U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Flora, confirmed that he has filed for divorce from his wife, Leisha, citing irreconcilable differences.
Pickering, 44, declined additional comment, citing his desire "to protect our boys right now." Pickering has represented Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District since 1996. His term in office ends at the end of this year.
In December, Pickering announced that he would not seek re-election, saying that he wanted to spend more time with his family. The Laurel native had been considered a top contender for the U.S. Senate vacancy created when his political mentor, former U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, announced his retirement last year.
He is the son of retired U.S. District Judge Charles Pickering.
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We'll add more details as they become available while attempting to avoid rumor.''
We wish all parties the best under these circumstances.
I feel deep sympathy for his family and wish them nothing but the best in what has to be some of the most difficult times imaginable. I can’t help but point out, however, the rank hypocrisy of another Christian moralizer in this type of circumstance. Remember folks, 4 out of 5 divorced Southern Baptists want gays to stop destroying the sanctity of marriage.
ReplyDeleteButch,
ReplyDeleteBeing raised the son of a southern Baptist minister; I too continue to struggle with the level of hypocrisy within the church. As a result, my adult Christian experience was altered. As I searched for a new Christian 'home', I began to notice the unfortunate similarity of hypocrisy within most churches I attended for any duration. Hypocrisy was apart of the church during the time of Christ. His message and actions were clear in regards to His stance on hypocrisy.
As a nation founded in Judeo-Christian beliefs, it is easy for me to understand the history and biblical accuracy of marriage within this same community. What I do find troublesome, is the way some people within a Christian community choose to vocalize these issues/concerns.
Even though my Christian 'home' no longer resides within the Baptist community, there are still many strong Christian men and women within that congregation that do not subscribe to a message of disdain and judgment for those who's beliefs fall outside of their own.
While I understand your frustration, it's my opinion that calling out a group by name in judgment is in essence a shared tactic.
To summarize my ramblings above, I don't believe it's fair to admonish any group whose opinions differ from our own. We spend too much of our collective time trying to define our differences instead of our commonalities. Thank you for reminding me.
MK
an interesting post on the many divorces of prominent public officials in mississippi
ReplyDeleteMK,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the response, but I have to disagree when you say we were founded on “Judeo-Christian principles.” We were founded on Enlightenment principles by a bunch of men who were a collection of Christians, Diets, and Unitarians. To quote someone smarter then myself: “Certainly those living in our founding period would find that phrase (“Judeo-Christian”) bizarre, as Christianity in that age was still profoundly anti-semitic (and many absolutely mainstream Christian preachers of the day railed against the ban on religious tests for office because it could actually lead to a - gasp! - Jew in office. ”
I to was raised in a Southern Baptist home and was a devout Christian for most of my life. My wife is actually the daughter of a SB Minister. I was hesitant for a long time to use broad strokes when it came to SB’s because most of my family is still in the denomination. But after years of having them force their own morality down the rest of our throats I’m done. Until I see a majority, hell a significant minority, stand up to the bigots, moralizers, and hypocrites in their own church and tell them to stop they are fair game.
Butch,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the discussion. I appreciatte your views. Without knowing you personnaly, I would guess you and I are close to the same age and had very similar experiences. I will always be thankful for the biblical and spiritual background of my youth. That background is what allows me today to have security in my personnal faith.
It's difficult today to have this type of discussion, so to you I say thanks. I hope you and your family have a great holiday weekend.
MK