What are churches doing to stop predators in the church?

[Soloist]

Parking lots do not stop predators, but it's still a good idea to lock the car doors. Especially during zucchini season.

This is no laughing matter... I've seen them tied to cars before!

[barnhart]

Sin can be forgiven but consequences are permanent.

Of note.

We accept this for some sin but we struggle to see it in other sins. If I drive drunk and kill a pedestrian, I am forced to live with the consequences but if I sexually assault someone the permanent consequences are not always made clear. That zone of confusion where culture and society are slow to recognize permanent consequences often has the effect of re- victimizing the victims. I think churches could improve in this area.

[JohnH]

Sin can be forgiven but consequences are permanent.

Of note.

We accept this for some sin but we struggle to see it in other sins. If I drive drunk and kill a pedestrian, I am forced to live with the consequences but if I sexually assault someone the permanent consequences are not always made clear. That zone of confusion where culture and society are slow to recognize permanent consequences often has the effect of re- victimizing the victims. I think churches could improve in this area.

Interestingly this thinking often rarely applies to sins and crimes people excuse; for example, some people on MN don’t think there should be any consequences for breaking certain laws.

[joshuabgood]

Of note.

We accept this for some sin but we struggle to see it in other sins. If I drive drunk and kill a pedestrian, I am forced to live with the consequences but if I sexually assault someone the permanent consequences are not always made clear. That zone of confusion where culture and society are slow to recognize permanent consequences often has the effect of re- victimizing the victims. I think churches could improve in this area.

Interestingly this thinking often rarely applies to sins and crimes people excuse; for example, some people on MN don’t think there should be any consequences for breaking certain laws.

There are such things as immoral laws. Those should be broken.

[JohnH]

There are such things as immoral laws. Those should be broken.

How do you decide what an immoral law is?

[Soloist]

Wife: you do have a point, but I think it’s just a difference for me at least if the crime is harming someone else. like I’m not going to report every druggie or person who speeds, but if I saw hit-and-run, I would try to take the license plate, and if I knew someone was abusing someone else who was either too young or disabled to do anything about it, I would report it. I might also report if I saw somebody I knew was robbing one of my neighbors places, although I might also tell them and have them decide what to do about it. I certainly would cooperate if they needed witnesses though, and I would call the police if it was a dangerous situation.
I probably would not report for shoplifting, but I would be willing to be a witness, although I guess it just depends on the situation. I think for black and white situations that fall under the mandatory reporting, like rape, molestation, or causing actual harm/danger to a child more than just spanking, it’s not unreasonable to report it to the law to prevent serious harm or death.

Most of those laws aren’t mandatory report anyway. There might be some things that fall under mandatory reporting that I wouldn’t be comfortable about, like I don’t know if every state has specific stuff about discipline, and obviously some people go overboard on that and consider anything abuse, but I think most states allow for reasonable spanking