Footage has reemerged on social media of Roman Catholic Archbishop Robert J. Carlson claiming he didn’t know that sexual abuse of a child constituted as a crime.
During a 2014 deposition attorney Jeff Anderson asked Carlson whether he knew it was illegal for an adult to engage in sex with a child.
“I’m not sure whether I knew it was a crime or not,” Carlson replied. “I understand today it’s a crime.”
Carlson then went on to claim he didn’t remember when he first discerned that it was against the law for an adult or a priest to have sex with a child.
“Do you have any doubt in your mind that you knew that in the 70’s?” Anderson questioned.
“I don’t remember if I did or didn’t,” Carson said.
The problem Bible-believers face is that many look at this evil, and assume that this represents Christianity. It’s almost as though people think Jesus himself bears some responsibility. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
When sexual abuse is carried out by people who profess to be Christians, one must remember that their actions are contrary, not consistent, with the teachings of the Bible. It is not that pedophilic priests are taking their Christianity too seriously, but that they are not taking it seriously at all.
Jesus warned us of false Christians in places of religious leadership and authority. In Matthew 7, Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?”
Obviously not. The fruit that’s produced, can identify the type of tree that produced it. In the instance of false prophets, or false religious leaders who claim to speak for God, we can recognize the true Christians from the false Christians by their fruits, or their actions and words.
In the instance of church leaders who abuse children or women, it is not Christianity that is at fault, but their false profession of Christianity.
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