NO excuse for covering up sex abuse

"Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires," BUT sometimes we need to overturn the tables and destroy the marketing mentality as Jesus would do. 

Work it out in the Light- don't let it fester in the dark.

 photo source:http://whowouldjesussue.wordpress.com/2013/02/20/whowouldjesussue-a-call-to-action/

I wrote the following on my Facebook page and initially as a response to the excellent blog-post mentioned within it.  I accept my tone was very angry, but having re-read it, and with all that has happened in Christendom either of the Catholic or Protestant variety over the centuries, I think that anger is one of the healthiest responses to such evil.  The evil is not simply the abuse itself, which is horrifying, but the most insidious and inexcusable evil is the cover-up of abuse that has been accepted in the name of God.  

Evangelicals take note: this is no longer a Penn State/ Roman Catholic priests issue- this is in house and we need to deal with it in family NOW. No excuses, and I won't accept any stupid "you're a gossip" comments, because telling the truth isn't gossip, and God isn't threatened when sin is exposed, even if "ministries" are.

My comments on http://www.theologyforwomen.org/2013/02/gospel-testimony-amidst-abuse-in-our.html

Thanks for sharing this. Have not come across any scandal until today that I was directly connected to...

Then today I heard for the first time of the details of ABWE firing GRACE for [the way in which GRACE was] investigating sexual abuse that was first reported in 1989 and potentially occurred then and more than once because the abuser was not dealt with appropriately.

I grew up as an MK and knew people then in ABWE who are still very precious to me now. It is appalling that some mission boards and Christian ministries can be secretive and do not feel accountable to basic child protection laws or rules of professionalism.

There is separation from the world, but never cover-up of evil excused as "in-house/in-family issues". It reminds me of the Corinthian church- and yet so many in the circles I grew up in might judge harshly the kinds of things that were going on in Corinth.

I'm not sure we're so far from it, or that we ever were- I think the internet has opened up a venue for people who have been victimized to take a much-needed stand against abuse of all kinds, and frankly, the church needs to wake up and stop enabling abusers to not only give Christ a bad name but also re-victimize victims by claiming they aren't "forgiving enough".

The manipulation, shame, silencing, and abuse has to stop being excused and "forgiven" when repentance is not flowing from the top down. Leaders are doubly accountable for what they know- there can be a level of confidentiality and grace, but there should also be transparency and openness to dialogue.

There should also always be a clear obedience to the laws of the land- such as mandated reporting- even if it tears families apart, as some leaders fear it might. Better to be obedient to the Word of God by submitting to authority than to claim false authority to do whatever the heck we want in protecting [key word: our] ministry.

Every true believer should be massively grieved by all that has gone on in the church regarding abuse of any kind- but instead too many of us are proud- and Paul has strong words to say about this: remove the evil person from among your midst. Are we really aware that in some cases that means dealing with our leaders when they get proud? That exposing sin in house/in family is what we are to be about? (not to shame or leave no way for repentance/restoration, but to protect and leave no room for evil to blossom.)

I am so sick of the evangelical mentality that excuses authority figures in the church on the basis that if you talk about this stuff you are a gossip. We need to have a conversation about this stuff, and the church needs to step up and obey the laws of the land, at the very least. God will vindicate those of us who talk.



This is the worst kind of "taking God's name in vain" I know:  to justify a no-consequence policy of "forgiveness" which includes re-victimizing the victim by demanding their forgiveness based on assumed repentance on the part of the abuser.  It puts evil human beings in the place of God to demand their treacherous and twisted version of justice.  That is a slap in the face of the Most High God for any Christian who is part of the royal priesthood of believers as described in the New Testament.

I am still horrified, shocked, and angry that such evil can exist within the ranks of people who claim to know and worship the same God I worship.  Such evil cannot be allowed to continue to exist amongst us.  In light of recent events in both the Calvary Chapel and Sovereign Grace movements, as a believer I cannot sit back and pretend this stuff is all made up lies.  Too often the church has chastised believers for taking matters to the judicial system of the land.  Yet the Bible calls us to submit to the authorities of the land and to clean house, rather than what is happening today where we hide our sin in house and submit to abusive leadership rather than to the laws of the land.

These things should not be.  The priesthood of believers is not only entitled, but required, to address such issues.

Recently, I believe this abuse of authority "in house" has gone to the next level:  trying to manipulate the authorities of the land to cover up abuse.  Instead of transparency and repentance where necessary, ministries have appealed to legal loopholes or launched their own lawsuits against those calling for justice- even launching lawsuits against their own family members.
(see
http://www.abolishsexabuse.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1744:outrage-growing-over-calvary-chapels-bob-grenier-suit-against-allegedly-abused-son&catid=72:us-news&Itemid=180      )

There is a wealth of in-context exegesis of Scripture that could refute such lawsuits as unChristian, but I need not mention those verses here to back up my thoughts, since Christians should know what the Bible says.  Suffice it to say, on any level, this is tragic.  Beyond that, the laws of the land are in place to protect the victim, not to re-victimize them.  The law doesn't always work, and it can certainly be corrupted or abused, but how dare people name the name of Christ and then use the law to silence the hurting?  Why not rather be wronged?  Instead, we are defeated already.

The kind of initial/gut response I might expect from some who read this is documented just below.  My response is highlighted, and I stand by it.


"You're hurting the cause of Christ by talking about this stuff."

NO.

We're hurting the cause of Christ by not dealing with this stuff.

https://m.facebook.com/margaretfeinberg/photos/a.212041835516619.51934.175409942513142/708586582528806/?type=1&source=46