What would your church do?

[bapmom]

I need to say something here.......no one that Ive seen on this thread is putting out the idea that a proven pedophile ought to be protected from prosecution. And yet, in the last two posts, it seems that that idea is still being argued against as if the certain other poster has said that a molester ought to be protected.

To be specific, Pastor Larry has several times in this thread said that he believes no church ought to protect a pedophile from being prosecuted, but in fact the church ought to turn him in and help with the prosecuting.

I for one was encouraged through this thread to remember that while we might prosecute someone, that does not absolve us of the requirement to also forgive. Forgiveness does not mean "no prosecution". AND prosecution does not mean "no forgiveness".

 

[Amy.G]

I need to say something here.......no one that Ive seen on this thread is putting out the idea that a proven pedophile ought to be protected from prosecution. And yet, in the last two posts, it seems that that idea is still being argued against as if the certain other poster has said that a molester ought to be protected.

To be specific, Pastor Larry has several times in this thread said that he believes no church ought to protect a pedophile from being prosecuted, but in fact the church ought to turn him in and help with the prosecuting.

I for one was encouraged through this thread to remember that while we might prosecute someone, that does not absolve us of the requirement to also forgive. Forgiveness does not mean "no prosecution". AND prosecution does not mean "no forgiveness".

The argument was about Pastor Larry's view that the molestor should be allowed to stay in the same church as the child he attacked. We all agree that a repentant sinner has to be forgiven because our Lord commanded us to. But, we don't agree that he should be allowed to remain in the church.

 

[Brother Bob]

I really wonder about such actions myself. But thats just me.

Romans;
21: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22: Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23: And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24: Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26: For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28: And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29: Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30: Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31: Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

 

[Pastor Larry]

A few follow up comments and then I am done. Let me say at the outset that I wish people would read what I have actually said. I think that would have cut this thread in about half.

Then he can move or find some ministry that ministers to adults only. And the current church should see to it that his reputation follows him so other churches can protect their little ones.

I am not aware of any church that ministers to adults only. So far as I can tell, that would not be a biblical church. A church should make sure that other churches know what is currently going on in this man’s life. He should be required to tell the new church what happened, and the pastor should make sure he does.

The sad thing is that if this guy avoids jail time, he will likely do it again somewhere else to someone else.

Neither legally nor spiritually can you judge someone for what they might do. It seems that the grace of God in Scripture does bring change to people. I would be cautious doubting that grace.

If he only confessed because he was found out, I would question his sincerity in repentence. How many criminals suddenly became sorry after they were caught?

Sometimes God uses exposure of sin to bring about repentance. We don’t know enough to comment on this.

Real forgiveness (as Ive been taught it) means that on a personal, one-on-one level I can treat the forgiven person the same as I treat anyone else. It means I do not avoid that person. It means I am not ignoring my own hurt feelings and just tamping them down further in my soul - it means those hurt feelings are actually gone........or at least when they resurface I deal with them by bringing them back to God again and laying them back down.

However, real forgiveness cannot mean "lack of consequence", because God says He forgives us and yet we know that there are sometimes temporal consequences that our sin causes in our life - long term.

Exactly. I completely agree.

Goodness, there is no way I would sit near or allow any child to sit near a convicted or confessed child molester. I dont care how repentant he is. Thats just part of the consequence of his actions that will follow him (or her, to be fair) all the rest of life.

Me either. This wasn’t the topic.

Why is it that the victims should have to suffer the consequences of this man's sin?

They shouldn’t. No one is asking them to.

If he were truly repentent and there was not another church where he could attend I still don't believe he should be allowed to continue to fellowship in the church.

So you think he should disobey God’s command to be in church? How can you ask a man to be disobedient to God?

At the very least the church should attempt to accomodate both the victim and the repentant sinner.

I agree. This what I have been saying.

Do you really think the church would do the same thing if the offender was not a former elder and husband of the church administrater? Call me cynical, but I don't.

In that church, I don’t know. Should they? Yes. It should not matter who the man was.

I am not sure why we as christians would do anything, anything, to protect a felon, especially a pedophile.

Me either. If you find someone who has recommended this, let me know and I will gang up on them with you.

And does repentance relieve a person of the consequences of their sin? Does repentance relieve a person of the legal consequences of their crime?

No, and no. I have been very clear about that.

All the while we ask the victim to continue being exposed to her attacker, either that or she can darn well leave the church.

I have asked no such thing. I don’t think she should be exposed to her attacker. I have specifically said that.

Where is love and compassion, and ministry for this innocent child? I'll tell you where, it's with a pedophile.

Not for me. Again, if someone has suggested this, let me know and I will gang up on them with you.