Many people believe that there are more temptations to cheat on your partner these days. Films, television, books and magazines, and the lives of some celebrities play a big part in this. In soap operas such as Eastenders, affairs are portrayed as part of normal life, therefore people react less shocked when it happens. Celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Zöe Ball and Les Dennis also help to make adultery more “normal”.
Other pressures that can harm marriages include working partner – if you work with a person of the opposite sex, then this could lead to adultery. Lack of communication can also break down a marriage, as partners can’t express their feelings/problems to each other. Violence can cause a marriage to break down, as no one should have to put up with violence just so they stay married. Finance can help a marriage to break down as financial problems can cause arguments. Children can also cause a marriage to break down because they can also cause arguments.
Christians make a vow to be faithful before God in a church. This vow is “till death us do part.” This suggests that you should be married to the same person until the day you die. Also in John 2 v 1-11, Jesus went to a wedding and performed a miracle, which gives the impression that Jesus thought it was very important. If Jesus thought that the marriage was so important, then he would want it to last forever.
I think it is possible, even for Christians to stay together because they love each other. But some couples may change too much to stay together. Christians are still human, so they can change, which can make a marriage break down.
The church has changed its views on various things over the years. In the 1960s there were no woman vicars in the Church of England. Woman vicars are now allowed in the church. This shows that both people and times change. As a result, some will say – if the church can change this point, why not make it easier on people who find it impossible to keep a marriage going for life? I think that they are right to say this. If people find it impossible to stay in their marriage then they should allowed to end it, as this will make them happier.
I think that lifelong marriage can be too difficult even for Christians today, but it is not impossible. I don’t think that they should get rid of the vow “till death us do part”, but I think that they should change it slightly as some people may find it impossible not to break this vow.
