A sex offender in Reno NV is causing a stir by going to church. Apparently the congregation doesn't feel safe with him in their midsts.
He says that getting right with the Lord and attending church is a vital part of his rehabilitation.
What do you think? Would it be the same if he was a murderer?
2007-04-03 04:23:19 · 23 answers · asked by bartmcqueary 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Once a person has served their jail time, what they do after that should be no one else's concern.
2007-04-03 07:16:44 · answer #1 · answered by kveldulf_gondlir 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are two laws. One is God's and the other the Constitutional law.
God's law is; forgiving the repentant sinner. The Government's law is; stop the person from breaking the law and incarcerate them.
So the man in church should be allowed to ask for forgiveness from the Lord, BUT, the law should find a way to keep him at bay from hurting other people again.
God may have said this; remove the plank in your eye before you remove the splinter in the sinners eye.
So to be good Christians we must not judge! BUT, we have to keep offenders away from temptations to commit crimes again.
In response to the congregation; Jesus may have drawn in the sand and challenged anyone without sin to cast the first stone at the sex offender. They all walked off! What do you think the message is for the 21ST century?
2007-04-03 11:42:26 · answer #2 · answered by hot wheels 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I thought a religion was suppose to be non judgemental and forgiving???
Although I agree the crime is terrible and there probably is nothing worse, but a church is not the place to be judged it's a place to be forgiven..
If you choose not to allow I hope each and every person who is passing judgement is prepared to be reviewed themselves.. God is not a Club with a membership and rules.. There are no secret handshakes and no one has the right to judge who will attend...
I'm not standing up for the crime... I just don't feel we have the right to judge in God's house or in his eyes....
2007-04-03 11:36:51 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
As a minister I have to ask you this, Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Many people who have been charged with a crime, felony or misdemeanor need Jesus to help them change. This applies to all crimes and I believe anyone can change if they allow the Holy Ghost to help them. It's not the person it is their sin I don't like, I love the people but the sin itself they need to be redeemed from and what better place to find forgiveness is in the House of God. I would not put them in positions of temptation in the church such as in a Sunday School class, or youth group but I would not deny their hearing the Word which called me to lead the flock.
2007-04-03 11:43:01 · answer #4 · answered by Georgia Preacher 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not a christian but I think those @ssholes in the church need to quit being so uptight and conceited. It is completely hypocritical for them to worship a God that wants them to love their neighbors, meanwhile looking down on the "sex offender" in the next pew.
The hypocrisy just astounds me.
2007-04-03 11:28:40 · answer #5 · answered by Abby C 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sex offenders are a different sort, in my view. I think that the leadership of the church in question should offer him/her an individual service, away from the congregation. The individual in question has a predisposition to harm people physically.
There are natural consequences for sin. Prison is one. Forgive doesn't mean forget in certain instances.
2007-04-03 11:33:17 · answer #6 · answered by super Bobo 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
He should be allowed to attend, but he obviously shouldn't have any part in the children's ministry. My church's children's ministry does background checks of any potential volunteer for that very reason.
2007-04-03 11:29:13 · answer #7 · answered by Rossonero NorCal SFECU 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. Christ came for the sinners not the righteous. Christ can heal anyone and that someone can have a conversion of heart
2007-04-03 11:29:05 · answer #8 · answered by Gods child 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
JESUS socialized with the unsaved. He came to save the lost, did he not???? If sex offenders, murderers, bigamist, liars, etc. cannot go to church, where can they go???? We are to invite into our(Children of GOD) midst the UNSAVED..... Are we only to invite the ACCEPTABLE UNSAVED?????
2007-04-03 11:49:43 · answer #9 · answered by mstovall2003 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Another example of Christians going against their own teachings. How is he supposed to "repent" if he can't go to church with his fellow believers?
2007-04-03 11:34:46 · answer #10 · answered by Gordon Freeman 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋