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October 16, 2012
Dinesh D’Souza, Married President of The King's College, Faces Questions Over New 'Fiancee'
D'Souza and wife filed for divorce after he publicly appeared with another woman, reports World.
(This post has been updated to include the official statement from The King's College board of trustees.)
Dinesh D'Souza, president of The King's College and a well-known evangelical author, faces questions from his board over his relationship with a woman he introduced as his fiancee in late September, according to World magazine.
The problem? D'Souza, who has experienced a "meteoric rise in the evangelical world," is still married to his wife of 20 years, Dixie.
World reports that D'Souza and his wife filed for divorce on Oct. 4, but D'Souza appeared at a September speaking event in South Carolina with a "young woman, Denise Odie Joseph II, and introduced her to at least three people as his fiancée."
On Oct. 16, The King's College issued the following statement: “The Board of Trustees of The King’s College has, in recent days, learned that details of the personal life of our president, Dinesh D’Souza, including information about admitted difficulties in his marriage, would be published in a national magazine. While our board has been aware of some of these details, we were not aware of others and immediately met in special sessions as a board, with Dinesh, to learn what we could about this situation."
The King’s College board plans further discussion at a regularly scheduled meeting on Oct. 17 and 18 but stated, "Until we complete this internal process we do not intend to publicly address any matters related to Mr. D’Souza and his relationship with the College.”
CT previously reported on controversy surrounding the announcement of D'Souza's presidency, and noted that World editor-in-chief Marvin Olasky resigned as provost shortly afterward. D'Souza has regularly appeared in CT's pages.
Comments
President of a Christian College divorces his wife, but before the divorce is final, he introduces another woman as his fiancee? Come on D'Souza, you who so infamously condemn our President, a brother in Christ, it's time to come down off your holy mountain, resign, be transparent about your behavior and set your house in order. Divorce, remarry, or reconcile: whatever you need to do, but, if this news story is true, you've got to clear out of your office and get on with your life without compromising King's College and the principles for which it exists. Speak truthfully. Live truthfully. From one who's been there.
Posted By: David Jongewaard | October 16, 2012 11:06 PM
Many of the comments in this thread are typical evangelical apologies when one of their own is guilty of sexual sin. Adultery is a sin, even for evangelicals who hate gay people. Apparently the Seventh Commandment only applies to liberals, not evangelicals.
It'll be interesting to see how CT justifies D'Souza's behavior as godly.
Posted By: HV | October 17, 2012 8:12 AM
The rich and powerful often stop believing that the rules apply to them. In 2010, D'Souza discovered that there's more short-term profit trafficking in mean-spiritedness and lies than in wisdom and truth. That something like this shouldn't be remotely surprising to anyone. D'Souza's hypocrisy is an embarassment.
Posted By: Dai | October 17, 2012 10:28 AM
I wonder what D’Souza has to say about all this?
Posted By: Basil | October 17, 2012 12:26 PM
Again, there is nothing wrong with being engaged while a divorce is pending. Dinesh had been separated from his Wife for 2 years!
Is this Christian treatment? To me it is not. Many of you commenting probably don't even know the facts. You are throwing stones for something that should not even be an issue.
Posted By: Lynn | October 17, 2012 10:40 PM
Here is the problem is: this fellow is the president of a CHRISTIAN college. He is supposed to be an example to the young people who attend there. He needs to learn abstinence and patience and is j showing these young people a very bad example . he also is biased and a hater and NOT a good example for young people in that setting THAT is why it is a big deal
Posted By: nowhereman | October 18, 2012 6:15 AM
Whether Mr D'Souza has been separated from his wife for two or twenty years is irrelevant! the fact is he is still married. He has no freedom to be courting another woman & looking upon her as wife-to-be that's called adultery! The Bible has a few words to say about that kind of behaviour. He is extremely irresponsible & selfish to be making any kind of promise to his erzatz fiancee while he is still married, promises that in his current marital state he cannot fulfuill. The fact that the college has not simply condemned this godless behaviour is an indictment upon it's own level of morality & godliness. No wonder the world mocks Christians when they cannot get this simplest part of scripture right.
Posted By: John Burgess | October 18, 2012 6:50 AM
This is an issue that needs to be addressed by the Board of King College and Mr. D'Sousa. i do not assume that he has had any physical relationship with this young woman. Neither should anyone else. It is not up to any of us to cast that first stone. The LORD is the one who will decide what is correct and proper. Obviously, this action has not glorified HIM and that is the issue. To bring any dishonor to HIS name by perceived actions/ and misinterpretations is between the Board, Mr. D'Sousa, and the LORD, not this public discussion. The use of the tongue to discuss such topics that may be twisted, and blown out of proportion is something the FATHER hates. i have too large a mote in my own eye, to cast that stone and i expect that those of you expressing your opinions are in that same boat.
Posted By: kate Buchanan | October 18, 2012 11:32 AM
Oh, come on, folks. They shared a hotel room--at a Christian conference, no less--and we're supposed to just take D'Souza's word that "nothing happened?"
He's already stated that he "checked with a lawyer" about getting engaged while still being married, and was told "sure, it happens all the time." Well, the law doesn't even address engagements, so that's obvious. What's telling is that this man--a major Christian apologist, president of a Christian school, and defender of "family values" and "traditional marriage"--apparently didn't see fit to consult with a pastor or fellow believers on the question. How many of YOU would advise a Christian brother that it's just fine to share hotel rooms with another woman and introduce her as your fiancee before you're even divorced from your wife?
Now we learn that Miss Joseph, the fiancee in question, was apparently married in December 2011 (according to her online comments and photos, including pictures on her "down for maintenance" website that included her wedding photo). So, she's not even a year into a marriage and she's already walking around as D'Souza's financee?
If this is his idea of personal/Christian ethics, then yes - his other opinions and theories are suspect as well. If he's untruthful and unethical about this stuff, his other opinions/statements/positions can't simply be taken at face value.
Posted By: wesmorgan1 | October 18, 2012 3:20 PM
"How can you comment without knowing the facts? Does this man proclaim to be without sin? Do you know something relevant enough that we can say it is truth?"
If he casts stone on other people, particularly non-believers he must think that he is without sin.
Posted By: George | October 18, 2012 5:37 PM
"According to Jesus Christ divorce is sin. Let's reread the sermon on the mount."
Absolutely right!
Posted By: George | October 18, 2012 5:42 PM
"Is this Christian treatment? To me it is not. Many of you commenting probably don't even know the facts. You are throwing stones for something that should not even be an issue."
Just like D'Souza throws stones on other sinners.
Posted By: George | October 18, 2012 5:46 PM
I am about the same age as D'Souza and grew up in the Church of South India. In the church, and in the town of Madurai we were not allowed to talk to the opposite sex, period, Marriages are arranged or done through family introduction. Pre and extra marital sex was never heard of. Mr. D'Souza does not serve the cause of Christianity by his actions. He condemns Obama and paints a bleak picture of America in 2016..a picture of sodomy and fornication. There are a lot of things wrong with Obama..he serves liberal interests, supports abortion, gay rights, and a lot of other things. But, compared to Mr. D'Souza he is a saint! Why? Although Mr. Obama may condone the behavior of Mr. D'Souza, as far as I can see, unlike Mr. D'Souza there is no evidence of moral infidelity on the part of the President and as of now, Mr. Obama is living by the teachings of the New Testament as far as marriage is concerned unlike the philanderer Mr. D'Souza! Disgraceful!
Posted By: Jebasingh | October 18, 2012 11:11 PM
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