How do you think reputation has been impacted by the numerous scandals in christian churches?
156755
It isn't jsut christian churches, it's ALL of them and the impact hasn't been good at all.  None handled them in a manner that was appropriate and swept them under the carpet.  Tht gave a bad impression to those following the teachings, making it seem hypocritical.  Combined with alot of other things that have gone on this is part of the reason for declining memberships and those turning away from religion.  You can't preach one thing then turn around and do the opposite and expect people to follow.
997456
Haven't you noticed the cycle yet?\n\nAll throughout history Christianity has been called on its bs to the point where people were no longer intersted...then suddenly it changes.  Things that were sinful no longer are, things that were ok are now sinful...as if God changed his mind.\n\nThe church refused to agree or even listen to claims like the earth revolves around the sun, that its not demons that cause illness, and that [people don't need the church to seek forgiveness.  Until attendence became so low, or evidence was so strong against it did the church change its ways.\n\nIts happening now.  The church is insisting homosexuality is a sin and therefore a choice.  Many are claiming birth control is sinful.  They claim Genesis is correct against the mountains of evidence against it.\n\nNow the church is facing low attendence again.  Notice, some churches are allowing gays.  Some are approving birth control.  Some are changing the meaning of Genesis ("well...to God perhaps one day is millions of years"...well if 1 day equals a million years, then the new testament could be a metaphor for a drunk polar bear).\n\nSo I guess God is changing his mind again.   When he changes it enough for society to not feel the church is suffocating them, they will return.
622568
We are in serious trouble if things don't change.  I think that the way society is headed and the things that we accept now are getting out of control.  Taking God and prayer out of the schools is a step toward our decline.\nWe have gotten away from a nation ruled by the people.  It is now run by special interest groups and lobbyist.  We the people has long been forgotten.
1073659
I've always respected the Episcopal church's views and actions.  However, this is creating a rift in the Anglican community that may result in the church being ostracized (or whatever the correct term is).
387282
I believe our ability to lead has been very much damaged.  Especially with the secret prisons that have come to light recently in the Washington Post.  I also believe those pictures of Abu Ghraib and then letting privates & sergeants etc (lower level) take the blame have damaged our reputation.  I also believe that allowing a great American city like New Orleans wallow in destruction with an all-too-slow initial response & an anemic plan for re-building is also damaging to our reputation.
906301
What kind of "church cover-ups" are you talking about? Other than talking to people in each and every church in the community or country, good luck.
927146
Last week's Newsweek had a wonderful article about Evangelical Christians' impact on laws and government, and developments of the Evangelical movement.\n\nI do believe that the fundamentalist Christian viewpoint is influencing policy a little too closely these days.  I believe firmly in the seperation of church and state, which is a founding principle of this country, despite what some folks will claim.  However, I don't necessarily think that mixing religion and politics is always a bad thing, particularly if it happens on an individual level.  By this I mean, for instance, a lawmaker who, because of his/her religious upbringing, values service to the poor.  Because he/she has this ethical value of helping the poor, he/she sets up a program in his/her district that offers skills training and assistance with job hunting to people on welfare.  \n\nHowever, when the mixing of religion and politics becomes more a matter of attempting to legislate a particular moral code or prohibiting certain things simply because this is part of this religion, then there is a problem.  I think we are seeing this in several areas.  The first is the constant attack on a woman's right to choose, which since Roe v. Wade is being steadily chipped away by legislation such as parental consent laws and the ban on third trimester abortions.  Another is the push and increase in funding to abstinence-only sex ed. programs in schools, which has been shown to be ineffective.  Speaking of abstinence-only, this also applies to AIDS relief funding.  The government requires AIDS-relief programs to spend a certain amount of money on promoting abstinence as a preventative measure, which has caused difficulties in many of these programs to effectively provide adequate preventative care.  There is a continuous push to teach "intelligent design," a theory with no backing from scientists (outside of a handful of Christian scientists), alongside the well-established evolutionary theory in public school science classrooms.  Less succesful has been efforts to re-establish official school prayer, although this issue pops up periodically (even though no-one is stopping students from praying privately in school, or establishing after-school prayer groups).  Funding has been effectively curtailed for stem-cell research, which has the potential to provide cures for several life-threatening illnesses, based on the fudnamentalist belief that human life begins at conception.  And of course, the current debate over gay rights and equal marriage.\n\nThere are also the self-stated goals of several Christian groups, to promote Christian values and the Christian way of life in government.  That doesn't sound so bad, if we're talking about promoting the values of "Love thy neighbor," "Turn thy cheek," "Blessed are the peace-keepers" and "Whatsoever you do onto the least of these, so to you do unto me."  However, when we start talking about things like, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live," I get very nervous.\n------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nI got your e-mail, the answer is yes.  I couldn't reply to the e-mail because your e-mail address hasn't been confirmed yet.
486676
This, of course, is one of those nasty things you think about but never do. It really depends on the person. Generally, whatever would humiliate them the most or cause their reputation to change for the worse.
796501
Since our society has got rid of God, we have turned these people into icons and are encouraged to worship them by the tabloids etc...It's far better to have it like that though because the media can create them, use them to sell goods by advertising with them, and destroy them, shifting loads of newspapers in the process.\n\nThey enjoy their few days of fame and languish in the spotlight, sure it gives them loads of money and attention, but look at the cost and ask yourself, \n\nWhat is it about someone that wants everyone to know them?  \n\nMaybe they are a bit lacking in the first place.
487667
I think there are several layers to this. One is the moral question, however hypocritical, it will always be raised in such cases as John Prescott or whomever is implicated. Another is the absolute media frenzy such titillating stories always stir up, especially in Britain. There is simply no escaping this. Finally, in this particular instance, it is the cumulative effect these scandals (Charles Clarke's incompetence alone was enough to create this media firestorm) are having on Tony Blair's leadership. The opposition have of course pounced on these so-called breach of trust issues and they'll not let go until they exact their pound of flesh. This isn't just politics UK style, it's politics the world over.
942362
Well, this isn't the first time something like this has happened and it won't be the last.  \n\nI agree he is better known than people on here seem to realize.  I think this is far more deliberate than some think.\nHowever, none of the men you mention are my pastor, so none of them speak much to my perspective, and I am certainly not under their spiritual authority. \nDo I have similar values?  Yes.  Is the fall of any of these men going to affect my voting or worldview? No.\n\nNew Life Church is just that, a church not a denomination. Their membership rolls are about 14k.  \n\nYikes!  They've even made Wiki!!!  LOL  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Life_Church\n\nYour question is legitimate.  I don't agree with your conclusion. ; )\n\n(And why are you posting questions I feel obliged to answer? LOL)
363460
No but the appearance of having affluence kinda is.. for a bunch of christian churches.
753593
He has been making a small comeback. \nIn the eighties he was exposed in a fraud that involved the burning of a house. \nHe claimed to have been made destitute by the loss, then it came out that he also owned a mansion stuffed with expensive goods.  \nThere were rumors of insurance fraud, I don't think there were any charges though.\nHis ministry collapsed and he was forced to work for another televangelist until the smoke cleared.
327321
It sounds like your guest speaker was expressing his own opinion; or maybe he was referring to the growth of the pornography industry over the past couple of decades. It's a multi-billion-dollar-per-year industry and that means A LOT of people are buying the stuff. And it stands to reason that if a lot of people are buying it, then at least some of them must be churchgoers.  But think about it: These simple facts, recited in a sermon, might get your senior pastor into a lot of trouble with his congregation; could even cost him his job.  \n\nNow are you really surprised that he's never mentioned it?
929379
These pervs love to hide in the church.    They have easy access to trusting adults and kids, usually people that are ashamed to report things when they do happen.  \n\nBut since you have the adult novelties shop yourself, you don't have a lot of credibility, by your own admission, with these people.   \n\nThere was a molester in our community, who married the local horse ranch owner, deacon in the church, and so forth.  He also had a record stretching back years for crimes against women.   When he almost ruined the life of an adult woman, she fought back.   But it was also in a tight-knit community, where she didn't participate, and she had to go through a male friend at the church who was extremely protective of his young daughter.   It doesn't take long for word to spread.\n\nShe also contacted the Justice Coalition, in the county the guy lived in (he went to church in another county where his rep wasn't known), which is a local organization that publishes a small newspaper with Wanted photos, sex offender and sex predator photos, and ongoing news.   The JC people have all lost family members or been victims of violent crimes, and they don't play.   Perhaps you have someone you could speak to about that.\n\nI wouldn't put ANYthing in writing, tho.   Stick to conversations, and I think you can walk the line regarding slander, if you are just expressing concern about little girls in the neighborhood and at church, based on your own daughter with a pending case.  You're entitled to an opinion, but you don't want to antagonize the people you are trying to protect.\n\nGood luck to you.   Sexual predators are the lowest of the low, even in prison.   Hope you get to send this guy where HE can find out what it is to be a victim.
150674
You mean confirmed in the church? Because it gives us accountability and community (both of which are not that popular anymore, but still very necessary), and it's part of publicly identifying ourselves as Christians.
664710
I don't think they have a valid argument to sue and to do so would only bring up questions regarding some of the truths about the church that are brought to light by the film.. I don't think it would be in the best interest of the church to sue.. would only make me wonder if they are trying to cover something up!