Posted on 01/04/2005 12:24:26 PM PST by Keyes2000mt
The words were said countless thousands of times last year as a minister concluded the ceremony. "What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder." But so often man and woman do.
While gay marriage has been roundly condemned in most churches (and rightly so), you will not hear much about divorce. In many cases, if divorce is discussed in church, it's talked about as this horrible circumstance that comes upon people, listed in the same breath as automobile accidents or serious illnesses.
The Bible is quite clear on the issue of divorce. Malachi 2:16 says it clearly, "For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that He hateth putting away (i.e. Divorce)..." Hate's a strong word and Christ reiterates this in the New Testament. Yet, in the church, even in Conservative churches, a man is more likely to feel uncomfortable with pierced ear than with a couple divorces behind him.
There's good reason why the church and conservatives are skittish about this topic. There's no one who doesn't know someone who's been divorced. They fill our church pews every Sunday. We know them to be decent folks who agree with us on a lot of cultural issues. Randall Terry, Newt Gingrich, and Rush Limbaugh have all been divorced.
We also know folks who have been victimized by their ex-spouse: abused, cheated on, and treated like dirt. Or, perhaps you dear reader have had a divorce where you weren't at fault and that you didn't choose.
On the other hand, most Christians know very few homosexuals and even less know homosexuals who'd like to get married. The odds of a pastor offending a large tither whose gay and wants to get married is quite small.
To say our current divorce rate is a national sin is not to say that all divorcees are to be condemned and treated as despicable outcasts. The church should be compassionate, but even as Christ said, "Go and sin no more," It must be proactive in dealing with divorce.
Divorce must be taught against strongly in the church. The church as a community should be dedicated to helping preserve the marriages of the church. Strengthening the marriages of believers should be considered as important if not more so than evangelism. Children of broken homes often wander spiritually and in many cases fall from faith. Thus, a large church may win 100 converts, but if it produces 40 broken homes in the same year that leads to 100 angry and embittered children, it is not truly building the Kingdom of God.
Also, church discipline should be used when appropriate for those who divorce without just cause and refuse reconciliation efforts. Watching Cornerstone Television, I saw former NFL player and Pastor of Antioch Bible Church Ken Hutcherson. He organized the Mayday for Marriage rally in Washington, DC opposing gay marriage. Call him anything you like, but don't call him a gay-hating hypocrite. Hutcherson said that in the past year, he'd censured five members of the church, including some for ending marriages without just cause.
The structure of most Protestant Churches is anti-authoritarian and the idea of church discipline is scary to most of us as we've heard horror stories about how cults have abused it. However, desperate times call for desperate measures and a biblical use of church discipline could aid in preserving marriages.
Secular Action
The devastating number of divorces is an area where the interests of church and state collide. Studies have shown that divorces lead to economic problems for states and communities, as well as the long term problems that come from children of broken marriages. It's no accident that the richest states are those with the lowest divorce rates.
The fact is that anyone who finds themselves in a bad marriage made a mistake at one time or another. Half the time, their biggest mistake was getting married in the first place. To prevent these bad matches or to help get the marriage off on a better start, marrying couples should be required to undergo several hours of marriage classes and/or marital counseling from a licensed minister or marriage counselor.
Secondly, no-fault divorce laws must be reformed. Marriage is the most important relationship a person has legally, yet it has all the force and effect of a month-to-month lease thanks to no-fault divorce laws. The laws should be reformed so a no-fault divorce can only be obtained if both parties consent. This would also reduce the court costs associated with issues of custody and division of the property as a no-fault divorce could only be obtained if both parties were agreed on it.
Those who believe in gay marriage have pointed to divorce as an argument against those who seek to protect marriage from same sex unions. I reject the argument that one evil prospering requires that we allow another blow to traditional family values. However, preserving the family is about more than one single issue and if we're going to be serious about it, we have to address all the issues that threaten the survival of the Family.
True,true,true. :-)
I don't think you are crazy! (After all, what would that make me? LOL)
Well, I don't iron the sheets anymore, but the towels simply MUST be folded just so, and beds made and things put in their place. :) Thankfully, my husband agrees that the less mess and chaos in the house, the better for the boys. I don't mind them strewing the toys all over, so long as they pick them up before moving on to the next thing. Keeps things under control. That being said, if I have a "sick" day, things get ugly real quick! LOL
LOL...by that time, I'll go with smoking...why not? :)
New Testament and Old Testament scriptures stand on their own. God's word doesn't bow to false idols.
Jesus taught to love the sinner and hate the sin
Really? Where? I think you left out repent and turn.
LOL...you seem quite NORMAL to me.
Sorry, but think you have me confused with post #407....I was only replying to the post.
In the following passage God declares that he has divorced Israel (but not Judah).
Jeremiah 3:6-9 (King James Version)
"6 The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.
7 And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.
8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks."
God divorced the 10 tribed House of Israel (also called the Northern Kingdom or Joseph or Ephraim or house of Jacob] which God, after Solomon's reign, had split from the House or Kingdom of Judah, also called the Southern Kingdom (later to be nicknamed "Jews"). I Kings 12:20-24
If you know Scripture you will see just how legally he did this from the above verses. He "put her away" and "wrote her a bill of divorcement"--you will find those to be legal terms.
Deuteronomy 24:1
"When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house."
In that chapter he also says that Judah did even worse things than her sister Israel but He had promised David that He would only punish them, but that there would always be a Davidic descendant to sit on the throne of the Kingdom of Judah (and the Christ was to come through this kingly line--because the line of Judah received the single promise that they would bear rule and carry the scepter).
The Church used to know all this. It has now been led astray about much of what it believes and understands less about what it supposes it believes.
Pardon my ignorance but what is DSS?
He's already trying to turn the children against her, but it isn't working. Fortunately the court appointed guardian who determines custody already knows the husband is nuts. I'm very familiar with "projection".
Your prayers are most welcome. Thanks for the encouragement.
Now,instead of playing at being a tinpot preacher,suppose you answer the questions put to you earlier?
And here's another three,for good measure:What false idols? And just WHICH version of the Bible? Just exactly WHERE,in the Bible,does it say that ONLY a rabbi or a priest or a minister can marry a couple?
Nows, here's something to mull over...WHO MARRIED ADAM AND EVE AND SINCE,FOR SOME,EVE WAS ADAM'S SECOND WIFE (you do know about Lilith,don't you?),DID GOD GVIVE THE DIVORCE DECREE?
Actually, I believe I said that, and I also believe I addressed your question in a later post, as well. FWIW. :)
LOL...most folks think I'm nuts.
Thanks. I had been afraid that with that crowd, my paper would go over like an anti Roe v. Wade paper (i.e. abortion, like no-fault divorce is bad for women). Now that's a paper I'd write now, but didn't have the guts to write at age 23!!
LOL...it's a hold over from barracks inspections. Needless to say, I never ever failed a single one. :)
With age comes wisdom, and sometimes courage, lol! I'm sure you did great anyway...it's just as good a topic, if you ask me. :)
Well, you aren't hurting anybody,so it isn't anyone's business.now is it? LOL
BTTT
I agree. and I agree with the rest of what you say, I was just frustrated with the holieer than thou attitude so many of them tend to take.
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