posted September 14, 2011 11:10 PM            

On the same "700 Club" program today in which Pat Robertson said that Jews must convert to Christianity in order to enter Heaven, he also took on a question from a woman who was friends with a man whose wife is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and has begun to date another woman and wanted to know what to do.

Robertson's advice was to encourage the husband to divorce his wife with Alzheimer's because she was, for all intents and purposes, already dead. Co-host Terry Meeuwsen understandably wondered if that would not violate the "til death do you part" provision of the wedding vow, which Robertson just pretty much dismissed, saying "he certainly wouldn't put a guilt trip" on anyone who decided that divorce was the answer:

What a cop-out
so what? just throw them away?
These religious people are making me crazy

posted September 15, 2011 04:52 AM            

When you genuinely love a person, you don't turn your back on them when the going gets tough.

I learnt that yesterday. It cut deep. People will claim to love and care for you but the minute you hit a slump they will drop you in a heart beat, without a thought or reason as if you meant absolutely nothing. They will use any excuse to use as a scape goat..

But when they needed something and the going was good, you were good enough.
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Remember, love can conquer the influences of the planets....It can even eliminate karma.

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posted September 15, 2011 10:17 AM            

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Originally posted by charmainec:
I learnt that yesterday. It cut deep.

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posted September 15, 2011 11:45 AM            

NOT christian at all! (but probably using the guise of christianity to feel "justified" in whatever he proposes).

posted September 16, 2011 08:46 AM            

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Originally posted by emitres:
am going to play devil's advocate here for just a moment because i do agree that loved ones who are ill should not be simply cast aside... however, is it fair to expect a man or woman to completely give up the companionship of another because their spouse has Alzheimers - which to date has no known remedy or cure? a disease which quite literally robs you of the person you fell in love with...
i knew a woman whose mother had Huntington's - for those not familiar it basically causes a progressive degeneration of the brain... she began to have issues probably around 35 or so... i'm not sure when exactly she required full hospital care but it wasn't long after that - possibly ten years... her husband would go be with her as often as his work would allow... watching her deteriorate day after day to the point where she no longer could even acknowledge that he was in the room with her... i think this went on for a few years before he found someone he could share the rest of his life with... my friend's mother only just recently passed away - about 40 years after the onset of the disease... 40 years...
i understand Robertson's advice - i think he was simply trying to alleviate the guilt that most people feel when confronted with this type of situation... letting people know that it's okay to allow yourself to love again when in this type of circumstance...

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Dear Emitres,
That is a very thought provoking answer..Thank you.
There is no denying that most of them choose this path in case of a partner affected with alzhiemers. what we have to consider is the circumstances surrounding such a couple to have to come to be together...what is it which will bond the couple together beyond space and time.
There are only a few handful of people who cherish their love for what they are.Only having such true unconditional love for somebody can one cope with the effects of such a potent blow to their heart which diseases like alzheimer causes.
So I believe the person who went so far as to complain about it to Robertson is definitely not worthy of taking care.
Though he could have been more generous in aswersing him,He should have said something like...You can hire a care taker for her and continue with your life as well.
Probably Robertson could have envisaged the above with regards to the amount of trauma it causes and adviced him in such a manner.But I believe in all of it only 'True Love' can prove the worth of how one reacts to the person in question sufferring from alzhiemers.
Yes it is a call for those who have loved truly and deeply.But for others Im not sure how it would work for them.

It is easier to say but very hard to practise in case of such a disease.

It reminded me of a Few True Love stories-which bought me tears to understand the what kind of devastating effects such a disease can have on a partner who serves the one with alzheimers...ONLY TRUE and PURE LOVE is the medicine for such a debilitating disease.
Saddest part is to accept that True Love no matter what happens only once for a Reason and a Season.
There is no allowing oneself for falling in love again that is the basic difference between Loving somebody for the sake of it(alzheimers) and loving somebody unconditionally.
The Movies are-
Iris: A Memoir of Iris Murdoch (2001) and
The Notebook.
Those are the ones that I watched.
There are a few others too.

posted September 16, 2011 10:31 AM            

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I once saw a sign that said "sin is death" but if "all deaths are suicide (linda goodman)" and suicide is sin, then shouldnt "death is sin" be more appropriate?

posted September 16, 2011 12:03 PM            

NickiG - in some cases yes the person with Alzheimers can remember certain faces... unfortunately it does depend on the type and severity of the disease... my cousin's mother-in-law got to the point where she could no longer recognize her children... some only have issues with short-term memory - what we formerly referred to as old age senility...

Bluemoonchild - sorry to hear about your mother... it must be very difficult but how very fortunate you are if she is still mostly with you...

posted September 16, 2011 01:41 PM            

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Originally posted by Ceridwen:
Nah, I donīt think that this kind of thinking is inherently Christian (or of any other religion).

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posted September 16, 2011 02:20 PM            

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Originally posted by charmainec:
Crazy and sad indeed. So now we must throw away people when they are ill and move on as if they don't exist?

When you genuinely love a person, you don't turn your back on them when the going gets tough.

I learnt that yesterday. It cut deep. People will claim to love and care for you but the minute you hit a slump they will drop you in a heart beat, without a thought or reason as if you meant absolutely nothing. They will use any excuse to use as a scape goat..

But when they needed something and the going was good, you were good enough.

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posted September 16, 2011 03:48 PM            

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Originally posted by Randall:
This reminds me of the American Idol contestant whose fiance' was in an automobile accident and confined to a wheelchair (and also can't speak). He not only stayed with her, but he still plans on marrying her. Love is beyond this physical shell. She was visibly happy to see him sing. BTW, a cure for Alzheimer's is forthcoming. It was found that insulin directly dosed to the brain reverses it. The dose is via nasal spray. Lots of testing has to be done, but it looks promising.

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