Howard Bean

[barnhart]

I'm less interested in burning books than taking away platforms perpetrators have used to find victims. Failure to de-platform is bad for victims, future victims as well as the perpetrator. I don't know to much of this case, but as an analogy it would have been better for Ravi Zacharias' board to take away his keys long before they did. Men like Mr. Bean should spend the rest of their days away from any position near prospective victims. Forklift driver maybe.

[ohio jones]

I know nothing at all about this case (never heard of this man), and as a Dutch anabaptist, ALL the "famous authors" in the Swiss Brethren circles? I'd never heard of them before coming to Ohio. But on another track, there are songs in the hymnals, and choruses that are commonly sung in the "off the wall" style that were written by men who had failed lives, some who left the faith entirely. Do we need a book burning? Tear pages out of our hymnals?

Ah, Donatism never dies. While I do believe ex opere operato is generally correct, when serious sin or apostasy becomes known, any subsequent acts of that person should be avoided as ex opere operantis. I suppose it's not a perfect answer, but as an example I'll listen to early Amy Grant but nothing after her first marriage ended.

[Josh]

In this case, the police’s allegations are from 20 years ago and other credible allegations (where the victim nonetheless does not want to press charges) are from even farther back.

If Bean were writing books about automotive repair or Ontario history, I would not be as concerned as I am about him, as a bishop and schoolteacher/headmaster, writing books whose topic is how you should raise your family and discipline your children. Such books seem suspect coming from someone who simultaneously claimed to have no idea the things he was doing were wrong.

[Ken]

In this case, the police’s allegations are from 20 years ago and other credible allegations (where the victim nonetheless does not want to press charges) are from even farther back.

If Bean were writing books about automotive repair or Ontario history, I would not be as concerned as I am about him, as a bishop and schoolteacher/headmaster, writing books whose topic is how you should raise your family and discipline your children. Such books seem suspect coming from someone who simultaneously claimed to have no idea the things he was doing were wrong.

He is absolutely lying.

He knew from the start that what he was doing wrong. That is why he kept it all covered up and groomed his victims not to talk about it. Sexual abuse is not some recent morally relativistic thing where people only recently discovered it is wrong. It goes back to the Old Testament. In fact all the way to Genesis. If he truly thought it was perfectly acceptable behavior he would have been doing it right out in the open for all to see.

He may have convinced himself that what he was doing wasn’t that bad. Abusers are very good at rationalizing and blaming their victims. But he is an intelligent man, he knew what he was doing.

And yes, anything that he wrote is suspect or should be. Writing isn’t just about the actual words you use. It is about what you chose to emphasize or not emphasize and what you choose to include and leave out. I would not want someone who’s life was consumed with sexual predation to be setting the learning agenda for anyone child or adult.

[Josh]

More accurately, fornication and immorality are wrong; the Bible doesn’t speak in terms like “sexual abuse”.

And no, I don’t believe Mr Bean’s explanations, but now we have the laborious task ahead of excising his books which infest many church libraries. Overall, there is a need for reflection in the moderate-conservative world why so many of their minor celebrities and top-selling authors end up being these kind of people. (Herr is another example of this, and there are still people defending him.)

More deeply, certain wings of the conservative world seem unable to discipline someone like this. Herr was excommunicated from Eastern a long time ago; he smoothly transitioned into a new church and eventually was received in Charity with open arms.

I have a certain degree of suspicion now for people who leave a conservative church that places them under discipline and head for a less conservative church, and then worm their way into leadership positions. It simply doesn’t seem to bear good fruit.

[Ken]

More accurately, fornication and immorality are wrong; the Bible doesn’t speak in terms like “sexual abuse”.

Sexual abuse is a modern term. But the Bible most certainly speaks about the sin of Lust, which is what this was about. For example Colossians 3:5 speaks to exactly what Bean was doing:

• So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world."
  

You can’t read that and conclude that it is perfectly acceptable to satiate your lust by feeling up the buttocks of young girls. There are dozens of similar scriptures scattered throughout the Bible.

[Sudsy]

Does God imperfect people to serve His purposes ? I believe He has throughout history and does still today. Do you know for sure that your pastor is not hiding some sin and perhaps is justifying it in their life ?

This reminds me of the Anabaptist John Howard Yoder. Did not many Anabaptists praise his works such as his book called 'The Politics Of Jesus' ? Does one now ignore what he wrote because of the sins that caught up with him ?

I believe we should not trust any man and all of his teachings but rather to test whatever is written and said asking for the Holy Spirit to guide us to not be deceived by anyone. There are many founders of Christian faith groups that have either been caught in their sinning and some are still keeping certain sins hidden.

With the history of people such as Yoder, Bakker, Swaggart, Haggard, Gothard, Tilton, Driscoll and many others in my lifetime, I do not put my faith in any human preacher. But I will read and listen to their sermons as I do believe God uses imperfect people in delivering truth to us. It is discernment we need and reliance on the Holy Spirit to be guided by as we seek to know God better and to serve in His Kingdom.

[Grace]

Sorry, changed my mind about posting.

[Josh]

You can’t read that and conclude that it is perfectly acceptable to satiate your lust by feeling up the buttocks of young girls. There are dozens of similar scriptures scattered throughout the Bible.

I agree, and thus I think any writer who writes books on family life, devotionals for families, etc. who claims such ignorance is someone whose books we should not read.

One major challenge is his stated ignorance is in “private”. Frankly, I think churches need to make more public statements when a leader has such a profound lack of understanding of basic scriptural morals.

[Soloist]

One major challenge is his stated ignorance is in “private”. Frankly, I think churches need to make more public statements when a leader has such a profound lack of understanding of basic scriptural morals.

What exactly did he say he didn’t know was wrong?