Tuesday 24 March 2009

Brighton hosts Britain’s first divorce fair


A divorce fair to help those going through separation drew exhibitors ranging from
financial consultants to psychic healers and ‘ministers’ offering separation ceremonies. The Starting Over Show was organised by 44-year-old Suzy Miller with the aim of offering ‘the sort of exhibition [she] would have liked’ when she went through her separation six years ago. On hand for the 300 visitors were family lawyers, debt advisers, alongside chocolate manufacturers and feng shui consultants offering advice on redesigning client’s living space from a spiritual perspective.



Ministers of the Rhythm of Life church, a growing organisation with over 350 ministers, offered rituals to help couples and children forgive and ‘let go of their pain’. Paula Hall, a Relate psychotherapist, said she was concerned about the number of financial services present. ‘Vulnerable people going through a divorce are not in a good position for the h ard sell,’ she said.



Source: The Times (16/3)
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/relationships/article5914401.ece

I have very mixed feelings about this divorce fair, partly because i feel that it could encourage couples to rush to explore what is on offer there instead of trying to work at their relationship and finding reconciliation, and partly because there appears to be little input from the mainstream Christian churches or other faith groups nor any form of careful scrutiny of organisations wanting to exhibit help.

5 comments:

Sally said...

Goodness Olive this is disturbing, it sounds very similar to the New Age fairs that I work in and amongst. There is a lot of money making going on under the cover of pseudo spirituality. I know that people are looking for peace but the ability to "buy" a good divorce is not really an option, the thought of enabling children to forget is downright creepy, it smacks of removing the guilt from mum and dad rather than something that would really help the children.

Thank you for posting this :-)

Olive Morgan said...

Yes, Sally, very disturbing! I'm very glad that no such fair existed at any of the time when our marriage was having difficulties. I just might have been tempted! Instead we had 58 years together.

seethroughfaith said...

It would be a good place for Christians to invade though - to offer a different hope and future. A bit like Sally has done with Whitefields and new age fairs

thanks for posting olive

Anonymous said...

Dear Loving Elder Sister,
greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...
really today i am very happy recived your email.
Sister, i am very happy that you want to help me but you have not way to help us , do not worreid, please pray for our need, God will help us, you know very well that without prayer we can not do anythings so in prayer we can do all things, so prayer is best medican.. so please pray for my need...
we have need now 200 Hindi bibles. please help us we will very thankful to you..
it is my humble request to you, i hope you will hel p us soon, this is my wife email id (pinkyjhon134@yahoo.com)
my id (sonu_kumar604@yahoo.com)

Anonymous said...

Dear Loving Elder Sister,
greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...
really today i am very happy recived your email.
Sister, i am very happy that you want to help me but you have not way to help us , do not worreid, please pray for our need, God will help us, you know very well that without prayer we can not do anythings so in prayer we can do all things, so prayer is best medican.. so please pray for my need...
we have need now 200 Hindi bibles. please help us we will very thankful to you..
it is my humble request to you, i hope you will hel p us soon, this is my wife email id (pinkyjhon134@yahoo.com)
my id (sonu_kumar604@yahoo.com)