fast

I know someone who wants to be a deacon, but he's on his fifth wife. Apparently, in the bible under timothy, a deacon can only be a man of one wife. He doesn't think this is fair or right, so he wants to argue the point using scripture somehow.

Afterall, he is only a man of ONE wife.

help

thanks

fast

Chaupoline

Unless he has widowed four times, I think that he has no place counseling anyone about life or the world. His credibility is shot. The first divorce would have been understandable, but five times.

fast

The more you wreck, the more you understand what it's like. It would seem that a person in a such a position would be extraordinarily credible and in fact would have a very unique perspective to offer, but even if you're mostly correct, a deacon position isn't synonomous with marriage counseling. A person can have a lot to contribute in many other areas of life.

Yes, five times is alot, but murderers and rapists can be a deacon, but a divorce is somehow being interpretted as being worse, and it is this line of logic that does not hold up too well.

Chaupoline

It only has to do with the people in the congregation. If they accept what he says then he is a deacon. I personally hate church.

fast

Yes, the people in the church will have a lot to do with it. Some churches are different and not as small as the one I have in mind. That's why I started this thread--to look for biblical interpretation to help him logically build a case against the idea these people have.

I myself am an outcast in that I too disbelieve the mystical teachings of the bible, but I personnally do not hate church. I don't attend, but I do not hate it either. The intentions of the people that make up the church are innocent at heart--they arn't causing harm--they are philisophically causing harm by virtue of their belief, and that I cannot disagree, but some people must have a crutch in order to maintain a moral perspective.

Most people cannot mentally grasp most of the ideas on these forums, so leave the common folk to their own devices devoid of a supernatural crutch, then be far from it from me to predict that a world would be better--perhaps religious wars--blood and guts--needless deaths would be much greater without religion--I have no idea.

One thing at a time.

If anyone can provide assistance on this timothy person, let me know

thanks

fast

Toto

So you're looking for a loophole?

You might get better luck in BCH - ask the mod to move the thread.

My own opinion - Timothy was speaking against polygamy, and also against the idea that a deacon could not get married at all. So monogamy is allowed.

Jesus absolutely forbade divorce, but the modern church has accomodated itself to modern mores, and allows divorce. If this church allows divorce, it might as well allow a deacon who has been divorced, or practices serial monogamy.

Timothy pretends to be a letter from St. Paul, but most scholars think it was forged in his name.

funinspace

As a former liberal Xian and former fundy, I would say there is little in the canon to justify this persons quest to become a deacon. If he had most of the divorces before becoming a Xian, then he would have an argument. However, should a church make an xian, who then murders, a deacon? Just because Paul didn't list every caviot, doesn't mean murder (fill in the blank) shouldn't be a reason to disqualify a person.

Cynthia of Syracuse

Off to BC&H.

fast

yes

where is this asserted at? A particular verse?

Diogenes the Cynic

"It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce. 32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery."
Matthew 5:31-32