I was looking at what’s happening with the Caltholic church lately, it seems plenty of this type of
person, is or have been in church, so what would be the big deal all of a sudden? I sure wouldn’t welcome
one in a position of authority though & as others have said, it’s not clear to me
what is referred to by ‘child molester?’
At least in California I can look at a computer & see all the registered Sex offenders in my area.
(BTW: There were 9).
This is not a Catholic church I am talking about, and either way, I would appreciate it if people could keep their “child-molesting Catholic priest” comments to themselves, or if you feel you must, at least start a new thread about it.
I have been tempted to simply say, “If you people aren’t going to let this guy be a member, this isn’t a church I want to be a part of” and just never come back. However, the vast majority of people there agree with me and think he should be allowed. Unfortunately, the way that decisions such as this are made in this particular church is by consensus. A meeting is called, and those in attendance speak their pieces until a sense of unity is reached. In this case, no sense of unity has been reached, mostly because a few people simply cannot bring themselves to allow a confessed child molester into the church. I’m still sort of new, so I’m not sure if eventually there can be some kind of overruling decision that says, “Well, even though a few people are unhappy, we’re letting him in anyway,” or what.
I guess that right now I feel like just because a few people are subverting the sense of what I feel is true and right, isn’t a reason to leave the church entirely. I don’t know if that makes sense or not. This whole issue is very upsetting to me. I understand where these people are coming from – the guy makes them feel uncomfortable, they don’t like thinking about what he did, and they have trouble forgiving him – but that’s no reason to keep someone out of CHURCH, of all places.
Bleh. I just don’t know.
We’ve been up against this sort of thing before MsWhatsit, although I admit it was nothing near as serious an issue as the one your Church is facing; usually one side or the other(sometimes both) in such a division is reluctant to elaborate on their reasoning, sticking to pithy statements such as “it’s just plain wrong”; teasing out the reasoning behind their position is, IMHO, the first step to resolving the division; try to get both sides to think about why they hold the views they do (not always easy with people of faith, I must admit).
TD Jakes, my favorite preacher, put it this way: the church is for sick people. It doesn’t matter how sick you are, but you’ve gotta be sick. Jesus hangs around sick people because He’s full of medicine.
So there’s my answer. I think the person following him around thing is probably smart a long as a big production isn’t made out of it. I mean, yeah, he did what he did, but sheesh. The church has adulterers, rapists, alcoholics, crackheads, etc., and they don’t have someone assigned to them to follow them around. If the guy is truly repentant and is really trying to turn over a new leaf, there’s no need for him to be constantly embarassed.
I wouldn’t want him around my kid, of course, but you can’t beat someone over the head with their sin forever.
Ah, consensus, what a glorious way to decide things, unless someone doesn’t agree. 
I don’t think I’m adding anything new here when I say I also feel strongly that this person should be allowed to attend church. A person’s past deeds out of context (ie, subsequent rehabilitation, change, or whathave you) have no direct bearing on what that person will do tomorrow. If this man posed a real threat, then there might be cause to be concerned, but it does not sound like he will be a problem.
Also, he does not come to church to prey, he comes to pray. Any member of your congregation (I’m assuming you are of some protestant faith) who would deny this man the oportunity to attend church because his particular crime grossed them out (would they feel the same way about an embezzeler) is, IMO, doing something against Christian teaching.
Maybe you should print out tlw’s story and show it to your congregation.
I’m an atheist, so I’m not really concerned by the question, but from an outsider point of view, denying access to church to anybody because people happen to particulary dislike his crime seems as much unchristian as possible…
Absolutely, unhesitatingly, and without any further reservation.
Churches are for sinners, not saints. Turning this man away would be like turning a sick man away from a hospital. You are absolutely right to advocate this man’s entrance into your church, and those who do not are horribly misguided.