Does The Fact That 60% Of Births In Northern Ireland Are To Unmarried Mothers Suggest That We Are...

[sandyRoe]

...'swinging towards a promiscuous society'?
They're the words of a Free Presbyterian minister, Rev David McIlveen, who is a dour and stolid man who likely used 'swinging' here with no sense of irony.

"Overall, these figures are very sad, and reflect that we are swinging towards a promiscuous society," said Rev McIlveen.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/six-in-ten-northern-ireland-babies-are-now-born-outside-wedlock-31550726.html

[sp1814]

RATTER15

I was about to counter your point, but at the last moment, I understood. You're correct.

[ummmm]

It's a stereotype. I was a young teenage mother and have never lived in social housing.

The thought of getting pregnant and committing at least 18 years of your life to that child, to get a council house, is ridiculous in my mind.

[Old_Geezer]

Marriage is irrelevant so such a stat is only harking back to old ethics. A good family situation for the child to grow in, is more important.

[douglas9401]

Is there a town called Wedlock in NI and if there is, are the residents so busy being earnest and right on that they never see the gag?

[ummmm]

I only found out last week that there's a street called Muff Crescent in the town of Nobber in the south...made me chuckle :-)

[sandyRoe]

The Rev McIlveen is tireless in seeking out sin. If there was a townland of Wedlock here he'd he whipping sinners there to formalise their relationships.
He also does a nifty line in picketing blasphemous shows in local theatres. There's not a production of Joseph and his dreamcoat that doesn't see him outside the Opera House denouncing all and sundry and promising eternal damnation.

[ludwig]

It's erroneous (and typical of antiquated religion based viewpoint) to equate a decline in marriage with a rise in promiscuity. You can be unmarried in a stable monogamous relationship, or unmarried, not in a relationship but just not promiscuous.

Marriage is increasingly being seen as an outdated and unecessary institution, that's all.

[mikey4444]

I seem to meet more unmarried familes than married these days !

Living over the brush, as my old Mum would have said.

[andy-hughes]

mikey - //Living over the brush, as my old Mum would have said.//

Now there's a phrase you don't hear very often these days!