Divorce: Morally Acceptable?
The Gallup’s 2008 Values and Beliefs survey has recently ranked the attitudes of modern Americans on the moral acceptability of 16 ethical issues. The most morally acceptable issue: Divorce, with 70% of those interviewed saying that it is morally acceptable. This represents an all-time high.
Before I comment on this number, let me note that this lofty (or lowly) ranking for divorce in terms of moral acceptability might not be entirely accurate. Divorce is not quite so cut and dried for evangelicals in that the Bible does provide moral grounds for divorce in certain situations. So, many evangelicals might feel that divorce is always a bad, unfortunate occurrence, but might not be immoral in itself. This would not be the case for other ethical issues evaluated (such as premarital sex). So, the number of evangelicals who think divorce is morally acceptable in this survey may be inflated. By the way, 55% of respondents for whom religion was very important felt divorce was morally acceptable (65% of Protestants and 75% of Roman Catholics).
Nonetheless, evangelicals have been often quick to point out the immorality of homosexual behavior and pre-marital sexual relations, but perhaps have failed to effectively assert the immorality of divorce. Certainly, the high number of divorces in contemporary American has created all sorts of private and public ills.
Perhaps, that 70% view divorce as morally acceptable is directly related to the fact that 91% view extramarital affairs as immoral. In fact, the New Testament indicatea that adultery is a morally acceptable ground for divorce.
The most concerning information to come from this survey is the trend in those who find divorce is morally acceptable. Since 2001, that number has gradually increased from 59% to the now record high of 70%. Those for whom religion is very important the increase has been from 47% to 55%; for Protestants 53-65%; for Roman Catholics 60-75%. This trend cannot be easily explained away by the fact that some of these feel there are morally acceptable bibical grounds for divorce.
So, while Christians must care for and support those who are injured by divorce (perhaps, the children most of all), we must do a better job of explaining the moral unacceptability of divorce.