Death Penalty for sex offenders?

[Robert]

I am for incarceration, but cutting off body parts? Am I living in Iran?

You guys are as sick as the people who commit these crimes.

Rob

[Gerr]

Robert, if you do a little research in psych books/literature, you will find that the sicker people are the ones who live without regard to consequences/punishment, not the ones who consider consequences to wrongdoing.

Gerry

[stef]

Our church has taken a strong stance on sex offenders. I have seen this trend even among the other denominations. One of my Bible Study interests is a registered sex offender. He doesn't feel welcome in any church; he is shunned by all--a "leper" in our community. He loves the Lord and is confident that He knows all things and knows this man's heart. He is willing to sit with a deacon or elder during church services, but the two families with young children and three other members of our small church have refused to attend if he is present, and this man won't come so as not to offend.

I do not take this offense lightly. It is a long-term pervasive issue that has only intensified with the Internet. To give you a bit of background:

My oldest sister was molested by my father (her step-dad). Dad never touched me or my younger sister. Family counseling was a big factor in his healing and his continued marriage with mom. Subsequently he repented of his lifestyle and is a baptized member of our church. He and my older sister have a caring relationship, but only after 20 years of separation (she spent her 16th and 17th year living with a friend then immediately married 2 days after she turned 18.)

I was once molested (fondling and touching) by the 70-something elder of our church when I was 12. I never returned to his house again, but my eyes were opened to why he always had candy and treats for the young girls in my neighborhood. I have never told anyone but my younger sister (wanting her to stay away from him). I have forgiven this man, but it took many years for me to realize that this was not acceptable behavior for men.

My younger sister was raped by her 8th grade SDA school teacher. She was sent away to a different school and the matter was hushed away. She remains unmarried and emotionally distant from men to this day (she is 42 years old).

My question is, how can we as a church serve not only sex offenders, but minister to those who are harmed? How do we minister to those who commit and/or are harmed by any crime?

Yes, these crimes are sin, but each of them is but a fiery weapon in the enemy’s arsenal. Corruption escalates, and I know there will be horrors beyond imagination as Satan launches his final efforts. The question is, how are we as Seventh-day Adventists going to fight back?

Ephesians 6:10-18

We all deserve the death penalty.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

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Stef said:

My question is, how can we as a church serve not only sex offenders, but minister to those who are harmed? How do we minister to those who commit and/or are harmed by any crime?

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::shakes head:: I'm so sorry to hear about the misery your family's been through, Stef.

It is very easy to say, "well, we are ALL sinners, and need Jesus," and that "the church is a hosptal for sinners, not a rest home for saints." It is very different to actually BELIEVE the words and act on them.

It is much easier to accept a convicted burglary felon into church fellowship than it is to accept a convicted sex offender into church fellowship. It takes effort. It takes CHOOSING to accept the person. Will everyone do it? No. CAN everyone do it? I don't know.

I'm not a big letter-writer, but one person I write to is in a maximum security prison convicted of sexual abuse of teenage girls in one of the junior academies. I've known him for over 30 years...he was the one of the best-loved teachers that we had during my junior academy years - and he never did anything inappropriate during that time that any of us students knew about. Anyway, he will be released in about 3 years. He's told me that there are other inmates there that had been either his students or a parent of students. I find that quite sad....but not too terribly surprising. <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> He is concerned about how people (church members) will treat him when he's released.

I am not quite sure why I write to my former teacher and still consider him to be a friend...though he never harmed me, I have every reason to be suspicious and angry and revengeful of sexual abusers. I *was* abused, molested, and raped by other *fine upstanding pillars of Christianity* in the Adventist church - at an SDA college and at an SDA hospital, among other places.

I don't know what the answer is on how the church can minister to both the perpetrators and to the harmed. <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> It reminds me of how Corrie ten Boom after a church meeting once ended up face to face with one of the prison guards from the Nazi concentration camp where she'd been a prisoner. He did not recognize her, and wanted to shake her hand, telling her how changed he was. She couldn't shake his hand....until the Holy Spirit took control and raised her hand to meet his.

I think *that's* what it's probably going to take.

[stef]

Thanks, Bobbie. The story that you referred to is one of the most astounding glimpses of the healing power of forgiveness that I have ever read. She is one of my spiritual mentors, even though I never had the opportunity to meet her in person. What a reflection of Christ's love and character!

[Robert]

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stef said: We all deserve the death penalty.

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That truth many can't seem to grasp! You are right....

[stef]

Pam, Sorry about that renaming you "Bobbie" oops!