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  (Photo: www.cbn.com via The Christian Post)
  Pat Robertson spoke during his "Sign of the Times" segment during CBN's "700 Club" program on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2011.

Pat Robertson, host of “The 700 Club,” gave some controversial advice regarding a spouse with Alzheimer’s – telling the viewer it would be understandable to divorce a husband or wife with the disease.

“I hate Alzheimer’s,” Robertson said. “It is one of the most awful things because here is a loved one-this is the woman or man that you have loved for 20, 30, 40 years. And suddenly that person is gone. They're gone.”

According to Robertson, the founder and chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network, if the husband was to take any sort of action he should “divorce her and start all over again.”

He then advised the viewer “to make sure she has custodial care and somebody looking after her."

Robertson stated that he could not “fault” the husband for wanting companionship, but also advised the viewer to consult with an “ethicist.”

“If he says in a sense she is gone, he's right,” Robertson said. “It's like a walking death. Get some ethicist besides me to give you an answer because I recognize the dilemma and the last thing I'd do is condemn you for taking that kind of action."

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The episode, which aired Tuesday, has received strong criticism on social media message boards.

Matt Dillahunty tweeted, “…So if the Bible doesn’t list Alzheimer’s as grounds for a divorce, Pat Robertson will just make it up. Good to know.”

“Pat ‘Family Values’ Robertson Says a Man Should Divorce His Wife for Getting Sick,” said John Lee.

Arjun Chandrasekhar wrote on Twitter, “I don’t think it’s possible for me to hate him [Pat Robertson] more.”

Other critics have left scathing remarks on the YouTube video of the episode.

“PAT!! HOW CAN YOU SUGGEST SOMETHING THAT IS AGAINST THE WORD OF GOD!!! Maybe God should ‘Divorce’ you when you’re too old and has [sic] lost your MIND!!! Wait…the comment made in this clip proves that you already have…SHAME ON YOU PAT ROBERTSON!” said RevBigDaddie.

JanersM wrote, “Oh, Pat Robertson, what happened to in sickness and health, till death do us part, for better for worse? What happened to the vows? Hypocritical a--.”

“Tough sh-t if your wife has Alzheimers [sic]. To divorce someone in that condition is about the lowest thing one can do, you pathetic creature,” geffel tweeted.