Anti-divorce ad ‘intended to mislead’
‘I would understand if this mistake was made by people studying to be translators, but in a core group of lawyers and professionals the billboard message is being done to intentionally mislead’ – Yes movement.
The newly-erected anti-divorce billboards with the slogan ‘Divorce without Reason – No Thanks’ have ruffled the feathers of the pro-movement who said they were simply a bad translation of no-fault divorce.
“I would understand if this mistake was made by people still studying to be translators, but in a core group of lawyers and professionals it seems it is being done to intentionally mislead,” Yes movement chairman Deborah Schembri said.
There was a difference between no-fault divorce and “divorce for no reason”, she said.
During separation proceedings, the responsibility for fault would have already been ascertained, and this would not need to be repeated during divorce proceedings, Dr Schembri said.
Besides, to obtain a divorce a couple would need to have lived apart for four years, while during separation proceedings abandoning a partner for two years was considered a fault, she pointed out.
“Those who fight for a fault-based divorce have no idea what these fault-determining proceedings do to children who are dragged in the middle to take witness for one side,” the lawyer said.
The news conference yesterday sought to highlight how the proposed divorce legislation was very conservative, and the main difference from the current separation legislation was that divorce would dissolve a marriage giving the partners the right to remarry.
Dr Schembri said: “When someone certifies someone dead, they do not kill him, but only say he has died. With divorce it is the same, the marriage has ended and therefore it is declared as such,” she said.
The Yes movement maintained that the cohabitation laws being discussed could not be compared with divorce.
“With cohabitation there are fewer rights and less commitment between both parties in the relationship,” Dr Schembri said. Ina statement yesterday, theanti-divorce group had no regrets about its billboard message, saying divorce “without reason” wasgoing to have serious negativeconsequences for children.
“With divorce without reason, children will face a new poverty and injustice when they find themselves living with someone other than their (natural) parent,” the No camp said.
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Mr Christopher Grech
May 12th 2011, 10:23
So if divorce is a sin, so why is not annulment so? Divorce is clearly ordained by God, according to certain criteria, and annulment is nowhere to be found in the Bible.
Mr James Grech
May 8th 2011, 16:42
During Christ's 3 years of teachings, thousands flocked to hear his words about salvation. More then 2K years after the church in Malta is loosing numbers by preaching damnation. Something is definitely wrong here. If one takes these threats seriously then one must also consider that ALL those millions of people who voted YES for divorce in all the other countries, before us, are damned for life..right? And they are not being administered sacraments and are being hurled away from the Church all the time..right? The Maltese church (which is a different kind of church, it seems) has to either come clean about the real reasons behind this crusade or else change this brainwashing attitude and grow up. It is failing Christ miserably!
Mr James Grech
May 8th 2011, 16:40
During Christ's 3 years of teachings, thousands flocked to hear his words about salvation. More then 2K years after the church in Malta is loosing numbers by preaching damnation. Something is definitely wrong here. If one takes these threats seriously then one must also consider that ALL those millions of people who voted YES for divorce in all the other countries, before us, are damned for life..right? And they are not being administered sacraments and are being hurled away from the Church all the time..right? The Maltese church (which is a different kind of church, it seems) has to either come clean about the real reasons behind this crusade or else change this brainwashing attitude and grow up. It is failing Christ miserably!
Mark-anthony Fenech
May 8th 2011, 16:07
Basically the divorce is just a final stamp to say that the marriage exists no more instead of hypocritically keeping the couple together even after the marriage has failed.
Mr Joe Zammit
May 8th 2011, 16:03
Christ was clear on the evil of adultery and said that, if one divorces his spouse and enters another marriage, one lives in adultery. (Mk 10, 2-12; Mt 19, 2-9). In the first letter to the Corinthians, St Paul says: “Do not be deceived; neither … nor adulterers… will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor.6, 9-10).
Divorce is a grave sin. Par. 1789 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church runs: “One may never do evil so that good may result from it”
On July 13, 1917 the Virgin Mary told the three children of Fatima that “many go to hell on account of the sins of the flesh”. Among the sins of the flesh there is adultery. Padre Pio had regular mystical contacts with God, saints, angels and devils, and used to say that "divorce is a passport to hell".
Divorce leads to hell because it transgresses God’s categorical law on marriage, namely indissolubility. Divorce purports to do what it cannot do, namely to dissolve a valid marriage.
Let no one try to deceive God by planning to live in sin and die in grace. Such a plan will be the devil’s snare. You die as you live!
Victor Pulis
May 8th 2011, 15:34
“With divorce without reason, children will face a new poverty and injustice when they find themselves living with someone other than their (natural) parent,” the No camp said.
What about those children whose parents' marriage has been annulled? Don't they suffer the same trauma? have the people in the no movement ever come out in their defence?
As for the pathetic translation of no fault divorce into divorzju bla raguni(!) this is plain disgusting misinformation. Who, in his/her right mind would destroy a happy, healthy marriage 'for no reason'?
Every broken marriage has a reason behind it and the no maovement know this. They are simply trying to misguide the public who is already being bombarded with scare tactics by the church.
Mr Tony Camilleri
May 8th 2011, 10:55
The 1960's revisited.
Mr Romeo Busuttil
May 8th 2011, 10:38
“With divorce without reason, children will face a new poverty and injustice when they find themselves living with someone other than their (natural) parent,” the No camp said.
What a truly pathetic statement. This does not already happen and will not happen with co-habitation? The 'No' camp, together with the church and the government, is simply misleading those people who do not question and believe all they are fed!!!
Mr Joe Zammit
May 8th 2011, 09:45
Christ was clear also on the evil of adultery and said that, if one divorces his spouse and enters another marriage, one lives in adultery. (Mk 10, 2-12; Mt 19, 2-9). In the first letter to the Corinthians, St Paul says: “Do not be deceived; neither … nor adulterers… will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor.6, 9-10).
Divorce is a grave sin. Par. 1789 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church runs: “… One may never do evil so that good may result from it; …”
On July 13, 1917 the Virgin Mary told the three children of Fatima that “many go to hell on account of the sins of the flesh”. Among the sins of the flesh there is adultery. Padre Pio had regular mystical contacts with God, saints, angels and devils, and used to say that "divorce is a passport to hell". He knew what he was saying and no one could belie him. It is not a joke to go to hell … and to hell for ever!
Divorce leads to hell because it transgresses God’s categorical law on marriage, namely indissolubility. Divorce purports to do what it cannot do, namely to dissolve a validly contracted marriage.
Let no one try to deceive God by planning to live in sin and die in grace. Such a plan will be the devil’s snare. You die as you live!
Steven Grech
May 8th 2011, 11:04
So are you saying that Annulments are a devil's snare too? And the money the church makes from Annulment fees - is this the devil's money?
Mr J Xerri
May 8th 2011, 11:13
'if one divorces his spouse and enters another marriage, one lives in adultery. (Mk 10, 2-12; Mt 19, 2-9). '
So actually it's not divorce which is being condemned here, but entering another marriage. And all the wuotes being mentioned are about actually goeing through a divorce and not voting for the enacting of a law that allows divorce. Actually the real test for Christians is if they ahve a choice, if there is a law allowing divorce in the country.
Mr A. Bezzina
May 8th 2011, 13:04
What has the 'sin of adultery' got to do with divorce? Note this Mr. Zammit, that without divorce most couples, including the same children who the anti-divorce 'crusaders' have been using to shield their arguments, are living through hell as we speak.
The anti-divorce campaign messages are based on misconceptions and prejudice and are, in my opinion, the worst propaganda I've seen in ages!
Gerry Cowie
May 8th 2011, 09:40
The debate hots up as the referendum approaches. And the pro movement becomes even more the secret weapon of the anti movement.
Please choose the reason of your report below: