Posted on 09/11/2015 8:17:28 AM PDT by wagglebee
September 10, 2015 (BreakPoint) -- In mid-July, a group calling itself the “Impact Team” announced it would release the names of people who used the Ashley Madison website if its owners didn’t shut the website down.
If you hadn’t heard of Ashely Madison back then, chances are you now know more than you care to about the site, which brings together people who seek to have extramarital affairs. Its motto tells you all you need to know: “Life is short. Have an affair.”
The site’s ownership didn’t comply with the demand, and in mid-August, the “Impact Team” released more than 25 gigabytes of data. As soon as the data was released, people combed through it looking for potential targets for humiliation, or even worse, extortion.
But this isn’t just a problem that’s “out there” in the world. Ed Stetzer of Lifeway Research estimates that “at least 400 church leaders (pastors, elders, staff, deacons, etc.)” would be exposed in the Ashely Madison affair. (Pun intended.)
In one post, Stetzer wrote that just as people reap what they sow, cultures do as well. Citing the story about the Old Dominion University fraternity’s signs that read “freshman daughter drop-off” alongside the Ashely Madison story, Stetzer wrote, “at some point, we must ask, ‘Is this what we really wanted when culture turned against traditional sexual mores?’”
He continues, “The sexual revolution is, by definition, a war against something—in this case against previous sexual mores. And wars, whether we admit it or not, always have victims . . . So it is in the sexual revolution.”
And as it turns out, in some instances, the victims of that revolution include churches and other ministries. As Ed says, “When the shepherd has violated a sacred trust, it harms the whole flock. This is not the time to act as if everything is fine, rush together a pastor search team, while ignoring the hurt and bleeding flock.”
After all, he continues, “Even when members of a church don’t idolize their pastor, there’s still a great deal of implicit trust in the relationship. The members believe the one teaching them week after week is the same in the park as in the pulpit, the same in public as in private. When a revelation like the Ashley Madison hack occurs, the breach of trust is severe, and often lasting far beyond his moment.”
For these victims, Ed urges them to “focus on God who does not fail.” Instead of focusing on your pastor’s guilt, focus on God who does great things despite the flaws and failings of his servants.
People should also take care of the pastors’ families. They are principal victims and yet, perversely, they’re often unintentionally punished along with their betrayers.
And most of all, we should remember that “God’s grace is sufficient for the shepherd who falls, and the flock that’s left vulnerable. “We have a Great Shepherd, a Chief Shepherd, who is for us what earthly shepherds can never be,” Ed writes—“perfect, absolutely trustworthy, and never failing. It is He who leads us beside still waters in and into green pastures. Let us place our faith in Him, and we will find rest for our weary souls.”
Reprinted with permission from Break Point.
Gosh, you said it. I may even BE your cousin! :) Rita
And an excellent proverb. thx.
I believe you have accuracy described the situation.
“Accurately.”
I have to say that this story shocked me. I had no idea that so many people were behaving this way. What a disappointment.
The same goes with global warming research.
The conclusions of the research depend on who is funding the research.
We are on the precipice of the destruction of man.
Prepare.
A rejection of God, His Creation and His Commandments will most certainly have a world of victims.
This article reminds me of a key aspect of Conservatism ... and Freedom. It REQUIRES Faith. Os Guinness calls it The Golden Triangle of Freedom:
FREEDOM REQUIRES VIRTUE
VIRTUE REQUIRES FAITH
FAITH REQUIRES FREEDOM (and back to the top)
Conservatism, without it's "Social" pillar, is doomed to failure.
Many people do not understand the biblical definition of adultery. "Adultery: conjugal infidelity. An adulterer was a man who had illicit intercourse with a married or a betrothed woman, and such a woman was an adulteress. Intercourse between a married man and an unmarried woman was fornication. Adultery was regarded as a great social wrong, as well as a great sin."
The commandment is much more narrow than most believe. It does not cover sex before marriage and it does not cover sex between a married man and an unmarried woman.
Leviticus 20 covers a lot of sexual directives, and the forbidden areas are much smaller than most believe.
And that quote can be paired with Marxist Leon Trotsky’s accurate quote:
“You may not be interested in war, but war in interested in you.”
Tagline.
No, it doesn't. It stems from tens of millions of "normal" "straight" "heterosexuals" who have perverted "sex" into something that is not sacramental, not sacred, not even user-friendly.
“...not even user-friendly”
You owe me a new keyboard for that one :-)
Barehacking can be risky, though ...
I do regret so long a post - but I hope all will be able to grasp it anyway.
In the new testament, fornication, adultery, lasciviousness, inordinate affection, etc... are ALL condemned.
But so that you realize you are absolutely and utterly wrong about sexual intercourse between a married man and an unmarried woman not being adultery, consider the words of Christ - “Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery...”
Matthew 19
9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mothers womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heavens sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
There is no qualification, no restriction, no requirement about the woman being married to another, in verse 9 of the word of God: if a married man takes her, he commits adultery.
Conversely, does anyone truly think if he does *not* put away his wife, yet has sexual intercourse with another, that he will be innocent in the eyes of Christ?
Matthew 5
27 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
When it comes to the Bible I’m not really looking for loopholes or “gray” areas, staking ones eternal life on a technicality is way to much for this forgiven sinner to risk. Take care of yourself. :)
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