Badge
As best as I am able to tell, I am a baby boomer. This means that I have lived in a period of time that has seen much change in every facet of life. Some changes have been good. Changes in transportation, utilities,
communication, and other technology have been tremendous and have bettered man's lot in life. As a child I remember living in economically depressed circumstances. The "good old days" did not have a car to use to run into the store in an instant. There
was no central heat and little, if any, electricity available for it! Indoor plumbing? What was that? Supersonic transportation? We walked most everywhere we went. I enjoy the progress that has been made in these areas as I am sure others do also. I
am happy for what ever contribution my generation has made to this success. Along with the baby boomer generation has come a reversal of stance and attitude toward evil things. It has been a lengthy process, but I now find that my generation is
finding more and more ease in callin
g "good evil and evil good" (Isa. 5:20). One only has to observe the reversal of stance and attitude toward homosexuality to realize that this is the case. Furthermore, those who oppose what the
Bible describes as sin (1 Jn. 3:4) have now become villains and the once opposed sins are now becoming, in the eyes of the deluded, virtuous. Oh, I wish this was not true. I wish my generation had not succumbed to the cunning craftiness of deception
(Eph. 4:14). I wish they would mourn our society's moral condition rather than be puffed up over their "achievements."
It was only recently that one aspect of the change in stance and attitude by my
generation was fully realized. I must admit that the realization came with a jolt! My parent's generation viewed divorce as a shame. It was usually spoken of in whispered tones. The person who had been the guilty party in a divorce was a "marked"
person to my parent's generation. Marriage was viewed as being for the life of both parties. Even though many may not have realized such a passage as Hebrews 13:4 existed, they nevertheless stood for the principle. Unfortunately that stance and attitude
has changed. My generation has, for any number of excuses, freely engaged in the business of putting away mates for every conceivable flimsy cause. Sadly have I realized that the stance and attitude of my generation has shifted to viewing divorce as
some kind of a badge of honor! I have come to this realization by viewing the classmates I had in high school and how many of them are now divorced. Throw into this the others
I meet who are the parents of my children's classmates,
companions, teammates, etc. Not all look at divorce as a badge of honor, but too many do! My realization of this cannot be adequately put into words. I have simply been stunned at the change of stance and posture by my contemporaries. Perhaps Jeremiah
said it best, "...they were not ashamed, neither could they blush..." (Jer. 6:15). Certainly that describes baby boomers and their badge of honor.
Lest anyone think I have been cold and unsympathetic
toward the innocent in a divorce, I add these words. I do not understand that a person has any shame when they have been guilty of nothing in a divorce. If they have not sinned, they have no shame. However, in every divorce there is at least one party
(and sometimes even both parties) that have sinned. When the Pharisees asked Jesus the question in Matthew 19:3, the answer was, "No." It never has been, is not now, and never will be lawful to put away a mate for every cause. It is sin. Even in cases
where the unbelieving departs (1 Cor. 7:15), there is sin. Furthermore, There is only one cause given for divorce that allows remarriage--fornication (Matt. 19:9). An innocent party in a divorce for that cause can remarry and have no shame. They have
not sinned in so doing. I sympathize with the anguish suffered in a divorce. I sorrow over the children of broken homes. I am outraged at those who should be ashamed of their conduct and then wear
it as though it was a badge of
honor.
Terry R. Sanders
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