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Alzheimer's & Divorce Condoned by Pat Robertson

Mike

Mike

Member
Pat Robertson said recently on the 700 Club that divorcing a spouse who is deep in the progression of Alzheimer's Disease is permissible because the spouse is essentially "dead" to the spouse.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44530424/ns/health-alzheimers_disease/t/pat-robertson-divorcing-spouse-alzheimers-justifiable/#.TnPgs9R4IXE
"I know it sounds cruel, but if he's going to do something, he should divorce her and start all over again, but make sure she has custodial care and somebody looking after her," Robertson said.

"If you respect that vow, you say 'til death do us part,'" Robertson said during the Tuesday broadcast. "This is a kind of death."
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I've heard it said that Alzheimer's causes two deaths... the one where a someone loses his/her spouse mentally and when they actually die. But I've never heard a "respected" Christian thought leader suggest that this meets the biblical standard or even the vow "to death do us part".

I'm shocked that he would say this, though my heart goes out to spouses who have this to deal with. Is this valid in your opinion?
 
Having lost one family member to Alzheimer's, and I will lose another one in the future (my nephew has Downs Syndrome and all DS people develop Alzheimer's) yes, my heart goes out as well.

And no, I don't think divorcing someone with Alzheimer's could possibly be Scripturally supported. Any more than I think that divorcing a spouse who has sustained a serious brain injury or is in a coma could be.

I'm not unsympathetic. Actually, this is something that I nail to the cross on a semi-regular bases, because it was Steve's grandmother who had Alzheimer's and Steve has several other "risk" factors. He worries about it and I just encourage him to take it to the Lord....but yes, it's a concern.

I wouldn't leave him though...I really wouldn't. There is just no justification for it. I know if I were hit by a truck and was laid in a coma...he wouldn't leave me. We've talked these things over.

I've already known loneliness in life...not having married until I was 38...but, I'd take loneliness over violating Jesus' commandments.
 
I'm going to have to go with "no" on this one. The Biblical grounds for divorce are fairly clear. Divorcing a spouse who is dying and whose consciousness and cognitive skills are deteriorating strikes me as cold, cruel, and decidedly un-Christian. Should Christians divorce terminally ill spouses? What if they have a nervous breakdown and just "aren't the same person" anymore? Does that constitute a "death" in Pat Robertson's eyes?

I think this is also an example of how people--even the staunchest conservatives--can twist and manipulate scripture to suit their purposes. Sometimes, it makes me want to become Catholic.
 
Mike said:
Pat Robertson said recently on the 700 Club that divorcing a spouse who is deep in the progression of Alzheimer's Disease is permissible because the spouse is essentially "dead" to the spouse.

Pat Robertson: It's OK to divorce Alzheimer's patients - Health - Alzheimer's Disease - msnbc.com


I've heard it said that Alzheimer's causes two deaths... the one where a someone loses his/her spouse mentally and when they actually die. But I've never heard a "respected" Christian thought leader suggest that this meets the biblical standard or even the vow "to death do us part".

I'm shocked that he would say this, though my heart goes out to spouses who have this to deal with. Is this valid in your opinion?
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no, my grandmother stayed with my grandfather till death and lies near him at present. she surived him by 11 years. he forgot most of the later years of his life. i wouldnt leave my wife if she had that.
 
I first heard this on a local secular station by radio talk show host Mitch Album. He's a sports writer turned semi god type of topical host with a few mainstream feel good books about faith. He questioned callers about when death arrives and whether it could be when they become unable to respond to stimuli.

It didn't surprise me to hear him question this until I caught on to the source of the topic. I don't listen to Pat Robertson, but it alarmed me that a Christian would give this advice. Mitch's secondary question was, "What does a spouse with more life to live do?". I can see a secular host asking this, but a Christian thought leader? :nono
 
I personally don't view Pat Roberston as a Christian thinker. He is a charlatin like Robert Tilton, just not as blatant.

I remember as a kid seeing the 700 club and he would have a segment where he would stand there and said God was sending him messages about people who would be healed. It was all very vague and seemed to me to be exacly the same technique that the psychics use.
 
What were your wedding vows?

In ours, Steve and I vowed to "forsake all others" until "by death we are parted". We also had that part in there "in sickness and in health"

Doesn't leave much room for anyone else.
 
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This just does not sound like Pat to me. :sad

eddy:

I remember as a kid seeing the 700 club and he would have a segment where he would stand there and said God was sending him messages about people who would be healed. It was all very vague and seemed to me to be exacly the same technique that the psychics use.​
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I saw that, many times over. Hated to think bad of Pat, but always questioned it.
 
Pertaining to the OP, why even listen to Pat Robertson with all the flaky things he said in the past? He sounded to me this time like he's getting Alzheimer's himself.
 
If there is another "polygamy" thread created, I'll move some of these posts over (if they fit). If not, I'll start a new one and separate these posts to keep this thread on point. I don't have time right now, but I'll do it tonight. And I'll be interested to hear how the early Church ever demonstrated any support for polygamy. Where in the history of the Church has marriage been about anything other than one man and one woman?

But even I'm getting ahead of myself. :lol

Please direct your thoughts toward the topic. BTW, I voiced opposition to the idea of divorce in this situation. It's unthinkable that a minister would give this advice! And I heard about the article. I don't listen to PR.
For now, I gotta go!
 
Mike said:
If there is another "polygamy" thread created, I'll move some of these posts over (if they fit). If not, I'll start a new one and separate these posts to keep this thread on point. I don't have time right now, but I'll do it tonight. And I'll be interested to hear how the early Church ever demonstrated any support for polygamy. Where in the history of the Church has marriage been about anything other than one man and one woman?

But even I'm getting ahead of myself. :lol

Please direct your thoughts toward the topic. BTW, I voiced opposition to the idea of divorce in this situation. It's unthinkable that a minister would give this advice! And I heard about the article. I don't listen to PR.
For now, I gotta go!
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Was I not clear with this post? Did you not understand what I said, adelphos? It was like I said nothing at all about this thread and the topic. :shrug

I've locked this temporarily until I can move certain posts to the new one that was created.

Sheesh!! :bigfrown
 
I saw that program and quite frankly had to stop and think about what he was saying. I support his right to say it, and he has to answer to God as we all do, but I sure wish they hadn't selected that question to answer.

I recall being at a retreat where we played a game where the participants gave you a question and after you answered they would debate and guess if you answered truthfully or not. I had one about if my father was in a nursing home and no longer recognized me, would I still visit. I told them for a while, but if he truly couldn't remember who I was, or even that "I" had been visiting him, I would stop. They didn't believe me. I think there is a point where you must continue with your own life. Honoring my father to make sure he was taken care of, yes, having to go through the heartbreak with nothing back in return, no. I don't think God requires that.

Alzheimer's does steal a person away. If they have no contact with real life anymore... I think if the spouse really needs companionship, then yes, it's better to marry again (divorce first.)

And the vows you make? Till death do us part... well, it's a choice God gives us free will over. I doubt that I would remarry, but others may not feel that way.

 
Gazelle said:
Alzheimer's does steal a person away. If they have no contact with real life anymore... I think if the spouse really needs companionship, then yes, it's better to marry again (divorce first.)

And the vows you make? Till death do us part... well, it's a choice God gives us free will over. I doubt that I would remarry, but others may not feel that way.
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I guess I don't understand this. I agree that we are free to choose our paths and make our own decisions, but does this mean these decisions will all be okay with Him? Is that what you believe? I don't think it is, so I need clarification. :shrug

If you say it's okay to move on from a spouse with Alzheimer's Disease because s/he is in effect, "dead", I'll disagree. But you seem to go further and say that any choice we make is acceptable because of our free will.
 
I believe I originally posted about polygamy or having another spouse and not divorcing the first who has Alzheimer's which is valid according to scriptures, but happen to be moved may be I am moving away from the actual topic.

But now, I have a different thought on this post.

It looks like Pat Robertson had 6 failed predictions well documented in wiki. He could be using Christianity as a market place doing business (worth 1.2 billion$) but, what he said could be a judgement on himself.

  • (Luke 19:22) ... Out of your own mouth I will judge you ...
  • (Matt 7:1-2) Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

I hope Pat Robertson does not develop Alzheimer's and his wife does not divorce him for it.
 
Good grief....

How sad is this thread?

When i think of us being the bride of Christ how much more deserving are we to be divorced then some poor ill spouse.

The whole idea is sad and sickening, shows the selfishness of mankind.
 
Mike said:
I guess I don't understand this. I agree that we are free to choose our paths and make our own decisions, but does this mean these decisions will all be okay with Him? Is that what you believe? I don't think it is, so I need clarification. :shrug

If you say it's okay to move on from a spouse with Alzheimer's Disease because s/he is in effect, "dead", I'll disagree. But you seem to go further and say that any choice we make is acceptable because of our free will.
Click to expand...

Along that same argument it could be said that since God gave us the ability to freely make choices if we choose to commit murder would that too be okay? To coin a phrase, "By no means!"
 
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