Reflection Paper #4

Katie Wilmouth

RELI 124-08

March 22, 2010

Teaching on Divorce in the Gospel of Matthew

Marriage in one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church and according to the Bible, it is a lifetime commitment. “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. For what God has joined together, no human being must separate” (Matt. 19:6). Yet the divorce rate among practicing Christians is nearly as high as those who choose not to believe. There is no mistaking that the Bible frowns upon divorce, as clearly stated in Malachi 2:16. “For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.” In the verses of Matthew 19:1-12, it is questioned whether there are any exceptions to Jesus’ teaching on not divorcing, which were previously introduced in the Sermon on the Mount.

In the Sermon on the Mount, divorce is described as a form of adultery. “But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery” (Matt. 5:32). Later in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus was making his way to Jerusalem when some Pharisees approached him and tested him saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” (Matt 19:3). Jesus answered by quoting Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:24, which argue that God’s intention for man and woman is to be united. The phrase “unless the marriage is unlawful” is the only saying in Scripture that possibly gives God’s permission for divorce and remarriage. Many believe this “exception clause” refers to adultery.

In response to Jesus, the Pharisees cite Scripture as well. Deuteronomy 24:1-4, permits a man to divorce his wife by handing her a written bill of divorce. God did lay down some laws regarding divorce in the Old Testament, but they were made with the intent to protect the rights of divorced women. Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees that these laws were given “because of the hardness of your hearts” not because they were God’s desire (Matt. 19:8). He adds the statement, “but from the beginning it was not so” to illustrate that since God designed marriage without a loophole for divorce, to get a divorce would be a sin because it violates the standard for marriage.

Jesus’ one exception, adultery, permits divorce because a spouse who has been unfaithful has already destroyed the one-flesh marriage bond in God’s eyes. The innocent spouse or victim of the unfaithfulness should be free to divorce the adulterer and remarry.

Some claim that domestic abuse is also a valid reason for divorce even though it is never mentioned in the Bible. What we must remember is that adultery is only an allowance for divorce, not a requirement for it. Many couples, with the help of God’s grace and forgiveness, can learn to put the act of infidelity in the past and work to rebuild their marriage.

Jesus at the Movies #1

Katie Wilmouth

RELI 124-08

March 15, 2010

The Issue of Morality in Crimes and Misdemeanors

One critical theme in Woody Allen’s film Crimes and Misdemeanors is God’s role in establishing moral or ethical values in humanity. The film questions whether morals are dependent on an individual or an authority such as God. We see a misconception of what it morally right in the character of Judah Rosenthal, a wealthy ophthalmologist who entered into a several year extramarital affair with a flight attendant named Dolores. After Dolores threatened to reveal their affair to Judah’s wife, he decided to have his brother hire someone to murder her. Judah’s view of the world is pessimistic. He perceives it as a harsh and empty universe. During one scene in the film he stated, “God is a luxury I can’t afford” (Crimes and Misdemeanors). The film leaves us with the notion that Judah eventually felt no guilt for instigating the murder of Dolores and his life prospered after her death.

In contrast, the character of Ben, a rabbi and patient of Judah who is losing his eyesight, believes the world possesses a moral structure that originates from God. In the midst of a discussion with Judah about differences in their views of the world, Ben said, “ You see it as harsh and empty of values and pitiless. And I couldn’t go on living if I didn’t feel it with all my heart a moral structure, with real meaning, and forgiveness, and a higher power, otherwise there’s no basis to live” (Crimes and Misdemeanors). Ben’s optimistic view of life and his ability to distinguish right from wrong form the basis of a morally sound individual.

In a flashback during the film, Judah is watching his family celebrate a Passover dinner. He asked what the consequence of killing was and his father answered that one way or another the perpetrator would be punished. An aunt added that if the person responsible for the crime could get away with it and is not bothered by the ethics, then he walks free. When Judah realized that he would continue to live his life free of punishment his situation became that of the belief in no moral truths. Ben is lucky in that his worldview allows him to have a genuine religious faith.

The film Crimes and Misdemeanors demonstrates that the universe is not a friendly place. In the film it is implied that we are not always punished for our wrongdoings. Judah walked free of guilt because he was lucky enough not to be caught and strong enough to suppress his conscience. Murder is an example of an injustice that needs to be corrected and probably never will. Others include genocide, starvation, illness, and slavery. What some people fail to realize is that God is not responsible for these injustices.

A social and moral injustice that is currently plaguing this country is the lack of health care. The United States is the most industrialized country and yet it is failing to provide the hard working people who made it great affordable and quality health care for themselves and their families. The Congress has not yet found a solution to the current health care system that is inefficient and unaffordable to Americans and replace it with a national health insurance.

The greatest injustice in our world is ignorance of accepted moral values, something to which any person can be susceptible. The Lord’s guidance is not always the solution to distinguishing right from wrong. To do what is right is a decision we must select on our own. Just the other day I saw a mom purchasing groceries at the self-checkout in Safeway and watched as she put some items in the bags without scanning them. The first thought that came to my head was whether or not I would do the same thing in this situation. This is a circumstance where the lines between right and wrong begin to blur. How far should one go in order to provide what is necessary for survival?

In today’s society many people know what is morally right in any situation and simply choose to ignore this conviction. The world will not be a friendly place until humanity embraces love instead of hate. Ernest Hemingway once said, “I know only that what is moral is what you feel good after and what is immoral is what you feel bad after.”

Works Cited

Crimes and Misdemeanors. Dir. Woody Allen. Orion Pictures, 1989. DVD.