A mathematician and a psychologist have devised a 94% reliable method for predicting whether couples will divorce.
[...] the couple's ability to communicate was marked using a scale that gave positive points for good signals and negative points for bad signals.Rolling of the eyes, criticism, mocking, and coldness? Uh-oh: going by what's in this blog, I don't think I have any other modes of communication!For example, jokes, a positive tone of voice, smiles and affectionate gestures all resulted in positive scores. Bad signals such as rolling of the eyes, criticism, mocking and coldness led to a negative score.
I'll take the Janet Smith test which states if a couple doesn't use birth control and didn't have pre-maritial sex, the chances of staying together are 98%.
Though I add RC's relationship to his readers to my prayer list I have to say that getting engaged or about-to-get-engaged couples to take USE any tool toher than 'but we luv each other' to evaluate their future is a damn good thing. But then I not only oppose homosexual marriages but many heterosexual ones.
I found out recently that in the Eastern churches* the PRIEST is the minister of the sacrament of marriage, not the couple, so they don't have this problem that the Roman Church has with recognizing civil marriages.
*by the way, I'm not sure if this includes the canon law of the Eastern Rite churches.