Crossposted from streetprophets.
Rod Parsley has strong leadership abilities. People feel unity with him. They know him. They know him inside out. They seem to become one with him. In many cases there is nothing left of the personality of his adherents. He is considered overwhelming by his followers. Therefore for many of them it is easy to betray his marriage partner because only the personality of Rod Parsley counts. Money to them is more important than love.
However Jesus said that: "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin..." A pastor who recommends a divorce to a married couple in his congregation for worldly success, "it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the see." (Matthew 18,6)
Morris Mandel said about a marriage: Every marriage is a separate entity for whom the entire Universe was created. Mishna (Sanhedrin 37a). A woman's (man's )obligation, then, is to help her husband (his wife) carry out his (her) holy work. Her (his) job is not to work against him (her) as so many preach today.
The teachings of Parsley are contrary to this traditional perception of marriage. The well being of Parsley to many of his congregants is more important than that of his or her spouse. Particularly in cases of sickness and poverty for which Parsley is placing the blame in many cases on the victim he is quick at hand with a divorce.
In previous blogposts I have outlined why under certain conditions same sex marriage and equality in a marriage are in harmony with biblical Christian theology also.