Everyone is shacking up. It’s truly astounding how rampant unmarried couples living together is, especially in light of how much it was discouraged so recently in history. It pains me to see so many people repeating the cycle of moving in with someone, breaking up with them, moving out (or kicking someone out), hooking up with someone else, then lathering, rinsing, and doing the whole thing again. If something doesn’t work, why keep trying it thinking that the outcome will differ?
I suppose people don’t see fault with the concept, and only with the person with whom they tried it. However, for anyone out there contemplating this “lifestyle choice”, consider the following:
- The risk of divorce is increased by 80%(!) for couples who cohabitate before marriage.
- Cohabitation has been statistically linked to an increase in cases of domestic violence.
- The longer a couple lives together, the less likely they are to marry.
Frank Pastore, the awesome radio talk show host, did a riff today about how our liberal culture moves on emotion and not reason. I think this may be, in part, a reaction to prior generations who acted passionlessly with cold logic. To embrace one’s passions yet direct them through one’s intellect is an awesome force for a positive life.
To this end, I beg anyone who is thinking of moving in with their lover to consider the facts, and not give themselves over blindly to their emotions. Christians are often characterized as victorian prudes, and written off accordingly, but a growing pile of relationship carcasses is starting to smell strongly of lies, and Christian relational values are a breath of fresh air.
