S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

While the Bible does not contain a detailed ranking of the wickedness of various sins, child molestation is surely near the top of the list. There is perhaps no more cruel, perverted, and loathsome...

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July 01 2013 • 4 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Philip Davies Supporter

There is no 'recent plague of child molestation incidents'.

Throughout history there have been waves of moral panic when society believes that there is a special threat to social order and there is an episode of intensive, exaggerated concern about a particular issue. The news and media organisations act as the driving force for each new moral outrage it identifies. And there have been many such moral panics.

In the 17 century the moral panic centred on witches and witchcraft and society was so stirred up that witch hunts began. In the 19 century in Victorian England the moral panic was about sex and sexuality, and society repressed all talk about sex. In America in the 1920s the moral panic was about alcohol and prohibition followed. In the 1950s, the moral panic was about communists who were thought to be undermining society and communist witch hunts started under McCarthy. In the 1970s there was a moral panic about drugs, in the 1980s it was about satanic ritual abuse, in the 1990s it was about Dungeons and Dragons and fantasy role playing games.

Today it appears that the moral panic is now about paedophiles and child abuse and a day hardly passes without the newspapers and media throwing up some new outrage for us to wag our fingers at. At the moment it feels like there is a 'plague of child molestation incidents'. But there has always been sin, and once the hunt for paedophiles is over, another hunt will take its place.

All these moral panics have something in common. The thing that marks them out is the intolerance and hostility stirred up towards the group in question until they are turned into "folk devils". Whether they are witches, communists or paedophiles a clear division forms in society between "them" and "us". Then society is so stirred up it takes some action that is usually disproportionate to the actual threat posed by the accused group. 

As Christians we can easily be influenced by these moral panics driven by the secular media. And here lies the challenge. For it is natural to condemn the sinners around us and thank God we are not like them. And when we do that, of course we end up acting not like Christians at all, but just like Pharisees. Luke 18:11-14 When it comes down to it, we are all sinners and no one is any better than anyone else. Isaiah 64:6

There have been folk devils in every age and as Bible believing Christians we need to be vigilant that we do not join in the intolerance, bullying and witch hunting that goes along with the latest moral panic served up to us. After all, we are none of us any better, are we?

Regards
Philip

January 10 2015 • 5 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Frances Munro Supporter Homemaker, bible student, Sheepdog to the Master!

The question relates to the recent plague of child molestations in our society. In the UK, what has been more interesting is that historical child molestation is increasingly come to light as survivors become more courageous in coming forward to witness to their abuse. This has been occuring on an institutional basis, in children care homes, within Catholic and Anglican churches, by mainly men, who are highly placed and in positions of trust and power. 

So not so recent then. This has been happening historically, only the survivors have not been able to speak up and expose the extent of it until now. It is extremely shocking how the abuse is so cruel amongst those who claim the name of Christ. It is even worse than amongst unbelievers. The more 'moralistic' a person is, the more they seem to be able to justify their actions on the basis of the 'sinfulness' of the innocent, vulnerable victim.

Of course, we cannot tell whether this historical abuse arose suddenly in the 1950's, which is how far it is being exposed, because many of the survivors of older abuse have either died or are too old now to cope with exposing it. We know that homosexuality has always been around, hidden and done in the darkness, so probably child abuse has too, just hidden under the veneer of respectability and colluded with by others who protect the perpetrators for fear of exposure and shame.

I rejoice that these precious survivors have found the courage, especially since the courage of one single woman exposed the can of worms of the activities of Jimmy Saville here in the UK, which encouraged all the other survivors to come forward, knowing that for the first time in their lives they will be believed. I hope with all my heart that all those powerful, famous people who engaged in this behaviour, complacent that they will get away with it, are now shaking in their boots, terrified that one day, one of their victims will speak up and expose them for who they are and what they have done. 

Echoes of the Great White Throne Judgement seat to come - Your sins will find you out! Thank the Lord that all those evil people who think they have got away with it, unexposed until their deaths, will pay for their crimes before the Ultimate Judge of the Universe, and justice most certainly will be done on behalf of all those innocent victims.

January 10 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Emo Tenorio Supporter Shomer

I humbly submit this evil has been a part of secular humanism throughout world history and looking at each great civilization during that history, three items repeat themselves:

1. The nations would seek and worship a false god or a pantheon of gods.
2. The nations would sacrifice their children to these false gods.
3. The nations governing power structure promoted homosexuality in their land and then fall apart shortly there after.

Simply stated, the elite educated secular humanists' world view is that man is basically good and is therefore able to operate without the aid of a god, other than their own, known to Christians as the prince of this world. (2 Corinthians 11:14)

The false premise of infallibility that somehow grants anyone (other than Christ) the right to rule by some divine mythical esoteric insight is the basis for all human errors. 

The battle is between two very different kingdoms: one of light, truth and morals, and the other dark kingdom, 180 degrees opposite, and set against these standards of God.
(2 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 2:10; Titus 1:16)

What was once too dark (and kept in the closet) for society in general is now paraded and praised by our would-be overseers of tolerance in the narcissistic intelligentsia juggernaut via the silencing coercion that is political correctness. (Titus 3:11)

In this secular, created, sin-free utopia there are no consequences for you or society in general as "love" or "rights" are the magical mantra keys in this realm, and you are free to drill a hole in the bottom of your end of the boat, if you like, without any fear. 

Any dissent from any politically correct, conventional or currently fashionable held thought is to invite withering rebuke and then quick expulsion from this polite society.

Bottom line: the true cause of this evil begins with the father of lies and unless we pursue that battle with the warrior courage of Christ to protect the weakest among us, all of the very polite social pieties and platitudes on training and instructing a child mean nothing; if in the end we still continue to deliver our precious little pearls into the waiting arms and proclivities of vile abhorrent swine! (Luke 17:1-2; Psalms 144)

In the Lord's freedom, it's what you do with the truth that sets you free......warrior on

January 10 2015 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Vincent Mercado Supporter Skeptic turned believer, Catholic, father of 3

The sex abuse scandal is really one of the dark periods, not only in Church History, but in Human history. It's a serious problem and should be addressed. 

It is a social problem. We find sex abuse everywhere - at homes, in schools, in offices. Fathers, educators, social workers who work with young people have been accused of sexual abuse. The root cause of this problem is not having a good role model for teenagers. 

Fathers should teach young men how to be chivalrous and respectful of women, wanting only the good of the other person, to sacrifice himself to protect women. Mothers should teach young men to respect other women as they would respect her. 

Mothers should teach young women not to dress provocatively and protect themselves, to stay away from dangerous situations. Fathers should teach young women that a good man will not take advantage of her and take care of her as her father would. The father should set the standard of what a good boyfriend is.

October 02 2013 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report