What Gene Robinson's Divorce Teaches Us About Marriage

[hrmjustin]

Rev. Susan Russell

There is always sadness in the news that a marriage has ended in divorce. Whatever the circumstances, a divorce marks the death of the dream of happily-ever-after and the end of a relationship that was entered into with hope, joy and the intention that it be until-death-do-us-part.

Ironically, news of the impending divorce of Bishop Gene Robinson and his husband Mark Andrew "went public" while my fiancé and I were shopping for rings for our June wedding. And I found myself dealing not only with my own sadness for a couple I know and love, but with reporters calling for comment. Here are some of the questions I got:

1. Does Gene and Mark's divorce "undermine the case for marriage equality?"

No. On the contrary, I think it strengthens it. I think it helps make the point those of us advocating for marriage equality for same-sex couples have been making for many years. And that is simply that our marriages are equal. They are equally blessed and equally challenging. They are equally full of joy and equally full of disappointment. We equally love and cherish each other and we equally hurt and misunderstand each other. And, when a marriage fails, we are equally sad, scared and heartbroken. Just as the values that make up a marriage transcend the gender of the couple in the marriage, so do the challenges. And because all of our marriages are

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-susan-russell/what-gene-robinsons-divor_b_5268658.html?utm_hp_ref=religion

[stone space]

1. Marriage ends in one of two ways, death or divorce.

I escaped with my life once, but my current case appears terminal.

[hrmjustin]

2. Welcome to the interfaith room.

Personal I was never married nor do I desire to be married.

When I heard of Gene's divorce I was heartbroken.

[stone space]

7. I've been married for most of my life.

And my own personal divorce rate of 50% probably mirrors the national average fairly accurately.

I've seen people point to the divorce rate on occasion to argue that marriage an institution is failing.

But I think this is a faulty argument. I know people who have been divorced and remarried 3 or 4 times. The fact that people keep trying points to the strength of the institution, not the weakness. If marriage were failing, folks would be giving up after the first attempt.

[hrmjustin]

4. Library girl strikes again.

[uppityperson]

5. She is something.

[hrmjustin]

6. She doesn't like me.

[cbayer]

8. This breaks my heart and his article about it is enlightening, but so very sad.

But humans are humans and marriages don't always work out.

I think that many of the pressures in this marriage were due to the backlash against them, which would place them at even higher risk.

But my sadness for them has nothing to do with them being in a same sex-marriage. I simply adore Gene Robinson and feel very sad for him and his husband.

[hrmjustin]

9. I agree.

I met both men and you could always see on both that there was a stress on them.

[cbayer]

10. Death threats just for being married. I can't even imagine it.

There are some couples that are so very strong, but there is only so much a relationship can take when you are in the public sphere.

[hrmjustin]

11. yes it really depends on the people as to whether a marriage can survive because of publicity.