Principles of Marriage and Family Ethics

(Chris Devlin) #1

omen,becausesincetheirmarriagehisfatherhaddiedandhisunclehad
become bankrupt."


"Amanwho hadmarriedayoungwomanoutoflove, divorcedher
lateronthegroundsthat hedidnotlove her.""AwomanMrs...Com-
plainedtothecourt:'ForyearsIhavelivedwithmyhusband,butnow
that I have become ill, he says that he does not want a sick wife'."


Dearsir!youarenotananimalwhoselifeisallabouteatingandlust.
Youareahumanbeing withemotion,conscienceandsacrificialcharac-
teristics.Isitreallyfairthatyoupursueyourenjoymentawayfromyour
wife?Ifyes,thenyouareanoppressorandassuchyouwouldbepun-
ishedInthisveryworld.If youspendyour timewithanotherwoman,
thenforthe sakeof afew minutesof enjoyment,youmay indeedlose
yourpeaceofmindandwouldbeaffectedbynervousness.Besidesyou
wouldbedisgracedbeforepeople.Yourchildrenwould notacceptyou
either and would react by being malicious to you.


Ifyourwifeeverbecomesill,takethenecessarystepstocureher,and
ifshehasanincurableillness, thenstaywithher,sacrificeyourselfand
donotremarrywhilesheisstillalivedonotdisappointher duringthe
difficulttimes.Whatwouldyouexpectifyouwereinhersituation?Itis
only fair that she would expect the same from you.


Is it right that your wife, when you are ill, should seek a divorce?
Wouldshenotbedisgracedintheeyesofyourfriendsandrelatives?So
if you agree that faithfulness and sincerity arc good, then try to be
faithful.

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