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AN EMAIL EXCHANGE
WITH BROTHER TOM ROBERTS
From: "Tom M Roberts" <tmr65@juno.com>
To: <jeffbelknap@charter.net>
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2001 9:44 PM
Subject: Re: Ron Halbrook MDR
Dear Jeff:
Sorry to be so late in responding to your letter, but I have been slow in
downloading for some time due to a variety of problems.
Jeff, I hesitate to enter into the discussion that you and Harry Osborne are
having at the present time. I will simply say that I believe Harry is
saying some things that have not been seriously considered and I hope you will
read carefully what he is saying.
I believe many brethren make a mistake in attempting to parallel American civil
law (or any nation's civil law) with the discussion of Jesus in Mt. 19, et al.
I understand the tendency to do so, but if we make the mistake of delineating
the teaching of Christ only in the context of American civil courts, we will be
arguing ourselves into a side issue rather than the true one: "cause."
Whatever Christ taught, it must be applicable in every nation around the world.
I have never met you and have absolutely no prejudice against you or your
zeal for truth, but I do believe you are making a mistake in application. I
would never defend Ron or Harry if they taught error, but I think you should
weigh carefully what Harry is saying. He is not defending a friend, but
carefully exegeting what Jesus is saying.
I will read carefully anything you write in publications or care to send to me.
I will certainly try to keep an open mind as this issue is studied.
Brotherly,
Tom
----- Original Message -----
From: J
Belknap
To: Tom M Roberts
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2001 2:46 PM
Subject: Re: Ron Halbrook MDR
Dear Tom,
I hope all is well with you and yours. Thank you for your letter and
concerns. I appreciate your willingness to study this issue out and to
fairly consider all of the facets of this subject.
As you, I am interested in nothing but truth, and cannot afford to let my
respect for or friendship with any man compromise that. It is because of
this, that I have been reading and carefully considering brother Halbrook's
materials (some of which, I sent to you), in light of the scriptures, as I have
done with the writings I have received from brother Osborne.
I may not have all of their terminology straight, but I do believe that
I have read and heard enough of it to recognize and understand what they are advocating.
I have also read the writings of several others that directly contrast their
teaching on this issue, such as:
Divorce & Remarriage What Does The Text Say?, by Donnie Rader,
Chapter 8 Mental Divorce (May Some Put Away People Remarry);
Is It Lawful? A Comprehensive Study of Divorce By Dennis G. Allan and
Gary Fisher,
- [Chapter 13 What Constitutes Divorce? (by Bob Waldron);
- Chapter 38 Can You Put Away the Put-Away? (by Gary Fisher);
- Chapter 39 The rights of an Innocent Put-Away Person (by Kevin S.
Kay)]
A Study: Mental Marriages and Mental Divorces (by Gene Frost).
Obviously, both opposing views cannot be right! Therefore, we need
to publicly put this issue to the test of the scriptures in a brotherly fashion.
So far, I have seen nothing published from brothers Halbrook and Osborne that scripturally
refutes the teaching of the above listed writings.
While I am privy to more of their teaching than is available to the
brotherhood, if brothers Ron and Harry, are offering the more
careful exegesis of Jesus' words as you say, then I hope that you would agree
that it would be right and profitable for them to share that with the rest
of our brethren.
With brotherly sincerity and love,
Jeff |