And You Thought Their Religion Was Odd

Our friend and SMTS Pastor, Pat Robertson, has explained the ways of the world to us once again. As we've noted before, Rev. Pat invites you to "Bring It On" at his Web site, 700club.org.

This week, Concerned in Columbus raises the ugly spectre of Mail Order Brides (never mind the cost of postage). You remember the drill...we give you the real question and then two answers - one from Rev. Robertson and one from the editorial staff of SMTS. You can then ask your office mates to join in the fun and try to guess who wrote which answer! (We are nothing if not entertaining.)

Question:

I have a friend who is literally shopping for a bride from overseas. He picks a girl from a company list and calls them. He then asks them personal and sexual questions so that he can see if they are, quote, ‘compatible.’ I think this sounds wrong and he’s mistreating this women. What do you think? Is this a valid way of finding a wife?

Answer A:

Recent worldwide demographic reports show that female infants are outnumbering male infants by a nearly 2-to-1 ratio. Even among the adult population, single women outnumber single men by a staggering number across all age ranges and socio-economic demographics - no matter what that Anne Heche show says. Catalogues, in general are a crapshoot. Web sites are far more effective marketing and shopping tools, with video, sound and text lending a 3-D experience to spouse shopping.

You wouldn't date someone with the intent of finding a spouse without asking important, intimate questions if you were sitting at Bible Camp, so why forego the same ritual from afar? Nobody wants a frigid Finn landing on their doorstep - or worse, some Muslim. It is no sin to make clear your understanding of sexual matters: Missionary Only Elsewise You'll Be Lonely, like you learned in Sunday School. Relax. Jesus is Lord over everything...even the mail.

Answer B:

It sounds like your friend is a voyeur who’s playing games, and he might as well be doing phone sex, what you’re talking about. I see nothing wrong with looking for a bride in some of the countries where there are women who are looking for husbands. But I think the most important compatibility is spiritual, what is the spiritual attitude of somebody. I remember Billy Graham said a few years, and I endorse the statement emphatically, that if you take an unbeliever as a mate, you’ve got the devil for your father-in-law. And you just don’t know what you’re getting from some overseas country. I mean, take something who is an idol worshipper and has demons.

I mean, a lot of things can happen. I don’t know exactly what it is. But there are also some beautiful women, very dedicated women, who are living in poverty in places like Russia and the Ukraine, etcetera, who would just love to come to America. But you’ve got to also understand their motives. Are they coming because they want to be Americans, and the minute they get over here and get the right credentials, they’ll go bye-bye? I mean, it’s a dangerous game.