Lying to Mennonites

[Josh]

Josh you have some very odd stances in regard to sex offenders.
The government should put them to death
And
Don’t report sex offenders.

Report them for what?

As far as I know, sex offenders are allowed to try to go and find a job.

No one is advocating that we don’t help the stranger or that we turn them away. From experience, the odd jobs are not always away from children.

There is a belief that sex offenders who lie are not to be trusted. I think if you actually replied to that your response might be a little more understanding rather then distort what is actually being talked about.

Yes, I would not trust them any farther than I could see them. I also agree that they should be executed (since that is what the Bible teaches), but our government doesn't do that and instead turns them loose on society again, and as Christians, we have to deal with that (along with many other types of criminals).

To give an analogy, this is like saying if someone turns up looking for a job who may be an illegal alien, you should try to report them to ICE and try to get them deported. I hope none of us would do that.

[temporal1]

Josh:
.. To give an analogy, this is like saying if someone turns up looking for a job who may be an illegal alien, you should try to report them to ICE and try to get them deported. I hope none of us would do that.

It’s not a great analogy.
In scriptures and historically in human law, child sexual predators are specially heinous, and specially difficult to rehabilitate.
Also, this compares misdemeanors with violent felonies on the vulnerable.

It appears, numbers of people are on board with being “light on felonies,” but this has not been true in the past.

There are special laws for sex offenders that go beyond other norms. They don’t enjoy all the freedoms+protections of other criminals. From what i’ve read, true in prisons as well as in free society.

i think this continues to be an area where our culture is still figuring out what to do with child sexual predators, and there’s a long way to go.

Not helpful are those who want to decriminalize and normalize adult-child sexual interaction, as well as the promotion of all descriptions carnal acts under the guise of “sex ed,” free speech, (cough) no “book bans,” etc., via the public treasury.

i think it’s still generally ok to take extra precautions to protect minors and the vulnerable.
This might result in some dubious situations. No system is perfect. Most prefer to err on the side of prevention when it comes to child abuse.

[Ken]

Josh you have some very odd stances in regard to sex offenders.
The government should put them to death
And
Don’t report sex offenders.

Report them for what?

As far as I know, sex offenders are allowed to try to go and find a job.

No one is advocating that we don’t help the stranger or that we turn them away. From experience, the odd jobs are not always away from children.

There is a belief that sex offenders who lie are not to be trusted. I think if you actually replied to that your response might be a little more understanding rather then distort what is actually being talked about.

Yes, I would not trust them any farther than I could see them. I also agree that they should be executed (since that is what the Bible teaches), but our government doesn't do that and instead turns them loose on society again, and as Christians, we have to deal with that (along with many other types of criminals).

To give an analogy, this is like saying if someone turns up looking for a job who may be an illegal alien, you should try to report them to ICE and try to get them deported. I hope none of us would do that.

In most states, sex offenders are required to report to the authorities, register, and avoid areas with children like schools and churches. Failure to do that is, in fact, illegal. You may disagree with such laws, but they are the law.

Is someone who merely acts oddly or suspiciously a known sex offender? Of course not. But there are patterns of behavior that do raise suspicions. And it is possibly prudent to at least vet people who are trying to worm their way into a community. So how does one do that? It is really something only the authorities can do.

[Josh]

In most states, sex offenders are required to report to the authorities, register, and avoid areas with children like schools and churches. Failure to do that is, in fact, illegal. You may disagree with such laws, but they are the law.

Sex offenders are required to ... avoid churches?

Since when?

[temporal1]

There’s quite a lot written on it. One example:

Sex Offenders After Prison: May They Attend Church?
https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/crim ... nd-church/

[Josh]

There’s quite a lot written on it. One example:

Sex Offenders After Prison: May They Attend Church?
https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/crim ... nd-church/

Would Jesus have invited a sex offender to church? Or the apostles?

I would worry far more about the sex offender who doesn't have a criminal record and is a church member in good standing, yet whose heart is full of restless evil, than I would about a rather obvious visitor with a criminal record where it can be well known to keep an eye on them.

[steve-in-kville]

In most states, sex offenders are required to report to the authorities, register, and avoid areas with children like schools and churches. Failure to do that is, in fact, illegal. You may disagree with such laws, but they are the law.

Sex offenders are required to ... avoid churches?

Since when?

Depending on conditions, yes. At least in Pennsylvania.

[Josh]

In most states, sex offenders are required to report to the authorities, register, and avoid areas with children like schools and churches. Failure to do that is, in fact, illegal. You may disagree with such laws, but they are the law.

Sex offenders are required to ... avoid churches?

Since when?

Depending on conditions, yes. At least in Pennsylvania.

Like, a complete ban? Or just restrictions on things like running a Sunday school (reasonable)?

I would severely question just how "Christian" a church is that doesn't let certain classes of criminals attend church - including just because the state says so. I don't see anywhere where the Bible has unpardonable sins that mean a person can't be a Christian or ever be part of a church.

[Judas Maccabeus]

In most states, sex offenders are required to report to the authorities, register, and avoid areas with children like schools and churches. Failure to do that is, in fact, illegal. You may disagree with such laws, but they are the law.

Sex offenders are required to ... avoid churches?

Since when?

Depending on conditions, yes. At least in Pennsylvania.

Same in Maryland. Depends on what conditions the department of Parole and Probation put on their release and registration. Adult offenders not likely. Child offenders far more likely. I don't know if I would report them, but the last thing you want to see is someone sent back to Jail.

[temporal1]

There’s quite a lot written on it. One example:

Sex Offenders After Prison: May They Attend Church?
https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/crim ... nd-church/

Would Jesus have invited a sex offender to church? Or the apostles?

I would worry far more about the sex offender who doesn't have a criminal record and is a church member in good standing, yet whose heart is full of restless evil, than I would about a rather obvious visitor with a criminal record where it can be well known to keep an eye on them.

There was quite a lot of discussion on this, old+new members, in the CAM/Jeriah Mast threads.

Now that i think about it, many were disturbed at the Catholic Church response to child sexual predators in the Church.
Their stance was pretty much equating all sins and, then, responses. “Let he without sin” etc.

Lots of people believe felony sexual abuse of the vulnerable is specially heinous, with scriptural basis to believe “moral equivalency” arguments don’t work.