Christian marriage fundamentals can be a complicated ideology to understand, but it is important to take a look at the role that Biblical text has in discovering what marriage can mean to a Christian couple.

According to the first book in the Bible, marriage was ordained and set up by God as a union between a man and a woman. There is a lot of debate on that notion, but Christians have used that commandment from God to define their view of Christian marriage.

According to many involved in Christian marriage family therapy, a Christian marriage represents the connection of Jesus Christ to the Church. This is in accordance to Paul of Tarsus who, in Ephesians, noted the connection from the Old Testament point of view that marriage was a parallel between a connection to man and God.

This type of union, often called a covenant by Christians, is of signature importance to the Christian tradition and stands as an example of God’s faithfulness to the people. Those involved in Christian marriage and family therapy impress this notion upon those that seek out the therapy and infer that Christian marriage is a gift from God and something to be cherished and supported.

With this basis in mind, many times a Christian marriage begins with a form of counseling. Many Christians take part in a form of marriage family counseling in which a pastor or priest verses them in the traditions of marriage and in the importance of their vows. Christians believe that this serves as a good basis for a marriage and as a traditional foundation so that the values of the marriage can be placed at a level of great importance.

Christian marriage family counseling encourages the couple to go to God in prayer during trials and to seek other Christian help to form a prayer network, enabling the couple to operate under an umbrella of a Christian relationship and those fundamentals at the outset of their marriage.

A Christian marriage, based on tradition, takes place in a church, presided over by a minister or a priest who performs the marriage ceremony. In most cases, the priest or pastor also signs the marriage record as a suitable and legal witness. The significance of this type of ceremony is that the pastor or priest is a legal witness and is also a spiritual witness that can call the marriage to accountability under God.

Many parts of Christian marriage are designed to place importance on marriage as a permanent union between two people. The reality of Christian marriage to the couple is to serve God and maintain a trusting and loving relationship.

The definition of marriage, while continually under debate, will continue to express the notion that marriage is honorable to God and that Christian marriages are given a very high status among Christian lives.



By: MIKE SELVON

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TO BE OR KNOT TO BE REGISTERED

Marriage is no longer a divine union that requires celestial blessings included in the various religious rituals associated with it. It has got far reaching legal consequences too. It is for this legal reason that we have to consider this law. Moreover, the growing number of divorce cases, cases regarding custody of children and maintenance, polygamy, and dowry deaths reveal that marriage is no longer considered as a divine union by the society. Hence let us not be under the illusion that this law would violate the sacredness of marriage rites.

IS THIS A NEW LAW?

As it is, any Indian citizen who opts to marry under the Special Marriage Act of 1954 automatically has the marriage registered by the marriage officers who has been specially appointed for the purpose.

The Indian Christian Marriages Act of 1872 also demands for compulsory registration of marriages. Accordingly entries are made in the marriage register of the church, soon after the ceremony along with the signatures of the bride, bridegroom, the officiating priest and witnesses. The Registration of marriages is mandatory under the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act of 1936. Marriage being a civil contract for the Muslims, the qazi records the terms of the marriage in a nikahnama and hands it over to the married couple. It is only under the Hindu Personal Law that it is not compulsory to register the marriage.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAW

Certain State governments have out of the their concern to stop the crimes committed against women and children made the registration of marriage compulsory. They believed that giving legal status to wedlock would strengthen the institution of marriage. Thus we had,



The Bombay Registration Marriages Act, 1953, which is applicable to the states of Maharashtra

The Karnataka Marriages Act enacted in 1976 and in force since 1983.

The Himachal Pradesh Registration of Marriage Act, 1997.

The Andhra Pradesh Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act 2002.



PROBLEMS DUE TO NON-IMPLEMENTATION OF LAW:

The non-registration of marriage under Hindu Marriage Act has given rise to two major problems.

The Hindu Marriage Act on bigamy has got many loopholes. The Section 494 of the Indian Penal Code also has some faults while dealing with the offence of remarriage of husband or wife when the either of them is alive. So far these laws required that certain ceremonies have to be performed for a marriage to be valid. These ceremonies could be done according to the caste and religion of the bride and the bridegroom. Unless these ceremonies are performed the marriage is considered to be invalid. This holds good for bigamous marriage too. Women are the primary victims of bigamous relationships and they are the most affected ones because of the non-registration of marriage. They find it difficult to get property or maintenance in case of dispute, as they are not able to produce any proof for the validity of their marriage. There are umpteen cases where the wives have lost their case because of their inability to prove their first or second marriage of their husbands.

 

 

The second major problem caused by the non-registration of marriage is the problem of Child marriage, which is indeed a serious national problem. It is estimated that almost half of all marriages that is conducted in India involves under-aged girls. The Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 has prescribed 18 years as the minimum age for girls and 21 years for boys for getting married. This law is applicable all over India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The serious nature of the problem is evident, as states such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Haryana, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh where child marriages are rampant haven’t opted…http://www.sitagita.com/view.asp?id=9688



By: Sitagita.com

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Does your marriage lack the spark it used to have? Most married couples tend to lose passion and appreciation for one another as the years go by. Many married couples are finding themselves wondering what happened over the years. Worse still, some couples reach the point where the marriage has gotten so bad that they are struggling to find ways to save a marriage.

Why do marriages break down? Well the fact is most people change after they are married. The days of passion and having fun seem to fade away. Maybe this hasn’t happened to you yet, maybe you work hard to keep the spark alive in your marriage, but unfortunately some people are too late. People tend to try and fix things once it’s broken, you may have heard from your friends or about people changing to save a marriage. Often they have the right intention and not the right tact, inevitably things just get worse.

Many couples get excited at the thought of marriage, standing at the wedding altar and exchanging vows is the beginning of a new and happy life together. Well, at least it is for the early years anyway. However the act of marriage and exchanging wedding vows does something to a majority of couples.

Vowing to join ‘in sickness and in health, till death do us apart’ seems to translate to ‘No matter how dire the marriage has become, you’re not leaving!’ Complacency affects most marriages, even for a short while, perhaps it’s because we take it for granted that the other half will stick around no matter what happens. The relationship changes, priorities change and we may fail to appreciate each other at times. Now that you’re married you have other more important things to worry about, children, finances, the roof over your head, paying bills and putting food on the table.

Life becomes a routine and the lust begins to fade away for each other. Sure you still love each other, but it’s not the exciting love and appreciation that you shared for each other during your first encounters or your honeymoon. Many marriages that eventually break down have been slowly going downhill for quite sometime, before any spouse even attempts to find ways to save a marriage.

The problem is that marriage for some seems to give them the right to do what they want. They think that now that the chase is over and they’ve found a mate for life, they can finally relax and do what they want.

Statistically a higher percentage of married men and women are overweight than non married couples. It’s true, even I’m guilty of putting on a few pounds! We’re no longer chasing or trying to impress the opposite ***. It’s common for married couples to look a little scruffy and unkempt after all there’s no need to go through all the hassle of trying to look fit and good anymore, there’s no one to impress.

You might think that it’s harmless for you to gain a few pounds or to let you hair grow out but it’s not. Just because the chase is over, it shouldn’t mean that you can just let yourself go completely. After all wouldn’t you much prefer if your spouse continued looking the way they did before marriage? However this is still only a minor problem compared to the real issue. The real issue is that often spouses not only let themselves go, they let go of the relationship. By that I mean they stop doing the things they used to do, such as being romantic and affectionate and even saying those all important words ‘I love you.’

Often a spouse will fail to see the signs that the marriage is going under and when they should be looking for ways to save a marriage, they continue to neglect and ignore their partner. This can often leave a spouse dissatisfied and either their eyes begin to wonder or they want to break up. It’s not uncommon for spouses to consider having an affair when the romance, fun and love have gone from their marriage.

Married couples need to realize that marriage isn’t the end of the race it’s the beginning of a new life. The ‘finish line’ is hinted in the wedding vows ‘till death do us apart’.’ Marriage is not a time to become complacent; it’s a chance to build a solid foundation for the relationship.

It’s not uncommon to find people changing to save a marriage. It’s never too late to do something to repair a marriage in trouble. Those that try and seek the right guidance can succeed.

It’s as important to find ways to save a marriage as it is important to find ways to build back up a relationship. Once a marriage is saved it’s important to know how to bring back the romance and passion, and to start appreciating each other again.



By: Philip Tsang

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Is your marriage going through a rough patch these days? Are you sensing serious trouble looming in the horizon? Do you think a divorce will soon be in the works? Fear not! This is the article that will make you learn how to save a failing marriage instantly!

In recent years, marriage has taken on a liberal meaning. Some couples don’t go to a priest or a judge to have rites of marriage performed over them - they simply live together as husband and wife. Some couples are not even composed of a husband and a wife in the traditional, conservative sense. In its simplest sense, marriage is a union between two people who promise to love each other no matter what until the end of time. As you may have learned over years of married life, the elements of marriage are not exactly easy to deal it. For example, the term “union between two people” can feel like a bore and a task, especially with the short attention span and polygamous nature of human beings. The term “love each other no matter what” can prove hard, especially with the imperfectness that comes with being human. Finally, the term “until the end of time” can feel impossible, especially with how difficult things have been lately. Making a marriage work takes hard work; finding out how to save a failing marriage takes double the effort.

If you know you’re marriage is failing, you need to ask yourself whether or not you want to fix things and save your relationship. Sometimes, divorce can be the best option, especially when there is no more love left in your and/or your partner’s heart. However, divorce is not the only option and it’s definitely out of the question if you and your partner still care about each other but are just stuck in a rut. The first and most important step you need to take on how to save a failing marriage is marriage counseling.

You may not want to admit this but one of the biggest reasons why you’re marriage is failing is lack of communication. Communication is an important ingredient in the success of any relationship. In marriage, communication is the rock upon which all things are built. If you and your spouse are no longer talking - whether you’re just skipping out on the serious issues or have stopped talking to and with each other completely - chances are, your marriage will fall apart sooner than you think. Marriage counseling promotes communication and gives you and your spouse a venue for discussing your marital problems. This is the reason why marriage counseling is usually short-term: couples need only one session to get things started and work out their troubles on their own from there. Experts who write articles and publish books on how to save a failing marriage always recommend marriage counseling as a significant part of the road to recovery and healing.

It doesn’t stop at marriage counseling. If you really want to know how to save a failing marriage, you must be determined to make your relationship last. Major factors that determine a marriage’s happy longevity include mutual respect, trust, faithfulness, commitment, and, above all, love.



By: Kelly Purden

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All over the world, there are so many attitudes towards marriage. According to a poll by Gallup international, almost half of young unmarried Americans between the ages of 20 to 29 are ready to have marriage abolished. With the recent statistics on marriage and divorce, you can not blame them. Many agree that marriage should only be for people who are ready to spend the rest of their lives together. Attitudes towards marriage are influenced by many factors in society. For example, the divorce rate and so on. Culture also affects attitudes towards marriage. In countries where this union is cherished, more and more people will be of the sentiment that marriage is a good institution and should live on. Religion also plays a major role in influencing these attitudes. Christians, Muslims, Hindus and others cherish the marriage institution. For this reason, marriage to many of them will be a good thing for every member of society. Those people who have bad attitudes towards marriage are mainly concerned about longevity of marriage.

They fear that it will not be as stable as they would want it to be. Others are against marriage because they deem it as an old concept that is no longer workable in today’s complex world. People come with different opinions and, they will never agree. Therefore, it is wise to consider what marriage entails and, what the benefits and losses for marriage are. First, people who get married find a partner or a companion. You do not have to go through life alone. For this reason, statistics have shown that people who get married live longer than their counterparts who do not. Life was built for people who are in communion with each other. We are social beings and we all have the yearning to be close to people in an intimate way. Therefore, this is a good enough reason to cherish the marriage institution. Children who have grown up in a marriage situation are healthier and perform better in school and life in general. This is because they have the experience of being raised by a man and a woman.

For this reason, marriages bring up children in a wholesome way which manages to raise good men and women in society. This shows that the institution is full of merits. Marriage entitles couples to a host of legal benefits. In the United States couples enjoy 1,400 legal rights and benefits upon signing their marriage certificate. On the down side, marriage comes with very many implications. Let us begin with legal issues. If you have assets or property, you spouse becomes entitled to half of what you have upon marriage. This creates a loop hole where people can get married to you for this reason alone. Since half of all marriages are ending in divorce, a lot of legal tussle is involved. So much time and money is spent on legal aspects. Upon divorce or separation couples will suffer some trauma not forgetting the children. Their attitude in life might be altered and many never fully recover. Marriage is supposed to be for life but, many never live up to their vows. The above concerns are genuine and marriage can prove to be complex.



By: Francis Githinji

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It is a brave step to take a dating relationship to marriage level. I call it brave because failing marriages are all around us. They discourage potential couples to tie the knot in the fear that theirs is not a special case. I have seen it becoming news in the media when a couple is proud enough to name their marriage successful. A marriage that succeeds is featured in many magazines and admired by many. This is done in the hope that theirs can be a good example to all the deteriorating marriages. A marriage that is successful easily gains honor and admiration from the society. What is the big secret behind a marriage that succeeds?

It is advisable to observe the little things that might ruin your marriage. A marriage that succeeds offers a lifetime celebration of the couple’s love. A marriage that succeedshas sex as its number one priority. Lack of sex in marriage is a great threat. A sexless marriage is an indication that all is not well. As much as couples would like to argue that it is not all about sex, i strongly disagree. You might be very good friends in other areas but the unsaid truth is, one of you or both of you are being selfish. When your partner starts sexual advances, for marriage’s sake please do not turn him/her down. You might not be feeling like it but the best thing is when you are fully involved you will share the pleasure. That is not bad after all. If you are just housemates, it shows that your marriage is passionless and in the verge of breaking down. Let the problem be the other issue but not sex.

Your marriage partner should be your companion through life. When you got married, you each came from different families to form your own independent setting. It is so annoying to see a partner spending too much time with his/her family. Do not let your parents or siblings rule your marriage. This will ruin your marriage to irreparable levels. A marriage that succeeds is keen not to involve third parties into their marriage institution. Too many cooks spoil the broth. Pressure from the two family sides will always be there but how do you handle it? Let them love you but do not let them dictate your marriage life.

Money is the mother of all evils. How i wish our ancestors maintained the batter trade deals. A marriage that succeeds is careful on financial matters. It is good manners to consult your partner on investments and purchases. It would be rude to just appear one evening with a car if it is not her surprise present. Discuss your budget together and let your marriage look like the union it is. There is nothing fulfilling like feeling wanted, valued and respected. It takes marriage to the next level and encourages combined effort. Support each other financially to uplift the family status. When only one partner provides while the other one either misuses or fails to appreciate, it becomes the root of a marriage problem. Both partners should learn to be interdependent to create a marriage that succeeds.



By: FRANCIS K GITHINJI

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