The Aftermath of the Divorce

In my last blog, I discussed the union of the legal and Godly components of what we called marriage.  I ended that blog by saying that if those two components of marriage were ever separated, marriage would lose its meaning.

Since then, the Supreme Court of the United States has issued a ruling that makes same sex marriage legal throughout the country.  America joins 20 other countries with similar policy.  The divorce of marriage has happened in these countries.

It’s important understand that while the legal definition of marriage has changed, God’s definition hasn’t, and never will.  This means that same sex marriages will only be legal marriages.  They cannot be marriages before God, because they do not fulfill the definition of marriage as put forth by God in the Bible.

The importance of this depends on what marriage means to you, and where you stand with God. To a lot of people, going to a justice of the peace and getting married is enough.  Some, however, want to involve their God, and their faith, in their marriage.  For example, a marriage in the Catholic church is one of 7 sacraments, intimate moments between God and man.  It’s even given another name, matrimony.

Since same sex people can now marry, they now become subject to not only the joys of being married, but the responsibilities of marriage and the consequences.  Most obviously, legalized same sex marriage means legalized same sex divorce.

While same sex marriage is legal in every state in the US, the requirements that need to be fulfilled for two people to marry are still subject to individual state law.  This means that it can be very easy to marry, such as the infamous “Las Vegas” wedding.  Marriage in haste, while caught up in the moment, has risk involved.  By contrast, in the Catholic church, couples must attend a series of meetings designed to insure that the couple each other well, and are entering into matrimony after careful consideration.  This is another benefit of a “church” wedding.

As with the Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision in 1973, society, and especially, the business world, will quickly embrace the decision.  Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers quickly became entrenched and an abortion industry arose which makes reversing that decision impractical, and eventually, unthinkable.  It’s no longer about what is legal, it’s about who is making money.  This decision will be no different. 

One encouraging aspect is justice Kennedy’s remarks in the decision re-affirming the American right of dissent.  But, that doesn’t stop the dissent limiting aspects of the society that led to this decision in the first place.  Already, you see the articles arising of people that are practicing “hate” by resigning their jobs because issuing same sex marriage licenses is against their life philosophy, guided by their faith.  Less obvious in the media are articles like about the Catholic priest who happened by a celebration for the decision by accident and was spat upon.  I guess “love wins” is just another hollow slogan.

The truth is there is no going back at this point with this divorce.  Divorce always victimizes innocent parties and this one will be no different.  Let’s hope that love truly does win in all of this.