[Vision2020] Sitler, Wilson, and Pooh Bear

[Douglas]

Terry,

The rule of thumb is always to have the application of grace and 
justice, forgiveness and consequences, be as public as the nature of the 
sin requires it to be -- and no more. Because Joseph was a righteous 
man, he resolved to put Mary away quietly. Love covers a multitude of 
sins. At the same time, this is clearly not a solitary absolute because 
there are other competing claims, equally legitimate. In the case we are 
discussing, the protection of others is one of those claims. Civil 
justice for past crimes is another.

Steven Sitler's crimes were contained within a limited circle. A certain 
select number of visionaries claim to have been gifted with telepathic 
powers, and so they somehow know that every last child in our church was 
at risk. But we had (and have) no reason to believe this to be the case. 
When he was discovered, /everyone /who needed to know (legal 
authorities, potentially affected families, et al) were promptly 
notified, and all according to Hoyle. As the process unfolded, and 
Steven was convicted, it became necessary to broaden the circle of those 
who knew about it. Conviction of a crime like this is a public event, 
Steven was known in our community, and we did not know how the 
sentencing would go. It was quite possible that as a result of the 
sentencing Steven would wind up living among us again, and this required 
broader notification, which was given /as soon as/ it became necessary. 
Not before.

But take another kind of situation. If a well-respected deacon in a 
church began robbing banks occasionally, and he was arrested, his 
resignation from the deacon board could not be announced to the 
congregation under the heading of "events overtook him." When the sin is 
public, or private sin disqualifies a man from public office, you don't 
spread it any further than his arrest or resignation already spread it. 
But you do have to address the issue (with as much discretion as 
possible) in order to comfort and help all the people already affected. 
I trust that at least makes the principle clear.

But remember where we are. If you are Michael, you take a tragic 
situation like the Sitler case, and you throw bloody meat into the water 
(despite ignored warnings), not because you wanted to draw /sharks/, for 
heaven's sake, but rather because you wanted to see if that kind of meat 
floats. When the inevitable sharks came anyway, and began their 
visionary activities, it rapidly became obvious to me that some people I 
am responsible for were getting hurt. And that was why I decided that 
Michael needed to get popped a couple times, in public, to slow down or 
possibly stop his disgraceful public behavior.

Doing this does not question the "basic dignity of a man made in the 
image of God," but rather presupposes it. Michael is certainly created 
in the image of God, and bears the name of Christ in his baptism, as do 
you. I would love to be in fellowship with Michael, and with you. And 
because you and I are both created in God's image, and both forgiven by 
Christ, we should be able to get together and discuss our differences 
calmly enough. Can I buy you a beer?

Douglas Wilson


Michael has been misbehaving in grotesque ways in a public manner, and 
is not repentant. His confusions have now drastically affected the lives 
of others, and so he needs to be told to stop it. As much as Joan

Terry Morin wrote:
> Doug,
> The aphorism about sucking and blowing could be applied to you as 
> well. During the same period of time in which you kept a veil of 
> secrecy around the Sitler matter, even from your own congregation, you 
> felt the need to make public the names and relevant details of a moral 
> failure involving local persons not even in attendance at your church. 
> Your public exposure of the matter included broadly circulated letters 
> and announcements from the pulpit. Your concern for the broader 
> Christian community trumped any sensitivities of the families 
> involved, even though the adults involved were repentant, and 
> represented no danger to anyone. In the Sitler matter, your priorities 
> are reversed, that is, your perception of the needs of a family 
> (families?) trump all other considerations, such as notifying your 
> church in order to identify other victims. So from your own history, 
> handling these matters involves a series of judgment calls, and it’s 
> your judgment that’s being questioned here, not your sanity or basic 
> dignity of a man made in the image of God. Please extend that courtesy 
> to Michael.
> -- 
> Terry and Linda Morin
> 1232 Tamarack Drive
> Moscow, ID 83843
> 208.882.6251
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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