Ruth Institute Blog

I am pleased to see that the community of natural marriage defenders is taking notice of kids in gay households:

Dear Gay Community: Your Kids Are Hurting

Wonderful! But what if I told you that it’s only a start?

Consider this: kids in gay households are often there due to a prior divorce and later remarriage, or a prior divorce and later cohabitation. These structural issues are not being adequately addressed within the larger context of same-sex marriage, and this has created a logical gap in our arguments.

Filling this gap is our opportunity to reach the younger generation.

Largely, the younger generation favors same-sex marriage. But if we addressed the family structure problems first created by heterosexuals, this may help us persuade the younger generation:

• that we care about their family structure inequalities and the pain caused by them
• that gay marriage adds to the structural inequalities children face
• that we are being fair in our assessments–we’re targeting all adults who are the impetus of structural inequalities for children under their care.

Here is why I am hopeful about this line of thought. The author of the above post retracted her support of same-sex marriage because she realized something important: Read more…

by Betsy Kerekes, Ruth Institute editor, co-author with Dr. Morse of (Ave Maria Press 2013, Pauline Publications India 2014) and the blog Parentingisfunny.wordpress.com.

This article was first published at Mercatornet.com.

Marital satisfaction tends to take a dip once that first baby comes home from the hospital (or out of the bathtub, birthing center, etc.). This shouldn’t be surprising to anyone. Let’s face it, kids, particularly newborns, are difficult. Anyone who says otherwise is either lying, or a grandparent. But you can maintain a happy marriage despite the strains and difficulties on your new life as parents. Here are ten tips for a happier marriage—with children.

1. Remember that love is a decision, not a feeling.

It’s impossible to keep warm fuzzy feelings for your spouse constantly, especially when you have children taking up so much of your time and energy. Just remember that your relationship with your spouse comes first. Period. If you want the best for your children, and who doesn’t, the success of your marriage is paramount. A google search will render you a dozen different studies all saying the same things about the negative effects of a broken marriage on children. If you want your kids to be happy, keep your spouse happy. Be happy together.

2. Don’t let Robin rule the roost. Read more…

As somebody who was raised in multiple divorce/remarriage situations, the phrase “blended family” has always reminded me of a blender.  Yes, a literal blender, like this:

by Samantha Schroeder, a Ruth Institute “It Takes a Family” 2012 conference attendee

This article was first published at ethikapolitika.org on October 9, 2014.

Why is it that we continue to refer to “marrying up” in predominantly socioeconomic terms, as if we’ve just signed a contract for a kitchen renovation instead of a nuptial covenant between two loving persons?

The oft-discussed idea of “marrying up” pervades online journalism, from a New York Times piece by Stephanie Coontz, “The M.R.S. and the Ph.D.” to Kate Bolic’s piece in The Atlantic about the “radically shrinking pool of what are traditionally considered to be ‘marriageable’ men—those who are better educated and earn more than [women] do.” The ideas expressed Coontz’s article—that the material concerns of intellectual and fiscal prosperity trump all others—reminded me of a comment that my mom and my grandmother made of my last college boyfriend: “You can do better, you know that, right?” Read more…

by Jennifer Roback Morse, Ph.D.

Why should we stand for the family, or for marriage, or for any of the cultrually conservative issues?

The Judicial Elites have handed down a disastrous series of Federal Court decisions, solidifying governmental commitment to the ideology of the Sexual Revolution. The Entertainment Elites seem to celebrate every family form, except the natural family of a loving father and mother faithful to one another and raising their own children together. The Media Elites continue their shameless manipulation of public opinion. The Economic Elites pour money into political campaigns and propaganda campaigns designed to prop up the structure of the Sexual Revolution. Academic Elites continue their behind-the-scenes scribbling, advocating for recreating marriage, the family and even the human body, in their own image. Read more…

BY NICOLE M. KING

The News Story – How to save marriage in America

Given that contemporary society seems to be ridding itself of “traditional,” breadwinner / homemaker, marriages, we might think that cohabitation, childless marriages, and career-centred bachelor lives have assumed that place. However, a recent article in The Atlantic indicates that “child-focused” marriages have replaced more traditional marriages. Despite their egalitarian nature – as seen by the shared tasks of domestic work and paid employment – the fact that modern marriages seem to be centred on children may be a hopeful sign for continuation of the natural family. Read more…

BY NICOLE M. KING

The News Story – The hidden marriage penalty in Obamacare

While intending to provide universal healthcare coverage to all Americans, Obamacare may have unexpected penalties, making it harder for some to obtain health insurance. In particular, married couples at the middle and lower end of the income scale might have to pay more than their unmarried counterparts, when it comes to purchasing health insurance. Read more…

by Matt Archbold

Posted on Creative Minority Report on June 5, 2014.

I read 101 Tips for a Happier Marriage: Simple Ways for Couples to Grow Closer to God and to Each Other (Ave Maria Press), by Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse and Betsy Kerekes.

I posted something about this on Facebook a while ago but now I’m telling you. It’s not a book that works to defend marriage as an institution. It’s a book to help you make your marriage happier. Read more…

BY NICOLE M. KING

The News Story – Divorce law overhaul: is there really any point to marriage anymore?

Recent suggested changes in Britain’s divorce legislation have one Telegraph writer pondering why we would ever bother getting married in the first place. Read more…

by Dave Jolly

Stanford University is a very well-known and highly respected University.  Their academic standards are higher than most universities.  The school is also known for trying to be a diverse campus that is open to many differing ideologies, however, that reputation is becoming rather tarnished.

In her freshman year at Stanford, Judy Romea found the campus group known as the Stanford Anscombe Society, named after Elizabeth Anscombe, a British philosopher.  According to their website: Read more…