News-Record.com

How tragic. I think one of the points of this story is how we react when our heroes fall.

Jackson seems to be involved with their daughter, but his friends in the press, politics and other powerful groups would rather blame her.

The most blatant account of this was when many Clinton supporters blamed Lewinski for taking advantage of the most powerful man in the world.

Since Jackson is not a real pastor, the "preacher" aspect of this story is not an issue. However, the bible is clear that pastors, elders and teachers are held to higher standards than people in their congregations. If they are found guilty of sexual misconduct or diliberate false teaching, many churches revoke their right to preach again.

Regardless of whether a person is a pastor, teacher, etc., what about the morality of this. In the article referenced, Stanford takes no responsibility for the adultery!

Someone had to have some ulterior motives or else the matter would have remained quiet.

I am still appalled that there is no mention of the adultery. This is ridiculious. Where are the Christian standards. And for Jackson to be quoted as saying that his marriage was "non-traditional."

Hmm, does that mean he is not married? married to a female? or what? That statement can be viewed in many different ways.

I feel that the issue is not whether Stanford was "scapegoated," rather the whole morality of the situation.

It seems in this the woman was looking for some way to say that "she was not the only one who was bad."
That is so true.... Until I read this, I didn't remember her name, but I did remember that Jesse Jackson had cheated on his wife and bore a child with another woman out of wedlock.
She may have been shunned personally, but publically, he lost, too.
I lost a lot of respect for him and I'm sure a lot of others did, too.
Why did it matter if it was a non-traditional marriage or not? He was married, involved, taken, off the market, which should have been enough to leave him and the situation alone.
I may be off topic here but I think women often want to blame others when a relationship fails without taking time to step back and look at it head on to see what they did or didn't do to contribute to the downfall. Please don't hear that I'm laying all of the blame at the woman's heel, but women tend to want to be the victim too often in failed relationships. Everyone plays a role when it works and when it doesn't. I think she may have been trying to take this opportunity to share her version of it not working.

I think it's very odd. To be a world-famous person, and famous as a religious leader at that, you'd think that following the usual rules of that religion would be a pretty high priority. You'd think that he would care about the potential for damage if he strayed. Apparently, hubris can blind even the most godly of leaders...

I think people have lowered the standards for our 'religious leaders' no matter who they are. I was recently talking to someone who told me it was well known that the pastor of a church in her city has fathered several children in his congregation by women other than his wife. Yet, his church continues to grow. There are 'disgraced' televangelists whose ministries wither one year and two years later they are back in the 'making millions of dollars a year' bracket. Anybody out there agreeing with me?

I think it's a matter of religion being more of an entertainment product than anything else. These days, it seems there are many who don't see any difference. Who cares what a pastor does with the women who visit his office? He can give a real firebrand sermon that gets the heart pumpin'! Oy vey!

I'm sorry...I thought Jesse Jackson was a civil rights leader and as such I've never considered him a "religious figure" even with the Rev. moniker he gave himself. So, I wasn't shocked or surprised or hurt by the revelation that he had cheated on his wife. I didn't care, to tell the truth.

More and more are we hearing about adultery which bring the thought to the morals of the parties involved. There has been said that the morals of the American people are "going to hell in a handbasket"
It seem as though we are living in a society of as they say "anything goes" or turn your back and maybe it will disappear.
As the people turn away from religious guidance and adhering to the biblical teaching there is going to be situation such as this.
When one looks to leadership they should first look at the leaders character as that is a stong indicator as to where they will lead those entrusted to their guidance. It is not "do as I do but do as I say" they must lead by example.

I guess the reason I cared about this story (and I admit, I read The Enquirer with the two of them on the cover as I stood in the grocery line, even getting out of line to finish reading it) is that it happened the same time he had his clerical collar on to 'pastor' Bill Clinton through his similar troubles (though no baby).
The reason I'm interested now is that lots of statistics point to people turning their backs on religion...and this is a good example of why people say they don't see a difference in the actions of people of the cloth and everybody else.

Well, I didn't care because ... I wasn't married to him, it wasn't my baby and it had nothing to do with me. AND he isn't a religious figure to me. I think that last part is what really sums up my feelings on it. Because he's not a religious figure to me (I'm serious, the Rev. is just another part of his name to me), he is not someone I hold/held to a higher standard. I would expect more of Billy Graham.

Just another charlatan using his power and position for all the wrong reasons, just because he could. The man , a disgrace, past, present, and future. Put the heat on and the race card is played or blackmail is used to achieve the goal. Unfortunately this will soon die and he will be right back in the lime light and continuing to prove how foolish people are and leading them deeper into bondage.

Do you think this has a direct correlation with why people are turning their backs on organized religion? Or is it that it's 'OK' and easier to explore religions outside Christianity, now that we've become a more vocally diverse nation?

"Do you think this has a direct correlation with why people are turning their backs on organized religion?"
Well, it certainly does for me. I had something like this happen to me. My ex left me for our pastor, who was of course married, and people supported him more than me. He was a lying snake, but he has charisma and most people are easily swayed by that. I no longer trust ministers and can't go into a church without getting a sick feeling. I grew up in the church, it was a big part of my life. I have seen though that when the chips are down, they'll drop you like a hot potato if it is to their benefit.
I have had a lot of people tell me they no longer go to church for reasons like this, so yes, it is having an effect.
God help us, we need it.

S4, I really am saddened to hear of such a fiasco that you had to undergo in your previous church. It is sad indeed when the body of Christ, supposedly, chooses to follow the body of man. That is what is wrong with churches today.
However, allow me to pose a question. If you go to one restaurant to satisfy your physical hunger and you have a bad experience , do you suddenly stop going to any restaurant to be fed? Actually I believe that the answer to this question would be no, I would find some where else to be fed.
S4, the same is with your spiritual feeding. Just because you had a bad experience in one church does not mean you have to starve for spiritual food. Do as you would with a restaurant , try several until you find the place where your spirit is well fed and satisfied.