You
have no doubt heard the troubling news concerning Josh Duggar of the reality television
program “19 Kids and Counting” and Bill Cosby of the formerly long-running “Cosby
Show.” Both cases provide another
opportunity to think about how we should react to sexual abuse.
Sexual
abusers are found among Christians, atheists, Muslims, etc. They are found among liberals and
conservatives. Sexual abuse occurs in
traditional households and leftist communes. When a highly-visible Christian or a secular celebrity
personality falls to sexual sin or is found to be guilty of sexual abuse there
is no room for boasting from either camp.
Sexual
sin is birthed in the heart long before it is coveted with the eyes or acted
upon with the body. This is not to say that
Christian churches and families must, therefore, tolerate such actions nor in
any way seek to cover up sexual abuse. Among
Christians, sexual sin which does not violate the law can and should be dealt
with through the means of church discipline (Matthew 18; 1 Corinthians 5). Illegal sexual activity, however, is never an
in-house matter for the Church (look at today’s Roman Catholic Church). Christians are accountable to God to report
any sexual abuse to governing authorities God has entrusted to administer
justice (Romans 13:1-7). The failure of
the Church to do so is a sin both against God and the victim.
Having
said this, let it also be said that the Church must never demand that victims
of sexual abuse quickly forgive their abuser. Listen: In the Bible forgiveness is always
(always!) predicated upon repentance. The
Church needs to understand the unique nature of sexual abuse. It is a profoundly heinous sort of crime and
the victims must therefore be cared for in a way that reflects the horror of
what they have suffered. That means they
must be protected from their abuser. For
some this may mean never having to be physically present with the abuser again;
for others it may mean giving victims considerable distance in time before
counseling them to consider forgiveness and this only in response to
repentance. It must also be understood
that forgiveness, especially in cases of sexual abuse, is not a simple one-time
event. For the victim, forgiveness is
typically a long and painful process. And while the mercy of Jesus certainly offers
both the rationale and the power to forgive, the victims must never be expected
to move through this quickly.
Jesus
is a Redeemer of people and the damage we do and that which is done to us. Our witness does not ultimately rest upon
lives without sin and families without failures, but upon the power of the Gospel
of Jesus. While it is certainly true
that there ought to be a visible resemblance between what we proclaim and how
we live, this congruence will be, for as long as we are on earth, incomplete at
best.
Rev. Dr.
Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain
(Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor,
Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel
Incredible. I was grabbed, groped (by legal definition), and kissed with a wet mouth on the neck (while having my arm held hard) right in this chapel by a trusted friend and respected former leader. It is clearly visible on livestream. I had spent 3 months with pneumonia, collapsed lung, and lymphoma, which this man knew of, and like many leaders here, joked about a woman's disability. I needed the chapel and fellowship yet had to step away because of these actions, thus protecting this man and everyone else, while ill,isolated, and devastated with the severe stress. Only a woman with the highest level of strength and fortitude would return and serve publicly, yet I have received the greatest cruelty I have ever known from male leaders who knew of this. I have been called and told every cruel thing every woman in these cases is called, and it is 100% documented. Having served (USMC) with honor and distinction with an accuracy rate of nearly 100%, and having the same substantiated here, along with years of documented character and also disability, it seems a person is first, a commodity, all while God and 'Jesus are proclaimed. I protected countless others while paying for the dishonorable actions of yet another former leader, who also thinks "right relationship" or honorable behavior can be disregarded at will.I did not cancel a project I agreed to, despite major organ damage and difficult pulmonary therapy after near-fatal flu. It was then dictated I would serve all summer, with no regard to consent, violation, or disability, as though not one damn for a human being could be shown. For speaking up I was berated, all while running fevers and on oxygen. No man would ever be treated like this. God did not anoint any man who holds a title, and if anyone thinks God is truly pleased with the destruction, severe hurt, and brutal pain caused, then do nothing, as Satan will rejoice. I presume no leader wishes his wife or daughter the same harm, but is not putting her forth for such, then forcing her to serve publicly, just as I did, only to later receive berating and cruelty.A leader is not to tear friendships asunder, nor slander, or falsely accuse, but it has all been done, and with such pride! While surviving longer than ever thought possible with the level of kidney,cardiac,and lung damage I had, and enjoying the benefits of steroids and oxygen, the grabbing began again, and a kind leader offered protection, then broke the promise to take some action so that I could continue here, even while functioning with poor oxygen levels, 12-week fevers, and alarming kidney problems. So there was no protection, and for speaking up I was made to apologize to a paid leader, and forever after have been angrily berated for it not being good enough! I explained why I was upset, and for God, it was enough. Both men involved had paychecks, no disability, and no violation of their own loved ones. Is there a chapter or verse on compassion or right relationship missing in some bibles?!OUR HEAVENLY FATHER is all of ours.I have been called horrible, cruel things,while fluid filled my lungs or collapsing from poor electrolytes. Amongst the men here are some of the finest, most Christ-like hearts I have ever witnessed. Do to others EXACTLY what you wish done to your own, and put them forth for EXACTLY the same. Deceit, slander, violation, dictating, cruelty, defamation, deletion, and destruction give a great sense of power, and would only be practiced if a man believed another is lesser than he is'; even lesser to the same God. Whether a woman serves cookies or has served this country at high levels, she has the same rights to protect herself;to not be violated,deceived,or falsely accused. Only God gives the power, and it can be given to anyone God chooses, regardless of title or gender. The same rights we supposedly proclaim to want as citizens, and standards we wish for the leaders of this country should be practiced in a church! -Semper Fi and God Bless America.
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