CBN Chairman Pat Robertson
It’s taken a few days for me to formulate just how I was going to respond to Pat Robertson’s latest controversial statement on the Christian Broadcasting Network’s “700 Club” television show. Pat Robertson, one of the hosts of the show, and who is also the chairman of CBN stated on September 14th that divorce was acceptable in a marriage where a spouse is suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. He justifies this by tying the “till death do us part” vow to his position that Alzheimer’s is “a kind of death.” Robertson was responding to a viewer question from a man who was seeking advice on how to counsel a friend in this situation.
Since Robertson made this statement, several people including ministers, health care professionals and laypeople have voiced their opposition. You, my fine young readers have probably been waiting for me to do the same, and now your wait is over…
Pat Robertson is one of the cruelest, most UN-Christian individuals that has ever wasted airtime. He has continuously run his mouth and spewed vitriol against the Dover, PA school board, Hugo Chavez, Feminists, Haitians devastated by earthquake, Hindus, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and even our own State Department. The man simply does not have positive control of his own mouth, and is forever playing judge and jury based on his “Christianity”.
Ladies and Gentlemen, marriage is for life. I’m married, have been for over 23 years. When I took those vows back in August of 1988, it was for forever. Now, my wife does have her health issues; Migraine Disease, Arthritis, Degenerative Bone and Disc Disease, Hypoglycemia. It’s my task…no, my pleasure to take care of her. She’s my wife, and I love her. If she ever did develop Alzheimer’s Disease, I would still be right there with her, all the way to the end. Why? Because I love her.
I am personally aware of several cases where people dying of Alzheimer’s have, at the very last few moments of life, had final clarity. This is a point just before the end where the veil of Alzheimer’s lifts from their minds, and they remember everything again. My grandmother experienced this, just before she died of this disease. My wife has worked in the health care industry as a CNA, and has personally witnessed these instances as well. I know in my heart that if this was going to be how things would end for my wife, I would definitely want to be there at that point, with the same level of commitment I had when we first took our vows.
Alzheimer’s is not “a kind of death”. It is fatal over time, I will grant you that, however there are several months to years before it reaches that conclusion. The real question is, “Is my love for my wife strong enough to weather the storm?” My answer is an emphatic “HELL YES!” Pat Robertson…the man who calls himself a “Christian”, needs to go read 1st Corinthians 13 again.
The Cybersattva 
I couldnt agree more with your statements. You dont simply abandon the ones you love and care for simply because they wont remember you, or simply because its fatal, or for any reason that is medical in nature. That robs them of so much more than just your love… it robs them of support, Vital support that they may not get from anywhere else, vital support that may be helping them live on. Just simply being there for those in need has been more than enough to help some people last longer or even pull through depending on the illness. In essence, not only would you be taking away your love, you may invariably be helping them die. And while i cannot speak for all your readers, I personally could not let anyone i loved, anyone i cared for, or anyone i respected, simply bare that kind of pain alone.