You wrote:
“You’ve allowed for someone who has lived as a married person for years to suddenly say “Gee, I was forced. I want out.” Sorry, but that is just nonsense.”
No, it is common sense. Again, a 15 year old girl who was already scared to death because she was pregnant is told by her parents, “You WILL marry the father.” Is she giving free consent? No. Does that fact that she later stays in the relationship for years mean that she was any less coerced when she made the initial vow? No.
Free consent must be given.
“If you were truly “forced” then you should be getting out of it as soon as you physically, safely can.”
And people always do the right thing immediately when they can right? We know that all abused women leave their abusive boyfriends as soon as they are first slapped or punched, right? They don’t stay around and actually get abused over and over again, right?
“He seemed to imply that remarriage would be allowed if the individual were abandoned by an unbelieving spouse.”
No. http://www.catholic.com/library/Permanence_of_Matrimony.asp
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1997/9712frs.asp
“But that is an implication not an outright statement. (And by the way, we weren’t even talking about remarriage, so I’m not sure why you’re bringing it in now.)”
Simple. Because you brought the issue that usually leads to the common misunderstanding about remarriage. You wrote: “Jesus allowed for the ending of a marriage only in the case of adultery or abandonment by an unbelieving spouse.”
“No, it was 2. Adultery, and abandonment by an unbelieving spouse.”
No. You said, “Jesus allowed for the ending of a marriage only in the case of adultery or abandonment by an unbelieving spouse.”
Now, where did Jesus teach about “abandonment” of an unbelieving spouse? He never did. You are mistakenly collapsing Paul’s Pauline Privilege into the direct teachings of Jesus. If you read 1 Corinthians 7:12 you’ll even see that Paul specifically denies that this comes from Jesus, “To the rest I say (I, not the Lord)...”
“(Actually, that was in one of the letters of Paul, but since Jesus is God, and the bible is the word of God, I’m sure you’d agree that came from Jesus.)”
Nope. And Paul says it didn’t either.
“LOL That’s just mankind parsing words in order to try to find a loophole around God’s word.”
Nope. It’s just the truth.
“Once again, it isn’t just the Catholic Church doing that kind of thing. But it is definitely unbiblical.”
No. The Catholic Church’s teachings on annulments are not unbiblical.
No, it isn't common sense to just annul the marriage of someone who has been living as a married person for years and then suddenly decides they were "force" to marry. It's just looking for loopholes around God's will.
Again, a 15 year old girl who was already scared to death because she was pregnant is told by her parents, “You WILL marry the father.” Is she giving free consent? No.
She gave consent when she slept with the guy from a biblical perspective.
Does that fact that she later stays in the relationship for years mean that she was any less coerced when she made the initial vow?
Yes. She chooses to stay in that marriage for years, she is by her actions acknowledging it as a marriage.
And people always do the right thing immediately when they can right?
No. But because people sin, the church should condone it? I say no. You seem to be saying yes.
Now, where did Jesus teach about “abandonment” of an unbelieving spouse? He never did. You are mistakenly collapsing Paul’s Pauline Privilege into the direct teachings of Jesus.
Actually, if you read my post, I already said that was from one of the letters of Paul. Perhaps you just missed it.
But let me understand - are you saying that Jesus isn't God or that the bible is not God's word? If neither, then the scriptures included in the Pauline letters are no less valid in determining what it is God expects of us as the "red letters" in the gospels.
Nope. It’s just the truth.
Yes, it is true that it is simply mankind parsing words trying to find loopholes around God's will for us.
No. The Catholic Church’s teachings on annulments are not unbiblical.
This kind of insistence that the Catholic Church has greater say in truth than God's word is one key reason why I will never be a Catholic.