Is Happy Ever After Only Meant for Christians?

(Photo courtesy of Christianity About)

Can what you grow up in determine how your future will be? When it comes to religion
specifically for Evangelical Christians the probabilities of those marriages lasting longer than
other groups like non religious ones is definitely impacted by their society. According to the
Western Journal, individuals who attend church regularly have a significantly lower divorce rate
than people who dont.
This is not to say just because one has a strong evangelical bond does not mean they are
completely excluded from the chances of getting a divorce. There just has been more positive
data with Christians having longer marriages. According to Quantitative Literacy Director
Crystal Hall, What I found was that the divorce rate was low among evangelical Christians.
It was specific though. It wasn't just Christians who were public with their faith. There are
many factors to why this occurs but the main ones would be reputation, morals of evangelical
Christians, and the age which the marriage occurs.
He gave me lists with highlighted sections of Bible passages about nagging wives and how I
should submit to him. I was subjected to almost the full catalogue of abusive behavior.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, abuse survivor Isabella explains in detail of what she
endured.

Isabella (her cover name) became this preachers puppet. Pulling her hair, punching her, and
leading a strong spiritual life in their community, Isabella became a stranger in her own world.
Isabellas story is only one example of how these marriages are not picture perfect.
Some of these individuals like Isabella are trapped in these lifestyles where they would rather
risk their safety then tarnish their lifestyles. According to Focus on the Family the more families
that actually practice their religion consistently in private and public as serious disciples will
keep their marriages alive. The reason this occurs is because they have established these lives in
their communities and resulting to divorce is proving there is strife among them. They are not
practicing what they preach and will not be treated as equals in their religious group or fear of
losing them.
According to psychologist Donna Habenicht children at a young age are taught loyalty and
commitment as one of the main Christian values. They transfer this impression that they were
raised on into their adult lives. Often inappropriate statements had been made to them by their
pastors, sometimes including counseling them to prayerfully "stick it out" in the midst of severe
abuse.
This statement by Isabella explains how the morals of the church have a substantial mental
impact. Isabella had people who did not believe pastors could act in that matter and victims who
opened up to her expressing how they believed they had to put up with it and over time blamed
themselves. Daughter to a pastor Autumn Miles had to experience the same thing.
Miles put her families reputation, image, and in a sense protecting god by keeping her abuse a
secret. It took Miles five years before she gained enough courage to say enough is enough. Not
every Christian marriage is a faade for turmoil. According to Christianity Today 53% of very
happy couples report that their relationship is so strong because it is centered on god.
These individuals state that when they put god first and make him a priority it allows their
marriage to flourish better because they are not making each other their biggest priority. Instead
by loving and trying to make him happy also makes their bond to one another stronger.
According to the Star Tribune it is also individuals who openly express their love for Christianity
by going to services, etc. According to Adelle Banks six out of 10 evangelicals who worship is a
big factor in marriage success.
According to Avvo legal services more individuals are getting married later due to how society is
advancing rapidly. This is happening because compared to 1995 more individuals are going to
college, women at 8.3% and men at 3.8% likely to complete college. It is also true that people
who marry young last for numerous years because that was their first love.
However data today shows specifically according to Avvo with a college degree are more likely
to still be married in twenty years. The newer generations are also living together before they get
married. This is more beneficial because it is allowing current generations to really get to know
each other and not jump into things like individuals would in the nineties.
Relating this to the morals of Christianity and marriage technically you are not supposed to live
with your spouse before marriage. However, it is a new era things are different and people are

still getting married they are just completing the steps in a different sequence. Whether its
pregnancy then marriage or pregnancy, degree, then marriage with their faith these individuals
still maintain strong marriages.
When it comes to this topic it can be difficult at times for scientists to measure this data. What
keep the research going are the personal stories that people expose of their life. According to
Hall, It's certainly interesting. Of course, stat does not ever attempt to answer the why. That
belongs to the psychology realm but it certainly points us to a highly unusual phenomenon.
Christian marriage is not the best marriage and data is not saying it is the right way. What the
data does prove is that a Christian marriage is effective enough because of strong traditions.