A Faith Column on spousal rape published on Tuesday in the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman is creating a heated response among readers from the Mat-Su Valley to Anchorage.
Pastor Ron Hamman, a pastor at Independent Baptist Church of Wasilla, was the contributor for this week’s column. He wrote because a wife’s body belongs to her husband and his to hers, there cannot be rape in a marriage.
His column states, “If these allegations of spousal rape are due to the wife withholding herself in attempt to control or punish her husband, she is out of line with God. And it doesn’t matter how many laws are passed, it will just be another reason why God will not bless America.”
Pastor Julia Seymour of the Lutheran Church of Hope said she cannot believe what was written by a brother in faith.
“I felt very angry and very ashamed,” said Seymour. “You’re not biblically required to return to someone who is hurting you, putting yourself in that situation again and again, that's not what's required.”
Seymour says some pastors do interpret the bible literally, but she believes what were published are Bible verses taken out of context and misused.
Hamman also wrote in the column, that even if there was forced sex in a marriage, according to the Bible, you’d need witnesses to prove it. The column states that he never had any woman make an allegation of spousal rape against her husband to him, but wrote; even if that were the case there are problems with that allegation from a biblical standpoint.
Many in the community, including Standing Together Against Rape, say that’s an alarming statement, from a person in the position of trust and power.
“Anytime the wrong information is out there, and the statutes aren't regarded accurately, there is always the potential for people, perpetrators to misuse that information to their advantage,” said Erin Patterson of Standing Together Against Rape.
Pastor Seymour said there should be mutuality in a marriage and said what Pastor Hamman is stating is not only putting down women and condoning violence, but putting pastors in general in a bad light.
Hamman did not return our requests for an interview Thursday. Calls to the publisher of the Frontiersman were also not returned.
You can read the original column here. The Frontiersman's editorial board published a response Friday.
Also in response to the column, a group of people are organizing a panel of speakers to bring more awareness on sex crimes. For more information, email Colleen Crinklaw at onefunnybroad@gmail.com.
