Full Frontal Response/Hope Stealers

thank you all for your interest and the time you've taken to share your ideas, thoughts, perspectives, passions, and hurts surrounding this issue. I've read your comments on me, the blog, and this issue and i'm responding to your most recents comments. i once said, that we should "support" this fallen man, instead of throwing him away. words like "support" are ambiguous. Alex, you've written several reasons as to why he should not be "supported" (ambiguous), that we should "support" the victim, and that he should be removed from here for hurting so many people. After reading various posts, with our attitudes and implications, we have all advocated supporting both the vitctim(s) and the offender...let me explain. Alex and Joe have written us some very detailed ideas about repentance, confession, manipulating, etc. Even though he called your house Alex, and acted innocent of things you believe in your heart to be true--"support" can often be listening, as you did, and holding them accountable. The "non-supporting" attitudes i've seen in the past regarding sins and the church have included ignoring the people, sending hateful and un-christian messages, gossip, etc. I call that "throwing them away" because they lose contact with the very people who could help see the error of their ways spiritually. You may not be able to help habitual offenders be rehabilitated psychologically...God has not called you to that...only that you may help them rehabilitate spiritually. The worst thing that some Christian groups have done, historically in abuse cases, have been to forgive them, move them to another parish, and act like nothing ever happened. Our disgust towards these spiritual groups have influenced our immediate reaction towards an offender. We must not confuse the issues of psychological needs, spiritual needs, and the needs of justice. When we do, there are two spectrums, justice and no grace--or grace and no justice. Thank you all for posting. As for the current alledged offender, how his needs will be met only God knows. I do feel that all of your posts are helping to clear up just what must be done on our part. I have no doubt the justice system will do as much as it can. Jesus does tell us to visit people imprisoned... Most importantly of all in this large comment...Nothing prepared you for the shock of hearing of the tragedy, abuse, mistrust of power, and arrest stories of the last few weeks. Hurt, disbelief, offense, and shock swell up inside us all. I'm glad that you've found a safe place to discuss your feelings. I urge us all to look back to Jesus' mission for our lives--and pray about how our response to this whole tragedy fits in with Jesus' desires for living. There are so many moments of shock, people misusing goodness, that become hope-stealers. In Jesus' words we'll find our direction. In him, hope still remains.