Well, here's a real story....I'll be transparent...
There was a guy in our church who we all "heard" (opposed to really knowing) was a child molester. I became suspicious and watchful of him. I treated him differently based on the talk of the town.
One day, I found out that he had in fact molested a child a few years back. I really wacthed him--more than ever before. One day, one of the kids said she was uncomfortable with the man being around. I asked her if he had did anything to her, and she said no. She already told her parents about her feelings.
Well, I was very pertective of the kids in our church because I was over the choir and had a good relationship with each of them. So, because of the factual information I had gotten, FEAR caused me to react. I pulled the man on the side and told him, "If you ever touch any of these kids, I'll hurt you. And if you ever touch any of MY children, I'll kill you." I actually meant what I said. But my words were driven by what MIGHT happen. I never considered that it MAY NOT happen and this man could have changed. Fear caused me to disrespect the man and act in an unloving, unforgiving, unchristlike manner. And you know what's sad...the girl and her parents were uncomfortable because they had gotten the same "information" about the man's past that I had gotten.
The man never touched the kids...but he left the church because of the way I and some of the other "protective moms" mistreated him. We continued to punish him for a crme that God had already forgave him of.
Since then, I repented and asked forgiveness....but if we are willing to be real, we will come to realized that FEAR influences us to say and do some very STUPID stuff....and where do you think that influence is rooted?....Satan is very clever with his tricks and mind games.
WoW. You made me forget what I had to say. I wouldnt have confronted him or endorsed harrasing him, but I think the kids should know not to interact with him outside of church. There is a 'crazy' guy who visits our church, I dont know what he has done in the past, but I would not endorse my kids hanging around him outside of church.
But you have a great point, we cant go around harrasing those who have done/are doing wrong. Thats why many folks are so turned off by the church, Because we are often times more judgmental than the 'world'
hm, there's a BUNCH of them cats near where i live.......Great Caesar's Ghost....
Yeah I checked out Brooklyn, It would be impossible to know all of the offenders in your hood.
