Posted on 12/30/2005 10:21:26 AM PST by onedoug
Deenis Prager on now discussing his own impending divorce....
An orthodox, or even just a plain "religious" Jew, would not be a "mild" critic of divorce. Family, responsibility, constraints on behavior, absolute values are all part of the religious person's life. He's now off the plantation twice in 17 years, and something seems fishy to me.
He apparently is merely a cafeteria Torah follower, picking and choosing among the offerings, and so how can he deride other lifestyle "choices " like polygamy, homosexuality, and so on, without sounding like a hypocrite? And without theologistic support, what has he to offer? He's not a tax adviser, he's a proffessional moralist. And he's full of crap, as far as I can tell.
Dennis has explictly said many times that he is a traditional, but not orthodox, Jew. Does Jewish law flatly forbid divorce in all circumstances?
No, I don't think so.
That's a very reasonable question. My understanding of the vow --- my vow, my husband's vow--- is that if one of us did something abominable in the other person's eyes (I think of the A words: Abortion, Abandonment, Adultery or Abuse) then the couple can live apart from each other, but the guilty party has to try to repent, and the innocent party has to pray for, and hope for, the other person's repentance,and the eventual restoration of the marriage.
That may seem difficult; but that's what the promise is.
In New York? Aged now 57?
You could be right. But then why wouldn't they come up with some compromise for the 4 or so years their teen is still at home?
Go to the link below and scroll down for Prager:
http://www.krla870.com/personalities.asp
IIRC, there is a "listen live" button near the top of the "front page"
for Prager's "mother station" 870AM:
http://www.krla870.com
Prager is on M-F at 9-Noon (PAC Time) if he hasn't changed slots this year.
This is what's known as "Lashon Horah." If you don't know this to be true, why spread it around? And even if you do, why spread it around?
Maybe its my training as a lawyer but I don't see what you prescribe as implicit in the marriage vow.
I think as a practical matter, one spouse saying 'Get lost' is all it takes (and that does not necessaily have anything to do with the As you mention). How can a person be expected to stay married to someone who doesn't want to be with them, and at worse, wants to be with someone else?
The only way to avoid being labeled a hypocrite is never to advocate any kind of moral behavior whatsoever -- because we are all human and can fall from the standards we set for ourselves. So, just in case we do fall, let's not advocate for anything good. Better safe than sorry, eh? </sarcasm>
.. Maybe he should move into marriage counseling instead?? Then perhaps he can use his real life experience more directly!
Compromise is a very misunderstood thing.
If one person wants to break up immediately, and the other wants to wait 4 years till the youngest son is out of his teens, the 'immediately' wins, as a practical matter.
There is no compromise when one side presents a flat 'no.'
The woman I am dating wants no children, period. I want four children, and I am open to adopting one or two more if my future spouse is open to that.
There's no compromise there. The 'No' flatly wins. Thoughtless people think that a compromise would be less than 4 children (maybe 1 or 2). In fact, that's not a compromise at all but a complete surrender on the part of my galpal.
The solution (not a compromise) is for one of us to give in, or marry other people someday. It will likely be the latter (but it doesn't stop us from enjoying one another for now).
I don't think that divorce is necessarily immoral, and Dennis sees it the same way. That is the point - I didn't miss it.
As my dad says, denial isn't a river in Egypt. :-)
If Prager is responsible for a divorce that is not rooted in scripture, or Jewish tradition, then he needs to resign his position as a moralist. We would expect the same of a minister or any other leader. If a business person fails, they either resign or are fired. If a moralist fails, then they should resign, or their followers should "fire" them.
Ah ... er ... !! Are the size of egos, then, like the size of feet, supposedly corresponding ... eh, nevermind.
Premeditated murder and not telling the truth about how you broke your cell phone (one of his radio show topics, by the way) are not the same thing, obviously.
As a matter of degree, 2 divorces in 17 years is a pretty serious couple of violations. If this implies you dont take marriage seriously, than why moralize to us on any subject involving personal behavior?
Prager is Jewish. Judaism regards divorce as a tragedy to be avoided if possible, but not as a sin per se.
I'm well aware that Jesus strengthened the teaching on divorce; but we are of course talking about Judaism.
And again, Moses was a murderer; so should we ignore him too?
Because if that is the standard, than nobody can moralize. That's why.
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