Seriously?
So a guy comes to you and says, “I have raped my babysitter and would like to confess this sin.”
To you, the pastor should keep it confidential?
And what if he comes back the next week with the exact same confession because he did it again?
Do you at least have a 3 strikes you’re out policy when it comes to child molestation? Or in your view could this guy go on indefinitely?
I have also seen your #15, so I know we agree for the most part.
However, there is such a thing as a religious moment that hits someone, and they go to the pastor and get it off their chest in a time of confession and prayer. I would consider that confidential.
The NEXT time it’s done, it is common for the discussion to turn in the direction of “how do I keep this from becoming public?” I don’t consider that to be a religious moment.
In any case, unless a moment just happens, I’m very clear about what is or is not going to be kept confidential.
If you tell me someone is GOING TO BE injured, then it hasn’t happened yet, and there is a responsibility to keep it from happening. (That includes real suicide threats.)
The abuse cycle means that abusers have a strong tendency to abuse again. But I’ll not misrepresent to people. I won’t tell them something is confidential and then go turn them in.