Quix, I took time to read the entire Grand Jury report. It was so disgusting, I had to throw up.
I am a lifelong Catholic and I am thoroughly distressed by the fact that Cardinals, Bishops, and Pastors have been covering up for these hideous perverts for decades.
I hope the Pennsylvania Legislature will take this Grand Jury report into consideration and change the law so that there is NO statute of limitations on the crime of child rape.
Praise God for your integrity, Bro.
Evil is flooding the land as Scripture predicted.
Abusing innocents is the lowest of the low.
There’s been horrific stuff on all sides in all denominational groups. There’s been cover-ups by authorities in more than the RCC camp.
It does appear from our Proddy distance . . . that the systemic factors contributing to the abuse in the Vatican system are likely the worst.
I think that’s partly—a large part—of why so many Proddys express such virulent and persistent outrage—the level of horror and the levels of hierarchical involvement and the durability of the cover-up efforts.
However, no denomination of any size or age has sufficient clean slate to be pointing haughty fingers.
However, it REALLY IS TRUE, for all of us . . . the hearts of all of us are deceitfully wicked. Who but Holy Spirit can know them and reveal the truth of them to any of us.
And, haughtiness is not wise on anyone’s part.
Given horrific enough parenting; personality dynamics of sufficient type; conditioning factors etc. etc. etc. VIRTUALLY anyone COULD do virtually anything to virtually anyone.
I think Scripture and several decades of living and watching closely convices me wholesale of those truths.
The TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL IS . . . LORD . . . BE MERCIFUL
TO
ME
A SINNER.
NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS DEALS WITH, COVERS, REDEEMS SUCH SINFUL IDOLATRIES [AS SCRIPTURE SAYS SEXUAL SINS ARE] AND REBELLIONS AGAINST GOD.
NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS.
Apart from that, we are all in the same lost ditch sliding ever more quickly toward hell.
It will not matter ENORMOUSLY in hell [AT LEAS not in terms of whether one is there, or not] . . . who was the most horrific child molester/abuser . . .
and who was angry with his spouse or brother without cause and failed to confess, repent, earnestly endeavor to turn from it.
I still think that toilet needs and our sins serve primarily to require of us
HUMILITY.
And they are God’s mercy in challenging, demanding of us
HUMILITY.
Without it, we are ALL sunk.
We must ALL see our DESPERATE NEED OF OUR SAVIOR; OF CONFESSION; REPENTANCE, EARNESTLY ENDEAVORING BY HIS GRACE, BLOOD AND SPIRIT TO TURN FROM SUCH AND WALK HIS REDEMPTIVE PATH STARKLY DIFFERENTLY.
In that regard, these threads grieve me for both sides. Haughty finger pointing is spiritually extremely hazardous.
There but for the Grace of God and a different rearing, background . . . go any of us.
Haughty defensive denial is as bad or WORSE.
I think the denial is worse because it closes the door to insight and redemptive change.
Regardless . . . LOVE AND TRUTH are required for progress spiritually, relationally, in our relationship with God.
Apart from blasphemy against Holy Spirit, The worst sin . . .
is the unconfessed, unrepented, & unforsaken sin.