Not so. The independent denominations would immediately fire them. In all but a few (Episcopal, United CoC) they would be immediately removed from the pulpit, probably never to return.
There are some very large, very wealthy denominations out there. If there were practices of hiding homosexual abusers in the ministry, you can bet your bottom dollar that trial lawyers would have been after those millions.
They have not been able to do so. That gives us some indication of the difference in how these homosexual pedophiles are either aided or abetted in other denominations. I could be wrong, but is the complicity of these bishops that has made the RCC vulnerable, not individual acts by individual priests. The RCC's exposure wouldn't have been anywhere close to this level if it had been individuals who were not then secretly harbored and repositioned by the bishops.
Well said.
There are some very large, very wealthy denominations out there. If there were practices of hiding homosexual abusers in the ministry, you can bet your bottom dollar that trial lawyers would have been after those millions.
They have not been able to do so. That gives us some indication of the difference in how these homosexual pedophiles are either aided or abetted in other denominations. I could be wrong, but is the complicity of these bishops that has made the RCC vulnerable, not individual acts by individual priests. The RCC's exposure wouldn't have been anywhere close to this level if it had been individuals who were not then secretly harbored and repositioned by the bishops.
Well said. Every denomination is going to have issues at one time or another with sexual sins. What has always bothered me the most about all of this is not the awful homosexual predators preying on young boys. That is awful without a doubt. But even if it had just been sexual sins with adults, whether homosexual or heterosexual, what bothers me the most is the fact that it has NOT been dealt with over the years in biblical, Christlike or God-fearing manner, but swept under the rug for years.
It is the moving around of the predators within the church that is so very telling of how unbiblical and how the organization does not even attempt to abide in Christ. From what I understand, the knowledge of these heinous sins went pretty far up the organizational ladder. Even if it did not, when it was all exposed a few years ago, even then, the biblical mandate was not followed, the Holy Spirit was not harkened. Even now, the organization that calls itsels a "church" is following man's ways of dealing with the issue.
Where in scripture is there anything said about paying money to those you have sinned against in a sexual sin? Where was the repentance of the priests and their those above them? Where was the outrage that such a system of concealing child predators in their organization? Where is the outrage now that thinks that paying people off is pleasing to the Lord? There is no excuse now for anyone in the entire organization to not be aware of what has and is going on.
I am sorry but I don't really see how anyone could explain to others that Christ exists in that organization. Unbelievers mock that idea. The whole cover-up and now pay-off just sickens me, not to mention what they did to begin with.
The RC reaction that I see from those that I know is one of concern, their eyebrows furrow but then they talk about how many of the accusations are false. It doesn't matter if 99% are false to me. What matters is what they did about it - did they follow God, or did they follow man, or worse yet, did they try to minimize and do a spin? We all make mistakes. Some of them are major. I certainly have done and continue to do my share. But what tells all about the nature of a person, about which god they follow is when they are confronted (by people or the Holy Spirit) and what they do or say after. I see some confession, but little repentance and then, after that, just man's way of dealing with things, not the Lord God's as set forth in His Word.