On the 11 Sept 2017, the ABC program, Q&A, discussed the concept of marriage. From this discussion some ‘interesting’ statements were made by Merav Michaeli.
“Marriage has nothing to do with love but is a tool created to dominate women, and not something that should be sustained”.
“The core family is the least safe place for children”.
While I appreciate that these statements were made partially as a response to domestic violence, I do not think that the fault is with marriage. The fault, as always, lies with sin and its corruption of all things good.
The Bible teaches us that marriage was created by God and that functional marriages reflect the very image of God (Gen 1:26-27). The Bible also tells us that marriage has everything to do with love.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy… (Ephes 5:25)
God calls men to love their wives as Jesus loved us. Any man who does not give himself up for his wife’s holiness is a second rate husband and must repent. Self-centredness makes men behave like boys and this behaviour robs their wives of a resource, and their children of a role model.
Men are also called to use their strength to protect and honour their wives (1 Peter 3:7). This passage gives a warning to abusive men; your prayers will not be heard till you change! Domination has no place in a Christian marriage.
Marriage is a good thing while it keeps the shape given to it by its good creator.
Denis Oliver