The Pentecostal/Charismatic Christian world received a "one-two" punch almost two weeks ago when news broke about the abuse that Juanita Bynum suffered at the hands of her minister husband, Thomas Weeks. III. See here and here. The next day, the news spread that Randy and Paula White announced their divorce at their church. The news even appeared on sites that normally reports the latest celebrity misbehavior like tmz.com and various black-owned blogs, believers and non-believers/Christians alike.
While my admiration for Prophetess Bynum is not what it used to be, my first reaction was shock and later sympathy. News clips all over the 'Net burst with comments from the "everyman". I observed a dividing line appearing between men and women, another dividing line between believers and non-believers and another bet still yet another between those who think she deserves what she got, and those who don't. I wont go on ad-nauseum about the whole matter and keep most of my opinions to myself because I doubt I will be saying anything new that has not been said yet. She has plenty of critics, detractors out there. Just visit any of her links on YouTube and read the back and forth comments centering around women who preach and you'll see what I mean.
But, I digress.
Today, I just happened to visit FOX5 in Atlanta to find out she called a press conference and gave an unprepared statement. I respect the fact that she didn't go into details, but what puzzles me is the reporter that was assigned to the story stated Prophetess Bynum was going to the TBN studio in Atlanta to tape the Praise The Lord show.
Come again? I don't understand.
I realize as she said her new platform will now be to raise awareness of domestic violence, but...where do I begin? I also know she is a strong woman, and wouldn't be down for long, but I was also hoping that since she has publicly endured what many women experience privately, she would take a sabbatical first, not for years mind you, but at least a few months. SMH. I don't understand, but then again, I'm not her, and I don't have a ministry or multi-million dollar enterprise to run . . . yet.
I only hope that she will take more time for herself to heal. Seeing this kind of reminds me of a couple I knew who suffered through a miscarriage a few years ago. I was concerned about the female half of the couple and how she coped with her loss. I later found out that she went to church the next morning, and sang in the choir of all things!!
I've come to realize in my short time on earth, that I have to respect people's decisions when it comes to things they may or may not do in their personal lives, but I had to wonder if going on with "business as usual" was her way of healing, or her way of not dealing with what happened.
Believe it or not, and I'm kind branching off into a different subject here, as humans, we are tri-partite: body, soul and spirit. When we suffer through emotional, traumatic things, it not only affects the soul -- your mind, will, intellect, emotion (to name a few), but manifests itself in our bodies. Oh sure, most times it doesn't appear on the surface or isn't obvious, but believe me, our bodies feel it. And that trauma will show manifest sooner or later... in the form of some illness, either physical or mental.
Bottom line is, I not only wish her well, but wish both her and her husband healing for their souls.
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