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cover ups

Discussion in '2006 Archive' started by bapmom, Jun 6, 2006.

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  1. shannonL

    shannonL New Member

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    AVL1984,

    My sentiments exactly concerning Dr. Messer. I don't know if it was purely poor judgement concerning how he dealt with the Bob Gray matter or not?
    I know it was one of the first things he had to deal with when he became pastor there at Trinity.
    No matter what the reasoning behind the approach that was taken to handle the situation HOW it was handled lets us get a picture of the character Dr. Messer. How to handle the Gray situation should have been a black and white, slam dunk decision on the part of Dr. Messer.
    If I was a member there I would want Messer gone. He wasn't forthright with his people regarding this situation until the beans were already spilled.
     
    #21 shannonL, Jun 8, 2006
  2. NaasPreacher (C4K)

    NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

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    Could one use the same logic to support the Catholic cover-up of their paedophile priests in Ireland?

    If they dealt with it, why is it anyone else's business?
     
    #22 NaasPreacher (C4K), Jun 8, 2006
  3. bapmom

    bapmom New Member

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    I think Squire really hit it, when he said that some people are taking the passage about not taking a brother to court out of context.

    So these things happen because we are trying to not take a brother to court? As I understood that passage it was more about sueing each other.....but I guess I do know some people who believe that we ought not let the secular courts judge our matters at all.

    I think oftentimes they happen also because of another passage I was reading last night.

    1Ti 5:19
    Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

    So if only one witness comes to make a complaint, and there is no other proof or other witnesses, then what is to be done while still obeying this verse?
     
    #23 bapmom, Jun 8, 2006
  4. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    Romans 13:1-4
    And related verses pretty much take the matter out of a church's hands. Most secular jurisdictions have fairly clear and stringent laws on reporting incidents of child molestation. In such cases, its no longer a simple matter of church discipline.
     
    #24 Squire Robertsson, Jun 8, 2006
  5. bapmom

    bapmom New Member

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    So do you think that that verse about hearing a charge against an elder is really only referring to things which would not be considered a crime? Basically we take it and apply it to everything when it really is talking about an elder not treating you as politely as he should or doing something that perhaps offends you.
     
    #25 bapmom, Jun 8, 2006
  6. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    No where does scripture lead me to believe we are to cover up a crime just because the person is a member of our church.
    I take the verse to mean sueing each other, not covering up a crime. If we are to let the church handle it's own matters, wven when illegal, then we have no complaint against the Catholic church for covering up the molestations.
     
    #26 donnA, Jun 8, 2006
  7. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    Nope, but I do think at one time a church had a measure discretion in its dealings on certain matters. However, under current law this discretion no longer exists. Especially, it does not exist in these particular kinds of cases. It's like I wrote about the Corinthian passage. Folks take the verses and misinterpert then misapply them. :tear:
    At a certain point, you've got to say, "Sorry Brother, but the law requires me to report this matter. It's the pits that the law presumes guilt in these cases. However, that's the way it is." :tear: And then you contribute to his defense fund.
     
    #27 Squire Robertsson, Jun 8, 2006
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