CI: ‘Difficulties are not a reason to give up on marriage’

The Christian Institute has said that difficulties are not a reason to give up on marriage, following a rise in online searches for divorce guidance.

Speaking to Premier Christian Radio, The Christian Institute’s Deputy Director for Communications Ciarán Kelly urged Christians to hold on to the importance of marriage in the face of it being attacked and devalued by society.

The Citizens Advice Bureau revealed that there was a more than 20 per cent increase in the number of searches for “divorce” on its website during the first weekend of September in comparison to the same time last year.

Watered down

Mr Kelly criticised the Government’s redefinition of marriage “away from one man and one woman”, changes making divorce “massively easier”, and the Law Commission’s controversial proposals to water down wedding ceremonies.

He said: “The message is that marriage somehow isn’t the wonderful, beautiful, valuable institution that it is.”

“Difficulties aren’t a reason to give up on marriage. Particularly as Christians that’s something we need to hold very tightly on to and not believe the way marriage is presented by a secular world.”

Hot air balloons

Earlier this month, The Law Commission was accused of trivialising marriage in its proposals to ‘modernise’ the institution.

The independent body said couples should be allowed to marry wherever they like, as long as it is “safe and dignified”, but put forward pubs, hot air balloons, rivers and lakes as suitable locations for weddings to take place.

It also recommended dispensing with the requirement for certain ‘prescribed’ words to be said and instead allow couples to say any words that express consent.