Marriage and Traditional Family
In comments to another post Parklife has raised the question:
"I am a little curious as to what the definition of family values and marriage are."
What is marriage? It is one man and one woman joined for life.
I've written a little bit about marriage (and divorce) on our web site. You'll find those comments at: Marriage and Divorce.
What a traditional family values? Those values which support marriage and the resulting family.
Those values include the recognition of the value of a man as a husband and father, and the value of a woman as a wife and mother. They also recognize the value of children as people, including the value of unborn children. (In other words: abortion is the murder of an innocent child). Traditional values recognize the value of the husband-wife relationship and their value together in raising children. (In other words: living together outside of marriage, adultery and divorce are wrong).
One aspect of traditional family values that in the past was particularly strong in America when compared with the rest ofthe world, is the value of women. In Muslim, Hindu, Buddist and secular countries women are downgraded and have a lower class existance. Traditional values, based on the Bible, bring men and women into equality. They have different roles, but are equal in their personhood. Both men and women are created in the image of God.
"I am a little curious as to what the definition of family values and marriage are."
What is marriage? It is one man and one woman joined for life.
I've written a little bit about marriage (and divorce) on our web site. You'll find those comments at: Marriage and Divorce.
What a traditional family values? Those values which support marriage and the resulting family.
Those values include the recognition of the value of a man as a husband and father, and the value of a woman as a wife and mother. They also recognize the value of children as people, including the value of unborn children. (In other words: abortion is the murder of an innocent child). Traditional values recognize the value of the husband-wife relationship and their value together in raising children. (In other words: living together outside of marriage, adultery and divorce are wrong).
One aspect of traditional family values that in the past was particularly strong in America when compared with the rest ofthe world, is the value of women. In Muslim, Hindu, Buddist and secular countries women are downgraded and have a lower class existance. Traditional values, based on the Bible, bring men and women into equality. They have different roles, but are equal in their personhood. Both men and women are created in the image of God.
posted by BrickBalloon
Read This Post In Our: Christianity in America Blog Archive
2 Comments:
The world is a funny place. I thought the United States moved past these ideas some time ago. I suppose this country was better for some before this. However, I believe, the country is better off for its progress. The citizens in this country get married and divorced every day. Many do not follow the bible, yet remain within the law.
50 years ago the Supreme Court handed down its decision on Brown vs. the Board of Education. Simply, it stated that separate is not equal. How would the bible have ruled on this landmark case? Would we still have segregation? You write that traditional values include men and women having different roles. Does that mean men and women are separate but equal?
The idea I have in my mind is of a Beaver Cleaver-esk family. But the world and America are different now. There is no going back to segregation. Women do have rights now. Many are only now striving for equal pay. How is keeping one group of citizens from equal rights acceptable?
How do Christians view the interaction between society, government and themselves?
Is the country better off with fatherless children, a high divorce rate (and the associated emotional tragedy to parents and children), and millions of babies being murdered through abortion (and the associated side effects to the mother)? I don't think so.
Should we try to emulate a "Leave It To Beaver" type family? No, just like "Friends" is not reality today (I hope) that never was reality.
Do men and women have different roles? Yes. But what does that have to do with Brown vs. Board of Education? Men and woman, husbands and wives are not separate but equal. -- The word "but" is important in understanding the meaning of that sentence. -- Men and woman are different AND equal. Husbands and wives are ONE, are different AND are equal. We are different, and though our differences we take on different roles and gain our freedom to be who we are.
I stayed at home to raise our children while my wife worked. This was something we thought would be best, particularly for my son who was learning disabled, because I'm a better teacher. However, my wife is better at loving and nurturing children than I am. I love them by showing them how to do stuff and by protecting them. She loves them by nurturing them, hugging them and overly protecting them :-).
Yes, we are both equal. We are both made in the image of God. And yes we are different. And accepting our differences, instead of repressing them as feminism tells us women should do, is what gives us our freedom.
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