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What Kind Of Person Are You

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posted on May, 7 2007 @ 11:41 AM
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I am writing here to find different viewpoints on the following situation.

Location : Southern California (Carlsbad)

Question : Concerning Church Policy, What Would You Do?

Source : San Diego Union Tribune Newspaper of May 7th, 2007.

Background : A formerly convicted sex offender has asked to worship in
a local church. About one-half of the congregation is against letting him in
the church at all. The other half believes that he has payed the price for
his sins, and therefore should be afforded the opportunity to worship in the
House Of God. The minister believes that a "safe-church" policy voted in
over the weekend may resolve the problem. Under this policy, screening
of certain church-goers might be required, and techniques for dealing with
convicted sex offenders who want to worship will have to be developed.

If this was your church, what would you do?

If you were sexually abused as a child and attended this church, would you
feel comfortable sitting next to a convicted sex offender?

Does this man have a right to attend any church he wants, anytime?



posted on May, 7 2007 @ 12:20 PM
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Originally posted by SIEGE
If this was your church, what would you do?


I would welcome him to worship. I believe in second chances.



If you were sexually abused as a child and attended this church, would you
feel comfortable sitting next to a convicted sex offender?


I was and I would. Because if he tried anything with me I would react quite differently than I did as a child and he would be sorry he picked me to mess with. I wouldn't, however, trust him sitting next to my children. My job is to protect them.



Does this man have a right to attend any church he wants, anytime?


That's up to the church and its members.



posted on May, 7 2007 @ 12:34 PM
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I tend to agree with you BH. I believe that "forgiveness" is divinely human.
And besides, where's a better place for this man to be?

Would God forgive this man? Would he expect us to?



posted on May, 7 2007 @ 12:35 PM
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Originally posted by SIEGE
If this was your church, what would you do?


I'd be advocating allowing him in. Unless there's going to be some "no sinners allowed" policy. Might cut down on the available players at Euchre Night, though.



If you were sexually abused as a child and attended this church, would you
feel comfortable sitting next to a convicted sex offender?


Probably not, but hard to say. A little too hypothetical for me.



Does this man have a right to attend any church he wants, anytime?


No, of course not. But who'd want to attend a church where they're not wanted?

You know, "sex offender" covers an extremely huge area. I'd have to know a whole lot more about the specific situation before I could pass judgement on this particular... wait a minute... we're not supposed to do that.



posted on May, 7 2007 @ 12:45 PM
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Originally posted by SIEGE
Would God forgive this man? Would he expect us to?


I'm agnostic, so I can only answer hypothetically but if everything my mother tried to teach me is correct, then yes, God would forgive him and I don't think it would be my place to forgive him unless I was his victim. Then I'd think God would encourage forgiveness, yes, if not for him, then for me.

I believe that forgiveness benefits the one who offers it.



posted on May, 7 2007 @ 01:21 PM
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You talk'n ta me? Oh! Well, I can't stand drugs and the people that are hooked on them. I grew up with them long enough. I like to spark a doobie of mary jane. When I do that it always seems that the idiots in my life are nothing but a joke. Lets just agree that there are far more worse things to do, like smoking laced infected cigarettes that are sold to the public.

In general, I'm laid back and mellow. I really get grossed out at the site of blood or those medical surgery shows. I stand down to no one, but I'm easygoing on the other hand. I remember being told, "I love you for your sense of humar and wit" I also remember one year later hearing, "You never take anything serious." I try to turn the volume down on the jokes, it does get old, I know.

I'm no threat to anyone accept for the the girl that is hit by my mavelous charm! Now, I wish I could step up to the place when they hit on me for a change.


Dammit! There's another joke! Hmmmmm. Still have to work on that.

I given no one the reason to believe that I'm dangerous physicaly.
I wish swat new that 15 years ago. Damb, they can be a pain in the arse. I've been held at gun point more times by everyone than I can count.

Usually when I get agry at someone, I just manipulate the situation to prove how ignorant they are to everyone.

Mass Education Is A Wounderful Thing. Don't Be Left Out!




[edit on 7-5-2007 by MrMysticism]



posted on May, 7 2007 @ 03:54 PM
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MrMysticism : Your last sentence-"Mass Education is a Wounderful Thing.
Don't be left out."

Okay, I'm trying to see how your post is relevant to this thread. Am I
missing something obvious?
Or, Or have you posted in the wrong thread?
The Church Lady would say, "Isn't that Special????"



posted on May, 7 2007 @ 03:57 PM
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That comment just went with what I was saying about myslelf, being that I never really get agry at anyone anymore.

I hope you didn't think that I was calling ATSers stupid. If I thought that I would not waiste my time here.



posted on May, 7 2007 @ 06:08 PM
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Originally posted by SIEGE
If this was your church, what would you do?


Burn it down. Totally empty, of course. I would check for occupants AT LEAST three times. Of course, I'd like to burn THEM ALL down...except for Jimi's 'Sky Church' which is always open on both the sides and the top.



If you were sexually abused as a child and attended this church, would you feel comfortable sitting next to a convicted sex offender?


No need for pews if there is no pulpit or building at all!


Does this man have a right to attend any church he wants, anytime?


Of course he does. This IS still America, isn't it?



posted on May, 8 2007 @ 10:43 AM
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"This still IS America, isn't it?" . . . . . .

You know, I forgot about the Church Of Potential Plantlife.

Guess we all have our agendas.

I'd like to recommend also that the last two posters attend services
sometime at "The Little Chapel Of Common Sense", located on the left
side of the highway as you make your way out of town.



posted on May, 9 2007 @ 01:36 AM
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I agree with yeahright in that "sex offender" is really pretty vague.

If this guy turned 18 before his girlfriend did and he got busted doing something that was legal just days earlier, then I don't even count him as a sex offender.

If this guy stalked little kids and manipulated/forced them into actually having sex with him, then I say he doesn't come to my church. I don't even want him in my city.

Now I am a spiritual person and I do believe in forgiveness. However, I am also a realist and I know that the recidivism rate for pedophiles is nearly 100%. If he really was a predator, then he still is.

If he is a predator, then no, I will not sit next to him. He is mentally ill, dangerous, and may be looking for his next victim. I would rather sit next to a rattle snake.

If he is a predator, then no, he doesn't have a right to worship in any church he pleases. He has a right to worship as he pleases. That means that he can stay at home and read his bible or pray to his heart's content. He can practise any religion he cares to practise right there in his own home. I think that the clergy should make themselves available to him outside of regular church services and Sunday school hours. There is an online church called the Church of the Larger Fellowship, let him join that if he is able.

I know a person who is a "sex offender." He was caught sending a nude picture of himself over the internet to another adult who was not offended by the image. This type of person is no predator. Perhaps he isn't smart, but he's no predator. If the subject in question is someone like this, then he has already been through enough and should be left well alone about it.

I believe that the system of classification for "sex offenders" needs a serious overhaul so that we can tell the difference between predators and those who pull silly stunts or have underage, but willing, girl/boyfriends.



posted on May, 9 2007 @ 07:59 AM
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I'll have to agree with wellwhatnow, who sums up my feelings on the subject pretty well.

To forgive maybe divine but I'm human and the risk of re-offending and the risk to any children in that church looms too large in my mind to overlook the reality of the situation.



posted on May, 9 2007 @ 08:01 PM
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I think it depends on what level of sex offender he is and exactly what his sex crime was on whether I'd feel comfortable sitting next to him. I would not however, want my daughter to sit any where near him. I would definately try to follow Jesus' teaching love the sinner hate the sin and there is a difference between actions and the actions of the individual.







 
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