Ready the Millstone!

Matthew 18:6 (HCSB)
But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea!

For someone who tries to communicate with others through the use of the keyboard, my reserve of written words is very low at the moment.  In fact, I am sickened to the point of being nearly speechless.  I have just finished reading an amended lawsuit filed by former members against a relatively small but (up to now) influential evangelical denomination.  I am disgusted.  I am sickened.  My blood is boiling.

If one scintilla of the allegations I have read about these individuals is true, this is one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen.  The specific details of alleged child sexual abuse are nauseating.  How other human beings (all men) can possibly inflict the harm described upon innocent children as young as three years old is beyond me.  More shocking yet are the potential cover-ups, collusion and enabling by some of the denomination's high-level leaders and pastors.  The scope is mind-boggling.

I knew very little of this group prior to a couple of years ago when some controversy surrounding them caught my eye.  I read some of their internal debates.  Something was alarming to me about the way this group operates.  Reading their communications led me to fear that while using very humble and Biblical language, the leadership was potentially authoritarian and self-serving.  Then I started hearing about abuse allegations, and I have watched with a cautious eye ever since.  Now allegations of heinous child sexual abuse has burst upon the scene.

Who is this group?  For the purposes of my post, that is immaterial (at this point).  My goal is not to excoriate individuals who have not yet been judged guilty.  This lawsuit still contains allegations – not proven facts.  If these allegations are proven true, however, I will have a very different reaction.  If guilty, these (alleged) perverts should have the book thrown at them.  I realize that civil suits don't carry criminal penalties, but if guilty, I trust that criminal penalties will yet come.  I would want to see these offenders pay, and pay dearly for such unthinkable crimes.  My sense of justice would want them removed from society and experiencing the kind of pain they have measured out.  I am particularly incensed that these accused perpetrators - almost without exception - claim to be “men of God”.    There is a great deal of smoke here - I am regrettably anticipating a fire.

Here is the key question I want to consider:  What do Christians do with others who claim Christ yet commit these kinds of crimes?  What should we do with leaders who enable them? Is there hope of redemption for these people (if guilty)?  Can they repent?  Can they be forgiven?  Yes, they can repent and be forgiven – but that does not nullify the laws of the land under which they must pay.  It does not erase the scars they place upon their victims.  It does not give justice to those who have been abused.  Even if these particular individuals prove to be innocent, the questions are still relevant.  There are far too many other examples of such conduct proven among "Christians".

Should we forgive those who do such acts?  As Christians we are called to forgive, but some things are more difficult to forgive than others.  Child sexual abuse is particularly difficult.  Yes, in our hearts we should work to forgive, but that does not restore our trust and it shouldn't.  In fact, we Christians need to learn to be a little more shrewd in these matters.  We have a tendency to overlook the obvious, and we are slow to act when the perpetrators are influential.  I understand that high-profile people can be wrongly accused, but that does not remove our obligation to take seriously such accusations as child sexual abuse.  We tend to look the other way if evidence is not overwhelming.  We wait too long to intervene on behalf of other potential victims.  We all-too-quickly restore formerly abusive individuals to power, believing they have changed.  Forgiveness and restoration to fellowship are possible for the repentant, but the guilty are going to have to learn to live with the permanence of their scarlet letter.  The truly repentant understand that.

So what do we do when people in positions of trust abuse those under their care - particularly when they sexually abuse children?   We should pray for them, work to personally forgive them, and ready the millstone.  Should Christians really work to see the guilty punished?  Absolutely and to the fullest extent of the law!  There is no hiding behind repentance and Christ for crimes against society and particularly against children.  This kind of societal cancer cannot be tolerated!