I’m looking at the stats for the Alabama vote yesterday. I’m ashamed to see the 80% of white Evangelical Christians voted for Moore.
But what is more disturbing to me is that the VAST majority of these people believe that the sexual misconduct allegations against him (which include the sexual assault of a 14 year old, almost 20 years younger than he was) are false…
So to me the problem is not that Christians will vote for a sexual predator. The problem is that, in the face of overwhelming evidence, Christians cannot believe women. Several women, all saying the same thing, who have physical evidence and witnesses. Because it doesn’t fit what they want to hear. THAT is the problem to me.
When will Christians start believing women? Until we do, abuse in the church will continue to flourish. Victims will be disbelieved. Perpetrators will be protected. Moore should have gone to prison – for YEARS – and then been registered as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Instead, the church protected him then – and they’re still protecting him now. Things will never change for Christian girls and boys and women (and the few men who are abused) until the church starts holding ABUSERS responsible. Even when it’s inconvenient.
Protecting abusers doesn’t help victims. The victims remain unprotected and often further traumatized. And it doesn’t help abusers themselves. Taking away the negative consequences of their actions denies them substantial opportunity and motivation to seek help, heal, and make restitution (if they can).
Be better, Church. Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with your God.
From a friend on Facebook: I want to address liberal Quakers. We also fail to listen to women when it matters, like when we have the power to do anything, because we will not hear about things that make us uncomfortable about ourselves or threaten our status quo any more than anyone else. It’s symptomatic of vanity and greed all around. If Roy Moore was in your meeting what would you do?
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