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I, too, have many sins - some of which are much more enjoyable than the others -

ew - yuck.

but not for the 'sin'. what adult heterosexual male doesn't dig the pron? (that's the way the good lord made us!) who the heck cares about a man, especially one who has sworn himself to celibacy, looking at a few dirty pictures?

no. the 'yuck' is entirely about the sanctimonious 'confession' - the self-congratulatory self-vilification - and all the while reveling in his own hyper-moral hypocrisy. he's not ashamed of what he did! he's only ashemed that he got caught.

shades of Ted Haggard. ooh - yuck. yuckity yuck yuck yuck. I can't read any more. I need a breath mint.

ok - so "sworn himself to celibacy" may not be entirely accurate (he's married, with kids). but the yuck still stands.

"I, too, have many sins - some of which are much more enjoyable than the others" Holden

Hebrews 11:25 clearly states, as do many other places in Scripture, that sin IS pleasurable. (David and Bathsheba, et al.) I mean, if it weren't, people wouldn't have a problem with it. If sexual stimulation caused excruciating pain nobody would be tempted to indulge.

The issue in Scripture is that fallen man's attempts at the God-created, God-blessed, pleasures of the senses ultimately end in misery and destruction. The first drag of a jay may produce great stimulation of the visceral nervous system, but the last miserable gasp of an over-dosing crack addict displays the true nature of sin.

God has designed us so that only pleasure, done in the context of godly social and personal relationships, creates lasting joy and satisfaction. Lust (isolated stimulation without integrated meaning or purpose) undermines this holistic moral/spiritual environment. Sin is meaningless lust. Your efforts to caricature it only unveil your spiritual ignorance and lack of solid reflection and research.

"I, too, have many sins - some of which are much more enjoyable than the others" Holden

Hebrews 11:25 clearly states, as do many other places in Scripture, that sin IS pleasurable. (David and Bathsheba, et al.) I mean, if it weren't, people wouldn't have a problem with it. If sexual stimulation caused excruciating pain nobody would be tempted to indulge.

The issue in Scripture is that fallen man's attempts at the God-created, God-blessed, pleasures of the senses ultimately end in misery and destruction. The first drag of a jay may produce great stimulation of the visceral nervous system, but the last miserable gasp of an over-dosing crack addict displays the true nature of sin.

God has designed us so that only pleasure, done in the context of godly social and personal relationships, creates lasting joy and satisfaction. Lust (isolated stimulation without integrated meaning or purpose) undermines this holistic moral/spiritual environment. Sin is meaningless lust. Your efforts to caricature it only unveil your spiritual ignorance and lack of solid reflection and research.

edAn,
" the 'yuck' is entirely about the sanctimonious 'confession'"....................................

what you probably don't understand is that confessing our faults one to another is by divine prescription...." Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." - it provides the body of Christ to pray for one anothers specifics needs.
"he's not ashamed of what he did! he's only ashemed that he got caught".................................
you have become judge and jury in one fell swoop !

he should be ashamed of what he has done - that is not just a Christian characteristic it is a human one as well. God calls mankind to repentance and hopefully this pastor will repent and move on with his spiritual life. i hope those in his flock will hold him accountable and continue to support him as he moves ahead.

There is the idea of double accountability for the priests in the OT, and pastors in the New. This is because of their key postion in securing the spiritual well being of their flocks. Their sins have ripple effects throughout the entire congregation, perhaps even causing some to fall into the entrapments of sin once again.

Jesus had some very serious things to say to the scribes and Pharisees of his day, amply illustrating this principle. ALL Christians can return to fellowship and Communion AFTER repentance and restoration; but a pastor, once shown to have a serious, addictive sin issue, should not be allowed to be in a positon of congregational leadership again; but could serve in other capacities. Otherwise, the office is weakened and its effectiveness, as example and inspiration, undermined. A good example of this is the predatory Catholic priests, who should NEVER have have been alowed to lead a congregation again. The consequences again illustrate the principle.

Those who fall into serious sin should be called to repent, and then be loved and nurtured back to faithfulness and fellowship, but should never again be allowed to cause their charges to fall and wander from the Faith. God takes spiritual leadership and authority VERY serious. Jimmy Swaggart, for another example, should never have been allowed to pastor again, as witnessed by his second fall.

Just having gushy feelings for those in leadership who fall into grievous sin runs counter to God's revealed wisdom. When it comes to the well being of the faithful, tough love and objective wisdom MUST trump maudlin sympathy for the offender. Forgiveness and restoration to fellowship, yes; foolishly setting up the offender and aonther vuonerable flock for another painful scenario, NO!!!