The deep dark secrets of the Roman Catholic Church keep coming back to haunt them. There is yet another story, this time out of Germany, concerning allegations of inappropriate immoral behavior by priests. These stories are becoming more and more frequent; it’s heartbreaking for the victims and interesting to see how the upper crust of this supposed ‘church’ handles these horrific allegations. According to this story the abuse dates all the way back to the 1950′s, which means the statute of limitations has lapsed. I point that out for those who may defend this Satanic church by claiming money as the reason for the accusations.
I also want to point out how this is being addressed…from the news story, ‘The German Bishops Conference noted that it drew up guidelines on dealing with sexual abuse in 2002. “We are not at the beginning of the discussion of such misconduct, even if we so far underestimated its scale,” the conference said in a statement Thursday.’
Note, they do not follow biblical guidelines concerning this sinful behavior, even though they claim to be the ‘true church’ of Jesus Christ.
What are the biblical guidelines for a priest/bishop/pastor/overseer of God’s people? ‘A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach,
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.’- 1st Timothy 3:2-9
This is from 1st Corinthians 5, ‘I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.‘
That is the biblical mandate given by God for dealing with sin. However, notice how the Roman Catholic church opts to deal with sin, ”The German Bishops Conference noted that it drew up guidelines on dealing with sexual abuse in 2002.” Why was it necessary for any guidelines to be ‘drawn up’ when we already have guidelines found in His Holy Word? Yet, there are those who insist this is the true church, even though they continually deny the supremacy of scripture and make their own set of rules. Does that really sound like the true church of Jesus Christ to you?
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.” “He who does not love Me does not keep My words” John 14:23,24
Pastor charged or pastor arrested googled will get you about 5 million hits in about 1/4th of a second!
It does show the depth of the dipravity of man, but it is widespread throughout the daughters of the great whore as well, as evidenced by a simple search of “pastor charged” or “pastor arrested.” This is NOT a defense of the Roman Catholic Church nor should it in any way be a easing of this abomination. Here is a link as well to just one place that exposes the abuse out there.
http://stopbaptistpredators.org/index.htm
It breaks my heart that in a place often referred to as “the sanctuary” that such evil sits.
I’m waiting for some Catholics to come in and try to say “Well it happens in Protestant Church’s too”. Yes, yes it does, but the thing is, most Church’s follow the Biblical mandate and kick these people out of positions within the Church and report them to the proper authorities. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church seems to keep their immoral folks in their un-biblical positions.
Thanks for sharing this Lyn. It’s amazing how far the Catholics will go to blame the other party or get as far away from the Word as they can get.
Thanks Lyn. The deeper you dig the more horrendous it becomes. There seems to be no depth to the wickedness that masks itself in a religious, pious facade know as Roman Catholicism. Both that which has been committed by the wicked priests, but also, that which has been systematically covered up by the Roman hierarchy.
If but 5% of this evil were discovered in the “Protestant” church the cries coming from the Catholic apologists and defenders would be deafening. But such cries are by in large absent as Catholicism’s un-Scriptural and licentious priesthood and the hierarchy that protects them are defended tooth and nail.
Thanks be that there are some Catholic’s who are willing to expose the evil and have spoken out against it in their midst. For a look deeper into these abuses see Richard Sipe’s website who co-authored “Sex, Priests, and Secret Codes – The Catholic Church’s 2,000-Year Paper Trail of Sexual Abuse.”
As much as I agree with Spurgeon regarding the impossibility of peace with Rome, I think this particular problem is more common in the larger scheme of churches than we realize. Yes, the “celibate priesthood” is a proximate cause for much of what plagues Rome. But I beg to differ with David T about how protestant churches handle this issue. Most churches practice no church discipline at all. Some churches that are family businesses (a large church in Atlanta a couple years ago) tend to hide these problems as well, but not to the same degree as the Romans. Other churches tend to minimize the problem so as to not draw attention and “help” the offender by quietly sending him off for “counseling”.
The saints of the living God in every church need to hold their elders accountable and gently demand that our churches follow the scriptures on church discipline – for our good and theirs.
Mickey Merrie,
I am well aware of the sexual immorality that takes place in ALL denominations, I in no way intended to make light of that with this post.
I point out the RCC because of their staunch defense of their priests, their covering up of greivous sin, and their insistence on being the ‘true church’. DefCon has come under fire numerous times by RCC defenders, we have been attacked for our firm stance on God’s word repeatedly. I am waiting for one of the defenders of the RCC ‘faith’ to justify this, yet another story of sexual immorality that is not handled biblically.
As for sexual immorality in ‘Protestant’ churches, it’s no surprise. Like you, it breaks my heart to hear of such grievous sin against our God. There is no fear of the Lord, no reverence at all; if there were, this would not happen.
Thank you for your comment
I would be hard pressed to equate in any way the sexual sins and systematic molestation of tens and possibly hundreds of thousands of young children in Rome with the sexual sins the church of Jesus Christ. The two cannot in any way be in the same ballpark – not by a long shot.
Firstly because we are taking about Jesus’ bride verses the harlot. Does Jesus’ bride occasionally get her white garments soiled? Yes. Does she wallow in sin night and day and work unceasingly to cover it up? No – she does not.
Secondly, I will attest that there is a host of sexual sin in the “visible” church which includes those from all denominations. But these I speak to are those who have religion but not Christ where even here, I don’t believe for a second it can even touch what has happened (and continues to happen) in Rome.
I mean just read the reports out there and study what we know about the US church, Ireland, Germany, Italy, et al and you will see that Rome has no equal.
I agree with what you wrote Manfred. I should have worded what I wrote better in saying that it definitely does happen amongst Protestant Church’s, just seems like they seem to deal with it more Biblical than the Romanish group does. But I definitely agree that there are quite a few in Protestantism that definitely do nothing at all or hide it.
David T – I know of ONE church that practices biblical discipline. Not seen a single church deal with a serious issue on the part of an elder properly. Been in a big SBC church in which the “senior pastor” “fell” and was ashamed of the way in which it was handled.
I am a sample of one
brother Michael – Yes, the harlot of Rome has few peers. Yes, we who in the church of our Lord do “soil our garments” but it never was our righteousness that made us His in the first place
I wonder how the other “Christian” cults of Mormanism and JWs compare, spiritually, to Rome. They each proclaim to be Christian churches yet all three have a different Jesus than what the Bible declares.
Well said Brother Michael. The true church of Christ is not tainted, nor do we make a habit of sinning over and over and over. Sin MUST be confessed and forsaken, not glossed over, covered up, and excused. Those who partake habitually of lustful desires prove they never belonged to Christ, such a person is fleshly, sensual, and lost in sin.
This is why I often refuse to associate myself with any certain denomination, they are all tainted. I prefer the biblical title, I am a maidservant of the Most High God. I belong to Christ alone, I’ve been washed of my sins by His blood and cleansed of all my filth; I have been born again by His grace, gifted with eternal life by my Heavenly Father…all because of Christ our Lord. I am His.
Thanks unworthy 1 for the post on the ongoing tragedy of the Roman Catholic cult.
My thoughts : The rcc abandoned any desire for the integrity of the gospel centuries ago. Their desire to maintain their reputation ,influence and political power base led to the problems we see today .I believe any religious organization will go the same way when they become more concerned with keeping the doors open rather than their hearts open;when they become more focussed on the name over the door than the Name that should be over their heart and when they are more interested in cash-flow than the Spirit’s flow. I suspect the problems we see in protestant and evangelical churches today are the result of these very things. Just my opinion
Manfred ~
I know of two Church’s that did the same also.
One involved the Youth Pastor who had been molesting some of the elementary school boys. When it was found out, he was fired and turned over to the authorities. They did not hide it from the community and the Church family.
The other involved a Church where the Pastor was involved in a sexual relationship with the secretary. The man would not give up that relationship until he saw that it could cost him his position as Pastor. The Church split because some wanted him out while the rest said “Christ has forgiven him so why shouldn’t we and let him stay on as Pastor”. Problem is, the people who broke away and started their own Church are very involved with Mark Driscoll and the Acts 29 group.
David T.
It’s chilling to realize how many “called” servants are merely goats who desire prestige.
And even when churches “do the right thing”, they oft have failed to exercise the “none-nuclear” disciplines of personal rebuke, etc. This is sheep will respond and where most church discipline should take place.
Before it gets to the point of crossing over into the state’s “no tolerance zone”, a church needs to be taking care of its flock – including its elders – such that 1 Cor 5 (for example) is in play before the law intrudes into the church. But most of us have been trained to ignore conflict or run away from it rather than be peace makers. Ken Sande’s book is a good examination of what the Word has to say on this issue.
The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict
Unworthy one
I didn’t think you were Catholic bashing and overlooking the “Protestant problem” at all. I appreciate your stand.
My point was that often times the “Protestant Problem” is viewed as less of a problem, when in fact it is an abomination in EVERY case. Posts above tend to give it a less serious ranking as if it is merely a stumble and soil of the gown of the bride…nope ABOMINATION. This is exactly why I made the statement Great Whore and HER DAUGHTERS!!!
We in the bride must realize and recognize the scripture for what it says. Sheep and goats are together. Wheat and tares are together, foolish and wise virgins are together, good and wicked servants are together, and will be seperated by Jesus one day soon. Till that time, we must realize and recognize that we are to “come out of her my children for her sins have reached to heaven lest you be caught in her destruction.”
The denominational system is a division, and must be understood as the daughters of the Great Whore.
Now I am not saying that every gathering of believers in a building would be included in that, but I am saying, WAKE UP SAINTS, the vast majority of what calls itself His are merely Jesus Franchises. Jesus is the mascot, like Chuckie Cheese is the mascot…in the corner, made of cardboard, but really we gather for the “fellowship” er entertainment, and then really it’s about the dough.
Most of these denominational heads are redoing church and heading back to Rome in the process.
http://www.excellerators.org/artman/publish/article_49.shtml
Look at the links in my earlier above post and spend some time there being grieved!!! Then recognize that the sexual abuse is the same in all places, thus the Satanic influence is the same….and NEVER think that it is any different.
If My people,…. that is, “those who call themselves by My Name,” would humble themselves, REPENTING for their WICKED WAYS, turning back to me as Lord, THEN I would hear from heaven, and might heal their land.
This is a prayer we must pray, not for our country or for the return to our best life now, but for OUR REPENTANCE!!!!
That repentance would INCLUDE assigning a lesser level of importance to the sexual sin of “Protestant Saints” who “stumble,” over the unsaved who can’t help themselves according to their unregenerate condition. There is NO PASS for any of them!
Jesus said WHEN YOU PRAY, don’t pray as the heathen who repeatedly ask for their flesh blessing as if they can convince me to do their will, but rather pray…Our Father, Hallowed be YOUR NAME. YOUR KINGDOM COME YOUR WILL be done here on earth JUST LIKE IT IS DONE IN HEAVEN!!! Are there any arguements in heaven? No because they want His Will.
Folks, our nation has become cold and hard, just as Jesus SAID IT WOULD! We as christians, need to repent for OUR WICKED WAYS………………….what!?!?… …..you have no sin in you, then you deceive yourselves. Go to your “church” and ask for a weekly repenting prayer meeting to be scheduled for all “members” in addition to the regular schedule. Ask your pastor to make it the meeting of highest priority, and IF he agrees, than see if it isn’t the lightest attended meeting in church history. Particularly if it is run as a true prayer/repentance meeting. My house shall be called a house of prayer…..Our land is under judgement today friends, and until we repent of who we have been, that judgement will not change. Oh, but when our little serfdoms are tribulated enough we might cry out for a return to our easier times. But His Word says those prayers are a stench in His nostrils.
Mickey Merrie,
I agree with you to a large degree, in your latest post. One good thing – that web site you linked to is dormant! “Leading at the Speed of Life!” hasn’t had an update in a couple years!
Praise the Lord!
Only because they changed their name but not their colors. That man does church transition seminars for purpose driven. To be updated go to Pirate Christian Radio and listen to the recent broadcast.
You can get it here also:
http://apprising.org/2010/02/26/dan-southerland-and-cult-like-hostile-takeover-tactics-of-purpose-drivenseeker-driven-church-transitioning/
Guess I’ve known about it a while. LOL
Mickie Merrie said “Posts above tend to give it a less serious ranking as if it is merely a stumble and soil of the gown of the bride…nope ABOMINATION. This is exactly why I made the statement Great Whore and HER DAUGHTERS!!!”
This is not true in any way shape or form. The distinction was made between those who are in Christ (i.e. the sheep) verses those who are not in Christ (i.e. the goats in the visible church). And here, the distinction between walking in sin as a way of life and those of all of us who stumble at times.
But with this said, I in no way said that such sins when committed by “Protestants” (or whatever one wants to call non-Catholics) are not grievous or an abomination. So please don’t make an accusation of such as this is patently wrong. A simple inquiry for clarification into what was written or what our views are instead of a diatribe would have been a better way.
Secondly, I’m not sure what you mean by a “free pass”, nor who above was giving them out. Yes – sins committed by Christians are grievous and an abomination where no one said they were not. Nor did anyone say that the sins of true believers, whether “large” or “small” are not to be repented of. Repentance is a way of life 24×7 that every saint of God is to walk in.
Finally, I think you will find we are in total agreement if you poke around and read our posts and see why we labor so hard on this website. None of us are playing games here I can assure you that nor do we treat lightly in any way the things of the Lord.
Peace -
statement in post:
“I’m waiting for some Catholics to come in and try to say “Well it happens in Protestant Church’s too”. Yes, yes it does, but the thing is, most Church’s follow the Biblical mandate and kick these people out of positions within the Church and report them to the proper authorities.”
answer:
http://stopbaptistpredators.org/index.htm
…………………………………………………….
Statement in another post:
“I would be hard pressed to equate in any way the sexual sins and systematic molestation of tens and possibly hundreds of thousands of young children in Rome with the sexual sins the church of Jesus Christ. The two cannot in any way be in the same ballpark – not by a long shot.”
Answer:
see above answer, plus this link below.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7RNWN_en&ei=jM-KS-CkBc_DlAewl_DQAQ&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&ved=0CAgQBSgA&q=pastor+charged+with+sexual&spell=1
…………………………………………………..
One million stumbles? in .11 seconds, or one million goats?
half and half? Diatribe?
Google “pastor charged” and then count how many are abuse by pastor, verses abuse of pastor, as in pastor charged with stopping abortion, or pastor charged with protesting a pornographic store opening.
Let God’s Word be True and every man a liar….Ever learning but never able to come to the knowlege of Truth.
Any man that would abuse his position of “Godly Authority”
heading up a “sanctuary” is EVIL!!!! Protestant…Catholic….doesn’t matter.
Did you protest this much when the Who sang at the Superbowl? You-Tube “Fiddle About” and listen to it and see what the “church” in Amerika allows….many had Superbowl parties for crying out loud!!! Those that didn’t ran home to watch….what?!?! A convicted sex offender at half time.
I agree, that there is a difference between a saint stumbling and the unregenerate, the Saints don’t need defended, and the unregenerate shouldn’t be either.
Statistical fact abortion and divorce are THE SAME inside the “church” as outside….and so is sexual abuse…
No Mickie not in my denomination! Google your denomination, as in “reformed pastor charged,” for example.
Do you think we will escape the “judgement” God did to Israel? If so, why?!?!
I am not against you, I am against evil! I hate what God hates. The Lion of Judah returns soon. He told Peter “get thee behind me Satan.” Somehow we have gotten this kinder genteler Jesus thing clouding our view of Who He is!
Will nations be judged in a future age?…or will they be judged in the time they exist?!?!
Is Amerika to be found in the bible? If so I submit it falls in the Babalonian camp. Jeremiah 5:37 isn’t talking about just Catholic Priests friends.
Martyr means witness….pick up your cross and follow Him.
Which apostle/disciple does our lives most resemble?
…By the way, I still wait for someone, ANYONE to explain who the Great Whore, and HER DAUGHTERS are? Who are these daughters?
Just the Greek Catholics, and the Lutherns? um….I think NOT!
I don’t think I have ever read in the Bible about the great whore having daughters.
Rev 17:5
5. And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Unless you read that to be male whores, I guess it could be…the question still stands.
By the way Shane nice shades on your Avitar
Mickie Merrie
Please, let’s keep on topic. I’ve already acknowledged the immorality that takes place in every denomination, and it’s already been pointed out that the visible ‘church’ is indeed infested with sin. The true bride of Christ is not tarnished with continual immoral behavior; albeit not perfect, but, not in habitual sin either.
We understand who the real Jesus is, no one here has a clouded view of Christ, nor does anyone here defend a ‘denomination’ over Christ our Lord.
Please, let’s keep on track in accordance with the original post; let’s not accuse others of defending sin over Christ here unless you have proof someone has done so. {from your previous post, ‘No Mickie not in my denomination! Google your denomination, as in “reformed pastor charged,” for example.}
Any future comments that stray off topic or falsely accuse will be deleted
Sorry, I just have trouble spelling Episcopalian, or Presbyterian.
I appreciate that you follow no denomination as you stated in an earlier post. We share that, as we both were called and taught by the Holy Spirit, and no man, as He leads us in to all Truth in Christ Jesus through His Word in context.
I hope I am not, nor do I want to put any words in your mouth.
I just thought that the title “busted” covered more then one denomination… in my mind at least.
I won’t need to add to what I have already said.
From John MacArthur’s commentary on the book of Romans, pages 374-376:
Jesus Himself repeatedly warned the disciples against false teachers and prophets. In the Sermon on the Mount, He said, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:15-16). On another occasion He warned that, in the end times, “false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (Matt. 24:24).
Paul gives two negative reasons for turning away from false teachers. The first is that their motives are wrong. Such men are slaves, he explains, not of our Lord Jesus Christ but of their own appetites. No matter how seemingly sincere and caring false teachers or preachers may appear to be, they are never genuinely concerned for the cause of Christ or for His church. They are driven by self-interest and self-gratification – sometimes for fame, sometimes for power over their followers, always for financial gain, and frequently for all of those reasons. Many of them enjoy pretentious and luxurious life-styles, and sexual immorality is the rule more than the exception. Such people “are enemies of the cross of Christ, who end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things” (Phil 3:18-19). “These men are those who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves,” Jude testifies. They are “clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever” (Jude 12-13).
Many false teachers devote their lives to the study of Scripture, but because they have never trusted in Christ for salvation and because they view the Bible as man’s ideas about God rather than God’s revelation to man, they distort His Word and twist it to fit their own sinful predispositions. Because they have been in such close contact with God’s truth, “it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them” (2 Pet. 2:21). Such scholars are “always learning and [are] never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected as regards the faith” (2 Tim. 3:7-8). They reject the truth that Peter declares so clearly in his second letter (2 Pet. 1:20 – 2:3; 2:10-19):
“Know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
Even the rare false teachers and leaders who live modestly and spend their lives sacrificially helping others are actually living for themselves. They try to please God by their good works rather than by faith in Him and obedience to His Word. They themselves do not know God or serve God and are a hindrance to others coming to know Him and serve Him.
Second, false teachers should be rejected because the results of their teaching are always destructive. By their smooth words and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
The many popular and sentimentalized gospels of ecumenicity and ecclesiastical unity proclaimed today reflect such smooth and flattering speech, which disguises itself as loving and beneficent, while denying the central truths of the gospel. In the name of strengthening and unifying Christ’s church, they undermine its very foundation. In the name of bringing men closer to God, they drive them further from Him. Just as in Paul’s day, they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
In his second letter to the church at Corinth, Paul warned of “false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds” (2 Cor. 11:13-15).
Any love that does not acknowledge God’s truth has no part in God’s love. No matter how cleverly disguised in religious congeniality and respectability, and no matter how great their claims to love God and His people, those who contradict or compromise His Word are enemies of God and His people. The love that God commands and commends can never be separated from the truth He has revealed.
Because they pretend to speak for God and serve His people, the harshest of God’s judgments in Scripture are reserved for false teachers and prophets, those who propose to speak for and serve the true God but who speak only for themselves and serve only themselves.
Coram Deo:
Thank you so much for sharing this. It’s really chock full of good stuff!