Posted on 09/01/2015 7:03:11 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
R.C. Sproul Jr., son of Robert Charles Sproul, a noted Reformed theologian and founder of the international Christian organization, Ligonier Ministries, revealed Monday that he visited the controversial spouse-cheating Ashley Madison website in a "moment of weakness" last year and has been suspended by the board of Ligonier Ministries for it.
"In August 2014, in a moment of weakness, pain, and from an unhealthy curiosity, I visited Ashley Madison. My goal was not to gather research for critical commentary, but to fan the flames of my imagination," wrote the 50-year-old Sproul, a Calvinist Christian minister, theologian and widower in a post on his website. Sproul, whose wife died in 2011, is a father of eight and grandfather one.
While his activity on the website did not result in any physical relationships, Sproul said he "felt the grace of fear" and "the grace of shame."
"I was there long enough to leave an old email address. And within minutes I left, never to return. I did not sign up for their service or interact with any clients. I have always remained faithful to my wife even after her passing," he said.
"The grace of God's judgment bore its fruit, and by His grace I repented of my sin. By His grace, I have also received His forgiveness, the outworking of His love," he continued.
Sproul said that as evidence of his contrition he voluntarily revealed his activity on Ashley Madison to Ligonier Ministries and was suspended for a year.
"I recently informed the board of Ligonier Ministries, which has handled the matter internally, having suspended me until July 1, 2016. I also informed my presbytery which is also handling the matter internally. And now the world is informed," he said.
"My sin, sadly, has impacted those who are innocent — my colleagues, friends, and family. I have and will continue to seek their forgiveness. I covet your prayers," he added.
Sproul said the criminal hack of Ashley Madison's database exposing the private information of millions of users of the website has been a blessing in disguise for some like himself.
"Many Christians have bemoaned the destruction wrought by the Ashley Madison hack. The truth of the matter is that just as Ashley Madison did not create unfaithful hearts, so this hack did not create damning exposure. Rather for some it was a means of His grace," he said.
Despite the fallout from the hacking of Ashley Madison, the website's parent company, Avid Life Media, revealed in a statement Monday that its membership continues to grow.
"Despite having our business and customers attacked, we are growing. This past week alone, hundreds of thousands of new users signed up for the Ashley Madison platform — including 87,596 women," said the statement.
"Last week alone, women sent more than 2.8 million messages within our platform. Furthermore, in the first half of this year the ratio of male members who paid to communicate with women on our service versus the number of female members who actively used their account (female members are not required to pay to communicate with men on Ashley Madison) was 1.2 to 1," the statement continued.
"These numbers are the main reason that Ashley Madison is the number one service for people seeking discreet relationships. We have customers in nearly every zip code in the United States, as well as users in more than 50 countries around the world," it noted.
I was thinking the same thing. One confessed but others sweep it under the rug and hope it never sees the light of day again. A lot of difference.
Was it before Sproul Jr. turned himself in, accusing himself, confessing as it were to the others --- no, I don't guess so now that I wrote that, but it was before the searchable database came along I take it, which I've seen mentioned here on FR, fairly recently.
I guess he did the best thing, telling others his name could eventually pop up in listings which had email addresses.
It shouldn't crater the whole ministry effort, nor negate whatever information may be associated even though its likely to remain something of an available cudgel for some.
Regardless of sinners ---- who and what kind ---- for whatever truth they may be able to tell of, does not necessarily become not true simply for reason of proximity to a sinner.
Thank God for that?
I agree. If he'd admitted that he met a good-looking woman and thought about starting a *personal* conversation with her, would that wipe out his entire career? It doesn't seem to me that it should.
I suppose the thing about visiting Ashley Madison is that, in retrospect, it seems really, really dumb. Of course, a year or more ago, one couldn't know that the name and email address of everyone who ever visited the site would be made public.
Yes, it was dumb on enouh levels it deserves a really, really.
But if things are as the confess-er confessed---
Guilty of being dumb, and guilty of contemplating seeking out titillation (with the enhanced charge of dumb refactored into the equation) still sounds relatively small compared to extremes I'd just as soon not think about.
Maybe he could remarry instead. It would be no offense in Christian religious sense.
Yes, extremely small. He could have gone to a bar somewhere he isn't known, picked up a woman (for free or for money), and had sex with her. That would have been much worse, morally, than visiting Ashley Madison, but it wouldn't have that face-palm, "Who falls for this?" frisson.
He certainly could remarry with no moral opprobrium. Perhaps he just hasn't found someone suitable who will agree, or perhaps, in spite of sometimes feeling lonely or frustrated, he's not ready to consider "replacing" his late wife.
>>So why was he suspended? Wasn’t he destined to do this? Are they saying that God made a mistake in His decision to have RC visit that web site?
>>I do want an explanation. No Reformed has ever been able to answer that question. Answer it seriously and I will not argue.
Predestination has never meant that God controls our actions. It means that he chooses the Elect to be called to him. We remain sinners, even with his grace.
Absolutely he betrayed a spouse in his heart.
Ashley Madison advertises a service specifically to find sexual partners for married people. Anonymously.
That R.C. Jr. Signed up to betray an anonymous woman's husband doesn't make the intent one tiny bit less adultry.
Because sex doesn't become adultry when you betray YOUR spouse. Sex becomes adultry when you betray ANYONE'S Spouse.
Even though Bill Clinton would equivocate.
At least the intent got no further that registration.
Correction, first he blogged about the hack and lied. Then he blogged about Josh Duggar and deceived the public. There were two blogs of lies and deceit just weeks before his confession of guilt. Perhaps something happened to let him know he was going to be publicly outed so he tried to stop lying. Hopefully there is not another shoe, or closet of shoes, to drop.
I would argue that, being unmarried himself, he could reasonably expect other participants to be unmarried, as well.
If what he says is true, he visited the site, a relationship’s having crossed his mind, but never returned and had no contact with site members. Other than the electronic evidence, how is this different from visiting a bar with the thought of meeting someone, but deciding to go home without speaking to anyone?
It’s possible the behavior of which there is evidence is only one instance among many with no evidence (yet), but I don’t see why one should assume that. Sometimes people just do ONE dumb thing.
RE: So why was he suspended?
Because of what he did.
RE: Wasn’t he destined to do this?
It’s like asking the question -— why does St. Paul tell the Corinthian church to expel the immoral brother in 1 Corinthians 5, this is in order to show that immorality is not accepted in the church, so that he will be disciplined and perhaps as a result of this, repent and turn from his ways, in order for restoration to occur.
He was “predestined” in the sense that God who is timeless, knows what he will do at a certain period of time.
RE: Are they saying that God made a mistake in His decision to have RC visit that web site?
RC visited the site OUT OF HIS OWN VOLITION, God allowed this to happen based on His inscrutable wisdom, we do not know what the ultimate result of what we did will be, only God knows.
God who, in his own divine freedom, has created a real universe—a universe that is truly free, with truly free people—exercises his awesome creativity and genius continually, because, in spite of sinning and rebellious humans, he does bring about His divine purpose for everyone.
God is neither threatened by, nor overcome by, human free will and the time and chance he built into his universe, but WORKS WITHIN THEM to bring about a human redemption that is purified in the midst of authentic relationships. He is constantly bringing good out of evil and light out of darkness through his indescribable grace freely demonstrated most supremely in Jesus Christ.
So, in what sense did God make a mistake? we might call it that at this particular point in time, but how do we know how this will all ultimately work out eventually?
It might be a mistake on the part of RC Jr. at this particular point in time, but ultimately, God knows how to bring about all things for His purpose.
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?Your question reflects the natural response to the sugar-free doctrine of the sovereignty of God. People seem to reflexively think that if God makes His own choice about who to show mercy, somehow that eliminates human responsibility. And there are a lot of fancy, philosophical answers to that question that humans have devised over the centuries, and some of them are worth considering. But how does the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul answer this question?
(Romans 9:18-19)
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?Kind of sounds to me like God is saying it's none of our business how that works. He is God and He does what He wants to do. He doesn't owe us an explanation for everything. So some questions are beyond our ability to answer. If you don't like the Reformed answers, shop somewhere else. They're all inadequate. Except for Scripture.
(Romans 9:20-21)
Neither; rather pray for the mercies of God to reach and envelop our families, our friends, all those we have known, those we have sinned against and those who have sinned against us; even those who hate us and wish us ill for our faith. Let no one be punished on our account and may the sacred heart of Jesus reach those who sit in darkness.
Not all persons can accept Paul's ideas about widow/widowers remaining single. GOD did not create man and woman to be solitary and live apart.
It wouldn't have been the scandal except it was a cheaters website. Meaning the thought took place in his heart and he stopped it at that point if he is being truthful. A sin most persons at some point commit and may not realize it as being such. As well thinking and doing is two sins thinking is one doing is another.
In his case? It sounds like he doesn't want to be alone yet doesn't want a commitment likely scared to commit to a permanent relationship due to his previous loss. A persons own mind can play some nasty tricks with some strong emotions in that respect. If he gets and accepts help he will likely be OK. Personally since no physical sin took place I think he should have kept the matter between himself and The Lord and simply sought out professional grief counseling.
I’m thinking there is a sin in my heart for clicking on a FR thread about a famous preacher clicking on the Ashley Madison site.
(By the way, this thread is useless without pictures!)
Prurient curiosity. (I have no idea what he looks like ;-).
They should let ministers marry.
Not credible; AM is an adultery site for those interested in sin, specifically adultery. Had he been interested in companionship he would have used some Christian matchmaking service. It is more likely he was involved in pornography, and one thing led to another.
And as Paul wrote in Galatians 6 we need to pray for this believer and help restore him. Who knows.....next time it could be any of us that finds themselves in such a place. Restoration and forgiveness are what Christianity teaches.
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