By Mona Austin
(The Slice): There is little to no regard for maintaining the black family and giving children a firm moral foundation in the latest Jamal Bryant scandal. He was called out for allegedly faking a relationship with his ex-wife Gizelle Bryant on "The Real Housewives of Potomac." Another woman with whom he has allegedly had a relationship
The gossip around this story has set up a feast of Black women destroying each other on reality TV and social media. Bryant is at the center of emotional abuse that can have damning short and long-term affects on the adult women and young girls directly and indirectly involved in the situation. Intentionally or not the children are a part of the situation by default since they have placed their private affairs in the media. In real life people are being ruined eternally.
What about the children? The Bryant's have teenage daughters who did not approve of them getting back together because they have witnessed the public humiliation of their parents, particularly their mother, for their father's past indiscretions. The way parents conduct themselves has an impact on their children. Being an adult does not give parents the right to live without boundaries or behave irresponsibly.
Pastor Bryant's ex-lover claims she would meet him as he was supposedly getting spiritual enrichment at church conferences out of town. She claimed they maintained an off-and-on love affair for 8 years that finally dissolved when Bryant appeared to reunite with his ex-wife Gizelle of the Real Housewives of Potomac, an alleged charade that was exposed by the lover. (In between, perhaps over-lapping his time with Tanya, Bryant was involved with singer Tweet). All parties involved are "Christians" yet they are not demonstrating godly values. The impact of public failure can be psychological and spiritual.
Jamal Bryant, addressing the allegations in a video posted on Youtube, said he did nothing immoral or unethical in being involved with the woman and presented her as a scorned ex who was disappointed that he did not elevate her career pursuits. Bryant emerged with a book of notes referring to various text conversation they'd exchanged. What this has to do with the children is that these interactions/responses are online potentially forever as a reminder of their parents being in conflicts that they handled publicly. Parents are tasked with leading and guiding their children and being a protective covering over them. In this sense they are not being protective of the family. The tit-for-tat fights are are simply embarrassing, poor examples of parenthood and spiritual maturity.
Some things are best handled behind closed doors. Someone has to consider the healing that the Bryant girls' heart will need after watching their father break their mother again as she allows it to happen.