Is it too far?

[Supernaut]

Hypothetical scenario here.

Gentleman comes to Church asking to be allowed in. Sounds ok right? You then find out that he has been arrested and awaiting trial for child molestation. Even though he has not been found guilty, your skin crawls at the idea of anyone doing harm to a child. You tell him that you will get back to him.

You approach your Church council/congregation with the gentlemans request. There are mixed feelings from the congregation. Eventually everyone seems to agree to allow the gentleman in with strict access, including a chaperone to would follow him around.

What would you do? Would you give the final yay/nay?

Would you preserve the "safety" of the congregation and tell him no? Turn him away?

Would you let compassion win and allow him in (under above stated guidelines) at least until the completion of the trial?

Would you ask, "What would Jesus do?" ?


One need not be Christian to respond.

 

[Hentenza]

I would agree to the stringent guidelines including no access to minors.

 

[BigBadWlf]

An entrance exam to come to church?

Sounds like you are saying not everyone is welcome in the house of God

 

[mont974x4]

An entrance exam to come to church?

Sounds like you are saying not everyone is welcome in the house of God

I find this statement quite ironic coming from a roman catholic.

 

[Hentenza]

An entrance exam to come to church?

Sounds like you are saying not everyone is welcome in the house of God

That's not what I said. Can you answer the question?

 

[david_x]

WWJD?

I would go eat at his house.

 

[mont974x4]

There is a difference between you eating at his house and you allowing a possible child predator to have access to the kids and families that are in your care.

 

[Wedjat]

Let him in. Perhaps the reason he's coming is to seek atonement and change his life, don't deny him that. Under the correct supervision, he is no more a threat to the congregation than a caged dog, the least you could do is try to domesticate him.

 

[Verv]

Of course you let him in. How is he supposed to turn himself around if people do not even give him the chance to enter Church?

I find it odd that people get skeptical about some of the things I say and this is even a question.

 

[david_x]

There is a difference between you eating at his house and you allowing a possible child predator to have access to the kids and families that are in your care.

Don't have any...

 

[Philothei]

You all have to realize that the Churches today are faced with huge liability laws... and a senario like this one... I am afraid would not be a yay.... Unfortunately the lawsuits agaist Churches has increased so much and many are facing bankrupsy... There is no discrimination between laity and clergy any longer .Churches become responsible for everythig that takes place in their premises and some even outside their premises. I know churches that got sued for their Janitor or volunteers just helping out with the flower arrangments etc. Although i agree with Hentenza I think that still to allow him in the congregation is a big risk..... IMHO

Given the Church is supposed to be the "hospital" for all sinners and no one should be turned down the safety of the ones who are entrusted to us especially the minors ...is still our top priority Not the ONLY.... Then again we could have a person like that do a special ministry for our Church for example prison ministry comes to mind ..... or soup kitchen ministry....where there is no contact with minors....

 

[Shephatiah]

Hypothetical scenario here.

Gentleman comes to Church asking to be allowed in. Sounds ok right? You then find out that he has been arrested and awaiting trial for child molestation. Even though he has not been found guilty, your skin crawls at the idea of anyone doing harm to a child. You tell him that you will get back to him.

You approach your Church council/congregation with the gentlemans request. There are mixed feelings from the congregation. Eventually everyone seems to agree to allow the gentleman in with strict access, including a chaperone to would follow him around.

What would you do? Would you give the final yay/nay?

Would you preserve the "safety" of the congregation and tell him no? Turn him away?

Would you let compassion win and allow him in (under above stated guidelines) at least until the completion of the trial?

Would you ask, "What would Jesus do?" ?


One need not be Christian to respond.

- I would introduce him to Jesus. Hypothetically of course.

 

[JBJoe]

You all have to realize that the Churches today are faced with huge liability laws... and a senario like this one... I am afraid would not be a yay.... Unfortunately the lawsuits agaist Churches has increased so much and many are facing bankrupsy... There is no discrimination between laity and clergy any longer .Churches become responsible for everythig that takes place in their premises and some even outside their premises. I know churches that got sued for their Janitor or volunteers just helping out with the flower arrangments etc. Although i agree with Hentenza I think that still to allow him in the congregation is a big risk..... IMHO

With the exception of several Catholic Diocese, whose actions are frankly indefensible, what church has faced bankruptcy due to molestation accusations? Were the allegations specious, or well founded?

In this country you can be sued for very many things, unfortunately, and there is minimal risk for someone making a baseless charge. But molestation isn't the only thing that puts a church at risk - they can't go through life thinking the next person they let in could be the one that gets them sued.

 

[Fenny the Fox]

I would certainly give the "yay" answer. Let him in. The church is not to be closed to someone on the basis of worldly accusations such as this - at least this is how I feel.

Of course, at least until the end of the pending trial, I would not allow him to be a caregiver to the minors of the congregation (sunday school teacher/youth counselor/daycare/etc.) for obvious reasons. But most churches, at least moderate sized to larger churches anyway, require a background check and such before allowing anyone in these positions anyway.

 

[Philothei]

In this country you can be sued for very many things, unfortunately, and there is minimal risk for someone making a baseless charge. But molestation isn't the only thing that puts a church at risk - they can't go through life thinking the next person they let in could be the one that gets them sued.

That is the problem excatly.... in this country you can be sued... unfortunately for the weirdest things... And yes many Churches do "think" before they have volunteers involoved with Children's ministry. To be frank I think very few churches will just "allow" any children's ministry to be handled by volunteers anymore.... I know in my our Church the cases were so madenning growing that did moved the church to do cuts to some ministries as well call for stricter background checks...and still are still hesitant... I predict that the ministy in youth ministry will suffer due to this ...And that is reality and reaction.

About the laity that joins the church I am not sure if my church would not allow them to enter the church ....but i am sure they would be watching them

ETA: my church is small ...does not have the financial luxury of the Catholic Church so when i say lawsuits .... I mean that they are not many....but rather our budget is small so one is too much for us

 

[Supernaut]

Should the Church be concerned as to how it may be viewed by the general public? Negative publicity? Should it be concerned with falling membership numbers should it decide to accept this gentlman?

 

[rambot]

I would engage him in conversations about where he is at regarding his illness (assuming he's been diagnosed as pedophilic).

So, is he willing to admit he did those things? Has/Is he receiving counselling? How open is he to discussions with the minister/counsel/congregation?

There is no good reason to not allow him into worship. But there are good reasons to restrict his access to other activities (nursery helper, youth leader, sunday school teacher etc..).

Hopefully he would be respectful enough to accept that the interim.

 

[JBJoe]

That is the problem excatly.... in this country you can be sued... unfortunately for the weirdest things... And yes many Churches do "think" before they have volunteers involoved with Children's ministry. To be frank I think very few churches will just "allow" any children's ministry to be handled by volunteers anymore.... I know in my our Church the cases were so madenning growing that did moved the church to do cuts to some ministries as well call for stricter background checks...and still are still hesitant... I predict that the ministy in youth ministry will suffer due to this ...And that is reality and reaction.

Any organization that works with children should do background checks on people who interact with children under their auspices. This individual should not be allowed to work with children unsupervised while the case is ongoing, or ever if there is a conviction. That's just being responsible.

About the laity that joins the church I am not sure if my church would not allow them to enter the church ....but i am sure they would be watching them

Maybe I just don't understand your church. What would prevent someone from joining your church who was a child predator, but he just didn't mention it? Do you perform background checks on everyone joining the church? How would you get new members? I've only been attending a Christian church for a few years and I've only ever attended one. They do background checks for all children's services volunteers through the police department and only release children to their parents after services end. Anyone is in the community is welcome to join the church, but not just anyone is welcome to volunteer in the children's services area.

 

[JBJoe]

Should the Church be concerned as to how it may be viewed by the general public? Negative publicity? Should it be concerned with falling membership numbers should it decide to accept this gentlman?

That's a very worldly concern for a very spiritual institution. Are you willing to do the right thing (spiritually) even though it may cost you everything (worldly)?

 

[Philothei]

I do not think it would ever cross their mind to do a back ground check on a parishioner.... except if he applied for a volunteer job with kids. If he would tell them though upfront that he is and ex-molester then they might keep an eye on him...Of course anyone is allowed to come and worship with us too.... 'We have a closed communion to only baptized Orthodox members but the LIturgy service is open to all