A few days ago a teaching Pastor Tom Holladay who is with Rick Warren's Saddleback Church publicized their views on domestic violence and marriage. It goes on to say the Bible only condones 2 reasons for divorce-adultery and abandonment.
Upon reading this my first thoughts were of Drew Peterson who clearly committed adultery during his 4 marriages and now is claiming that Stacy Peterson abandoned him so he will be seeking a divorce, because he's engaged. My guess is the next press release from his legal team of Marsmallow Roasters will include quotes from the Saddleback Church as sort of a right of passage to marry a fifth time. But first, he will have to have the title of "Suspect" removed from the Will County State's Attorney's office which is not happening anytime soon. Nor is marriage #5 in his future, unless of course it's behind a metal structure.
Back to the point. I respect everyone's opinion, but when a man of God interprets the lives of those who are likely to be killed and basically says to separate or leave, that is dangerous. Those who leave their violent relationships are more likely to be murdered when they leave their abusers. I am talking about women who are threatened with their lives by abusers on a daily basis. And when they leave, we read about on the Internet or with our morning coffee.
If any man sins against you and beats you, you have no obligation to stay and allow him to continue to sin. So you would obey God and not stay and allow him to sin. You would leave and divorce him.
Here is a synopsis from Saddleback Church: "The Bible does not permit a woman to divorce a spouse who is abusing her."
In audio clips on his Saddleback Church website, the Purpose Driven
Life author says the Bible condones divorce for only two reasons --
adultery and abandonment.
"I wish there were a third in Scripture, having been involved as a
pastor with situations of abuse," Warren said. "There is something in
me that wishes there were a Bible verse that says, 'If they abuse you
in this-and-such kind of way, then you have a right to leave them.'"
Warren said his church's counseling ministry advises separation and
counseling instead of divorce in abusive marriages, because it's the
only path toward healing. "There's an abusive cycle that's been set
up," he said. "Separation combined with counseling has been proven to
provide healing in people's lives."
