Thursday, September 20, 2007

The Seven Year Marriage

For better, for worse, in sickness and in health, for the next seven years. Doesn't quite sound right? Well, one Bavarian politician thinks that is how marriage should be.

From News 24:


Bavaria's most glamorous politician -- a flame-haired motorcyclist who helped bring down state premier Edmund Stoiber -- has shocked the Catholic state in Germany by suggesting marriage should last just 7 years.

Gabriele Pauli, who poses on her web site in motorcyle leathers, is standing for the leadership of Bavaria's Christian Social Union (CSU) -- sister party of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) -- in a vote next week.

She told reporters at the launch of her campaign manifesto Wednesday she wanted marriage to expire after seven years and accused the CSU, which promotes traditional family values, of nurturing ideals of marriage which are wide of the mark.

"The basic approach is wrong ... many marriages last just because people believe they are safe," she told reporters. "My suggestion is that marriages expire after seven years."

After that time, couples should either agree to extend their marriage or it should be automatically dissolved, she said.

Fifty-year-old Pauli, twice divorced, is a maverick intent on shaking up her male-dominated and mainly Catholic party which has dominated Bavarian politics since World War Two.

"This is about bringing ideas into the CSU and starting a discussion," she told German television Thursday after she had unleashed a wave of criticism from other politicians.

Former foe Stoiber said she did not belong in the CSU and European lawmaker Ingo Freidrich dismissed her views.

"She is diametrically contradicting our Christian, ethical values," Freidrich said.

Peter Ramsauer, head of the CSU in Germany's parliament, compared Pauli's ideas to "the dirt under your fingernails."

3 comments:

Fr.Dennis said...

I fear that when you remove the sacramental nature of marriage, this is part of what happens. Marriage isn't something given to us by God, it's "man made". So, marry someone of your same sex. Marry a group of people if you are attracted to both sexes. You define marriage.

Thank goodness it sounds like the Germans might not stand for this.

DominiSumus said...

I agree. It's a scary thought.

Anonymous said...

Till death do us part? I agree with fr.dennis--marriage is a Sacrament--a gift--given to us by God--it is not man-made. God knows what we need and it's not divorce or termination of a relationship after seven years--what a nut case.