We are getting close to Passover time and the Churches of God are flooding their magazines, articles, member letters, and broadcasts with ways to prepare for Passover. The Living Church of God has an article up by Richard Ames covering a myriad of things one needs to do in that preparation.
One subsection is on forgiving others. He says women and children who have been physically abused to forgive their abuser, let go, and let God do what God is supposed to do. While he is correct in having the person seek help and protection if needed, he then says that those abused need to forgive, let it all go, and let it rest in God's hands. Sadly this has been the case in the COG for decades as spousal abuse went unchecked because the church never backed up the abused spouse and in many cases told her to remain in the home and God would sort things eventually (apparently in between the beatings). Sexual abuse in the church was dealt with in the same way. Abusers were seldom dealt with and encouraged to attend another church area, if at all. Bringing in the Police and other officials tended to bring in scrutiny of the church and its abberent teachings and that was not a good thing.
Now, forgiving doesn’t mean that you encourage or enable someone to sin again and again. For example, spousal abuse and child abuse are serious crimes, and victims should seek out the help and protection they need. You may need to distance yourself from an unrepentant sinner. But, like the old saying goes, often the best answer is, “Let go; let God.” Instead of building up your anger at someone’s unrepented sin, trust that the matter is in God’s hands and that He will do what needs to be done. Especially when the offense is simply to your pride, or involves the other person’s selfishness or disrespect, the best response often is to let it be a matter between the sinner and God. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14–15). As Passover approaches, commit to maintaining an attitude of forgiveness. Our Passover Commitments
Another example of clever COG ministerial gaslighting. They make you think Jesus prefers the abused wife to keep taking the beatings, as if the experience of "70 times 7" will bring her toward perfection as Jesus was.
ReplyDeleteThen why build a roof over our heafs for shelter when we could just as well accept the beatings, or to sleep out in the rain, etc.
Some nerve, making a person at Passover time to feel like they should have let the spouse beat on them some more. We sneer at the Philippines literal public crucifixion re-enactments. But isn't it the same as a COG minister exhorting an abused mate to endure more beatings? Fire your minister if he compels you to accept tortures & beatings.
First paragraph is a strawman argument. Never in the history of the COG has the Passover been more sidelined, forgotten and overlooked. NEVER.
ReplyDeleteI recall serm
Some nerve, making a person at Passover time to feel like they should have let the spouse beat on them some more.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that's what the article advised. Here's a quote:
For example, spousal abuse and child abuse are serious crimes, and victims should seek out the help and protection they need. You may need to distance yourself from an unrepentant sinner.
It's not saying that you're supposed to continue to endure abuse, or to condone it. What's dangerous is that while you are distanced from the sinner, you're supposed to pretend that you feel "love" for your abuser. That's a terrible m*ndf*ck to inflict on anyone.
OJ Simpson should have joined the LCG! He would have been soon forgiven!
ReplyDeleteLCG in my direct experience, is very forgiving and very forgetful when it comes to old perverts. But hey, in LCG’s eyes the victims have the chance to forgive and forget!
ReplyDeleteExcept if you step out of line... they then have very good memories...
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