Why Do People Throw Everything Away?

[righteousdude2]

Why Do People Throw It ALL Away?

As a pastor, I wanted to present to all of my brothers and sisters and fellow pastors a question that may have a number of answers ...

It seems, at least out here in California, that every day the news reports on another teacher or adult coach has been arrested for molestting their charges. And this doesn't include the thing with the CAtholic church and its priests!!! :tonofbricks:

Be it female teachers on boys or girls, OR male teachers on boys and girls in their classrooms and or on the team they coach, the problem seems to be growing, and with that comes my question:

Why would an individual, who spent no less than six years in college/university, THROW AWAY ALL THAT TIME AND PERSONAL EFFORT for a momentary fantasy coming to reality and in turn harming the children they were hired to teach and protect? After all, it is not cheap going to college, today, and once they are caught and convicted, they lose their career, and teaching permit/license, and for what? They destroy the life of the child!

Lately, there have been teachers and coaches arrested, and quite a few claim to be very involved in their local churches.

Is this a sign of the times? Is it just a result of the morals within America being cheapened with all that capitalism, political correctness, and tolerance has allowed to flow freely in society [through things such as pot sales, porn on television, etc.]?

And where is the church; and what is the local church doing to help society return to the day when such things were not so prevalent?

Is it even within the scope and power of the church to turn the tide of this growing sickness; BY being more vocal, through holding tent meeting revivals on the corners of neighborhoods, and collectively working with all denominations to protest or boycot advertisers of the prime time televison shows that freely braodcast the loose moral standards being seen on television and cable today?

I gues one more question is, is it even worth the efforts to protest and boycott? Can society be changed, or is this just the result of evil permeating the hearts, thoughts and lifes of millions of people around the world? :1_grouphug:

I know this was a long question, but in a nutshell, can we change the direction we are headed for the best interest of our children and those individuals who are tempted and act out on their temptation, ruining the memories and life of its victims?

 

[HAMel]

And where is the church; and what is the local church doing to help society return to the day when such things were not so prevalent?

rd2, this would require a "change" in attitude. Ain't gonna happen.

Otherwise, what you've described is absolutely horrendous.

 

[righteousdude2]

I know ....

And where is the church; and what is the local church doing to help society return to the day when such things were not so prevalent?

rd2, this would require a "change" in attitude. Ain't gonna happen.

Otherwise, what you've described is absolutely horrendous.

It is the same "Feet in Cemet" syndrome! What a shame! :tear::tear:

 

[Deacon]

Most of these sexual assaults on youth are not momentary indiscretions, they are planned attacks.

The youthful victims are chosen because of their vulnerability - they choose the weak, they choose the those that won't be believed, they choose the ones no one wants around.

They spend time with them; cultivating their weaknesses, making them think that the choices they make are their own.
Many victims don't even know they have been abused until years after the event.

This is how predators like Penn. State's Joe Sandusky operate.

The church often looks at these predators as willing volunteers, good people because they spend so much time with the youth, they see the time they sacrifice as service – setting up opportunities, stalking victims, preparing the scene.

They are wolves among sheep; so many churches just close they eyes and see good ole uncle Joe whose been around for years helping our youth.

Churches need to set up strong programs with robust rules that protect both youth and youth workers from charges of abuse.

Rob

 

[Bro. James]

Why? The same reason Adam disobeyed God, Cain murdered Abel, King David committed adultery and murdered, Judas betrayed Jesus...just to name a few. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

All of mankind is sinful by nature--totally depraved, totally without remedy of ourselves, our freewills enslaved to our sin nature. We know not how to make the right choice of ourselves.

Sexual immorality is not a new phenomenon. Personal demons have been at work since day one. Daily we are bombarded with lust of flesh, lust of eyes and pride of life. We have become adept at rationalizing and covering up what sin might be.

Remedy: flee Satan. Eve did not flee. She was beguiled. Adam was not beguiled, he sinned willfully. We become beguiled by the Angel of Light, the God of this world, the prince of the power of the air. Jesus knows how to deal with Satan.

Flee to The Word and the prayer closet.

Jesus said He would save, seal and protect. He us faithful, even when we are not.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Bro. James

 

[Rippon]

All of mankind is sinful by nature--totally depraved, totally without remedy of ourselves, our freewills enslaved to our sin nature.

Doesn't sound "free" to me!

We become beguiled by the Angel of Light,

The one who masquerades as "an" angel of light.

the God of this world,

Make that a lower case g.

 

[salzer mtn]

There has always been sin's of every nature throughout history. The difference now is through media everyone knows what is going on in every state of the union. Also it was shameful to a family years ago if their daughter got raped and things were kept silent.

 

[JamesL]

RighteousDude,
This may not be the answer you're looking for, but much of your thought has been led by society, and not scripture.

Virtually every society, up til the last quarter of the 21st century, has viewed people as adults at about age 13-14. Only recently has society influenced Christians into thinking of young adults as children

Many "children" who are sexually "exploited" are actually willing adults.

Jesus' own mother, at about age 13, was betrothed to a man about 40 years old. Did an angel come and tell Joseph that he was a pervert?

No, the angel told Joseph to not put Mary away when she became pregnant. The pregnancy at that age was quite normal in that time, and apparently acceptable enough to God. The only issue the Jews had was that she looked to have been sexually active outside of marriage

Today's society has refused to bring children to emotional and psychological maturity before they become adults. But just because they think like children doesn't mean they are, scripturally speaking

Your beef shouldn't be with society in general anyway. Society is sinful, so why are you so shocked to see people sinning? That's like being shocked to see new cars on a showroom floor, or shocked at the thought of balloons at a birthday party.

As far as Christians go, the problem is that they're sexually engaged with someone they haven't married. It's not the age of the "victim" near as much as it is simply fornication.

Are you ok with two 40 year olds shacking up?

 

[exscentric]

It is the same "Feet in Cemet" syndrome! What a shame! :tear::tear:

Say what? Old timers being resistant to change is the same as statutory rape - come on!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Greektim]

As a pastor, I wanted to present to all of my brothers and sisters and fellow pastors a question that may have a number of answers ...

It seems, at least out here in California, that every day the news reports on another teacher or adult coach has been arrested for molestting their charges. And this doesn't include the thing with the CAtholic church and its priests!!! :tonofbricks:

Be it female teachers on boys or girls, OR male teachers on boys and girls in their classrooms and or on the team they coach, the problem seems to be growing, and with that comes my question:

Why would an individual, who spent no less than six years in college/university, THROW AWAY ALL THAT TIME AND PERSONAL EFFORT for a momentary fantasy coming to reality and in turn harming the children they were hired to teach and protect? After all, it is not cheap going to college, today, and once they are caught and convicted, they lose their career, and teaching permit/license, and for what? They destroy the life of the child!

Lately, there have been teachers and coaches arrested, and quite a few claim to be very involved in their local churches.

Is this a sign of the times? Is it just a result of the morals within America being cheapened with all that capitalism, political correctness, and tolerance has allowed to flow freely in society [through things such as pot sales, porn on television, etc.]?

And where is the church; and what is the local church doing to help society return to the day when such things were not so prevalent?

Is it even within the scope and power of the church to turn the tide of this growing sickness; BY being more vocal, through holding tent meeting revivals on the corners of neighborhoods, and collectively working with all denominations to protest or boycot advertisers of the prime time televison shows that freely braodcast the loose moral standards being seen on television and cable today?

I gues one more question is, is it even worth the efforts to protest and boycott? Can society be changed, or is this just the result of evil permeating the hearts, thoughts and lifes of millions of people around the world? :1_grouphug:

I know this was a long question, but in a nutshell, can we change the direction we are headed for the best interest of our children and those individuals who are tempted and act out on their temptation, ruining the memories and life of its victims?

When has sin ever been the rational choice?

 

[ShagNappy]

Is this a sign of the times?

You just hear about it more now. We have instant news from around the world pushed by a media that lives and dies on violence and sex. 30 years ago, if it happened in the next town over, you might never have heard about it. Along with Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc., etc., it's everywhere immediately. These thing also make it easier to get caught. More often than not it is someone else who turns them in, not the student who is involved, especially with male students.

For those who do report it themselves, it is easier to do now. There is less chance of being ignored or attacked further for coming forward with it.

We also have a world of very sexualized children. And they are already hormonally challenged because of the reasons JamesL mentioned. I know as a teen in the early 80's if a decent looking teacher approached my godless self I would have been an eager participant, not a victim in any sense. Imagine now in a world where sex is served with breakfast. I am not saying there are no victims, but there are not as many as you would imagine who think they are victims.

 

[JamesL]

I know as a teen in the early 80's if a decent looking teacher approached my godless self I would have been an eager participant, not a victim in any sense.

When I was in school, there was one teacher that every boy drooled over. There were quite a few who were hitting on her. We were 15-16 years old, and she was somewhere in her mid 20s

Had she engaged with any one of us, we would have all been high-fiving for the rest of our school days and beyond.

Victims? Hardly. Wolves is more like it

 

[Sapper Woody]

It's only the next logical step, IMO. If it's OK to sleep with anyone you want heterosexually or even homosexually, why let age stop you? If you make your own moral code, why should anyone be able to dictate to you at what age you can sleep with someone?

 

[Jordan Kurecki]

When I was in school, there was one teacher that every boy drooled over. There were quite a few who were hitting on her. We were 15-16 years old, and she was somewhere in her mid 20s

Had she engaged with any one of us, we would have all been high-fiving for the rest of our school days and beyond.

Victims? Hardly. Wolves is more like it

I would say when I was in high school it would have been the same thing with me.

 

[Revmitchell]

Just because underage children want it and enjoy it does not mean they are not victims. Feeding underage children alcohol is another example of this.

 

[Zaac]

It's only the next logical step, IMO. If it's OK to sleep with anyone you want heterosexually or even homosexually, why let age stop you? If you make your own moral code, why should anyone be able to dictate to you at what age you can sleep with someone?

And here is the problem. When so many in the CHURCH have a rolling moral code that justifies their sin that they often refuse to acknowledge as sin, is it any wonder that sexual sin is running rampant?

Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, Matt. 24:12

As I said in another thread:

We excuse away our drinking.
We excuse away our smoking.
We excuse away what we watch.
We excuse away what we listen to.
We excuse away why we disrespect authority.
We excuse away how we support a man who rejects Jesus while purporting to still want folks to come to Christ.
We excuse away the way we dress.
We excuse away our prejudices.
We excuse away our lack of love.
We excuse away our judging outside the church.
We excuse away our gluttony...our gossipping...and our phonyness.
We excuse away our desire to win an argument as defense of the faith.
We excuse away our nastyness in how we respond to others.
We excuse away the truth and ask for unneeded examples when we well know exactly what is being talked about.

If we can excuse all of our sin without repentance but justification, why are we surprised when others start rationalizing and excusing and justifying why and how they could do these things mentioned in the OP?

On any given day, folks on this board sinfully disrespect and dishonor the President of the United States.

On any given day, folks on this board express attitudes that border on hate for those who don't share their politics.

So to answer RD2's question

And where is the church; and what is the local church doing to help society return to the day when such things were not so prevalent?

A lot of these folks you mention who are in the church learned how to justify and rationalize their unChristlike behavior from being surrounde by churches filled with folks doing the same with their unChristlike behavior.

It's why the women in the churches are dressing more unGodly and why you hear more and more about these situations.

If the church were really serious about these things, all the other unGodly behavior would be addressed. But the people in the church are only concerned about addressing the heinous nature of the next guy's sin while ignoring their own more corporately acceptable and palatable sin.

It's prevalent because God's people are setting the bad example of excusing, rationalizing and justifying sin.

 

[JamesL]

Just because underage children want it and enjoy it does not mean they are not victims. Feeding underage children alcohol is another example of this.

What sort of age range are you calling "underage children" ??

Who's the victim if a 13 year old male rapes a 35 year old woman?
Would that 13 year old be a victim if a 25 year old man held the woman down?
Or is he only the victim if the woman is willing?


Same with drinking. If he's a victim when someone buys it for him, then what about the 13 year old who steals it from a grocery store?


Does his status as a victim change by the status of another?

 

[righteousdude2]

Back to You!

RighteousDude,
This may not be the answer you're looking for, but much of your thought has been led by society, and not scripture.

Virtually every society, up til the last quarter of the 21st century, has viewed people as adults at about age 13-14. Only recently has society influenced Christians into thinking of young adults as children

Many "children" who are sexually "exploited" are actually willing adults.

Jesus' own mother, at about age 13, was betrothed to a man about 40 years old. Did an angel come and tell Joseph that he was a pervert?

No, the angel told Joseph to not put Mary away when she became pregnant. The pregnancy at that age was quite normal in that time, and apparently acceptable enough to God. The only issue the Jews had was that she looked to have been sexually active outside of marriage

Today's society has refused to bring children to emotional and psychological maturity before they become adults. But just because they think like children doesn't mean they are, scripturally speaking

Your beef shouldn't be with society in general anyway. Society is sinful, so why are you so shocked to see people sinning? That's like being shocked to see new cars on a showroom floor, or shocked at the thought of balloons at a birthday party.

As far as Christians go, the problem is that they're sexually engaged with someone they haven't married. It's not the age of the "victim" near as much as it is simply fornication.

Are you ok with two 40 year olds shacking up?

Not okay with anyone, ANYONE at all shacking up! And I have no beef, as you infer, just left questioning why people would allow a few seconds of fleeting pleasure [sexual sin] destroy the life of a nother as well as bring down everything the worked so hard to earn?

Thanks for your answer. All answers are excepted with an open heart! :thumbs:

 

[righteousdude2]

As a Social Worker ...

Just because underage children want it and enjoy it does not mean they are not victims. Feeding underage children alcohol is another example of this.

.... who spent 16 years in licensing, protecting children, young adults and the elderly from abuse, I have to say the REV is right. They may be physically ready for sex, but they are still the victim. Any one considered an adult must act the part, or pay the price!

 

[righteousdude2]

You talk a great WALK ...

And here is the problem. When so many in the CHURCH have a rolling moral code that justifies their sin that they often refuse to acknowledge as sin, is it any wonder that sexual sin is running rampant?

Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, Matt. 24:12

As I said in another thread:

We excuse away our drinking.
We excuse away our smoking.
We excuse away what we watch.
We excuse away what we listen to.
We excuse away why we disrespect authority.
We excuse away how we support a man who rejects Jesus while purporting to still want folks to come to Christ.
We excuse away the way we dress.
We excuse away our prejudices.
We excuse away our lack of love.
We excuse away our judging outside the church.
We excuse away our gluttony...our gossipping...and our phonyness.
We excuse away our desire to win an argument as defense of the faith.
We excuse away our nastyness in how we respond to others.
We excuse away the truth and ask for unneeded examples when we well know exactly what is being talked about.

If we can excuse all of our sin without repentance but justification, why are we surprised when others start rationalizing and excusing and justifying why and how they could do these things mentioned in the OP?

On any given day, folks on this board sinfully disrespect and dishonor the President of the United States.

On any given day, folks on this board express attitudes that border on hate for those who don't share their politics.

So to answer RD2's question

A lot of these folks you mention who are in the church learned how to justify and rationalize their unChristlike behavior from being surrounde by churches filled with folks doing the same with their unChristlike behavior.

It's why the women in the churches are dressing more unGodly and why you hear more and more about these situations.

If the church were really serious about these things, all the other unGodly behavior would be addressed. But the people in the church are only concerned about addressing the heinous nature of the next guy's sin while ignoring their own more corporately acceptable and palatable sin.

It's prevalent because God's people are setting the bad example of excusing, rationalizing and justifying sin.

Zaac ... I figured this topic would grab your attention, and knowing you; I figured you would respond like you did! And believe me, I am not putting your thoughts down, because we both agree, that what you have said above [and below] is spot on!

Still, I have to ask you one question, of all these things/sins you say we "excuse" are you ever guilty of one of these?

We excuse away our drinking.
We excuse away our smoking.
We excuse away what we watch.
We excuse away what we listen to.
We excuse away why we disrespect authority.
We excuse away how we support a man who rejects Jesus while purporting to still want folks to come to Christ.
We excuse away the way we dress.
We excuse away our prejudices.
We excuse away our lack of love.
We excuse away our judging outside the church.
We excuse away our gluttony...our gossiping...and our phoniness.
We excuse away our desire to win an argument as defense of the faith.
We excuse away our nastiness in how we respond to others.
We excuse away the truth and ask for unneeded examples when we well know exactly what is being talked about.

The way I read your posts, sometimes, you have to be the most sin-free men I've ever met! BUT, are you as perfect as you proclaim others on this board aren't?

Just wondering! Do you have any vices? Do you ever wink at the very things you accuse others of winking at?

If you are that perfect in thought and deed, then I :applause: you brother!

I know I am still suffering from a sin condition; a condition that the grace of God through the ever changing process of sanctification is working to make me more like Him and less like the flesh I inherited as a new born infant!

Years ago, before I fell flat on my face and went away in a prodigal daze, I used to listen to preachers and watch some preach on television, and question how they could be so perfect, while I fluttered around in the mud, trying to get out. When my first wife filed for divorce and moved in with another man, I listened to the words of condemnation for saintly men, and allowed my thoughts about not being as perfect as those TV preachers seemed, and I told myself that I must not be worthy, and decided to return to the flesh!

But after big name preachers started falling, one by one, and scandal brought down many well known preachers, I began to see, that all that talk was condemnation, and not one bit factual. No one who preached the sinfree walk were actually able to deliver.

I saw that there was room for a person who had their position with God changed through the gift of grace by the act of Justification, and I finally realized that sanctification spoke to two things:

One was that in the eyes of God, I had a sanctified spirit. A spirit that was "a set-aside condition" and that made me special ... BUT the process of sanctification was two-fold, and God was forever concerned about the condition of my walk and talk, and while my sanctified condition was forgiven, my condition in this body was still in need of attention. The kind of attention that Bible study, prayer and teaching [from the Spirit] was forever working to mold me, break me, and mold me repeatedly, until I got to heaven, I was in a constant state of spiritual flux, changing for the better, but I would never achieve perfection while in this body!

I hope that makes sense to you! That is why I ask who and what you really are. Are you as perfect as you set yourself up to be, or are you struggling too???