The Marriage Movement
The Marriage Movement has its own manifesto.
A large number of people from all walks of life and from different professions and faiths, have come together calling for a national commitment to marriage.
They have issued a 35 page document, The Marriage Movement: A Statement of Principles. It was first presented in June 2000 at the Denver conference of the Coalition for marriage, Family and Couples Education (CMFCE). A supporter of the movement is Governor Keating of Oklahoma who is working to honor marriage and reduce divorce in his state. Some of the suggestions mentioned in the marriage manifesto include:
It does have its critics and skeptics though, including Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura who vetoed legislation that would have reduced marriage license fees for those taking pre-marriage counseling citing unnecessary government intervention. The Alternatives to Marriage Project has issued a document in response to the Marriage Movement paper, entitled Affirmation of Family Diversity.
Others who have voiced a concern about the movement include the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. They have stated "The AAMFT represents individual marriage and family therapists who have a range of views on the marriage movement. The AAMFT Executive Director has made the point that marriage and divorce are complicated social phenomenon and some of the approaches being touted by the "marriage movement" may not sufficiently deal with these complexities."
Some other concerns about the movement include:
You can lend your support to either document by going to their websites. Join us on the marriage forum to express your opinions about these two views of marriage.
