I know this was posted this morning...but, in case you just signed on...
Why aren't other people alarmed that the divorce rate for pastors is 50%?
These are people preaching from the pulpit every Sunday about morals....
Telling you and I how we should live our lives.
People look to them for inspiration/direction
Doesn't this make them a hypocrite?
Sure I sin, but I do not stand in front of a bunch of people pounding my fist on the pulpit and telling everyone else what sinners they are.
There is such a double standard among fundamentalists...pick on the gays because they are fewer in numbers...but, oh no stay away from preaching about divorce because it affects too many....
I think pastors and churches are just afraid of losing the divorced people's monetary contribution to the church...so, they look the other way on this sin....
What hypocrites!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2007-04-18 08:23:57 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
this was reported in the most recent issue of Newsweek...
2007-04-18 08:27:31 · update #1
SO, if a pastor's spouse decides to bolt because the pastor spends too much time on his ministry instead of the ministry of Jesus and the family, you think that he shouldn't?
People divorce for a myriad of reasons, including and not limited to: Finances - if the people in the church were to pay him a decent salary, then maybe they wouldn't fight over money,
irreconcilable differences - he may have a goofy laugh (I broke up with a girl once because of her accent)
She may have new boyfriends.
She may have new girlfriends.
She may have taken their money and given it to some scammer in a 419 (nope, they didn't divorce, she just killed him).
I suppose divorce is better than death, isn't it?
She may renounce her Christianity and decide to leave (this is a Biblical justification for divorce - the Bible says to let her go).
2007-04-18 08:33:29 · answer #1 · answered by Christmas Light Guy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They are hypocrites if they tell you not to divorce, and divorce anyway. They are hypocrites if they tell you that being homosexual is wrong, while they themselves are homosexual.
Preaching about a thing being wrong, yet doing that same thing is hypocritical. Divorcing while preaching against homosexuality is not hypocritical.
On the other hand, if they preach that the Bible is 100% inerrant, and don't have a good reason for divorce, that's hypocritical. Divorce is allowed biblically for certain things, and if they have such a good reason, then divorce may be allowed. If they divorce simply because they "fell out of love", that is hypocritical. Not all divorce is sin.
One can't brand a person a hypocrite without a specific reason, nor can one broad-brush all preachers by the actions of even half of them.
Then again, I'm not a Christian, and I don't see homosexuality or divorce as sins.
2007-04-18 08:33:07 · answer #2 · answered by Deirdre H 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe those statistics, although I know there have been divorces and separations.
Some of this is due to the wife of the pastor feeling like she does not get equal time with the church. Then she ups and leaves him.
For those who say he should be fired if he gets a divorce, what if he did not file for the divorce, but was on the receiving end of a divorce. Should that ruin his career, and his ability to minister to his flock.
grace2u
2007-04-18 08:35:14 · answer #3 · answered by Theophilus 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have two comments on this. If a man was previously divorce before he is called, or becomes a pastor, in my opinion that is ok as long as he is a genuine messenger of God. I know that is not a popular opinion but I hold to it. However if a current pastor is married and he gets a divorce I think he should not be a postor anymore. If you have been a pastor for a while and you get a divorce you are not setting a Godly example and you should step down as a pastor. Does that mean you damned to hell? I say no but I think a pastor that gets divorced should not continue to be a pastor.
2007-04-18 08:33:30 · answer #4 · answered by mxcardinal 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I don't understand why you are grouping in every person who claims to be a Christian as a money hungry hypocrite. . .
"I think pastors and churches are just afraid of losing the divorced people's monetary contribution to the church...so, they look the other way on this sin...."
2007-04-18 08:43:40 · answer #5 · answered by Jennifer 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
People are human and we all fall.
What about when the spouse wants a divorce and the pastor does not? They cannot force the other to love them.
Odd that you did not mention that the divorce rate among Priests is 0%.
Judge not lest you be judged.
Peace!
2007-04-18 08:28:28 · answer #6 · answered by C 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am a minister. Never had a divorce. I have dozens of friends who are ministers - none divorced. Not even the one who cheated on his wife. She took him back out of the goodness of her heart and love for him and their children. She didn't need to, but she did.
Those polls are usually taken among a very small group. The part does not always, and seldom does signify the whole.
2007-04-18 08:36:54 · answer #7 · answered by Mr. Indignant 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Oh the next thing you will say is that Rev. Ted Haggard was a hypocrite ; )
The only sure fire way to stop divorce is not to get married.
2007-04-18 08:29:11 · answer #8 · answered by Uncle Meat 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
divorce for any marriage is sad, pastor or not.
still, we are christians, not Christ. He was the only sinless one and we all struggle with our own "stuff".
The important thing is that we understand each person will stand, on their own, for what they do. The bible teaches that leaders, teachers, and pastors will be held to an even stricter standard because they are responsible for what they teach.
2007-04-18 08:30:28 · answer #9 · answered by princess_t_princess 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why DOES it alarm you??
The divorce rate for ALL marriages runs about 50% divorce (75% for second marriages).
Why should pastors be exempt?
I don't think it makes them hypocrites...it confirms they are human.
2007-04-18 08:28:36 · answer #10 · answered by Mrs.M 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋