Church bans children, keeps Pedophile Pastor

[UMaineTeach]

while I can see that a child free service might appeal to some, I can't believe that anyone would want one badly enough to go to this guy's service.

why is he still in a leadership role?

[aw]

May 30, 2012 16:04:30 GMT -5 EloiseWeenie said:

It's true, Christians love a beauty from ashes story. There is a huge difference between trying to support someone who claims a new life and letting them be your faith guide.

Well, Paul had a pretty shady past, as did many of the other apostles, and Jesus asked them to guide people to the faith.

But with that said, pedophilia is entirely different. I don't see how a church can get away with not involving children at all. Discipling children is a huge part of the faith.

If this guy truly wants to serve, I would think he could use his testimony to really help other pedophiles or criminals turn from their sin in some type of prison ministry. There are many ways to minister that wouldn't put families in danger.

[Deleted]

It must be great to just get your sins forgiven. You can pretty much do anything!

[Deleted]

May 30, 2012 15:46:38 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

writergal, it's ok, you can disown them. You're in another state.

Sigh, no. Unfortunately, I'm not in another state.

Despite my love for all things California and the Bay Area, I have yet to convince my husband that moving out there would be awesome. I am still stuck in this hellhole that is Florida.

[basilosaurus]

No, I mean that you're south of Orlando. It's totally a different state

But, yeah, some things remain the same.

[emisi]

May 30, 2012 16:02:47 GMT -5 whitewolf said:

Jesus wanted the children to come unto Him. This is jacked up. He must be saying something that strikes the right chords. Most likely the anti-gay ones.

Maybe the pastor read it wrong. He read it with "to come onto," and messed the words up by putting it before "the children." Just a liturgical error, right?

My first thought: well, at least he's not Catholic this time!

[caden]

May 30, 2012 14:46:36 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

**DISCLAIMER - I am not supporting anything I am about to say, these are not my views!**

My guess is that he "developed a deeper love of God" while in prison, and had some sort of miraculous vision from God. People are always rooting for the underdog, and some congregations eat this conversion stuff up with a spoon. I would bet his stories of temptation/wrongs/and salvation are what are spiking the attendance.

That can't be it if they are keeping kids from him.
This is fvcked up.

[sparrowsong]

Ha!

Personally I think religion, like alcohol, is for adults and not kids anyway. But I still LOL at this church's decision.

[Seesaw]

Pastors are people too! I can see why normal sinful people may want to listen to a man that fell from grace. How can anyone that is perfect give you advice or know how you feel on how to resist tmptations and do right again after doing wrong.

[mayflowers22]

Oh geez.

[basilosaurus]

May 30, 2012 20:22:49 GMT -5 caden said:

May 30, 2012 14:46:36 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

**DISCLAIMER - I am not supporting anything I am about to say, these are not my views!**

My guess is that he "developed a deeper love of God" while in prison, and had some sort of miraculous vision from God. People are always rooting for the underdog, and some congregations eat this conversion stuff up with a spoon. I would bet his stories of temptation/wrongs/and salvation are what are spiking the attendance.

That can't be it if they are keeping kids from him.
This is fvcked up.

I would imagine they don't have a choice on the kids. It's probably part of parole or a restriction from being a registered sex offender.

[iammalcolmx]

I can only assume this pastor was the victim of a teenage girl who tempted him in such a way he couldn't help himself

[statlerwaldorf]

Makes sense.

[Deleted]

May 30, 2012 16:00:07 GMT -5 GailGoldie said:

Makes me happy I left tampa

Ya know, for the first two years we were out of FL (I was ecstatic) DH, who grew up there, would say how he missed it and side-eye me for bashing it. But lately, even he's been saying how glad he is to be the hell out of that damn state.

[summer]

I'll be honest, I quantify my sins. The last person I'm going to take moral advice from is someone who molested a child, or in this case, children. And yes, a teenager in our society is still considered a child regardless of what she says or wears. If you are out trolling for the under-18 set, you are a perv in my book.