Yes, I'm a little ticked off about what I'm seeing here, but probably much of my reaction is "There but for the grace of God go I". If we are honest, we need to admit that we could easily fall into this sort of situation. True, maybe not with a gay escort, but how many pastors have fallen for an attractive member of their congregation? Or have secumbed to substance abuse or have mistreated their wives and family? How many pastors have become great in their own minds and have adopted mental patterns of personal superiority? How many political and business leaders have done the same, but without the same moral condemnation?
But Tony Compolo (In Andrew Sullivan's post) reminds us of Galatians 6:1
Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
Evangelicals will, and are, reacting with outrage; but will they react with Christ's love and demonstrate to the world that indeed there is something to this Christian stuff after all? How do we work to restore each other when we are all to human?
By the way: this also applies to those of us who feel that we've caught Ellen White in a lie, seen the Seventh-day Adventist church practice years of cover-up, or fully believe that Adventism teaches fatal errors. Do we shout in condemnation or speak the truth in love?
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