Comments for France Destroys Marriage, then Saves It? at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 16 out of 16 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Thu, 23 May 2013 22:04:25 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6051 "Social science clearly shows the best chance of happiness for adults is within marriage." What does this mean? How does "social science" define happiness? This month's Skeptic magazine has an article on the subject of attempting to define and quantify happiness; their conclusion is that there is no generally definition or metric. Are you just throwing words around at random here or is there something substantive behind your words? - I. P. Daily Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:57:25 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6045 Frenchfolk hold marriage in contempt? I bet they've never done that before. - jason taylor Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:27:58 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6040 The reason for the French court's rejection of same-sex marriage is instructive. It is because they regard the presumption of paternity as the central, distinguishing feature of marriage. Article 312 of Civil Code provides that a child conceived or born during the marriage has the husband for its father. "The presumption of paternity of the husband rests on the obligation of fidelity between spouses and reflects the commitment made by the husband during the celebration of marriage, to raise the couple's children. The report presenting the order to the President of the Republic rightly points out that " it is, in the words of Dean Carbonnier, the ‘heart of marriage,’ and cannot be questioned without losing for this institution its meaning and value."" - Michael PS Mon, 14 Feb 2011 01:31:06 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6033 So under the regulations, without prying too forcefully into people's personal lives, would I be able to marry my college roommate buddy to receive the benefits of this so called marriage in France? While we're at it why don't we just allow all people to marry? Seriously, I don't mean to be flippant but why not allow 2 brothers who care and love each other and live together and who may not be romantic but without question display as much real love as anybody else to marry? Inequality is by definition treating same things in different ways: two people are objectively different than 3 or more people and 2 people of the opposite sex are objectively different than 2 members of the same sex, therefore...well you get the picture. It's just a silly argument. - The Moz Fri, 11 Feb 2011 10:54:45 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6032 It is rather simpler than is realized. Religion is the core of all societies. What society has survived without religion supporting and defining its mores? The push to make legitimate such practices as homosexual activity strikes at this core. It is like a blow to the heart. The only solution is prayer. All the rest is blather. It is not a case of returning to the good old days; it is rather a need to go back to the source and begin again. - Gabriel Austin Fri, 11 Feb 2011 10:22:34 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6029 James, Go back to the old laws before they were changed. Make it long and onerous and costly to get out of a marriage. Give folks time to cool off and figure things out. - Austin Ruse Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:29:23 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6028 Robert, I think America has fallen for one our new false virtues, that of tolerance, a deeply perverted tolerance. We are to tolerate and even love all humans, even our enemies, but to not tolerate bad behavior, specifically sin, or unjust acts, or addiction. This simple truth sounds bigoted to the modern tolerant ear. But I agree with you, that the back door benefit is that if we can be tolerant of other’s perversions, we excuse our own. The root is the same for all, pride. - Achilles Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:26:23 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6027 Homosexuality is a disorder, a perversion, a psychological abnormality, an addiction much like a drug addiction. It is rooted in narcissism and driven by pride. It is an integral faction in the culture of death. I have a gay friend who is 46 years old and has been to 237 funerals. How do heroin addicts affect the family? In the literal concrete sense they don’t, but their contribution to healthy and prosperous society represents a deficit toll indeed. Just so, the so called “homosexual marriage” as it denigrates the institution of marriage does even worse damage to the family as a building block of society. - Achilles Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:21:07 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6026 I think that the drive for same-sex marriage is now present among a significant number of heterosexuals. The reason is, I think, that many heterosexuals have come to the realization that, to paraphrase Dostoyevsky, "if same-sex marriage is approved, then everything is permitted." The sexual revolution of the 60's and 70's left in its wake a catastrophe of divorces, out of wedlock births, single-parent homes, etc. But for all the celebration of "liberation" from "opressive" sexual mores, people, I think, still, deep-down, felt guilty. But if same-sex marriage is "ok", then that, in a way, validates their own sexual-relational sins. This, I think, is a phenomenon that we have to consider. - Robert Fri, 11 Feb 2011 05:30:45 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6025 Austin, how would you do that? On the other hand, maybe marriage should be made much harder? - James Fri, 11 Feb 2011 05:20:05 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6024 James, Yes, divorce in America should be much much harder to get. - Austin Ruse Fri, 11 Feb 2011 04:56:18 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6023 Chris, Check out the work of Patrick Fagan at Family Research Council, Brad Wilcox at University of Virginia, the Family Facts database at the Heritage Foundation. There is much more, too. - Austin Ruse Fri, 11 Feb 2011 04:55:41 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6022 The divorce rate in America for first marriage is 41% The divorce rate in America for second marriage is 60% The divorce rate in America for third marriage is 73% - James Fri, 11 Feb 2011 04:01:12 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6021 'Social science clearly shows the best chance of happiness for adults is within marriage.' On the other hand, Trappists have been known to be very happy. Two quotes, Austin: I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury. Groucho Marx It's tough to stay married. My wife kisses the dog on the lips, yet she won't drink from my glass. Rodney Dangerfield - Grump Fri, 11 Feb 2011 03:23:22 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6019 Austin, you and other TCT writers often refer to "social science" and studies that prove such claims as: children are better off in a married home, divorce makes people more unhappy than is admitted, that children suffer the most in divorce. Can you provide links to such studies? Where can one read about these things so as be able to really debate the question of homosexual marriage, and not just parrot an unsubstantiated "social science proves..." - Chris Fri, 11 Feb 2011 02:02:06 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/france-destroys-marriage-then-saves-it.html#comment-6018 Mr. Ruse, thank you for your well researched and well written essay pointing out that we live in a neo-pagan age. It is as though Christ had never come. It is their loss. They will never see God. They will spend eternity in Hell. We should pray for them. - Bill Fri, 11 Feb 2011 01:45:36 +0100