This is so sad...

I know blogs are supposed to be upbeat and positive. I believe most of my postings are such, so I hope I've established that already as the predominant flavor of this section.

But tonight I'm sad.

Wanda and I watched Carman's interview with Paula White on TBN. We're sad because here's this woman, 17 days after her and her husband announce their divorce, she is being reinstated and brushed up on national television. She has a word from God and she ends up preaching a message. Former pastor of Without Walls Church, the second largest church in America is back on track. Her husband has said that he assumes responsibility for the split. Does he? And what does this "taking responsibility" really mean? Did he have an affair? Did she?

Now don't get wrong. I normally don't stick my nose into smelly stories like this. That's just not my style. Honestly, I feel sorry for the Whites. And I wish they got their lives back together as I would wish that to anyone in that situation.

The problem is this: too many Christians today have no clear understanding of what the Word of God teaches on marriage and divorce. What happened to the standard of holiness we see in Scripture?


2Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"

3"What did Moses command you?" he replied.

4They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."

5"It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. 6"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.'[a] 7'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,[b] 8and the two will become one flesh.'[c] So they are no longer two, but one. 9Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

10When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery." MARK 10:2-5,10

Jesus teaches that if a man leaves a woman, he's the moral and spiritual equivalent of an adulterer (unless there was unfaithfulness). Same goes for the woman. In other words, unless one of the partners has been unfaithful, there is no Biblical reason for separation. In fact, if a husband and wife splitting up by mutual assent, as cordial as it might be, that doesn't make them more than two cultured adulterers in the eyes of God. To make matters worse, the White's marriage was their second marriage for both of them. But since Paula wasn't as famous back then, we don't know what the deal is there.

Now please, please hear me right! It could have been me or you or your pastor. I realize that. But that's not the point here. The point is this: "Zeal for your house will consume me." (John 2:17) Can we please look at the bigger picture? Does anybody care what are the consequences not only of these people having multiple divorces but also of the way the religious system almost celebrated (in some perverted way) the fact?

It grieves me to see the Church become the laughing stock of the world. It grieves me to see the religious system needing her preaching "stars" so badly (and I assume the "stars" needing the system as well), that they can't even wait for few months before they reinstate someone and set them back on track on the preaching circuit.

Phil Cooke had set up a little poll on his blog on the Paula White issue and had given four options. The poll is now gone from the blog, but the options were smth like: 1) she should never preach again 2) she should take time to get her life back under counseling 3) she should just keep preaching like nothing happened and 4) it's none of my business.

Very interesting!

Most people thought that Mrs. White should have sat down for a season and tried to get her life together under the counsel of others, hopefully more stable people. Significant number of people had decided that it's none of their business.

In one way, it isn't mine or yours business. What grieves me is that Mrs. White will not even miss a beat. She's back on the platform after 17 days and she has a "word from the Lord' for all those who are downtrodden and in need. Carman, obviously hired specifically for the job, most probably reading the script of the PR damage control planners, likened Paula to Princess Diana. Not once, twice in the same conversation he went on and on how Paula is like Princess Di coming from a humble origin and then rising to fame and then getting divorced from the Prince. Wow! I'm impressed. What a teary story! And what does this have to do with this couple and Mrs. White in particular? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I'm sure the reinstatement is considered a success by the PR team. It was professionally planned, announced and executed. It was released around 9/11 which is another psychological moment, a time when people are more mercy motivated.

While Mrs White's team may label this campaign as a success, the Father sees it as a tragic tale of foolishness and vanity. The worst is that milestone events like this one establish a precedent in the continued degradation of the Church. Whether they like it or not, whether they realize it or not, the Whites, TBN and every other preacher who chose to be politically correct and quiet on the subject, are sending a message to the Church and the world. It goes something like this "it's OK to have multiple divorces and still make big on the preaching circuit. You didn't write the script but you have to do your best to live it."

Oh really? Was it God who wrote it in the shameful script of this demise? Or was it the devil? Who was it? Why the half-way messages? Would the real God please stand up and speak for himself because I'm a bit confused!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the tragedy of Randy and Paula White is not only their tragedy. It's our tragedy as well. It's tragic because the bearers of moral standards in the Church are not only not challenging the culture and it's fallen state, we're actually following it. This highly visible ministry couple could have demonstrated divine order even in their ordeal. They could have been honest. They could have stepped down and saved the little of integrity and legacy of true faith they might have had. Their supposed spiritual authorities could have stepped up and helped mend the situation. But no - they chose to hold on the what they've got going for them and are keeping each other's backs. Unfortunately, all of this at the expense of our true Christian heritage and mission in this world.

Think of the message young people are getting. "So dad, what are you saying? The pastors are splitting up but business is as usual? Oh, wow. So if they can do it, why can't I"?

That's right. It make take another 10 or 15 years, but the day will come when you try to confront your teenager for making poor decisions in their life and then they give you this hard look and say to you: "So, I can't do that, huh? Well, what about the Whites, dad? Remember, you said God was OK with them going their separate ways? You kept watching their programs. Who cares then? There is no right and wrong. It's - ....whatever"

This was truly a sad evening and a sad event to have witnessed.