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-------- Original Message --------
| From: |
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| To: |
AUreporter |
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| Date: |
Thu, 8 Mar 2007 10:31:33 -0800 (PST) |
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Gentlemen:
By bringing the work that has been apparently done under the
cover of "night" to the "light" of day, your work is to be commended!
Moral and ethical accountability is not typically an operational
standard that thrives in religious systems. On the other hand,
an operational standard that seems to too often trump all other
considerations is blind loyalty.
Not only have multiple victims been made to suffer due to
alleged immoral and alleged unethical conduct, they have been
forced to suffer further because thus far church leaders have
either trivialized the incredible allegations by their silence,
or have exposed the powerful influence of the "clerical collar
line," a line of blind loyalty that thus far has been crossed
by too few.
When another religious system initially trivialized the suffering
of children who had been sexually violated by clergy, church
members at campmeetings across America certainly shook their
heads in disbelief at such a poor response. Next summer as people
head to campmeeting they might just see imaginary "millstones"
hanging from the necks of preachers who seem to have a lot to
say at campmeeting time, but nothing to say right now....
Nothing to say but maybe a little grinding of teeth at night
as the growing knowledge of specific acts of behavior continues
to find accessibility to a world wide audience due to technology.
Sadly, I believe that employees and ministers who were silent
when it mattered, will become "singing canaries" when it doesn't
matter. In the mean time, the world will witness whether
Christian laity and ministers from across the world will continue
their acquiescence towards this forced silence of the lambs,
or whether they will hear the cries of every precious lamb, and
take a decisive stand!
The idea that people in the pew can't do anything is just
an excuse for doing nothing. I have no doubt that church leaders
will all of a sudden find a voice and the conviction to act if
church members the world over vote with their pocketbooks. I'm
told that in Europe when scoundrels in business abuse the people,
the people immediately unite in a boycott towards the companies
or entities until reform occurs. Can anyone tell us when church
authority became a blank check to authorize unaccountable behavior?
To believe such nonsense is to bow the knee to a religious system
that wrote the book on this subject.
The "church" has a media tool which begs the question: Should
people stand by and do nothing, invariably contributing to the
progressive growth of unquestionably "cultic like" behavior within
the ministry, or should people stand united to save this ministry
from itself; ultimately getting professional help for the growing
number of broken people within it?
Because the ministry aligns itself with the church, the church
can certainly use its administrative authority to apply various
measures of discipline if the church so desired; including the
placement of a new minister to assist at the heart of the problem.
How long would the ministry survive if the leadership received
church discipline, or if the organization was no longer a blessed
entity of the denomination? Thus a "Pilate's hand-washing" because
the ministry has a "separate board" is not an option, and never
has been an option.
Finally, I know what it is to be the parent of children who
were sexually molested by a deacon of the church, and to have
that information covered up and withheld from me by other members
of the church; including my children's own mother and grandmother.
For the sake of mending broken people, especially the children,
I sincerely hope and pray that every Christian will seek his
or her responsibility before God regarding this situation!
Yes, the situation is messy, but that is no excuse not to "clean
the house." Yes, church leaders and board members did make some
serious mistakes, and were obviously only privy to a portion
of the facts, but that is no excuse for pride to continue, and
for pride to cause the ruination and fall of this ministry.
So let the cookies crumble. They will anyway.
May we never cease to pick up our cross in service to Jesus!
Sincerely,
Anonymous (to protect my precious children)
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