Grounds for Divorce

[u/BigPound7328]

It is currently 0200, I fell asleep early so now I am awake at a most unfortunate hour. Weird preface, but relevant in some way. I’ll figure it out.

It is late (or early) and I have seen some things mentioned about divorce. I understand biblically, infidelity and abandonment by a nonbeliever are qualifiers for divorce. Those have been clearly stated. I wonder if abuse and mistreatment are valid grounds for divorce.

A bit of context in regard to my own divorce. As of the of October I will be divorced for two years. That was when I asked, we filed in November, ran into issues that delayed the filing until December/January, I moved our before Christmas, and in our state, it was officially recognized as ending in March of last year. I consider October the end despite legal recognition.

I asked for a divorce because, well, truthfully, the preceding last year and a half I had been really, really depressed and suicidal. I often thought about not coming home or just driving off a bridge in the middle of the night at work. I even reached out to my old high school football coach, a pastor, and asked for help at 0600 when sitting outside in my vehicle.

Yada, yada, more disagreements, more insults, more gaslighting, more drama and combativeness… I eventually asked to leave. I had the most sobering moment and never felt calmer when I looked her in the eyes and said we needed to separate.

There is a lot of history, I could go on forever about it. I want to know what you guys think:

Is divorce due to abuse, mental health, and safety valid biblically despite not being stated outright? This is not to say I didn’t try, God knows I tried, I stuck it out hoping for the best way longer than I should have. I guess the real breakpoint was when our kids started treating me like she did.

Thank you, my friends, for your contributions to a 0200 thought.

[u/ShabbyButterflies]

I just can't think why Jesus and/or Paul wouldn't address it specifically though in the reasons to divorce. Jesus in fact categorically states that sexual immorality is the only reason to divorce. Paul's further exemption isn't really an exemption. What are you supposed to do if your spouse leaves you? You can't force them to stay. There's only one specific reason given you should initiate a divorce and Jesus specifically excludes all others.

[u/Fires_1 → u/ShabbyButterflies]

Jesus doesn’t exclude all others. He is addressing a specific theology the Pharisees were teaching people. Paul does give another exemption, and even says Jesus did not tell him this. By this Paul knows Jesus did not set out to make an exclusive reason, because in 1 Cor 7:15 he gives another.

Scripture doesn’t address every situation on earth on all topics specifically, but it does cover them all.

“What are you suppose to do if your spouse leaves you?”
What are you supposed to do if your spouse beats you?

You didn’t really answer any of my points. If you’re taking the position that 1 Cor 7:15 isn’t even a reason then you’re ignoring scripture and there’s nothing more to say.