Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhoni
My brother was molested from ages 9-11, during church by men in the church while church was going on. My mother has issues with God for allowing it to happen while she was serving God with all her heart, and with the leadership for covering it up.
My brother has never been the same. He is an alcoholic and loves God but cries at the altar for hours asking God to forgive him and let him speak in tongues. Molestation leads to sexual and gender identity issues as well as self-esteem issues. One of the reasons I can't deal with/counsel perpetrators is because I would like to line the perpetrators up and shoot them for all they have done to destroy so many lives, especially my only brother, my baby brother who will never quite be the same again.
I know of one prominent minister whom many of you know who prosecuted the man/youth leader who molested his sons and I say the man was a good father and Pastor for exposing and prosecuting and not allowing it to be covered up.
I know of just as many ministry people who harbor known felons in their churches without proper boundaries and accountability people in place.
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Rhoni, I've felt that way, too. I believe all of us feel that animosity, repulsion, and hatred more intensely the closer it is to us. However, I've had a perpetrator look at me and say, "I'm worthless" (and I thought - yes, you are) and he continued, "I deserve to die and I've already tried to take my life and it didn't work"...I've seen others self-mutilate and have severe eating disorders, emotional problems, etc. etc. I've often thought if someone harmed my child that way, I could kill that person and never blink. - That's not Christlike and I don't know if I were faced with it personally how I would feel or what I would do...But, I do know that the best thing we can do for a perpetrator is lock him up and there tell him about Jesus Christ. Don't give him a slap on the wrist and then send him back to perpetrate his actions again. Those inordinate desires are like cravings for food and they will be fulfilled - unless God takes control of the person's life.