Just As Reprehensible

The reason why sexual predators, including pastors of churches, get away with their crimes for so many years is mainly because of people who cover-up for them. When the hidden sin starts to become known, the cover-up will draw all the top leadership of the organization into a partnership to attempt to conceal the evidence of the wrongdoings and silence the people who speak up against them.

For example. when recently a pastor was reported to the leadership of the church for preying on the weak, and vulnerable women in the congregation for his sexual pleasure, the leadership went on a witch hunt to silence those who spoke about his sexual escapades. Each of the victims and those who spoke on their behalf were treated with disrespect by the church leaders and spiritually manipulated to feel guilty, degraded and humiliated. Then a threatening letter was sent by register mail, (for added special effect) stating that legal action would proceed if they spoke about the pastor's sexual sins again to any one else. It also stated that a true spiritual person would just pray for the pastor, and keep silent, protecting his reputation and the reputation of the church.

This is not what God says in His Word. The Bible says those who cover-up other people's sins by keeping silent are just as reprehensible and will be punished for their sins.

"If anyone sins

in that he hears a public adjuration to testify,

and though he is a witness,

whether he has seen

or come to know the matter,

yet does not speak,

he shall bear his iniquity."

Leviticus 5:1 (ESV)

Yes, we are to pray for the sinner that he/she will genuinely repent and change, but we are first to protect the people from a sexual predator.