Isn't Pastoral Care Grand?

[LazyGun]

Yet another example of a spiritual and moral leader abusing their position for their own gratification.....

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-prosecutors-indiana-pastor-told-girl-jesus-sanctioned-relationship-20130314,0,4717729.story

[naomi24]

:o/

[jim360]

Sigh...

[I_Hate_Infinity]

Old news, yet still disturbingly tragic. Might I offer a saying?:-

"Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely"

As God's own preacher, blessed be thy name, his words must have seemed unquestionable to such a innocent ears. Unquestioning trust paves way for irreparable betrayal. Such is the power of theocratic orders.

I_Hate_Immorality

[ludwig]

// Schaap admitted to the relationship but said he was suffering from "extreme stress, exhaustion, depression, burn-out and several other medical maladies." //

Poor bloke. My heart goes out to him.

[goodlife]

Regarding true and false worshippers, Jesus Christ told his followers..................by their fruits you will recognize those men. Matthew 7:16-20. As in so many areas of life, one see those who choose between short-term gratification, with Satan the Devil and his agents are in the world doing everything they can to destroy one relationship with God.

[naomi24]

Goodlife, I assume your religious blinkers, your piety, and your self-obsession would prevent you from recognising a truly altruistic man - an atheist who spends his life working for the good of others. What a pity.

[boxtops]

ludwig, my thoughts entirely.

[wildwood]

goodlife, what's even worse is that you pick part of biblical passages to suit.

Matthew 7:16-20
"16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits".

I take this to mean the tree (religion) can not bear bad fruit (like schaap) so I conclude from the passage that religion is an unhealthy tree.

[modeller]

goodlife God gave you your body , your mind, your will, . He made you strong willed and able to resist any temptation and self gratification.
He made you weak willed and unable to resist any temptation and self gratification . W

[modeller]

cont. Whatever you do it is ultimately the way God made you . Be it good or evil God is responsible . You say he gave you free will but he also gave you the will to control that will to commit good or evil.
The bottom line is God is responsible for every action carried out by every organism on earth or elsewhere . He made us all as set out clearly in Genesis. Nowhere does it say he is responsible for the good bacteria but not responsible for the bad. Ditto good cholesterol and bad cholesterol.

[goodlife]

Why do you think Jesus speak to them by the use of illustrations, the disciples asked this, and his answer was- To you it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the kingdom of the heavens, but to those people it is not granted. For whoever has, more will be given him and he will be made to abound; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them by the use of illustrations, because, looking, they look in vain, and hearing, they hear in vain, neither do they get the sense of it....... Matt. 13:10-16,

So as the fruit of a tree identifies it, so the results of human actions identify what kind of people are producing them.

[naomi24]

Goodlife, //So as the fruit of a tree identifies it, so the results of human actions identify what kind of people are producing them.//

So what about the altruistic atheist I mentioned earlier? What kind of person is he? You seem to have ignored him.

[goodlife]

altruistic people have had outstanding success in many areas of life—literacy, education, medicine, housing, feeding programs, to name a few. As a result, significant improvements have been made to the quality of life of millions of disadvantaged people, it is just as Jesus Christ said, There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.—Acts 20:35.

[naomi24]

Goodlife, you're avoiding answering the question. What kind of person is he?

[I_Hate_Infinity]

As a man speaking from experience, depression and stress is no excuse for immorality... Everyone knows right and wrong... I'd hope that pastors might know this more than most. He used his position to convince his victim that Jesus sanctioned his actions. Check your moral compass Ludwig

[LazyGun]

@IHI I took Ludwigs comment to be tongue in cheek, infinity...

[I_Hate_Infinity]

Damned text talk can't always infer true meaning and sarcasm is the worst example. I can never tell one's implied meaning in text unless I know them.

If so, my apologies ludwig. I guess my inexperience of talking to you allowed for this mistake. I hope to know you better in due time :)

IHI