Pastor admits 'sexual incident' with teen; Gets standing ovation

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Prov910

Senior Member
Jan 10, 2017
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#1
Pastor admits 'sexual incident' with teen;
Congregation gives him standing ovation

By Kyle Swenson The Washington Post 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018

"Do you remember that night [nearly 20 years ago] that you were supposed to drive me home from church and instead drove me to a deserted back road and sexually assaulted me?" Woodson wrote. "Do you remember how you acted like you loved me and cared about me in order for me to cooperate in such acts, only to run out of the vehicle later and fall to your knees begging for forgiveness and for me not to tell anyone what had just happened?"

... As [Pastor] Savage finished his remarks, he was greeted with a 20-second standing ovation from Highpoint's congregation, according to a video.
LINK
Standing ovation? Wow, that's a surprising reaction. :shrug:
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
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#2
Standing ovation? Wow, that's a surprising reaction. :shrug:
In our deluded society today, it doesn't seem to matter what's done, all that seems to matter is WHO DID IT. :rolleyes:
 
U

Ugly

Guest
#3
Of course the editing in the OP is to favor a a specific reaction. If you don't read the article you don't realize it, but common sense should still make it obvious.
The congregation did give an ovation for him assaulting anyone, but rather for his confession of an event 20 years ago and saying more should have been done to help the victim. At this point the church applauds.
Likely the majority of the members had no clue about further details covered in the article. So from the churches perspective it wasn't this horrendous applause the editing in the OP suggests.

And of course politics and religion make a difference in how people react. For many a pastor is more personal than a politician, a profession viewed as professional liars.
Even in the email written by the victim it states he had an immediate flooding of guilt. Real or fake? Who knows. But unlike a politician there was an immediate and later admission.

So to suggest it is a simple matter of some professions get away with more than others is false. Bill Clinton got away with a lot, and many to this day still defend him.

Read the article, not the slanted edited version in the OP.
 
F

FenceMan

Guest
#4
Sadly, it does sound as if the girl told about it on a website a few days earlier and from her perspective he never made any attempt to make right what he had done, despite telling the congregation he made every attempt to heal the hurt he caused...

Not sure which is true.
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#5
Humm....... some Christians took the words of the Bible to heart? That's rare.
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#6
Sadly, it does sound as if the girl told about it on a website a few days earlier and from her perspective he never made any attempt to make right what he had done, despite telling the congregation he made every attempt to heal the hurt he caused...

Not sure which is true.
So, maybe he didn't do what they required of him in order to earn their forgiveness?
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,247
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#8
Sadly, it does sound as if the girl told about it on a website a few days earlier and from her perspective he never made any attempt to make right what he had done, despite telling the congregation he made every attempt to heal the hurt he caused...

Not sure which is true.
They both followed the advice they got from their church elders.
 

Prov910

Senior Member
Jan 10, 2017
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#9
So, maybe he didn't do what they required of him in order to earn their forgiveness?
I guess I don't understand your point. He didn't sin against the congregation.
 
Nov 23, 2016
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#10
He's 42 now .. so he was 22 at the time. She was 17. I feel sad for her .. and this guy is going to pay a heavy price for his indiscretion at a fairly young age as well. I pray God helps both of them.
 
Feb 7, 2015
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He's 42 now .. so he was 22 at the time. She was 17. I feel sad for her .. and this guy is going to pay a heavy price for his indiscretion at a fairly young age as well. I pray God helps both of them.
Yes, we Christians do seem to derive a certain disturbing satisfaction from shooting our wounded.
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#12
So, maybe he didn't do what they required of him in order to earn their forgiveness?
I guess I don't understand your point. He didn't sin against the congregation.
A point they should be even more embarrassed of........... that they would deem that he have to somehow meet their requirements. I don't think the Bible said to forgive....... "if".

I'm speaking of those who may not have forgiven .... both there and then... and here and now.
 
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Prov910

Senior Member
Jan 10, 2017
880
47
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#13
A point they should be even more embarrassed of........... that they would deem that he have to somehow meet their requirements. I don't think the Bible said to forgive....... "if".

I'm speaking of those who may not have forgiven .... both there and then... and here and now.
There is no one here and now who needs to forgive him. He sinned against the girl and against God. Not against us.

=============================


Perhaps I didn't get the same thing from the article that others did. I understood the article to be about that particular church and pastor using forgiveness theology to avoid a scandal today, twenty years later. And 20 years ago the church leaders handled it by telling the girl not the speak of the matter. Meanwhile, the church gave the guy a going-away reception as they moved him on to a new job. That really wasn't much different than the way the Catholic church handled the slew of priest molestation cases many years ago. Am I missing something?
 
Feb 28, 2016
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#14
we will ALL REAP what we sow!!!...it sounds so catholic', he was more than likely just
moved-over, and continued as before...
did anyone hear the words 'repentance/overcoming' here???

by the way, he could NEVER have BEEN a PASTOR of Jesus Christ to begin with...!
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#15
There is no one here and now who needs to forgive him. He sinned against the girl and against God. Not against us.

=============================


Perhaps I didn't get the same thing from the article that others did. I understood the article to be about that particular church and pastor using forgiveness theology to avoid a scandal today, twenty years later. And 20 years ago the church leaders handled it by telling the girl not the speak of the matter. Meanwhile, the church gave the guy a going-away reception as they moved him on to a new job. That really wasn't much different than the way the Catholic church handled the slew of priest molestation cases many years ago. Am I missing something?
You could have a point there. (The last part... not the first.)
 
Nov 23, 2016
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#16
Perhaps I didn't get the same thing from the article that others did. I understood the article to be about that particular church and pastor using forgiveness theology to avoid a scandal today, twenty years later. And 20 years ago the church leaders handled it by telling the girl not the speak of the matter. Meanwhile, the church gave the guy a going-away reception as they moved him on to a new job. That really wasn't much different than the way the Catholic church handled the slew of priest molestation cases many years ago. Am I missing something?
I hope that I'm not coming across as "defending this guy's behaviour and actions" of 20 yrs. ago ... because I'm not. What he did was sinfully wrong in every aspect. But I didn't read in the article that he was being moved to another church ? It simply said he was leaving (maybe I too missed something ?). In any case, his transgression is openly known and it will undoubtedly follow him. Similar occurrences in the RCC were unknown to most and hidden with greater secrecy. I suppose my point is/was is that it is an irresponsible and perhaps unrealistic expectation to think that there wouldn't be a measure of temptation(s) amongst a mixed group of young adults between the ages of 17-22 yrs. old at any function ... including at any church, christian or otherwise. I hope both involved come to peace with God over this matter and find that His grace is indeed sufficient for all of us.
 
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7seasrekeyed

Guest
#17
There is no one here and now who needs to forgive him. He sinned against the girl and against God. Not against us.

=============================


Perhaps I didn't get the same thing from the article that others did. I understood the article to be about that particular church and pastor using forgiveness theology to avoid a scandal today, twenty years later. And 20 years ago the church leaders handled it by telling the girl not the speak of the matter. Meanwhile, the church gave the guy a going-away reception as they moved him on to a new job. That really wasn't much different than the way the Catholic church handled the slew of priest molestation cases many years ago. Am I missing something?

I don't think you are missing anything

I also don't know why sexual indiscretions need to be discussed until the cows come home

voyerism
 
Nov 23, 2016
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#18
I don't think you are missing anything

I also don't know why sexual indiscretions need to be discussed until the cows come home

voyerism
The discussion is a pastors sinful error of 20 yrs. past ... at 22 yrs of age ... and the implications of how it is being handled now by his congregation. It is no more voyeurism than is making 4 posts on a 17 yr old boy with a 26 yr old woman thread ... as you did.
 
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7seasrekeyed

Guest
#19
The discussion is a pastors sinful error of 20 yrs. past ... at 22 yrs of age ... and the implications of how it is being handled now by his congregation. It is no more voyeurism than is making 4 posts on a 17 yr old boy with a 26 yr old woman thread ... as you did.

you don't see voyerism in discussing SOMEONE ELSE'S SIN FROM 20...COUNT'EM...20 years ago?

it's not like he was some famous person and had to grovel before the world...when I say grovel, I do not believe we need to grovel...but it seems to me folks like to point out how 'good' they are, by pointing out how 'bad' someone else is

it's not a discussion if you are not a member of the congregation WITH THE MAN WHO SINNED PRESENT

it's basically gossip

as far as the 17 year old boy goes...that was posted by a CURRENT member of this forum and was CURRENT historicially speaking and she was ASKING for advice

you might also notice how you called the 17 year old a boy and the 26 year old a woman

you can gossip as you will...it's still gossip and still voyerism...

further, the op is slanted and not honest

as good as dessert to some IMO
 
Nov 23, 2016
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#20
you don't see voyerism in discussing SOMEONE ELSE'S SIN FROM 20...COUNT'EM...20 years ago?

it's not like he was some famous person and had to grovel before the world...when I say grovel, I do not believe we need to grovel...but it seems to me folks like to point out how 'good' they are, by pointing out how 'bad' someone else is

it's not a discussion if you are not a member of the congregation WITH THE MAN WHO SINNED PRESENT

it's basically gossip

as far as the 17 year old boy goes...that was posted by a CURRENT member of this forum and was CURRENT historicially speaking and she was ASKING for advice

you might also notice how you called the 17 year old a boy and the 26 year old a woman

you can gossip as you will...it's still gossip and still voyerism...

further, the op is slanted and not honest

as good as dessert to some IMO
Pride. How often it can keep us from apologizing for a snide remark made to others. And the lengths some will go to avoid doing as much. Boy .. girl .. young man .. young lady. They were both 17 yrs. old, as you already are well aware. Look elsewhere for needed ammo to persist with your attempted shaming ... and your stubborn refusal to admit that you might be wrong. Some can see clearly thru the lines written. Your hope lies in those who can't.