Yes, we all know that there are sick people in all walks of life, in all professions etc.  This question is only about how you feel about the church being secretive about a very sick and troublesome practice.  Shouldn't authority figures in the church be prosecuted for not acting in a manner in which the rest of us are expected?
210053
i think it's disgustin that it took so long for it to come out like it did. i wouldn't be able to trust my child with any authority figure from any church now and i'm shocked at parents who do
187140
My friend, I agree with you, yet I also see a more pressing matter at hand. What about those persecutors and all the non-believers? If they die, they will not rejoice with all of us in heaven with the Lord God. I will pray for both the believers and the non-believers. There isn't much I can do from my present state but pray and preach the Word, since i'm not in a position to do anything but that. Email me if you have questions or are a fellow believer in Christ at questinchrist@yahoo.com. God bless
562380
I totally agree with you!\nI would never leave my child with a priest.  I am not catholic so I guess I don't have to worry about it but you have to wonder what parents are thinking.  The priesthood is full of pedophiles as well as homosexuals.  Also the condition of them not marrying also contributes to their sickness.  I know that they are not all bad but there is no way of telling so why take the chance?  What is it going to take for people to wake up and see that the catholic church has got some major problems to attend to.  You know the part that bothers me most is how the Vatican would just transfer them to another place.  Sick!!!
173431
Paul said in 1Cor.6:18 that all sins are "outside the body\nexcept sexual promiscuity. I believe from experience in deliverance ministry that demonic influences are passed to others in sexual relations. These are referred to as "soul ties" and must be formally broken i.e. an admission of their possibility and a spoken denouncement of their power over the individual that desires freedom. This is not so outrageous as it may sound. The power of Christ vanquishes every other. True authority is such. \n  As far as the mental issues... no doubt these are the result of sin or demon oppression, if not possession. Jesus in Matt. 4;24 and 17;15 healed mentally ill(lunatics) and his method was to rebuke the possessing demon. See 17:18\n  Now in reviewing your question ...the next concern should be that of your new husband...Is he free from this influence?\n Seek the Lord on this....as it now affects YOU intimately.
169433
Absolutely.  Priests are in a position of trust.  Parents trust them to counsel and advise their children.  Children look up to and respect them.  If they are perverts, they should not be placed into a position where they can harm children or any other unsuspecting individuals.
637058
Not very well. I wonder why some people even get on this topic of religious & spirituality, only to slam those who know about God and walk with God. The person, who answered this question, only to say those who believe have mental problems, seems very angry, and admits to not following God. So I guess you see, those who do not follow God walk around with anger and seem to attack those who walk in faith. Others, as you read feel God "hates " them. This is another sign of those who are faithless and feeling hurt and empty. Yet others make replies about needing alcohol, this is a way they attempt to fill the void inside of them.Others refer to "thinking" versus believing". You see some are very confused in their thinking. Satan comes to steal one's faith. He comes to deceive. By reading some of the disbelievers answers, many have fallen to Satan's deceit. Hopefully, their lives will lead them to the truth. God is the way, the truth, and the light. It does not matter what antichrists believe. All eyes will see and all ears will hear the truth. Some people can live for quite a while in denial of the truth....but eventually, they will need to face it. I really believe they want to believe and are looking for God.Why else would they get on this topic to answer,\nthe questions. The interest is there, they are drawn to religous & spirituality questions/topics. They are bitter & angry. They need people of faith to teach them about God. They are looking for beacons of light to lead the way, as they are walking in darkness.
99637
It depends on the sect.  Some still don't believe it and chalk it up to demonic possession.  But most see it for what it is, an illness that needs proper treatment.
275616
Yes people gossip here in Pasadena Texas. I myself have been guilty of this sin. It is something that I am working on.\n\nA lot of times, I guess we have nothing better to talk about.  Instead of facing up to our own lives, our own mistakes, we'd (society that is) would rather hear about how bad someone else is or what they did.\n\nPretty sad huh?
192592
Oh I am sure they are out there.  Just keep looking.\n\nOh yeah and, don't just handle the sexual misconduct cases.  Make sure that allegations of child abuse among church day cares are looked into as well.  Remember, the smallest members of any church like that need an advocate too since theri voices are so seldom heard.
44878
well, all those news are so terrible, I can't imagine, I really have to pray for people who are persecuted, even we christians are not aware of what our brothers and sisters have to go through in other countries, so I think we should be more aware and start praying for them. As for unbelievers I don't think they would be in the least concerened and if there were people who were really concerned they would not do such brutal things as said in those artilces, I am really shocked!!
268037
You should instigate a torrid affair and then threaten to go public. Churches will pay huge amounts of money to avoid these sort of scandals.
445391
Religious leaders will breathe a sigh of relief at the news that so-called intercessory prayer is medically ineffective. In a large and much touted scientific study, one group of patients was told that strangers would pray for them, a second group was told strangers might or might not pray for them, and a third group was not prayed for at all. The $2.4 million study found that the strangers' prayers did not help patients' recovery. \nThis is a remarkable example of "positive spin" -- religious leaders are "breathing a sigh of relief" because prayer has been shown to be meaningless. The fact that prayer is a total waste of time does not matter to them. It does not matter that all of Jesus' promises about prayer in the Bible have been proven completely false.
508709
My understanding, looking at the original Greek language of the verses, would be they will not go to heaven.  And you are correct that there are many thing listed that can if a person practices them will keep them out.  Every church I know preachs against and warns people about all of them.\n\nAt this time in out culture homosexuality is the "hot" issue.  There are many groups fights to get the act moved from the "sin" list to the "accepted" list.  So it tends to get more publicity then the other issues.  (Do not know if anyone trying to get drunkeness or gossip, etc. socially accepted).  But those things are still being taught against, and will keep you out of heaven also.
229634
aha! the preacher's in town. sir, with due respect it is no one's prerogative to classify sin or non-sin like this. how about sex without consent with your 'legal' partner of the opposite sex (if you strictly follow the 'natural order')? is that all right to do so? and to mention the countries you are talking about, i think people there are as much randy as anywhere else in the world. maybe a little more repressed too. but all that is changing with the societies opening up to the idea of discussion on sex and sexual health of a society. the last thing we want is a pseudo pundit trying to make matters worse for those who feel there is no release.
575250
They can bring up scandal all they want - esentially saying, "Look, people in the church have sinned - it must be wrong"  So what?\n\nIt is a slippery slope and indeed cannot be from God.  For Pete's sake, their beliefs change daily!
557772
You know what, you are unsure of yourself because in our society we consider a person who "tells" as a rat, fink, snitch, etc. We have all of these images of the guy in prison that gets shanked because he talked. Well forget all that crap. It was an informant that lead to Hitler's hideout. Cigarette companies didn't voluntarily say "Hey, these f---ing things will kill you" All those negative connotations have been invented by people who where doing something wrong and don't want it to be found out. I ask you, if some priest was molesting your kid and somebody told you, would you say "You fink, how could you rat out a priest!" or would you say thank you, as you reach for a 357 in order to make that priest truly wholly? You didn't do a damn thing wrong so don't feel bad. They should feel bad for having put you in that sitiation.
365638
I think that we all struggle in our faith one way or another. Questioning God's existence doesn't really cross most of our minds. We may question why He allows things to happen or we may even question our own Christian walk and our relationship with God. My pastors -and I've had a few in my life -haven't been perfect. In fact there was one who was my Dad's boss that treated his underlings shabbily and used the church vehicle for personal business. I think he may've even taken some of the better donations given to the church for his own. I do know that he was eventually caught by his bosses with his hand in the cookie jar and in adultery. He was speedily fired. As for weird things in a worship service? I recall visiting a Charismatic service to see what it was like. I met one of those pastors who held rather rambunctious healing services. You know the type.; they call you forward for healing even though you haven't volunteered or asked for it. He claimed -a few times- to be given a word of knowledge about some type of secret sin in some person's life. I found this made me extremely uncomfortable because I do not believe that God would humiliate an individual in this manner. Nor do I think that Jesus would compel anyone to come for healing. God is a Gentleman, and He never forces Himself on anybody. Neither should His servants