my firm belief in what a marriage should be and any deviation from this will only weaken the marriage institution. .
Marriage is a legal contract between one man and one woman. It is a unique union in which partners support, complement and fulfill each other. It was instituted at the beginning of this world when God joined the first man and woman. "The search for identity" (Rottenberg 287) amongst the sexes indicates, that the marriage institution is in trouble. I believe that it is impossible, for the marriage institution to continue to exist unless the factors contributing to its demise are changed. Some of the factors that leads to the breakdown of marriage are: society's changing values; an unwillingness of individuals to make a lifelong commitment; the changing roles of men and women; the view that marriage is not important. .
Certain behaviors are becoming prevalent in our society-behaviors that make it appear that a marriage between a man and woman is no longer the only acceptable union.
An example of these behaviors would be the homosexual lifestyle - a lifestyle that is incapable of creating and deepening the physical and emotional unity upon which strong marriages, strong families and, therefore, strong societies are built. Another example would be the influence of television. Whereas marriage was once applauded and television programs would feature couples staying together, being faithful to each other and raising a family together, it has now become more common for marriage relationships to be portrayed as suffocating, troubled or "falling apart".
