What Should Society Do?

Swaimj's comment is spot-on. I find that there is a double standard in these cases. Does the "put them in a database (etc)" apply to the women who abuse also, or is it assumed that the women can be trusted after their debt is paid, but the men are assumed to always be abusers no matter what change has occurred in their life?

 

Well, no, not really. I don't call that justice in accordance to what we think of justice. The thing is that the father gunned him down because he felt he was a threat to the community. And I guess so did the jury.
And so, like somebody said, you can free them, you can have them live around and near you, but you sure don't wanna trust them, that is one thing you don't wanna do.

 

>>We are not any better than these people because they're committing a vile crime. We sin everyday and, in God's eyes, sin is sin...period.<<

Yes, in God's eyes, sin is sin. But we are also instructed in the Bible to obey the laws of the land. "The land" we live in does put degrees on criminal behavior. Pedophiles, rapist, and murderers are not trusted/esteemed among secular and Christian alike.

>>I don't believe my Pastor advocated having these 'people' babysit anyone's children or allowing them to be around the youth in the church!<<

Without the databases and public alerts put our by police dept's and schools, and ads in the paper people may not have any idea that down the block is registered offender. Research that has been done on repeat offenders PROVES, they put themselves "around" where children are, or they fail to register, or they say they are "cured" only to go on and repeat the same crimes or escalate in brutality.

>>And, in NO way, were people born perverted!!!!<<

AS I said, the "jury"-meaning scientists in the Forensic and Criminology fields are still researching this and no definitive answer has been found yet. There is also some very positive research suggesting that Fetal Alcohol Syndrome may have a link. Although, what I found interesting is that most of the "criminals" in this area DO feel they were born this way and that even IF they wanted to change, which most don't even want to, they don't feel they can.

>>To say that God cannot change ANYONE'S heart is just plain wrong. If He changed mine, He can change anyones. They should certainly not be ostracized from attending church or be made to feel unwelcome or less than human.<<

I am in NO way saying that God, can not change the hearts of these offenders. Yes, He can change theirs, same as he changed your and mine. The difference that I see in that is, we were willling to have God change it, we asked him to change it. In reality, most of these criminals have no desire to change whatsoever. And if not allowing my children around them is "ostracizing" then oh well. Personally, I would not attend a church where I knew a pedophile attended. These guys "plot" and they take every chance and spare moment to carry out their plot.

>>We must never forget that God loves these people every bit as much as He does you and I and Jesus would have died for any one of them...<<

Yes, God loves them. And we are commanded to forgive. The Bible even says forgive 70 X'x 7. I can forgive them, but that doesn't mean they do not pay a debt to society nor does it mean that I have to be around them at all.
Like I stated before, and with some research you'll easily find the same info, these are usually crimes of escalation. For example, David Berkowitz-Son of Sam-set over two thousand fires throughout New York City before he evolved into a serial killer. Others started out as "peeping toms", and others still started out as fetish theifs, but they moved ON to become Pedophiles and/or serial offenders.

I personally think laws on sentencing in this area are too lenient, but it looks like the tide is turning-thanks to great FBI profilers and others in the fields of Forensic Psychology and Criminology-that sentences are getting more stringent. And there is now the 3 strikes law, as well as requiring the offenders to register and making the info publicly accessible is the best way to handle it. If they can not control their impulses, then make the public aware and "help" them control such impulses, or at least their ability to act on them.

 

If you KNEW he was a pedophile, you could keep your children away from him; so what's the problem? You are no better than they are...we are all sinners.

A church should be open to ALL and since the church is the PEOPLE, you should welcome anyone who wants to be saved or IS saved and wants to attend church.

God did not say, "Whosover will may come except for pedophiles".

I guess you don't want to follow the example that Jesus set for us.

 

>>If you KNEW he was a pedophile, you could keep your children away from him; so what's the problem? You are no better than they are...we are all sinners.<<

If I know there is a pedophile, that is HOW I would choose to keep him away from my children.
Because of what I know about pedophiles, I know they are sly, sneaky, and always plotting. Before I would trust one, whether in church or in the secular public, I would want to see some "fruit", before I would let my children in the vicinity of one. To me, that is just common sense.

>>A church should be open to ALL and since the church is the PEOPLE, you should welcome anyone who wants to be saved or IS saved and wants to attend church. God did not say, "Whosover will may come except for pedophiles".<<

Yes, you are right. But I see nowhere in the text "Dina is required to attend church with a pedophile." I am free to choose what church I attend or don't.

>>I guess you don't want to follow the example that Jesus set for us. <<

No, I follow the Bible where is says "Pray for sinners". Again, I see no command/law/requirement that says associate/expose my children with known pervs.

 

Swaimj's comment is spot-on. I find that there is a double standard in these cases. Does the "put them in a database (etc)" apply to the women who abuse also, or is it assumed that the women can be trusted after their debt is paid, but the men are assumed to always be abusers no matter what change has occurred in their life? </font>[/QUOTE]Yes, women are listed/registered also.

 

Mt 18:6 -
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Mr 9:42 -
And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

Lu 17:2 - It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

What about the victims of these sickos???
What about their rights to grow up without being haunted by the horrid things that these 'poor' pedophiles did to them for the rest of their lives ?!


Most people that perpetrate these monstrous crimes against the most helpless and innocent members of our society are grown ups who choose to do what they do. Their victims have NO CHOICE!

To defend them and their "rights" at the risk of more unspeakable trauma to another little one is, in my opinion, indefensible.

If, after serving their time, they must be let back into society, then register them and make that information known to the community, be they male, female and all variations thereof.

Their "rights" ended, in my opinion, when they chose to shatter that little childs life! [/QB][/QUOTE]

WOW!!!
I agree. 100%

 

In God's eyes we are all sinners deserving of death and eternity in Hell. We are assured we shall face death. The magnitude of our sins doesn't change the ultimate sentence. From the moment of birth we are condemned through our ancestry from Adam and Eve. Like it or not we are guilty! God's chosen children, through His grace by the sacrifice of Him incarnate as Jesus, have been given a pardon from what they deserve and shall enjoy an eternity with Him in Heaven instead. We don't know who God's chosen ones are! Even the vilest person among us may have been granted this unearned gift of salvation even though there be no outward evidence for us to see. Remember the thief on the cross next to Jesus who was told of his salvation in his final breaths? Only God could do that! Remember Saul who became Paul? Who would have believed such a transformation could have, much less would have, occurred. Only God has such power! We do not have the power to condemn nor save either ourselves or another person. It is our Lord who has made these eternal judgments according to His justice.

God's great wisdom includes a plan of temporal justice for mankind while here on this earth. It is through government ordained by Him that we are to seek justice for criminal acts and civil disputes among us. It is clear that God's plan includes the right and duty of government to administer this justice even to the point of death for an offender. Christians are completely justified to participate in the due process of apprehension, judgment, and punishment. We would be foolish not to apply this system of justice else we would surely live in world of far greater lawlessness and disorder than we already experience. It is important to note that we are to seek justice through proper government and not through acts of personal revenge. Persons acting on behalf of government have a duty to administer justice so as not to bring about temptation of citizens to take matters into their own hands. We do have the rightful power to accuse, hold to trail, convict or acquit, and punish or pardon others through our temporal judgment.

We must understand that even at our very best we fall far short of righteousness. We must, as we participate in our system of justice, balance the desire for punishment with the awareness of possible remorse and reform that leads to mercy we may ourselves seek. We must balance that against the need to provide justice for those wronged and for society as a whole. Thus we should pray diligently that our decisions be according to the will of God. If we take God out of civil law there is no longer true justice among us. Sometimes a pardon is in order but, more often, it is not. It is a solemn burden which none should relish but which should be carried as required.

It is my opinion that sexual crimes are among the vilest because of the consequences to the victims and their families, the often repeated instances by the offenders, and the frequent lack of remorse or any hope of true reform among them. Such people should absolutely not be free to roam among society presenting a threat to others. Those harmed should not be made to live out their lives feeling there was no justice and perhaps it is they who were guilty. For these reasons I favor the strongest punishment for sexual offenders. The message to society needs to be loud and clear so as to discourage such conduct. The message such confirm that there is accountability for actions among mankind.

 

I find this statement rather disturbing.......

 

I find this statement rather disturbing....... </font>[/QUOTE]Which statement? There are 2 there.

 

Who on this list defended them?

 

I find this statement rather disturbing....... </font>[/QUOTE]Which statement? There are 2 there. </font>[/QUOTE]Yours...........

 

I find this statement rather disturbing....... </font>[/QUOTE]Which statement? There are 2 there. </font>[/QUOTE]Yours........... </font>[/QUOTE]Just for clarification, the part that says "Are we better than these people? NO!" is not mine. I was quoting someone else.

MY response to the above quote was: "Well, if we aren't the ones going around committing these awful crimes, I would say, in some degree YES!"

 

I am well aware of what your statement was.
Perhaps we should all strive to sound more like the publican............