Let's just take it back...

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate. Matthew 19:4-6

Now for the matters you wrote about: it is good for a man not to marry. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 1 Corinthians 7:1

In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5: 28-33

God has set the standard and the pattern for marriage: one man and one woman. Through that union He chooses to extend great blessings. If we honor and preserve the model presented by God, then it follows that we will receive the blessing of committed love, faithfulness, support, children, grandchildren, and healthy relationships.

But there are those who don't agree. There are those that want to go their own way and do their own thing. And CNN really likes those sort of people and gives them a great deal of publicity.

Take this article for example that suggests that monogamy is unnatural for our species. You should know that the author of this article, Christopher Ryan, approaches marriage from the standpoint of an atheist. He rejects an idea of a Creator. He steps in and declares his own rules. And he does so in a perfectly tasteless way. But when you reject standards and rules point blank, and insist on doing things your own way, you can't really expect beauty. You've eradicated it on point of pride and arrogance.

I did agree with him on one point though. He said this:

Thus, couples are led to believe that waning sexual passion in enduring marriages or sexual interest in anyone but their partner portend a failed relationship, when in reality these things often signify nothing more than that we are Homo sapiens.

I do agree. Failed relationships do come about because we are humans and we have fallen short of the glory of God and are sinners. Sin destroys. God restores. BUT for God coming and sending His son to die on the cross for our sins, we would be subject to unfulfilled and broken relationships.

Ryan wants society to think of marriage as being in bondage.

Unfortunately for him and others like him, that is not how God views marriage. It isn't so broken and decrepit and "limiting" as all that. Marriage is the most freeing type of relationship, designed perfectly by God but spoiled by sin. However, if you taken that brokenness to the cross you may be surprised. There is healing there. There is freedom. There is restoration at the foot of the cross.

And yes it is possible to be perfectly satisfied in a monogamous relationship.

I think articles like this should make Christians sit up and take notice. The longer we're quiet and let people like Ryan do the talking, the faster other people will accept his position as fact. More unfortunately, the faster we too will accept it as fact. I don't want Christopher Ryan's opinion to be considered normal. Because it isn't.

Despite the fact that the article is tasteless (especially towards the end) I do feel like Christians ought to read it and be aware of what is being said. For the sake of our own marriages, and for our children also, we should go 'back to the basics' of scripture and see what it has to say about marriage. Once there we discover the beautiful union that God arranged. It was designed with purpose and intent. If we, as Christians, truly believe that the Creator knew best, then we should not only stand up and say so - but we should live so. Your marriage relationship is the most important in your life and the most valuable. My marriage relationship is the most important in my life - and also the most valuable. So let's live that, shall we? And when we live it - society will see it and will know that it is good. But not because we said so.