Cohabiting is not the same as commitment. I’ve heard of similar studies, but this one does a good job of discussing possible causes as to why moving from cohabitation to marriage often ends in divorce.
I think that there a lot of other factors playing into this study that are ignored…when a couple decides to live together they are usually more liberal than others..who believe it is religiously or morally right to wait until you are married. A couples’ liberal outlook will probably view divorce as an option, more so than staying together for the religious bond, or pressure from conservative family members.
cohabitation and divorce are probably more indirectly related than directly…just my opinion :)
Christy – That’s a very good point and I think that plays a part. On the other hand, there are a lot of very conservative people who still get divorced. Utah has a very high concentration of conservatives and yet the divorce rate is nearly identical to the national average.
I think that commitment is the key. If you have a commitment then you would wait for marriage rather than letting yourself fall into the trap of security that cohabitation provides. It is almost the same way with domestic partners. Cohabitation and no marriage.
The real issue is not living together, if we are speaking of morals, it is having pre-marital sex. Everyone assumes that anyone living together is having sex when some people actaully do not have sex but live together for financial or time convienences. Yes, that is probably rare cases but it still happens. My question to everyone is this: Do you think it is a sin for a man and woman to live together if they are only friends? In this day and age of lesbianism, or bi-sexuality, would you say it is the same for two women to live together if they are simply friends: after all, someone may think there is more going on… Plenty of couples have sex before marriage and do not live together… isn’t that actually more imoral than living together and NOT having sex.
I think that there a lot of other factors playing into this study that are ignored…when a couple decides to live together they are usually more liberal than others..who believe it is religiously or morally right to wait until you are married. A couples’ liberal outlook will probably view divorce as an option, more so than staying together for the religious bond, or pressure from conservative family members.
cohabitation and divorce are probably more indirectly related than directly…just my opinion :)
Christy – That’s a very good point and I think that plays a part. On the other hand, there are a lot of very conservative people who still get divorced. Utah has a very high concentration of conservatives and yet the divorce rate is nearly identical to the national average.
I think that commitment is the key. If you have a commitment then you would wait for marriage rather than letting yourself fall into the trap of security that cohabitation provides. It is almost the same way with domestic partners. Cohabitation and no marriage.
The real issue is not living together, if we are speaking of morals, it is having pre-marital sex. Everyone assumes that anyone living together is having sex when some people actaully do not have sex but live together for financial or time convienences. Yes, that is probably rare cases but it still happens. My question to everyone is this: Do you think it is a sin for a man and woman to live together if they are only friends? In this day and age of lesbianism, or bi-sexuality, would you say it is the same for two women to live together if they are simply friends: after all, someone may think there is more going on… Plenty of couples have sex before marriage and do not live together… isn’t that actually more imoral than living together and NOT having sex.
Something to think about…
All comments welcome!