philjones- I don't believe there is a huge divide between porn and child abuse. For some individuals (certainly not all) viewing pornogrophy will be a path of destruction ending with their picture on the front page of the news.
Others won't end up with their pictures in the newspaper because they happened to abuse their own child instead of the neighbor's. I have seen this played out in court too many times to count.
Disclaimer- I fully understand that everyone that views porn isn't going to end up hurting a child. However, I have yet to see anyone in court for abusing a child that wasn't abused as a child or deep into pornogrophy. Sin will always take you farther than you want to go and cost more than one wants to pay.
I agree with this as well. Well said, Newman!!
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"Those who go after the "Sauls" among us often slay the Davids among us." Gene Edwards
First off, ponography is wrong....it is sin! But to take it a step further, how can one preach the Bible and not be guilty in some area? No one is perfect, especially pastors and preachers. It is impossible for ANY minister to not break any part of God's word. That does not give license to break God's word, it is just reality. We all try, but we all fail. There is a difference between not being perfect and being dominated by sin.
The other side of it is that we are ALL broken in some area in our lives. No ONE is exempt, IMO.
Well what if someone was in leadership who struggled with Homosexuality would that be treated differently?
MOW I admire your compassion truly ,I do.
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People who are always looking for fault,can find it easily all they have to do,is look into their mirror.
There they can find plenty of fault.
Well what if someone was in leadership who struggled with Homosexuality would that be treated differently?
MOW I admire your compassion truly ,I do.
Struggled with or engaged in?
If someone in leadership comes to me and tells me that they have slipped and smoked a cigarette that they haven't for many years or has taken a drink and hasn't for many years.....that is completely different from someone who has comitted adultery once or if they are single and fornicated once.
Yes, I think it should be treated differently. That's probably what you were looking for.
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"Those who go after the "Sauls" among us often slay the Davids among us." Gene Edwards
You aren't saying that porn is okay for some are you?
I think she is saying that for many it is a personal sin that affects their soul and life in a negative way, but not their nonexistent wife and children, which PP referred to as additional injured parties. (something like that)
I doubt if anyone here is saying porn is okay for some.
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"God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours."
--David Livingstone
"To see no being, not God’s or any, but you also go thither,
To see no possession but you may possess it—enjoying all without labor or purchase—
abstracting the feast, yet not abstracting one particle of it;…."
--Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Song of the Open Road
I agree, and further, I take issue with those who would relish sharing private sins publicly, in an effort to embarrass or humiliate the person.
I believe that if a person is repentant, there is no need to take any action, except with the concerned/involved parties, unless a crime has been committed.
I certainly don't believe that its necessary or reasonable for folks to get up and confess to the entire congregation. The problem with that is that the confessor[sp?] is not the only one humiliated in such a situation. It's needless.
I remember a situation when I was a teenager where the organist had an affair with a minister (not the pastor) in the church, and she confessed before the entire church what had happened, whilst the minister's poor wife and children sat in the pew. That's just stupid.
What would be the necessary steps, that some of you would like to see? Public confession? Removal from all offices? Relegation to a more menial job like janitor? Two years on the front row? Banishment from the church? Public stoning?
It's easy to say there should be consequences, but its much harder to evaluate each situation and decide, with wisdom and compassion, what those consequences should be, or if there needs to be any at all.
Furthermore, if someone confides in you that they are struggling with a sin, I don't know that it's right to break that confidence, unless they are injuring another party. (And by injuring, I mean actually injuring...not potentially injuring or something abstract.)
I don't know MissBratfield.... I do think that if the church body generally has knowledge of something, that it should be addressed openly; but with as much grace and dignity possible.
This is what I took Coonskinner to mean. What is private, stays private. (And in most instances, pornography probably is a private vice).
However, I also thought that what was public knowledge had to be dealt with publically. And generally affairs aren't private for very long.
Unfortunately, when public sin isn't dealt with publically; I think it makes that much easier for the next individual to follow suit. The more so; when people in leadership are involved. Otherwise it seems that the infection spreads....
I don't know MissBratfield.... I do think that if the church body generally has knowledge of something, that it should be addressed openly; but with as much grace and dignity possible.
This is what I took Coonskinner to mean. What is private, stays private. (And in most instances, pornography probably is a private vice).
However, I also thought that what was public knowledge had to be dealt with publically. And generally affairs aren't private for very long.
Unfortunately, when public sin isn't dealt with publically; I think it makes that much easier for the next individual to follow suit. The more so; when people in leadership are involved. Otherwise it seems that the infection spreads....
This is how I understand it to be also. If it's known and not handled, then the problem can multiply.
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Master of Science in Applied Disgruntled Religious Theorist Wrangling
PhD in Petulant Tantrum Quelling
Dean of the School of Hard Knocks
Linear Mode
