Alzheimer’s and Divorce
	I’m sure all of you watch the 700 Club on a regular basis, right? Well, neither do I, but I heard on the news and watched a video clip on the internet where Pat Robertson made a rather wild statement that shocked his audience. A viewer, whose wife was suffering from Alzheimer’s, had sent a question to Robertson saying that he was seeing another woman and believed he had a right to do so because his wife was “gone.” Pat Robertson’s response was: “If he’s going to do something, he should divorce her and start all over again.” He tried to justify his statement by saying, “He says she’s gone – he’s right in a sense – it’s a walking death.” For what it’s worth, he did say the man should make sure his wife had “custodial care,” and also said he should consult an ethicist!
	I’d say both Mr. Robertson and his viewer need to consult the Bible! I seem to remember reading in there somewhere, “What God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:6). I also read somewhere that one who has a living spouse, but marries another, is guilty of adultery (Romans 7:1-3).  And that still holds even after divorce, with only one exception, that being that if the divorce was due to fornication; then, the innocent party may remarry. And I have never read in Scripture about any squishy re-definition of death to mean a terrible, debilitating disease.
	The traditional wedding vows we all have heard repeatedly are not found verbatim in Scripture, but they are consistent with Biblical teaching: “for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death parts us.” Those are called “vows” for a reason! They are sacred promises, affirmed before God and men. Biblical love is unconditional. It isn’t spelled l-o-v-e. It’s spelled c-o-m-m-i-t-m-e-n-t! It doesn’t depend on outward circumstances, whether that be sickness, financial status, or whatever.
	Now, why do we care what Pat Robertson says? Why even bring it up this evening? Pat Robertson is a denominational preacher – why should we be concerned what he says? Well, the fact is that Pat Robertson is heard by millions of people. You and I may not listen to him, but many of our friends and neighbors do! And I suspect that many of them are profoundly disturbed by what he said (as well they ought to be). We don’t need to have a “beat up on Pat Robertson” session tonight or any other time – but we ought to be prepared to show people from the Scriptures why the man is so dreadfully wrong. It just might open the door for us to help our friends see what else the Bible teaches that is in conflict with what Pat Robertson says. Truth shines brightest when it is contrasted with falsehood.
		--Joe Slater (Justin, TX)