Bible-believing Christians have known all along the importance of the family unit in a strong society. It was
God Who established the first “marriage” and blessed it with children.
As we have gotten away from biblical guidelines and allowed all sorts of temptations to creep into our world,
the family and society have both suffered.
Several recent reports have hinted that people are beginning to look again at the value of strong parenting
and strong families.
1. A Census Bureau survey from 2004 showed that parents are taking a more active role in raising their
children than they did just a decade ago. Parents are more likely to limit TV watching, more likely to spend
quality time with their kids such as reading to the younger ones, and are setting higher expectations for
doing well in school.
2. Another report focused on comments at a Harvard University conference made by Karl Zinsmeister,
President Bush’s chief domestic policy adviser. Zinsmeister said many of the nation’s social problems are
rooted in the breakdown of the American family. He said the greatest single factor in whether a young
person was happy or not was whether or not both parents were in attendance at home.
3. Expressing similar comments was Brad Wilson, a University of Virginia sociologist who has spoken out
strongly against cohabitation and the increased risk of abuse to children when both biological parents are
not present.
Studies have shown children in homes with unrelated adults are 50 times as likely to die of inflicted injuries;
children living with stepparents or single parents face a higher risk of physical or sexual assault; and girls
whose parents divorce are at a much greater risk of sexual assault.
God sometimes decides that some individuals are not meant to live in a traditional family unit, such as
when
a parent dies or a person has not yet found a suitable mate. Yet, everyone can and should work to
strengthen the family as a foundation of a healthy society.
Best of all, of course, would be Christian families showing the love of Christ in their lives. Faith in the
Savior can help greatly, even in fragmented families. LSI
—Warren Krug, editor
God Who established the first “marriage” and blessed it with children.
As we have gotten away from biblical guidelines and allowed all sorts of temptations to creep into our world,
the family and society have both suffered.
Several recent reports have hinted that people are beginning to look again at the value of strong parenting
and strong families.
1. A Census Bureau survey from 2004 showed that parents are taking a more active role in raising their
children than they did just a decade ago. Parents are more likely to limit TV watching, more likely to spend
quality time with their kids such as reading to the younger ones, and are setting higher expectations for
doing well in school.
2. Another report focused on comments at a Harvard University conference made by Karl Zinsmeister,
President Bush’s chief domestic policy adviser. Zinsmeister said many of the nation’s social problems are
rooted in the breakdown of the American family. He said the greatest single factor in whether a young
person was happy or not was whether or not both parents were in attendance at home.
3. Expressing similar comments was Brad Wilson, a University of Virginia sociologist who has spoken out
strongly against cohabitation and the increased risk of abuse to children when both biological parents are
not present.
Studies have shown children in homes with unrelated adults are 50 times as likely to die of inflicted injuries;
children living with stepparents or single parents face a higher risk of physical or sexual assault; and girls
whose parents divorce are at a much greater risk of sexual assault.
God sometimes decides that some individuals are not meant to live in a traditional family unit, such as
when
a parent dies or a person has not yet found a suitable mate. Yet, everyone can and should work to
strengthen the family as a foundation of a healthy society.
Best of all, of course, would be Christian families showing the love of Christ in their lives. Faith in the
Savior can help greatly, even in fragmented families. LSI
—Warren Krug, editor
| The Family -- The Basis for a Healthy Society by Warren Krug January/February, 2008 |