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Because of clergymen and other Church workers carnally corrupting children, and the modern trend towards lawsuits, Churches around the world are facing huge payments and a serious blow to their credibility, both in a religious sense and in commercial matters such as public liability insurance. The leaders keep employing and paying the offenders, and transferring them to other places. In Australia there was much publicity from around February 2002 surrounding the former Anglican (Church of England) Archbishop of Brisbane, Dr Peter Hollingworth, until he resigned on May 25 2003. In Canada four Churches early in 2002 faced a possible payout of $1C billion for physical and sexual abuse of indigenous children in orphanages. Churches issue new procedures, guidelines and codes of conduct, and set up professional standards committees. In the U.S.A. around February 2002, Cardinal Bernard Law (who resigned in December 2002), beset with lawsuits, set up a "new zero-tolerance policy," and later the Roman Catholic bishops in the United States agreed to such a policy.
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But why are leaders of religions based on a 2000-year-old tradition setting up "new" procedures, guidelines or codes? What was the tolerance level at the beginning?
¶ EXPEL and/or SHUN: Purge out therefore the old yeast*, that you may become new dough. (Bible, 1 Corinthians 5:7)
* or, "leaven"
In my letter I [Paul] wrote to you to stop mixing in company with fornicators*. I was not including everyone in this world who is a fornicator, or everybody who is greedy, or dishonest, or worships false gods -- that would mean that you would have to cut yourselves off completely from the world. In fact what I meant was that you were not to keep company, not even eating with such a person, if any person who is called a brother be a person who has unmarried sex, or is covetous, or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner. ... Remove the wicked from among yourselves. (1 Cor. 5:9-13)
* In the Bible Greek,
πόρνοις (pornois) for which other translations are "people having sex outside marriage" or "people living sexually immoral lives" Similar to Deuteronomy 13:6
When I [Paul] do come next time, I shall have no mercy to those who sinned before. (2 Cor. 13:2)
That is what we pray for, your perfection. I write this in absence, in the hope that, when I come, I may not have to deal severely with you in the exercise of that authority which the Lord gave me, to build up and not to tear down.
(2 Cor. 13:9-10)
Do not think I [Jesus] came to put peace upon the earth: I came to send, not peace, but a sword. For I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a bride against her mother-in-law. (Matthew 10:34, 35)
¶ SET GOOD EXAMPLE
TO THE PAGANS: Dearly beloved ... abstain from fleshly desires which war against the soul. Always behave honourably among the unbelievers so that they can see for themselves what moral lives you lead, ... For so is the will of God, that with good behaviour you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. ... Behave like free people, and never use your freedom as a cover for wickedness*. (1 Peter 2:11-12, 15-16)
* or, "and not as making liberty a cloak for malice"
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CALLED TO LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS
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¶ THE BLUEPRINT: And the Lord God said: It is not good for the man to be alone. I shall make for him a helper similar to himself. (Bible, Genesis 2:18)
Did you not read that the Creator from the beginning made them male and female1 and that he said: This is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife2, and two become one flesh.3 They are no longer two, therefore, but one flesh. (Matthew 19:4-6)
1. quoting Genesis 1:27 2. in the Greek, "woman" 3. quoting Genesis 2:24
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I found him, so tenderly loved; and now that he is mine I will never leave him, never let him go. (Song of Songs 3:4, also called Song of Solomon, or Canticle of Canticles).
¶ MARITAL SEX recommended: Let marriage be honourable in all, and the bed undefiled, because God will judge fornicators and adulterers. (Hebrews 13:4)
... to avoid fornication* every man ought to have his own wife and every woman her own husband. ...
You must not deprive each other, except by mutual consent for a limited time, to leave yourselves free for prayer, and to come together again afterwards, otherwise Satan may take advantage of any lack of self-control to put you to the test. ...
It is better to be married than to be burnt up. (1 Corinthians 7:2, 5, 9)
* or, "sexual vice" or "immorality"
¶ HIGH STANDARDS OF CONDUCT: But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as suits saints. ... Also, do not be getting drunk with wine. ... That he [Jesus] might present it [God's community] to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:3, 7, 18, 27)
Do your utmost that you may be found finally by him [God] spotless and unblemished and in peace. (2 Peter 3:14)
¶ BAD EXAMPLE TO CHILDREN FORBIDDEN: But anyone who is the downfall of* one of these little ones who have faith in me, it would be better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck, and that he were drowned in the deep sea. ... alas for that man who provides the causes of falling. ... See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones. (Matt. 18:6, 7, 10; and see Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2)
* or, "causes to stumble" or "causes to lose faith in me" or "scandalises" or, "woe to that man by whom the scandal comes."
SCANDAL OF ANY SORT IS EVIL:
If then, your hand or your foot is making you stumble*, cut it off and throw it away from you; ... Also, if your eye is making you stumble, tear it out and throw it away from you. (Matt. 18:8) * or, "trip you" or "scandalise you"
Don't be deceived: Bad company corrupts good habits*. (1 Corinthians 15:33)
* or, "Evil communications corrupt good manners." This is a proverb found also in Menander's Thais.
¶ TEMPLE of the Holy Spirit: Flee from fornication. Every other sin that man might commit is outside his body, but the fornicator sins against his own body. Do you not realise that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you and whom you received from God? You are not your own property, then; you have been bought at a price. So use your body for the glory of God. (1 Cor 6:18-20; and see 1 Cor 6:13, 15)
FURTHER READING
•
Guidelines for handling clergy abusing children; Feb 19 2002.
• Fathers would make the best "Fathers";
how to select minsters; Mar 4 02
• Mainstream "Media Abuse", saying R.C's. trying to bypass civil law
The Record, Perth, Jan 17 02
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REFRESH REPENTANCE A SECOND TIME?
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¶ THE "TEN WORDS" WERE NOT CANCELLED!
A man came up to him and said: Teacher, what good must I do in order to get everlasting life? ... Jesus said: Why, You must not murder, You must not commit adultery, You must not steal, You must not bear false witness, Honour your father and mother*, and, You must love your neighbour as yourself. (Bible, Matthew 19:16, 18-19; see Mark 10:17-19, Luke 18:20)
* Exodus 20:12-16
"fellow-tribesman" Leviticus 19:18, "the stranger" Lev 19:34
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If anyone loves me [Jesus], he will observe my commandments ... Anyone who does not love me does not observe my commandments. (John 14:23, 24)
If there is anyone who does not love the Lord, let him be accursed*. (1 Corinthians 16:22)
* in the Bible Greek, αναθεμα =
"anathema"
CHRISTIANS are part of something bigger: Christ is like a single body, which has many parts. ... all of us ... have been baptised into the one body ... For the body itself is not made up of only one part, but of many parts. ... If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it; if one part is honoured, all the other parts share its happiness. (1 Cor. 12:12-26)
¶ IMPOSSIBLE TO RENEW THEM TO REPENTANCE:
For it is impossible as regards those who, having been enlightened ... and having fallen away, to revive them again to repentance, because they are again crucifying the Son of God and exposing him to public shame.
(Hebrews 6:4-6)
NOT FORGIVEN EVEN IN THE AGE TO COME:
Whoever speaks against the spirit of holiness, it will not be forgiven him, no, not in this age nor in that to come. (Matt 12:32)
WHEN REPENTANCE IS NOT GENUINE: When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through parched places in search of a resting place, and finds none. Then it says, I will go back to my house out of which I came out, and on arriving it finds it unoccupied but swept clean and decorated. Then it goes away and takes along seven different spirits more wicked than itself, and getting inside, they dwell there; and the final circumstances of that man become worse than at first. That is how it will be also with this wicked generation. (Matt. 12:43-45)
NO OFFER OF FORGIVENESS IN THE TEMPLE! So, after making a whip of little cords, he [Jesus] drove all those with the sheep and cattle out of the temple, and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he said to those selling the doves: Take these things away from here! (John 2:15-16, see Matt. 21:12, Mark 11:15, Luke 19:45)
¶ TAKE IT SERIOUSLY: The kingdom of heaven is like a king that made a marriage feast for his son. .... Come to the marriage feast ... The rest laid hands on his servants and ... killed them. But the king ... sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. (Matt 22:2, 4, 6, 7)
And if anyone does not welcome you or listen to what you have to say, as you walk out of the house or town shake the dust from your feet. In truth I [Jesus] tell you it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town on Judgement Day. (Matt 10:14)
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‘TRADITION’ AND BLIND GUIDES
¶ FALSE TEACHERS: Why do you [the Hebrew religious leaders] overstep the commandment of God because of your tradition? ... Hypocrites! How rightly Isaiah prophesied about you when he said:
This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. It is in vain that they keep revering me, because the doctrines they teach are nothing but commands of humans.* ... They [those religious leaders] are blind leaders of the blind, and if one blind person leads another, both will fall into a pit.
(Bible, Matthew 15:3, 7-9, 14)
* Isaiah 29:13
If you [any self-satisfied Hebrew] are confident that you are a guide to the blind and a beacon to those in the dark ... do you teach yourself as well? ... You say that adultery is forbidden, but do you commit adultery? ... If, while you are boasting of the Law, you disobey it, then you are bringing God into contempt. ... It is your fault that the name of God is held in contempt among the pagan nations. (Romans 2:19, 21-23, 24, and quoting words similar to Ezekiel 36:20)
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WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING:
Be on the watch for the false prophets that come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. ... Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? ... every rotten tree produces worthless fruit, ... Every tree not producing fine fruit gets cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matt. 7:15, 16, 17, 19)
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False prophets appeared in the past among the people, and in the same way false teachers will appear among you. They will quietly bring in destructive untrue doctrines ... For they utter swelling expressions of no profit, and by the desires of the flesh and loose habits they entice those who are just escaping from people who conduct themselves in error. While they are promising them freedom, they themselves are existing as slaves of corruption. ... The dog has returned to its own vomit, and the sow that was bathed to rolling in the mire. (2 Peter 2:1-2, 18-19, 22, quoting Proverbs 26:11)
¶ SHUN ANYONE GOING BEYOND CHRIST'S TEACHING:
Anyone who does not stay with the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God. ... If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him. For anyone that greets him is a sharer in his wicked works. (2 John 9-11)
STAND FAST: Therefore, brothers, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word, or by our letter.
(2 Thessalonians 2:15)
But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked not to associate with him, in order that he might become ashamed.
(2 Thess. 3:14)
¶ NO CHANGES: Even if we or an angel out of heaven were to preach to you as gospel* besides the gospel that we preached to you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8) *or, "good news"
Once for all delivered: Fight hard for the faith which has been once for all delivered to the holy ones. (Jude, verse 3)
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SHOULD THE CHURCH JUDGE ITSELF?
¶ IDEALISM: Do not be judging, in order that you will not be judged. (Bible, Matthew 7:1)
SUPER IDEALISTIC: From what source are there wars and fights among you? Aren't they from cravings for sensual pleasure that carry on a conflict in your members? ... Adulteresses! Don't you know that friendship for the world is enmity with God? ... Humble yourself in the eye of the Lord and he will lift you up ... But you, who are you to be judging your neighbour? (James 4:1, 4, 10, 12)
PRACTICAL METHOD: If your brother sins, reprove him ... if he does not listen take along with you one or two more ... if he does not listen ... tell the Church ... if he does not listen even to the Church, let him be to you as the Gentiles and the tax-collectors (Matt 18:15-18)
JUDGES? Is it true that there is not one wise man among you that will be able to judge between his brothers?
(1 Corinthians 6: 5)
EXPOSE THEM: Reprove before all onlookers people who practise sin. I solemnly call on you to keep these rules impartially and never to be influenced by favouritism. (1 Timothy 5:20-21)
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¶ ACCEPT LAWFUL CIVIL AUTHORITY:
For the Lord's sake subject yourselves to every human creation: whether to a king as being the supreme authority, or to governors as being sent by him to inflict punishment on evildoers but to praise doers of good. (1 Peter 2:13-14)
CIVIL POWER HAS THE SWORD: Magistrates bring fear not to those who do good, but to those who do evil. So if you want to live with no fear of authority, live honestly and you will have its approval; it is there to serve God for you and for your good. But if you do wrong, then you may well be afraid, because it is not for nothing that the symbol of authority is the sword; it is there to serve God, too, as his avenger, to bring retribution to wrongdoers. (Romans 13:3-4)
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¶ WAS PUNISHMENT SEVERE?
And he [Jesus] caught sight of a fig tree by the road and went to it, but he found nothing on it except only leaves, and he said to it: "Let no fruit come from you any more forever." And the fig tree withered instantly. (Matt. 21:19; compare Mark 11:13, and 20)
DEATH FOR A LIE:
Ananias ... with Sapphira his wife*, sold a possession and secretly put apart for themselves a part of the price. ... Peter said: Ananias, ... You have played false, not to men, but to God. On hearing these words Ananias fell down and let out his soul. ... his wife* came in ... Peter said to her: Tell me, did you sell the field for so much? She said: Yes, for so much. So Peter said: Why was it agreed between you to test the spirit of the Lord? ... they will carry you out. Instantly she fell down at his feet and expired. (The Acts of the Apostles 5:3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10)
* in the Greek, "woman"
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DEATH, BLINDNESS FOR OFFENCES
They met up with a certain man, a sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus ... [He] began ... seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. ... Paul, becoming filled with holy spirit, looked at him intently and said: "Oh man full of every sort of fraud and every sort of villainy, you son of the Devil, you enemy of everything righteous, will you not stop distorting the right ways of the Lord? Now watch how the hand of the Lord will strike you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a time." That instant, everything went misty and dark for him, and he groped about to find someone to lead him by the hand.
(Bible, The Acts of the Apostles 13:6-11)
¶ OBEY God, not men: We must obey God rather than men. (The Acts 5:29)
CHRIST'S FORGIVENESS WAS NOT AUTOMATICALLY SPRAYED AROUND: These days, in many formerly Christian countries, many people including churchgoers have a blurred incorrect image of Christ as "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild" turning the other cheek and spraying forgiveness around indiscriminately. On the contrary, Christ had a balanced character. He not only taught love and helped people, but he also had a firm side. He did not hide his robust dislike of supposedly "religious" people who used religion as a mask for their misdeeds -- he chased traders from the temple (Matthew 21:12, Mark 11:15, Luke 19:45, John 2:15-16), and railed against "religious observers" who were dyed-in-the-wool hypocritical evildoers (read his speech "Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites" -- Matt. 23:13-35, Luke 11:39-52).
GIVEN WITHOUT ASKING: Contrariwise, however, note that, without being asked, he forgave ordinary people and some people with bad reputations for their sins of human weakness, telling them to sin no more (John 5:14; 8:11). [Remember the "no more" part.]
TOUGHENING ATTITUDE: Paul had tried the repeated forgiveness method, but changed to "I shall have no mercy" (2 Cor 13:2), and struck an opponent blind temporarily (The Acts 13:11). Peter, too, had learnt to be strict, and struck two liars dead (The Acts 5:5, 10). The early Christians, parallel with Jesus' harsh treatment of the vast majority of the Pharisees, and some of his other actions, were taught not to even say hello to a nominal Christian who opposed the teaching (2 John 9-11) or had a sinful lifestyle (1 Cor. 5:9-13). Modern Church leaders in democracies ought not to "forgive seven times 70 times" (Matthew 18:22), but read Matthew 18:17 plus 1 Peter 2:13-14 and Romans 13:3-4, act strictly, and report the child abuse offenders to the civil powers.
FUNDAMENTALISTS, PLEASE NOTE: The ancient oriental manner of talking of "drowned in the deep sea", "cut down", "withered instantly", "sword", "burned their city", "cut it off", and "tear it out", and the examples of the people struck dead or temporarily blind, ought not to be taken as permission to do these things to offenders or ourselves, any more than we would take literally our modern expression "cut out the dead wood," which is a figure of speech meaning to dismiss employees or office-bearers who are harmful or are not effective.
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DO THE SKY-PILOTS FOLLOW THE FLIGHT PLAN?
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SEVEN BLIND SPOTS:
Dr Peter Hollingworth, Governor-General, seemed to have about seven "blind spots" when the news media asked him in February 2002 why as Brisbane Anglican archbishop he did nothing about a male Church worker having sex with a 14-year-old student at an Anglican hostel. They are:
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1. He said it happened 40 years ago (who knows how many others he had besmirched!);
2. It was with a young woman (yes, 14 is young! But wouldn't you call her a schoolchild?);
3. It was not rape or anything like that (the Christian Greek Language Scriptures teach that fornication also -- not just rape -- is forbidden by God's law).
The other blind spots are:
4. The New Testament forbids tripping up (scandalising) children (Matthew 18:6-10, Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2);
5. The "new" commandment "to love your neighbour as yourself" (Matt 19:16-19, Mark 10:17-19, Luke 18:20);
6. Sex outside marriage would harm the solidarity of the believers, or, in theological terms, the Mystical Body of Christ, according to 1 Cor. 6:14-15; and
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7. Both he and the person working in the student hostel had the responsibility of religious leaders for the moral progress of the communities they led. ("The good shepherd gives his life for his sheep. But the hireling ... sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away -- and the wolf snatches and scatters them" - John 10:11-12; also see The Acts 20:28-29.) Church-employed child-molesters are guilty of treason.
CRISIS 2002? In spite of the fact that pollsters around March 2002 said that more than 50% of Australians had no confidence in having Dr Hollingworth continue as Governor-General, there was no Constitutional crisis then, even though the news media said there was. The Queen was still "on the throne" even during her visit to New Zealand and Australia, and the other organs of government were still operating. CRISIS IN MAY 2003: However, from May 1 2003 after the Queensland Premier P. D. Beattie lessened the danger of defamation writs by tabling in State parliament an
Anglican report on Dr Hollingworth's actions in allowing a paedophile to remain in the clergy with "no extenuating circumstances," the public disapproval rating was said to be 76%.
A May 5 news report, and the ABC TV "7.30 Report" of May 7 03, showed that similar inactivity about sex abusers had occurred in Tasmanian and Victorian Anglican circles, just as blatantly as in the Roman Catholic Church.
Further accusations were aired around that time of more sex-abuse in Brisbane area, and various dignitaries stated that he ought to "examine his conscience." A woman accused him of sexually abusing her years ago, and he stood aside from his duties. The Senate on May 15 2003 asked him to resign. The woman apparently suicided, and the court case was stopped on May 23. In addition, his wife is recovering from a cancer operation. He announced his resignation on Sunday May 25 2003.
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RALLIES for MARRIAGE and CHILDREN
The first draft (much briefer) was copied in small numbers and distributed at the second Rally for Marriage and Children which attracted between 1000 and 3000 people to the front of Perth Parliament House on 19 February 2002, objecting to bills to legalise: Males having sex in the back passage with males aged from 16 instead of from 21, Homosexual and lesbian couples legally adopting children, Artificial insemination for single women and lesbians, and To teach schoolchildren that homosexuality and lesbianism were lifestyles equally as acceptable as the male-female lifestyle. The rallies organiser is the Australian Family Association, PO Box 467, South Perth, WA, 6951 and Suite 2, 949 Wellington St., West Perth, WA, 6005, 08 9321 2333. The A.F.A. has no connection with this leaflet.
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19 FEB 02
REPRODUCED for Faith Purification Programme as a PUBLIC SERVICE
14 NOV 05
PICTURES by courtesy of Microsoft® Clip Art
Read the pages at: http://www.multiline.com.au/~johnm/nonmarital.htm
INTENTION: The intention of this group of Webpages is NOT to HARM religion, but to help religion to remove people who seduce youngsters while hiding behind religion, and those who collude with them.
Composed on Microsoft® Word© and distributed (little over one page) first on 19 February 2002, revised and enlarged repeatedly, Ms WordPad© used to prepare HTML version, to WWW on 24 February 2002, spellchecked on Ms Word 13 Mar 02, and latest 19 Jul 03,
last modified
on 14 Nov 04
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