Principles of Marriage and Family Ethics

(Chris Devlin) #1

"Awoman,complainingtothecourt,said:'Oneofmyfriendstoldme
thatmyhusbandgoestoastrangerwoman’shouse.Ifollowedhimone
dayandrealisedthatitwastrue.NowIamaskingthecourttopunish
him'.Thehusband,whileacknowledgingwhathiswifewassaying,told
the court:


'OnedayIwenttoapharmacytobuysomemedicine.Isawawoman
in the pharmacy who was buying powdered milk. She did not have
enoughmoneytopayforthemilk,soIofferedtohelp.Later,Ifoundout
thatshewasawidowwhowaspoor.SoIdecidedtocontinuemyhelp'.
Thejudges,afterinvestigatingthematter,realisedthetruthofhisclaims
and reconciled the couple."
Sucheventshappeninmanyfamilies.Thefamilyatmospherechanges
intoanenvironmentofpessimism, suspicion,andenmity.Thechildren
would suffer and the mental effects are grave.


Ifacouplecontinuestojiveinthissituation,thentheywouldbothsuf-
fer, and if they show stubbornness towards each other, they would
surelyleadtoadivorceInthe caseof adivorcetakingplace,bothman
andwiltwouldbelosers,becauseontheonehandthemanwouldnotbe
abletofindanotherwifewhoisanybetterthanthepreviousone.Onthe
otherhand,thechildren wouldsufferandwouldnotbeabletoenjoya
healthy life. The children mighteven confrontnewproblems due toa
step-father or step-mother.


Themanmaythinkthatbydivorcinghiswife,hecanmarrya'perfect'
woman,withwhomliecanliveinpeace.Butthisisnothingmorethana
dreamandtherealisationofitisveryremote.Bydivorcinghiswife,he
may encounter new problems with the new one.


Divorceisalsonotapathtocomfortandhappinessforthewoman.Al-
thoughshemightfeelsatisfiedthatshehashadherrevenge,remarrying
wouldnotbeeasyforher.Shemayhavetolivealonefortherestofher
life and would probably not even enjoy the presence of her children.
Even ifshe getsmarried again,itis not certain that her newhusband
wouldcomplywithherexpectations.Shemayevenhavetobringupthe
childrenofamanwhosewifeisdead.Therefore,neitherdivorcenorar-
guments and rows can save the couple. Rut there is a way to salvation.

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