Last August, Pentecostal televangelist, author, singer, and actress Juanita Bynum was the victim of domestic violence at the hands of her then husband, Bishop Thomas Weeks. The two had been separated since June but were allegedly coming together to reconcile at the Renaissance Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. Unfortunately, things turned out badly and Weeks stormed out of the hotel with Bynum following after him. Weeks then proceeded to strangle, body slam, stomp, kick, and threaten Bynum’s life until a hotel employee pulled him off of her.
Once news of this attack broke, Bynum thrust herself into the spotlight. It seemed as if she didn’t even take time to heal as much as she took time to score interviews, magazine covers, and news stories within the weeks and months following the incident. She made sure that the world knew she was a woman scorned but that she would be more than a conqueror. She went from a fairytale wedding to a nightmare split and now Bynum is letting the circus of coverage continue as she prepares to air her business in a two-part series on “Divorce Court” which begins today.

Upon finding out that she was appearing on “Divorce Court” to speak about her marriage and about domestic violence, I was stunned. I said to myself, “What good can come of this?” Yes, this could be considered a ministry to battered woman but there seems to be something disingenuous about the way she is approaching this “ministry.” Her marriage was a covenant made before God. And the dissolution thereof—though made very public—should be a private matter. This is not to say that she can never come and share the testimony of how she got over, but ever since this experience with domestic violence she has been relentless in plastering her face everywhere without a break. I fear that she hasn’t even taken a break to get a true healing for her soul.
But the bigger question is, “Of all forums where she could discuss the effects of her experience with domestic violence, why “Divorce Court?” How is going on national television to discuss the Weeks’ egregious error going to help her to move past this? Yes, Bishop Weeks was wrong and he admitted his guilt and will face the consequences. But at what point will Bynum step out of the spotlight to deal with herself? Something just doesn’t seem right or maybe I don’t have a proper understanding of how one ministers through pain.
At the end of the day I guess its fine that this is above my carnal understanding because scripture says that God’s ways are above my ways. But lest I forget to mention, she’ll be sharing the spotlight with Gary Coleman. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.