Posted on 12/30/2005 10:21:26 AM PST by onedoug
Deenis Prager on now discussing his own impending divorce....
Of course, that is exactly right. Today, I think I heard a lot more pity from Prager for himself than I did for his kids. His attitudes on divorce & kids seem less in line with his profound faith than in being a Southern California media figure.
LOL. Answers for other people's lives are always much easier than our own.
I was a better wife before I became one, and a better parent before I had children.
It took me an embarrassingly long time to discover that...but I apparently it takes some even longer.
Best post of this thread.
You got me there. I shouldn't have. You are right.
I really like and admire Dennis for so many wonderful things. I should not have criticised him in public for his actions. I hope what I said about him isn't true and it shouldn't be my business anyway. I do relish the thought of being able to debate whether he is justified in saying divorce doesn't hurt kids.
Are you a conservative Jew? If not, how can you speak to what his "profound faith" says about divorce?
Geez. Excuu-u-u-u-use me for using soft language, so some nitpciker can pick it apart. And no, I won't explain further to you.
Does divorce mean you cannot have strong moral standards?
Maybe his wife was stepping out on him.
Who knows?
Read my post 23. I agree he can have strong moral standards, and even advocate for them---even if he fails to live up to them sometimes.
But in fact, many people here are assuming that his position on divorce mirrors the Christian position, and I don't think that's a reasonable assumption. So in fact, he may not be deviating from the his position at all, in this instance at least.
I agree with post #23.
What is the Christian position on divorce, as you see it?
Some of us are just lucky, and bond for life.
I am blessed to be one of them.
25 years and counting.
I can't. But, my wife and one or two religious people on this thread think his Old Testament interpretations on divorce are .... self-serving.
How would you like to be his 13 year old boy tomorrow? Walking into school with everyone looking at you after your Dad was whining about his divorce on the air? Even in California, that's unspeakably sad. Was it necessary?
Maybe his wife was really awful and the divorce is unavoidable. But, his denial of the harm divorce does to kids is disturbing.
I could be mis-remembering or mis-understanding what was said. But I remember being surprised by one of the callers that agreed with him. The caller claimed his kids were doing great but that the parents were working very hard together towards that goal, and that they didn't have any resentment towards each together. I had to ask myself, "well, then why not remarry"?
Well, it certainly seems that way. As Christians (I assume you are?) we have the benefit of Christ's divine interpretation and clarification of the Torah. But if we are going to be fair, we have to attempt to see the issue from the position of a Conservative Jew who relies solely on the Torah, Talmud, rabbinical tradition, and so forth.
A few years ago I did a study of the various doctrines of divorce in the Christian community. They broke down into four categories: 1) no divorce, period; 2) divorce, but no remarriage, period; 3) divorce and remarriage under strict circumstances (adultery/abandonment); 4) divorce and remarriage under liberal circumstances. I think it's safe to say that taken together, #1-#3 are all stricter than Dennis Prager's position, and represent the overwhelming majority; #4 is a minority position.
During the course of that study it was clear that Jesus' statements on divorce were stricter than anything clearly laid down in the Old Testament. Interestingly, the divorce question was an ongoing debate in Jesus' time. Many had what basically amounts to the Prager position, that Scripture allows it but regulates it; some took the position that it should be allowed only in limited circumstances. (The two schools of thought were named for individual rabbis, I believe, whose names escape me at the moment.)
Some scholars suggest that Jesus was simply agreeing with the strict school of thought. Other suggest he was going even further than that school of thought.
But either way, it seems clear from that study at least, that the mainstream Christian teaching on divorce is at the very least on the conservative end of the Jewish spectrum; and, quite possibly, considerably stricter.
Congratulations on a wonderful marriage, MistrX. I am but a young whippersnapper, married 4 years, 57.5 to go. (At which point my wife or I will die, per our reckoning :))
I personally take the generally mainstream, conservative Protestant position on divorce and remarriage, in which it is permitted in certain limited circumstances. I do not intend to indulge that prerogative, however. I am determined to forgive my wife if need be even for the few indiscretions which would "allow" me to divorce; though I pray she never tests me in that way. I frankly couldn't even conceive of it, she is so wonderful.
Good on you!
My problem with Prager isn't theological. I just never liked him. But, that's just me. What's sad is that, his kids are getting their world destroyed in public, while we weep for their rich Dad.
Not to try to minimize the effects of divorce on kids, but what kids are we talking about? From his bio it looks like he has one grow kid, and one who is at least a teenager (don't know how old said child was when adopted). Perhaps you know more than I do.
Prayers for he and his family and all others in such a condition. There is no joy in this at all.
How sad. He's one of the better hosts on the radio. I wonder how this will impact his discussions on happiness.
let me guess...he is marrying Al Rantel?
I guess you must be Jesus Christ. Because you are moralizing here on this board to all of us, so you must be flaw-free.
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