Something very sad and I feel tragic happened in my area recently, and it's not the first time, I know of other people, and other churches where something similar has happened in the past. What occurred was a youth pastor abusing his position in the church to take advantage of the young girls left in his care. Thankfully, the girls' parents found out, and he was arrested and fired from the church, and the church later found out from police that this pastor had a prior offense for the same thing at another church, in another state.
I have seen a lot of coverage of this situation, and my heart breaks for the families and girls affected by this man, but some of the comments and responses from people who have been following this case bothered me. Not the angry ones, I understand the anger in this situation, it's ones where people have said in interviews or Facebook comments 'this is exactly the reason why I don't take my kids or go myself to church' this bothered me bad. I was worked up about it for a while, and my immediate thought to this comment was, 'it's not just a church problem; it's a world problem.'
I knew one of the people who said this, and I know they have been angry with God for a long time because of the life they growing up had and their own bad choices as an adult that they blame on God. This person wants better for their son though, and she is trying hard to make things better, to make good choices for him, and I realize that her comment came from a place of maternal instinct to protect her child, but I wish I could make her see that she's got it all mixed up, that this logic she presented as a 'reason' to not go to church doesn't stop her from letting her son go to other 'potentially' dangerous places .
In this past school year 4 public school teachers in our area were accused or convicted of this same kind of crime, 1 daycare was closed because the owner was accused by 14 individuals previously under his care for the same kind of crimes over a twenty year period, and I can't even count the numbers of reports of this happening by family, friends, or neighbors I have seen on the news or heard about from people I know. By the same logic she presented as a reason to not go to church, the school, daycare, and any place he isn't right beside her except their own home, (which isn't always safe from this kind of thing either) should all be off limits to him. But it's not, he goes to school, and to daycare, and has playdate with friends away from home often. I'm not judging her parenting, just the logic of her statement about the church.
See, my point is, what happened is terrible, it is an awful thing, and that it happened in the church by a pastor makes it seem all the worse, but that's not a reason to not go to church, it can and unfortunately does happen anywhere. It is a terrible thing, but you can't blame the church anymore than you do schools when it happens there. There is corruption everywhere, not just in church. And we were warned that there would be this way.
The influence of Satan is everywhere, and the only way to fight against it is to know the word, to spend time with the Father. And going to church is a good way to do that. I think part of what bothers me about the excuse made in relation to this tragedy is that I realize that some of these people are looking for reasons to not go to church, they bash on church goers and all have stories about Christians acting un-Christian (I'm not making an assumption about this, like I said I know one of the people who made that statement and some of her friends,) they avoid talking about God and when they do it's only because they are angry, or desperate. They are running from the only person who can actually help them to find what they are looking for, and it breaks my heart. This was Satan's plan though, he wants to destroy the church, give it a tarnished image in the world so people will stay away.
I'm not really sure how to end this post, my only thought is that tragedy happens everywhere, in and out of church, but it shouldn't keep you from God. The only good reason to not go to a church is if they are twisting the gospel or not preaching it at all. Please pray for the girls and families affected by the tragedy, and those who are mixed up about God by it.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
John 8:44
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
And one more, this time for hope
Colossians 1:13
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son
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