How does something like the Catholic abuse cover up occur? How do societies ever allow evil acts to become "norms"? Two reasons: fear and power. More precisely, a weak mind is fearful of worldly powers, superficial hierarchies, social authorities. It is fearful of upsetting the status quo, even when that status quo is unholy. But God doesn't give the spirit of fear. He gives the spirit of power and sound minds...
Trust is precious and fragile. Every human relationship requires some degree of gifted trust. All social contracts are built on trust. When we trust others, we lower ourselves. We expose our throats believing the other party would never cut us at the jugular. We depend on them, and they on us. We expect mutual loyalty, mutual love, mutual fellowship, mutual support...
"Jesus Christ does not need your protection; he needs your obedience. Obedience means that you pursue justice and you stand up for the oppressed and you stand up for the victimized, and you tell the truth about the evil of sexual assault and the evil of covering it up . . . [I]f we’re not speaking out when it costs, then [the gospel] doesn’t matter to us enough."
Sexual violence survivors from within the church join in a harmonizing chorus, reminding us abuse is in the #ChurchToo . Read their experiences here...
$1 per grope--that's how much a woman is worth. Too often, victims are questioned, humiliated, and further exposed only for their perpetrators to get off for less money than a cup of coffee ... it is unacceptable for sexual battery to cost less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks ... less than a fine for littering ... less than the penalty for spraying graffiti on the side of a building. Sentences like Judge Nauhaus' communicate females are worth less ... less than the dirt and grass beside our roadways ... less than chattel.
Wesley and other sanctification preachers throughout history called the Church, the "light of the world," that "city upon a hill," to a higher standard of both personal AND social holiness...
This week has been particularly painful for many. The Senate's Supreme Court confirmation hearing coverage was all-consuming. Once again, without asking for our consent, persons who had others perpetrate acts of violence on them found themselves in the center of... Continue Reading →
Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, right? So what purpose does reason serve? Is reason of the world and faith of the heavens? Are the two diametric opposites? What says the... Continue Reading →
Justice is blind, and her judgments are fair, impartial, and moral. The blindfolded Justice holds a balance in one hand and a sword in the other. On Justice's scales, she weighs evidence against truth; Justice's blindfold shows her impartiality; and... Continue Reading →
Whatever brings you to God's calm in the storm, here are 13 songs that have brought us that cathartic release during difficult life moments.
To #ChurchToo Daughters of Zion, arise, shake off the dust, cast off chains. You are free. Redeemed. When you're ready to fight, know God has made you from iron. As Micah says, "Arise and thresh." God was never on the side of evil.
"As Christians who speak to the necessity of accountability, transparency, and the pursuit of truth and right, should we not be the first to submit ourselves to the same processes we call for secular institutions to follow? And if the sexual assault of children is not important enough to motivate us to pursue these biblical truths, what will be?"
