Allowing child molesters in church?

[Muslimwoman]

as salaam aleykum

I just saw on the american news that a church in California will decide this weekend whether to allow a convicted child molester to attend their church.

What do you think?

How would you feel having your children in the same church?

What about forgiveness?

Are there some sins we as humans cannot forgive?

Can people really change?

Salaam

[Snoopy]

If a religious path is only to be trodden by the perfect, it will soon be overrun by weeds.

What would be the point of such a path?

s.

[Postmaster]

What would be the point in opening a path for the imperfect if they refuse to walk down it?

[Snoopy]

that's another matter...

[Postmaster]

Forget forgiving child molesters, there’s no path available to people like that. It's obvious that anyone who brings themselves to doing something like that has rejected any virtues path. Maybe eventually excusable by God if the person was raised by a really dysfunctional family and a twisted childhood but how do you excuse when a priest does it?

[Snoopy]

Paedophilia is a terrible thing irrespective of the "day job" of the person. I'm not going to start Catholic-bashing but the number of cases recently reported in Ireland alone is alarming. The causes of that might be rather complex and I wouldn't claim to be any sort of expert on it.

s.

[Francis king]

I have to agree with postmaster ere, and think that some ppl are simply beyond redemption and they should toddle off and top themselves...

of course, there are degrees of severity: a teenage boy with learning difficulties who gets frisky once with his own sister is not on the same level as those ppl who have deliberately sought positions of authority within communities so they can groom children and abuse them. Priests are supposed to be above suspicion, yet time and time again we hear of these cases of paedophile priests who are discovered by the church and simply moved to another parish, but lets not forget, it is not just the priesthood, paedo's are everywhere, and it's about time they brought this issue to public vote, as I think that if the ppl could vote on this issue then they would bring bk hanging for serial sex offenders, especially those with a penchance for young kids... u can't cure them, it's too costly to monitor them effectively, so, what next? bring bk hanging I say...

[Snoopy]

Sister Francis....

[Muslimwoman]

Goodness Francis, what a strong view but a great read.

A documentary in UK once talked to some of these men and they themselves were actually begging not to be let out of prison because it is an urge they cannot control. I am in 2 minds about the issue, there is the issue of accepting mental illness (ok some just do it coz they are real perv's but some are truly ill) and then there is the safety of our children (sorry but nothing tops that for me).

Perhaps the answer is state execution Francis, as this relieves their soul of the sin of suicide and it keeps the children safe.

As for the priests, it is about time some organisation took the church to the Court of Human Rights - what they do is totally unacceptable.

So now I have another question....if so many of these 'priests' are perverts is it something about the church that attracts them or does the way of life of a priest create the problem?

Also are there any cultures you know of without child molesters? If not, why not - what drives this? It is very rare to hear of women doing this (although not unknown), so what makes a person want to 'have their way' with a small child. I mean YUK you read stories of rings of these people sticking their wotnots in tiny babies - wow very sexy (sorry I need to go and puke now).

Salaam

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by Muslimwoman

Also are there any cultures you know of without child molesters? If not, why not - what drives this?

I don't think this is a cultural thing; as you say yourself you have called it a mental illness.

s.

[Faithfulservant]

I cannot limit the act of Jesus Christ by saying that a person is a hopeless case for redemption.

Christ died for child molesters. His mercy and grace extends to ALL that come to Him.

I am a testement to the complete change in me and my whole life.. ALL things are possible through Jesus Christ!

We are Justified ( Just as if we never sinned)

Romans 3:24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Sanctified (made new and set apart)

Hebrews 10:10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

This is the good news.. Our wretched carnal man is laid to rest and we born in the Spirit of God.

[Faithfulservant]

Another thing...

The church which is the body of Christ is NOT a building it is the body of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ...

[Postmaster]

In Greek history we still have a dance that we still dance to today, it used to be danced to just before girls and mothers would jump off cliffs before they could be raped by an invading army. I think this shows how distraughting this crime is.

[Muslimwoman]

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

Another thing...

The church which is the body of Christ is NOT a building it is the body of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ...

So what is your view, should these people be forgiven and allowed into a church congregation? Would you feel safe with them around your children or small children you know?

[Muslimwoman]

Originally Posted by Postmaster

In Greek history we still have a dance that we still dance to today, it used to be danced to just before girls and mothers would jump off cliffs before they could be raped by an invading army. I think this shows how distraughting this crime is.

Goodness, imaging the choice between jumping to your death or raped to death....I would jump!!! These women should be admired for their courage and I pray G-d will give them a peaceful life in heaven.

Oh dear, now that gives me another question...if these women jumped then they committed suicide which is a sin, so will G-d forgive them because of the circumstances? Now then, I don't know the answer from a Muslim standpoint so I shall endeavour to find out.