Opinion/Entertainment/Pop Culture

By Summer Lane

Photo: Deposit, Editorial Use Only

Over the fall, news broke that Jonas Brother heartthrob Joe Jones and his wife, actress Sophie Turner, were getting a divorce. Of course, celebrities get divorced all the time and nobody blinks an eye – but that’s the problem. The media has glorified serial dating for years, which has inevitably turned into the glorification of serial marriage and throwaway, empty vows.

Let me pause here and say that there are a few good Biblical reasons for divorce (adultery/sexual immorality, abandonment), but even so, divorce is a horrible thing, a painful thing, and something that God says he “hates” in Scripture (Malachi 2:16).

In the recent example of the Jonas-Turner split, I was initially disgusted by social media’s reaction (and the media’s reaction), which glorified the divorce and celebrated Turner’s newly found “freedom.”

Jonas and Turner share two young children together, which makes the divorce even more sad. No matter why the divorce took place, it’s always a terrible thing when a marriage ends, and it’s difficult for children to deal with.

It reminded me of how toxic our media is – marriage can be such a wonderful thing (as anyone who is married knows – a good marriage takes work, self-sacrifice, and true love), and it’s not something to be abandoned or thrown away when the going gets tough! I’m not saying that this is what happened with the celebrity marriage in question, but it does pose some questions for all of us to consider.

Why do celebrities get divorced so often? And, after divorcing, why do they seem to rapidly move on to the next relationship (as both Turner and Jonas reportedly have)? Serial relationships don’t help a wounded heart heal, nor does it do any good for children who are already confused. It also brings into question how deep the love or the attachment was to the previous relationship. “Well, it’s sad to leave you, but I’ll just replace you as soon as I can,” it seems to say. It’s hurtful for both parties – inwardly and outwardly.

The flippant attitude that our culture has toward the institution of marriage is a broken thing. In Matthew 19:6 Jesus reminds us: “So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Propagating and celebrating a divorce is a horrible thing. It should never happen. It should never be glamorized. It represents brokenness and sadness and shattered promises. God values the bond between a man and a wife, and to break such a sacred thing is a tragedy indeed. It also has lifelong ramifications and potential trauma for any children who may be involved.

We cannot allow our children to absorb the culture’s attitude about marriage – it will simply set them up for the same cycle of broken and unfulfilling relationships. Marriage is great, yes! But some people are also called to singleness, and that is a blessing, too! (1 Corinthians 7 talks about this issue specifically)

Let’s be countercultural in our approach to marriage. We should celebrate godly unions and we should appropriately mourn divorce when we hear about it.

***

The opinions in this article are specific to its author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the entire Counter Culture Mom team. This specific article was written by Summer Lane, and may not be reproduced, except to quote for reviews or interviews, without the express permission of the author. 

*

Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of 30 books, including the hit Collapse Series and Resurrection Series. She is an experienced journalist and columnist who reports on news within the U.S. and abroad. She is the Associate Editor for Right Side Broadcasting Network. Additionally, she analyzes politics and policies on The Write Revolution.

Summer is also a mom and wife who enjoys rural country living, herding cats, and gardening. She is passionate about writing about women’s issues, parenting, and politics from a theologically-grounded perspective that points readers to the good news of the gospel.

Download Our New Counter Culture Mom App to get our trending news and pop culture alert notifications. Connect with other parents in the Parent Chat section to gain helpful ideas on how to counteract the Pop Culture Cult!

Be sure to contact us if there is an issue you would like to have us write about! Our mission is to help parents deal with today’s lifestyle trends and how to biblically navigate them.