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Religion Title: Pat Robertson: Divorcing A Spouse With Alzheimer's Is Justifiable
Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson told his "700 Club" viewers that divorcing a spouse with Alzheimer's is justifiable because the disease is "a kind of death." During the portion of the show where the one-time Republican presidential candidate takes questions from viewers, Robertson was asked what advice a man should give to a friend who began seeing another woman after his wife started suffering from the incurable neurological disorder. "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. The chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network, which airs the "700 Club," said he wouldn't "put a guilt trip" on anyone who divorces a spouse who suffers from the illness, but added, "Get some ethicist besides me to give you the answer." Most Christian denominations at least discourage divorce, citing Jesus' words in the Gospel of Mark that equate divorce and remarriage with adultery. Story: Insulin nasal spray may slow Alzheimer's Terry Meeuwsen, Robertson's co-host, asked him about couples' marriage vows to take care of each other "for better or for worse" and "in sickness and in health." "If you respect that vow, you say 'til death do us part,'" Robertson said during the Tuesday broadcast. "This is a kind of death." A network spokesman said Wednesday that Robertson had no further statement. Disease rarely leads to split Divorce is uncommon among couples where one partner is suffering from Alzheimer's, said Beth Kallmyer, director of constituent services for the Alzheimer's Association, which provides resources to sufferers and their families. "We don't hear a lot of people saying 'I'm going to get divorced,'" she told The Associated Press. "Families typically respond the way they do to any other fatal disease," she added.
The stress can be significant in marriages though, Kallmyer said, because it results in the gradual loss of a person's mental faculties. "The caregiving can be really stressful on a couple of levels," she said. Story: Who wants to live forever? Scientist sees aging cured "There's the physical level. There's also the emotional level of feeling like you're losing that person you love," Kallmyer said. As a result, she said, it's important for couples to make decisions about care together in the early stages of the illness, when its effects aren't as prominent. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 26. "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. What a cold hearted, money grubbing thing to say.
#2. To: Fred Mertz (#1) Cold hearted like misrepresenting a dog rescue to amuse yourself and the idiot on an personal attack thread, freddy? On topic: I can't think of much else other than a sudden violent death that is worse that the slow drifting away this horrific disease brings about. It has to be terrifying for both victims, the spouse afflicted directly, the spouse that can do nothing to stop it yet forced to watch as their partner drifts slowly away forever. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. And I wouldn't dare pass judgement on how anyone handles it.
#4. To: Badeye (#2) Till death do us part is the way it is supposed to be.
#5. To: Fred Mertz (#4) Till death do us part is the way it is supposed to be. You didn't.
#6. To: Badeye (#5) (Edited) I live with 4-legged girls better than I do with 2-legged ones. End of discussion. I do respect and appreciate what you and the old lady do for our 4-legged friends.
#9. To: Fred Mertz Remora boy, Badeye (#6) I live with 4-legged girls better than I do with 2-legged ones. End of discussion. The TRUTH is, (I am sorry to say), is that loving and caring for dogs is not an indicator of being a good person. HITLER was a famous dog lover. I wish that it was otherwise. But it is not.
#23. To: Mad Dog (#9) The TRUTH is, (I am sorry to say), is that loving and caring for dogs is not an indicator of being a good person. Never claimed it was.
#26. To: Badeye (#23)
I never claimed that YOU had said it. I said it. No problem, I respect semantic accuracy. In fact, I respect accuracy in ALL of it's forms.
Replies to Comment # 26. We're cool.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 26. Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest |
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