Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: bcsaic!carroll@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Jeff Carroll) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: divorce and remarriage Message-ID: Date: 23 Nov 90 09:50:33 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Boeing Computer Services AI Center, Seattle Lines: 35 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu This issue (whether divorce is permissible for Christians) is a specific case of the general question of whether one's actions ought to be conditioned by one's feelings, or the other way around. In other words, Hosek and his proponents seem to be saying that you should only be in a marriage if you love your spouse, and his opponents seem to be saying that you love your spouse in part if not whole because you are joined to that person in Holy Christian Matrimony. My church permits divorce, having gone through some intricate doctrinal contortions to justify it, similar to those which it used to deal with the notion of transsubstantiation, and to justify the ordination of homosexuals. Indeed, as in the case of a similar moral tragedy, namely abortion, I admit that there are cases in which divorce may be the best of all possible choices. However, I generally tend to take the latterly aforementioned position, believing that the former leads ultimately to moral confusion. If I ignore my conscience and Christian moral teaching in favor of my desires, what else am I doing other than giving in to sin? I would invite further discussion of this more general question ("Should what I feel determine what I do, or should what I do as a faithful disciple of Christ determine what I feel?"). Opponents of my position may wish to restate the question in more objective terms. Other applications of this question that come to mind - - practice of homosexuality by Christians - assisting/failing to assist the needy - liturgical practices Jeff Carroll carroll@atc.boeing.com