I have hesitated to write this for some time, and may later regret having written it now. But as I was reading a document, an interview of the catholic chaplain who was the last member of the church to talk with the two men who dropped the atomic bombs on Japan, and in it I read a quote that brought this up again. First, here is the quote:
“Silence in such matters… is a matter of approval”
-Fr. George Zabelka in A Military Chaplain Repents
This is an incredible article, where this former military chaplain repents of his participation in the bombings of Japan. It is a 6-page article, but reads so quickly, that I ask that you go read that article. It will add to what I am saying here.
I am going to get very ‘personal’ and real for a while, which is always dangerous. It is easier and safer to talk about ideals and concepts, but I want to relate personal experiences and then hopefully bring it back to ‘corporate’.
I have been told directly and indirectly over the ‘2 years of hell’ by a few, although outspoken and loud, people during this time ‘What is the big deal? You are exaggerating, those sort of things arent happening, and could never happen!” Even when these people were brought face-to-face with these wrongs, they were shocked again that I could suggest such a thing, realized the evidence, couldnt believe it was true, but then smuggly quieted themselves down with “Yeah, I guess I could see that…” as if it was no big deal.
Now if you are not familiar with my situation over the last couple of years, the previous paragraph may be hard to understand. Those statements were actual conversation I had with real people. I would like to draw up a couple of fake scenarios for a moment. It seems that we can sometimes recognize truth when it is a little removed from our own situation, similar to Nathan and David and Bathsheba.
Picture a family with children, maybe you or someone you know. And this family has a friend, a close friend, who loves on the children, who is so friendly and giving, always bringing kind words, gifts to each member of the family. Truly, having him visit was a little like Santa arriving, but with much more frequency. But there is one other thing, before he leaves each time, he walks into the back room where the middle child is playing, and slaps the middle child as hard as he can, leaving both a mark on the face of the child, as well as knocking the kid over. The santa figure then resumes his smiles and kind language, hugging everyone good-bye.
Ok, ok, that is absurd right? How long could a parent watch this and let it happen? How about the other siblings? What about the person that gave ’santa’ his ride to visit? How long would they continue as if the slapping was no big deal. I mean, he brings gifts to everyone, says such nice things, he could never do anything wrong. And can you imagine the brothers and sisters actually seeing the slapping and tell the one who was slapped ‘Whats the big deal? He is so nice, and he even brought you a gift!’ And can you imagine the father sitting the child down and telling him ‘You just need to learn to forgive.’ Absurd!
Ok, let me make it real again. If a pastor is having an affair, I would assume that he would be confronted and more than likely removed from his office, at least for a time. Whatever they may do, I can not imagine any of his leadership just shrugging their shoulders and continuing on as if nothing happened. There must be some recognition of guilt, some repentance, some change in action, or I would think that he could no longer pastor. Am I off here?
But what if a pastor promotes an affair? What if a pastor sponsors an affair, inviting both of the people in the affair over for a party, shooting off fireworks, just cookin up a good ole time? What if he makes time for them to be alone, spend the night together in the same building, in the same room? Is he not just as guilty, in need of confrontation as well? If that pastor hasnt gone through any repentance or reconciliation, and even worse, if he justifies what he has done, wont he promote more of the same. How can he counsel others who are struggling in marriage?
Have you seen the movie ‘Changeling’ with Angelina Jolie? If not, here is a sum up: provocative thriller based on actual events. In the film, Christine Collins’ (Jolie) prayers are met when her kidnapped son is returned. But amidst the frenzy of the photo-op reunion, she realizes this child is not hers. Facing corrupt police and a skeptical public, she desperately hunts for answers.
In this film, all the people around her keep telling her to be quiet, quit making such a scene, and even ‘You are crazy!’ because she just wont let the issue lie. She refuses to accept lies as truth, however convenient they may be. One of the things I so like so much in this movie was that it was the church who stepped up and became a voice for her, and would not let her cause die. Not to spoil it too much for you, but because the church was willing to stand with someone who was discarded, quieted and called crazy, things changed. Justice rolled down, and it affected many things and many people.
A few scriptures come to mind:
they lead my people astray, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace – Eze. 13:10
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute -Prov 31:8
Is not this the kind of fasting (worship) I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke? -Isa 58:6
So to wrap up:
1) The title of this entry is Silence =Guilty? So I ask you to reflect, where have we, where have I been complicit in sin by my silence at least and my sponsoring, arranging, planning of it at worse? When we look at our personal sin in light of corporate sin, I think things can finally start to change. Reread Prov 31:1-9. I know I have never read much of this chapter since this is usually called the ‘Godly Woman’ chapter, but I think this should be the manifesto for our youth groups today, geez or even our churches!
2) When the church stops being silent, and starts being who she was supposed to be, speaking up for those with no voice, and not whitewashing (Ezekiel again) the sin around us,when we are no longer the propagator of the sins of which we have only accused the world off, but see where we have transgressed, both by our silence and by our actions, we will no longer be hypocrites, the play actors. Then I believe there will be persecution, but the world will come in droves in spite of persecution, because they finally will have seen something authentic, something real, and hopefully, see God.
i think you’re saying things that need to be said- in a sense, calling it out. if the overall conviction is silence=guilty? then how could you possibly remain silent, even when you have been told to “shut the hell up, fool.” you’ve said so yourself in another post that the Church must speak of the foolish things even when nobody wants to hear it because the Church must remain continuously governed by truth. if we expect this from the Church, we must expect it from ourselves. i seem to remember something else you once said.
Christians are those crazy people that tell the truth about themselves.