when is divorce acceptable?
It was just sad seeing that guy in his car with his family answering media questions. Anyway, back to the question. To sum up, there is general agreement among evangelicals that apart from the death of a mate, the New Testament gives only two situations in which a marriage can be terminated with the right to remarry: illicit sexual activity, and abandonment by an unbelieving mate. There are no other rightful grounds. Although it may be necessary in some other situations for a Christian to separate from or divorce his or her mate, Scripture requires him or her to remain unmarried until reconciled.
She already said that she forgave him, and that her family is now no better than anyone else’s. They are now a model family.
She needs to get an HIV test, ASAP. Then we’ll see…
She needs to get an HIV test, ASAP. Then we’ll see…
Why? Haggart only got a massage from the guy. Of course, they were both naked and one was massaging the other’s member in a very questionable manner…
You’re right…I’m sure he didn’t have sex with the guy, and he just bought the meth to "have’. I am guessing that the $$$ for the monthly sex and drug sessions came out of his congregations donations.
Mark 10:11–12: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
Luke 16:18: “Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.”
no exceptions mentioned
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Mattew 19:9 - “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
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Mattew 19:9 - “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
What? Contradictions? Shocking.
What? Contradictions? Shocking.
It’s not really a contradiction. Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience and in Jewish custom, a man and a woman were considered married even while engaged (term was betrothed). Any sexual immorality in this period would be a valid reason for divorce.
Clearly, the essence of Jesus teaching is that marriage not be taken lightly. Mark and Luke wrote their epistles separate from Matthew, and just because they did not quote every single word, in the same manner as Matthew does not prove a contradiction. The authors were writing to different audiences for different reasons and the main point of them is in agreement, divorce is nothing to take lightly.
I think instead of critiquing the bible for every minute detail, we would be better off getting the main substance of Jesus teaching.
What? Contradictions? Shocking.
I think instead of critiquing the bible for every minute detail, we would be better off getting the main substance of Jesus teaching.
Agreed (believe it or not). Isn’t that what Jefferson did?
What!? Moral relativism?!
I really think that even in this case, she would ne justified. Never having gone through this type of thing (thankfully), I can’t rightfully say what she should do.
But if this were my marriage, I would kick him to the curb. What could infidelity teach their kids? There is a time to be forgiving, and then there is a time to be realistic. Those concepts are not mutually exclusive.
Mike
What!? Moral relativism?!
Not really. I don’t think many people would equate the bible as being morally relative, it’s pretty clear in it’s meaning. You would be hard pressed to find many passages that for example, think divorce is acceptable if it makes you feel good. I think the idea of moral relativism is more apt to describe our society, not the language of the bible.
I’d already be at my laywers office! Come on, the dude is G-A-Y. That is not gonna change just because he’s been outed and she’s forgiven him! He’s always gonna be GAY. (Not that there is anything wrong with that!). What part about GAY does she not understand??? The guy has been in denial for 20 some-odd years. Some prayers to Jesus ain’t gonna change that, sister.
I’ll bet she suddenly understood why he was always wanting anal sex.
"Mark 10:11–12: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
Luke 16:18: “Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.”
…no exceptions mentioned"
I learned this in church*:
This was IN CONTEXT to the common custom for Jews (at that time) to divorce without provocation, simply because the husband didn’t want a wife anymore. The custom was simply to abandon the wife and say, “we are divorced” (or whatever the word in Aramaic for ‘we are not together anymore’). Since many girls were married off as chattel at age 12 or so, it may have been commonplace for a husband to decide at some point they didn’t want their wives.
(Don’t forget, Old Testament men often had several wives at once. King David was one of them. Casting off wives, stealing others’ wives, and just picking up new ones was pretty commonplace).
After the Jesus cult/followers came through, they decided to put some principles to many common Jewish customs. One of these principles was to hold the state of marraige in deeper respect; so they made the state of marriage about a stronger bond than the simple “I don’t want you anymore”. This also supported their own teachings about staying with the faith through tough seasons.
By forbidding divorce or remarraige, the apostles wanted to solve a social/societal issue of easily casting-off wives without notice, solution, or provocation. It was a specific decree to a specific culture who had a long history of disrespect to women/wives.
My opinion:
To anyone who has ever been in a bad marriage (with physical and/or emotional violence), he/she may have found that this ‘decree’ of ‘no divorce’ isn’t functional, and can sometimes cause more harm than good.
*no, I don’t have references but I can probably find them easily IF I had time.
To anyone who has ever been in a bad marriage (with physical and/or emotional violence), he/she may have found that this ‘decree’ of ‘no divorce’ isn’t functional, and can sometimes cause more harm than good.
Sorry, this kind of thinking doesn’t fly here in the LR with the Devout. See the “when is murder acceptable?” thread for an example of a situation that wouldn’t be an acceptable reason for divorce, but every reason in the world to get the hell out as soon as humanly possible.
If this were my marriage and my wife went out and had lesbian sex and a meth party…I’d be more pissed about not being invited than the fact that she did it.
~Matt
At least let me bring the camera…