Paul's Passing Thoughts

“Christ did not fulfill the justice of God in order to put an end to justice.”

I received some correspondence this morning concerning (if anybody still remembers it) the ABWE Missionary Kids sexual abuse scandal. Apparently, ABWE has hired another churchy “investigative” organization to replace G.RA.C.E. The whole ABWE thing is very emotional for me, so regardless of what I have going on right now, I am going to pen some initial thoughts before I further evaluate what I can do in light of the request that was received this morning. The email summoned up my frustration with this situation, so I need to get this off my chest before I move on with the day. It will be revisited later.

If there are any GARB pastors reading this right now (GARB is the primary financial supporter of ABWE), I just want you to know I think you are cowards and you make me sick. That’s an intentional generalization—get over it. As far as I know, not one GARB church has dropped its support of ABWE in response to this horrific scandal, and even if a few have, it’s not enough.

Likewise, if you are a GARB parishioner, you remind me of your European Christian descendants who quietly cleaned up the human ash from streets and rooftops during WWII. You have no conscience, and you are pathetic. That’s a generalization based on comparing the handling of the Penn State case versus what’s going with ABWE—get over it. And, I live in GARB country, so if any of you see me at the grocery store or the filling station, please feel free to discuss this with me, it would be my pleasure. Public writing is restrictive as far as expressing what I really think.

After almost seven years of researching spiritual abuse in the church, almost four years as full time thanks to Susan, I am confident that I know why this type of abuse goes on and why there is no justice for the victims. Generally, it speaks to our European religious roots. In that construct, salvation is in the institution.

Secondly, the institutional structure is based on spiritual caste; i.e., the enlightened minority leading the unenlightened masses.

Thirdly, the gospel propagated by the spiritual elite is collectivism. Come now, this isn’t complicated; to get justice for the MKs would hurt the institution that saves us. What’s better? Sweeping the scandal under the rug or “thousands upon thousands of people not hearing the gospel.” Please, please, please, people; how often do we hear that? Justice for the few would threaten “the group.” This is the very gist of a sermon Susan and I listened to last year in a GARB church. This is the selfsame ideology that has filled mass graves since the fall in the garden.

This was the very ideology of the founders of Protestantism. Luther and Calvin believed that salvation was found in the institutional church and nowhere else, period. The institutional church and its collectivist gospel is contra to Christ’s ideal of “the one in 99.” One life is not expendable for “the group.” The Jewish leadership condoned the execution of Christ based on collectivist ideology (John 18:14).

Peacemaker Ministries, G.R.A.C.E et al, and whoever ABWE just hired, are organizations that seek to protect the organization for the sake of “the group” and promote the necessary sacrifice of the few on the altar of  “forgiving others in the same way Christ forgave us.” But my friends, Christ did not fulfill the justice of God in order to put an end to justice. This is why these victims are not able to “move on with their lives.” Be sure of this: G.R.A.C.E got fired because they were not able to convince the MKs to forgive and forget. They didn’t do their job.

So what should be done? I have much to say about this once I calm down, but for now, I want to remind people that the institutional church cannot live without OUR money. Why are we farming out our consciences and paying for it?

Moreover, since it is OUR money, why is it going for organizations like G.R.A.C.E rather than organizations that stand for the victims? It’s high time that ALL of these victims gather together and form such an organization, and it is high time that God’s people fund such organizations.

Tell me where to send the first donation.

paul