Serious Question

Originally Posted by Felicity

Pastor P.......

You start these great threads and then threaten to leave. Don't do that!

Felicity,

I don't think PP was threating to leave. I had mentioned that I was going to leave to avoid potential eruptions that seem to be common between PP and me. I didn't want to see this QUALITY thread ruined. PP took it wrong and made his statement in reference to some perceived influence that i have on some folks, inducing them to leave because I was.

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by philjones

Felicity,

I don't think PP was threating to leave. I had mentioned that I was going to leave to avoid potential eruptions that seem to be common between PP and me. I didn't want to see this QUALITY thread ruined. PP took it wrong and made his statement in reference to some perceived influence that i have on some folks, inducing them to leave because I was.

Well, now that we have that all cleared up - stay and help us through this thread!

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Well, now that we have that all cleared up - stay and help us through this thread!

I don't think so! See PPs statement.. I doubt he will ever be able to receive anything I post as intended because he thinks I am out to get him!

See ya'll!

[Felicity]

Originally Posted by philjones

Felicity,

I don't think PP was threating to leave. I had mentioned that I was going to leave to avoid potential eruptions that seem to be common between PP and me. I didn't want to see this QUALITY thread ruined. PP took it wrong and made his statement in reference to some perceived influence that i have on some folks, inducing them to leave because I was.

It's a very important topic. I hope that the discussion which I think has been very good so far continues.

There are so many broken, hurting people in the church today. We see the "outward" and it may look as if people have it all together but way down deep in their hearts, souls and psyches are hurts and problems and issues that only God can see.

These often manifest themselves by the kinds of things being discussed in this thread and under the topic heading. Mindsets and behavior patterns can be very difficult to fix and to break and even though a person has been born again and set free from a lot of junk there are still going to be struggles in certain areas. Not all struggle with the same things or deal with it in the same way either.

Man (and woman) have struggled since the beginning of time with these things. It doesn't make somebody a bad person because they do.

[Margies3]

I may be very naive, but I'm sitting here thinking that if a pastor finds out from a person that they are having a problem with porn, wouldn't it seem that the person is crying out for help?

I would assume that if a person doesn't want someone interfering with their addiction while at the same time knowing what the church teaches regarding porn, they would do all in their power to keep things a secret. Correct???

In that case, my feeling would be that if someone is asking for help, the cruelest (and least wise) thing a person could do would be to bring more attention to the problem by sitting someone down or disciplining in any way. Why discipline? If the person is asking for help, then God has already done the disciplining. At least that would be my view of how this works.

But then I'm VERY glad that I am not a pastor and don't have to deal with things like this. God bless and guide those of you who are in that position is my prayer!

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by Margies3

I may be very naive, but I'm sitting here thinking that if a pastor finds out from a person that they are having a problem with porn, wouldn't it seem that the person is crying out for help?

I would assume that if a person doesn't want someone interfering with their addiction while at the same time knowing what the church teaches regarding porn, they would do all in their power to keep things a secret. Correct???

In that case, my feeling would be that if someone is asking for help, the cruelest (and least wise) thing a person could do would be to bring more attention to the problem by sitting someone down or disciplining in any way. Why discipline? If the person is asking for help, then God has already done the disciplining. At least that would be my view of how this works.

But then I'm VERY glad that I am not a pastor and don't have to deal with things like this. God bless and guide those of you who are in that position is my prayer!

What if the person is the pastor or at least someone in ministry? I think that's what PP is asking. How do you handle that?

[ManOfWord]

Originally Posted by Margies3

I may be very naive, but I'm sitting here thinking that if a pastor finds out from a person that they are having a problem with porn, wouldn't it seem that the person is crying out for help?

I would assume that if a person doesn't want someone interfering with their addiction while at the same time knowing what the church teaches regarding porn, they would do all in their power to keep things a secret. Correct???

In that case, my feeling would be that if someone is asking for help, the cruelest (and least wise) thing a person could do would be to bring more attention to the problem by sitting someone down or disciplining in any way. Why discipline? If the person is asking for help, then God has already done the disciplining. At least that would be my view of how this works.

But then I'm VERY glad that I am not a pastor and don't have to deal with things like this. God bless and guide those of you who are in that position is my prayer!

I think this is very wise. That is exactly the conclusion I would come to! If someone is asking, they want free!

[Felicity]

Originally Posted by Margies3

I may be very naive, but I'm sitting here thinking that if a pastor finds out from a person that they are having a problem with porn, wouldn't it seem that the person is crying out for help?

I would assume that if a person doesn't want someone interfering with their addiction while at the same time knowing what the church teaches regarding porn, they would do all in their power to keep things a secret. Correct???

In that case, my feeling would be that if someone is asking for help, the cruelest (and least wise) thing a person could do would be to bring more attention to the problem by sitting someone down or disciplining in any way. Why discipline? If the person is asking for help, then God has already done the disciplining. At least that would be my view of how this works.

But then I'm VERY glad that I am not a pastor and don't have to deal with things like this. God bless and guide those of you who are in that position is my prayer!

Yep -- my feelings too.

[ILG]

Originally Posted by Margies3

I may be very naive, but I'm sitting here thinking that if a pastor finds out from a person that they are having a problem with porn, wouldn't it seem that the person is crying out for help?

I would assume that if a person doesn't want someone interfering with their addiction while at the same time knowing what the church teaches regarding porn, they would do all in their power to keep things a secret. Correct???

In that case, my feeling would be that if someone is asking for help, the cruelest (and least wise) thing a person could do would be to bring more attention to the problem by sitting someone down or disciplining in any way. Why discipline? If the person is asking for help, then God has already done the disciplining. At least that would be my view of how this works.

But then I'm VERY glad that I am not a pastor and don't have to deal with things like this. God bless and guide those of you who are in that position is my prayer!

This is an excellent post. I hadn't really thought of it this way...

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by Felicity

Pastor P.......

You start these great threads and then threaten to leave. Don't do that!

I wasn't threatening to leave. Just not in the mood to be beaten and bloodied again. I thought the topic was rather tame.