As I predicted a couple of weeks ago the divorce issue is going to run and run. I missed last week’s local papers as I was away, but it seems that divorce is still hogging the limelight.

Perhaps the sassiest (as in cheeky) and rather childish is the billboard proclaiming “Divorce: God doesn’t want it!” And why the exclamation mark?

The Zebbug parish prominently displayed the large sign on its parvis. I am presuming that parish priest Fr Daniel Cardona had a private conference with God, whereby he was told that God definitely did not want divorce in Malta and that he should make a big noise about it.

So after an internal discussion the parish decided to go with the billboard, since Fr Cardona must have God’s confidence if He had personally told him that He did not want divorce. (Editor please note, retain capital Hs as they refer to God).

Of course He did! “For those who believe in God, we are asking them if they are going to consider what God thinks about this issue,” Fr Cardona was quoted as saying.

But hang on a minute, for those who do not believe that the private conference between God and Fr Cardona did take place, it is what Fr Cardona thinks that God thinks that people are being told to consider.

Besides, he contradicted himself later, when defending the pique insinuation. He told The Times’ Christian Peregin that it was “not only” aimed at JPO but was part of a larger anti-divorce campaign the parish had decided to launch to target churchgoers and non-believers.

I can understand that churchgoers in Zebbug might be worried about what their parish priest thinks God thinks about divorce, but non- believers don’t even believe there is a God, so what do they care?

Now, I am sure that there are a lot of morally bad things that go on, which ‘God doesn’t want’. Yet, the different parishes do not go around sticking billboards on their parvis haranguing us with: “Adultery: God doesn’t want it” for example.

You are not even meant to covet your neighbour’s wife, or husband, or anything else belonging to your neighbour for heaven’s sake.

So why haven’t we got billboards, spelling out the Ten Commandments?

It is all quite farcical really. Apparently, the main reason was pique, since Zebbug happens to be Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando’s parish and it was meant to embarrass him.

It seems that it didn’t. But it did embarrass the sponsor of the billboard, who said that he had no idea what the content of the board was. What kind of businessman puts cash on something before knowing what he is paying for?

I would have thought that his admission of lack of forethought got him worse publicity than having his company name splashed on an anti-divorce billboard quoting God.

The Curia’s reaction also made me smile. It told The Times that it was not involved. “This was a parish initiative. The Curia was not asked for its opinion so the responsibility falls totally on the parish,” said a Curia spokesman.

Oh, so the Curia wants to distance itself from the issue. But when questioned about it there was no commitment either way. I had no idea that parishes were so autonomous. It seems that each parish runs its own little theocracy.

I think the Curia is embarrassed by it, because Archbishop Paul Cremona has gone on record saying “We will not launch a crusade, but we will take part in the debate”.

Now had the billboard read: “Divorce: does God want it?” It would have been seen as stimulating debate rather than a dictatorial statement, which only tends to put thinking people’s backs up.

An interesting point to come out of the issue is that socio-religious billboards are exempt from requiring a permit, but they have to be removed after 21 days. One wonders what the Zebbug parish will replace it with after August 5.

A further development on the divorce issue is that lawyer Lynn Zahra, who has cohabited with broadcaster and former Labour Minister Joe Grima for over 20 years, is planning to file a constitutional case against the government for violating her right to a respectful family life by not allowing divorce.

Her claim is that their family is not recognised as a legitimate unit, both socially and legally, which means that they are treated as second-class citizens.

She is to file the case in October, but she is only going through the Maltese courts, because the European Court of Human Rights will only hear cases after all local remedies are exhausted.

She claims she has been mulling this over for years but has been spurred on by JPO’s private member’s bill. I don’t blame her for not having any “illusions” of winning in the Maltese courts. But she feels certain that ECHR would finally “force” Malta to allow couples from broken marriages the right to divorce.

I cannot understand why so many people are getting so uptight about allowing divorce. What are they so scared of? Are their marriages so frail that as soon as divorce is available they are all going to fall apart?

One of the main arguments presented against divorce is that it would weaken the family unit. But strong families will survive whether divorce is available or not.

Ms Zahra is hoping to be supported by at least 30 people in her legal battle so they can share the expenses. Let’s hope that the people who want divorce will not keep shtum, like the majority of our politicians, and wait for the lone rangers to fight their battles and then join in the spoils.

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