Josh Duggar And The Message Of Forgiveness

[chikenwing]

It seems to me that Josh "diddle my sisters" Duggar gets a bit of a free pass from the other Christian club members simply because of his club affiliation.

That club membership sometimes is effective in swaying various parole boards.

Former Charles Manson follower gets parole Fox News

"He became a born-again Christian in prison, earned a master's degree and a doctorate in philosophy of religion and ministered to other inmates."

Had Josh been a Moslem or a Jew or if Bruce Davis had converted to Islam, I suspect the Christians in this thread would be much less forgiving of their crimes.

Some of you might recall the 'Christian' movement to spare axe murderer Carla Faye Tucker from the death penalty because she supposedly became a devout Christian while on death row.

Ya so whats your point?

 

[NYcarbineer]

This is what fundie Christian theocracy would look like. 'Christian' child molesters getting a pass.

Don't you usually have to not be a child to be a child molester? Not saying his actions were right, but how is it accurate when you completely ignore.that he was a child himself when he did this?

Why should someone who makes a mistake have no hope? Should someone's past mistakes prevent them from moving on with life? Or should we forever condemn them?

Jesus Christ was born to give us hope. He lived and died so we could have a way to overcome the past mistakes that hold us back. He sacrificed Himself to free us from our addictions, our mistakes, and our corrupt nature.

Not one of us alive is free from mistakes. All of us need to repent and be born again. So why shouldn't we forgive someone who repented of their sins?

Don't you realize the whole point of helping people recognize their sins is to help them obtain forgiveness?

He made a mistake. But he and his family did the right thing and took responsibility for what happened. And they did that years ago.

At what point do we stop letting the past stigmatized his future?

Ever hear of penance? Do you know why prisons are called penitentiaries?

You mean the counseling and treatment he received years ago,that penance?

When you all sign on to substituting 'counseling and treatment' for incarceration for all child molesters then your position will rise above the ridiculous.

 

[NYcarbineer]

It seems to me that Josh "diddle my sisters" Duggar gets a bit of a free pass from the other Christian club members simply because of his club affiliation.

That club membership sometimes is effective in swaying various parole boards.

Former Charles Manson follower gets parole Fox News

"He became a born-again Christian in prison, earned a master's degree and a doctorate in philosophy of religion and ministered to other inmates."

Had Josh been a Moslem or a Jew or if Bruce Davis had converted to Islam, I suspect the Christians in this thread would be much less forgiving of their crimes.

Some of you might recall the 'Christian' movement to spare axe murderer Carla Faye Tucker from the death penalty because she supposedly became a devout Christian while on death row.

Ya so whats your point?

A certain contingent of Christians want their own set of laws.

We have a set of laws. It's called the Constitution.

 

[guno]

Thankfully the United States doesn't go by christer laws

 

[Stephanie]

For the left/libs "forgiveness" is only for those WHO they deem should get it

and that means. everyone who is a Democrat. No matter they are: an adulterer, a drowner of women, a Former KKK member, a homosexual who ran a underage brothel out of his home. AND their sick judgment of all Mankind goes on and on

oh did I mention. Anyone who is Conservative/Republican gets NO FORGIVINESS from them. they think they should automatically be sent to hell

that's a two faced hypocrite

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Since so many threads have been created about this issue, I thought I'd create a new one with a new perspective.

Of the many aspects of this scandal that have been debated, very few have touched on the fact that Josh Duggar knew what he did was wrong, repented of it, and asked forgiveness. He then walked free from his sins. It seems the gospel of Christ has been presented so often that we become jaded to it, but this serves as an opportunity to emphasize that what Josh Duggar did is available to anyone.....just for the asking.

Why is this in the politics section and not the religion section? Because those who with the greatest passion heap scorn and ridicule on Josh Duggar need to hear this message, that the Bible tells us clearly that all have sinned, every person incurring a dept that he or she cannot possibly repay. While we pat ourselves on the back because "at least" we didn't molest several underage girls when we were teenagers, it can easily be lost on us the sobering reality that EVERY SIN IS EQUAL IN ITS CAPACITY TO SEPARATE US ETERNALLY FROM THE LOVE OF GOD.

And though it might not seem fair for somebody else to pay in our stead the debt we amassed and by all rights should be made to pay for by ourselves, Jesus Christ offered up his life in atonement for the sins of humanity.

Yes, amazingly, HE LOVED US THAT MUCH!

Josh Duggar has experienced this incredible and free gift. So have I. And it's something that cannot be bought, earned, or worked for, it can only be received by asking. And those on this board so quick to condemn ought to consider that they themselves are guilty of sin, but also that they themselves can receive complete absolution for all their sins, just as so many have, by opening their heart to the mercy of God in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Just imagine how incredible it feels to have every terrible thing you ever did completely wiped clean, so that with unsullied hearts and minds, we can freely and without shame approach the glorious throne of God and look forward to the day we spend eternity with the joy of his friendship. Although I'm very rancorous on this forum in political debates, this is a time for me to be sincere and urge you with all my heart to give your lives to Christ and become a New Creation.

It's yours for the asking.

I want to apologize to you for making comments / posts that I was not led by the LORD to make. There is no excuse for this and I apologize to you. I want to confess my sins to you and let you know what the LORD has been speaking to me about lately. First, there was a time when I also was involved in political discussions online and I would be very rude and even write curse words to emphasize my anger. The LORD convicted me of this and I repented and stopped doing that. Then after that was settled - I still would get involved from time to time in certain political discussions and I knew my heart wasn't right and I was drawing others into a disagreement - causing anger in their hearts - which I had no business doing. I justified myself in this by saying, but I'm right and besides....I'm not writing any curse word.

Then I started thinking about how that looked when I am writing about the LORD on the religion forum and realized this is not acceptable. I am not representing Jesus the right way. Then the LORD led me to a video which I posted here by John Mulinde and once again the LORD began to deal with me and He let me I was in as big of trouble as John Mulinde was in when the LORD dealt with Him.

So the other day I picked up this little plaster cross a Sunday school student gave me years ago and it says on it, The pure in heart shall see God. It was like Jesus shined His light - his Word onto my heart and said, Your heart is not pure. You won't see God in the state you are in.

Then I went to my desk and there was a vase that had some roses in it before - but were taken out and the water in the vase was very dirty. The LORD said to me, Can you drink that? I said no! That water is dirty, LORD! The LORD spoke to my heart, neither can the people drink from the living waters in you because you've polluted them. Your heart is full of sin! Your heart is filthy!

I began to think about all the times I have had a wrong thought come to my mind and instead of rejecting it - I would entertain that thought! Every kind of thought! Lust, anger, judging others, resentment, un-forgiveness, impatience, imaginations, pride, many sins in my heart. The LORD let me know this is what polluted fountains are - they spring forth from a heart that has not been fully surrendered to Him. You say, Lord, Lord but then you think about whatever you want to think about and do not consider that I am the LORD and I see your heart. I look upon the heart - not the outward man -not the outward appearance. I am looking at your heart and I see everything.

Unless you are willing to give me all of your mind and reject all thoughts that are displeasing to me - you cannot be my servant. If you do not have a pure heart - you won't see me when you leave this earth. You will be one like those I warned you about - that say, Lord, Lord, did we not do this in your name, and that in your name? When you allow sin to continue in your heart - you are living in un-repented sin. You are a worker of iniquity. It isn't one sin but a life of sin - lived out because of an un-surrendered heart, mind and will. He showed me that I cared more about what others thought of me than He did! How wicked is that?

There wasn't a thing John Mulinde confessed to that I could claim I was not guilty of and suddenly I realized my state. I said to myself, If I died I would not make it to heaven. I do not want to miss seeing Jesus. I want Him to take full control of all of my life and have His thoughts, His desires, His life flowing through me. Not my own human efforts which are sure to produce nothing more than irritation in others.

The other day I was very tired and took a nap and I had a dream. I dreamed of a young boy who was in a mall - perhaps in Ferguson, Missouri - I do not know - but he was running with the wrong crowd in a mall and he was getting himself into trouble. In my dream, I was able to speak to him alone and he seemed to be about 12 - 14 yrs. old and I cannot recall what I said to him but it was the LORD who gave me the words and he broke down and cried and told me his mother didn't care about him. She didn't spend time with him. She had no time for him. I could feel this boys pain and I woke up feeling an overwhelming love and compassion for that young boy. I felt great compassion for him and I knew that was the LORD's compassion and it made all the difference. It was what opened the floodgates for that boy to weep and pour out his heart. There are many hurting people in the world and we will never reach them unless we first surrender our hearts, our minds, our entire being fully to Jesus. I want to be fully surrendered to Jesus. I want to have a pure heart and live in His love and pour it out to others all the days of my life. That is the desire of my heart.

Jeremiah,

Thank you so much for sharing this and I hope you too can forgive me for the crass way I responded to you. This thread is about forgiveness and I can't think of any greater gift to give and receive.

I'm also guilty of getting caught up in the heat of political discussions and allow myself to forget that these are the people Christ died for. I then wonder how I can know such tremendous love and be so loveless to others. I look over my posts and I'm often glad my wife doesn't frequent these forums to see the awful things I say to others. Or how would my kids react if they saw me treating others with such contempt after telling them to treat people kindly?

I do contend mightily for the truth, and without apology, but I tend to use that as an excuse for bad behavior that does not honor God or the Church.

So this is what the Lord is working on in me. If there is anyone here who can be won for Christ, I want to be used to help that happen. I will be taking a hard look at whether or not my posts achieve that.

Pax Christi

If we are to be followers of Christ we must follow Him. Otherwise we cannot be called His Disciple and when we see Him He will not receive us as His own.

While it is good to be concerned about what our loved ones think we must be more concerned over what Jesus Christ thinks because He is watching and He sees everything we do, everything we say, everything we think. We have to give an account for every idle word we speak, write or think upon in our hearts.

Jesus Christ is the LORD and He is the King of the Kingdom of Heaven. Heaven is His Kingdom. He is the one who will decide who enters into His Kingdom. No man can do this. Only Jesus Christ.

This is what I have realized concerning my own relationship to Jesus Christ. That I am not my own. I have been bought with a price. I am not at liberty to go wherever I feel like going, say whatever I feel like saying, do whatever I feel like doing, I must wait upon the LORD to know what He would have me to do. I am called to be His servant. Not my own. (1 Peter 1:17-19, 1 Corinthians 6:20)

A servant only goes where the King commands. Only delivers the message the King has given. (Matt.22:1-14) The servant has no rights of his own. He has been "bought with a price"....... Imagine you are a King and you have a servant. You tell your servant go to this home and tell the owner I am inviting him to come and dine with me today. Your servant goes online and decides to spend the entire day talking about his work for you and how wonderful you are and never does what you sent him to do.

Later you meet the person you invited to dinner and he tells you he never got the invitation. This continues to happen again and again and you realize you have a disobedient servant.

He is not doing what you have commanded him to do. Then the reports come in that your servant is voicing his opinions about matters you did not appoint him to speak on. He is arguing with people you have been desiring to come into a friendship with and they are now truly put off with you because of the way your servant has represented you to them. They have been provoked to anger and have made up their minds to have nothing to do with you because of how your servant has treated them. He has harmed your reputation.

The day comes when you are going to reward your faithful servants and give them permanent residence in your Palace and appoint them to rule and reign with you over your kingdom. You have servants who have served you faithfully and only went where you told them to go, only said what you told them to say, servants who waited upon you day and night, and waited for your commands delighting to do your will.

You tell those servants who served you faithfully, well done good and faithful servant enter thou in to thy reward, I am making you a ruler over 10 cities. And you - over 5 cities, and you and you............ and then you come to the unfaithful servant who did not obey you, who misrepresented you, who worked against you in your plans to invite others to be your friend and although your heart aches for the destiny of this wicked servant you have no choice but to say to him - depart from me and my house. I never knew you.

Jesus said,

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:21

All have sinned, all have fallen short of the glory of God. There is only one thing to do. To fully surrender our hearts, our minds, our will, our very being to Jesus Christ and ask Him - what is His will for our lives and then obey Him. If we call Him LORD he must be LORD over our life. This is the only way to please God and it is the only way to enter into heaven. It is the narrow path He spoke of. And there is no other way.

 

[guno]

remember karla faye tucker and all those fundy weasels christer leaders crying that she shouldn't get the death penalty after butchering people because she found "jebus" in prison

Despicable people

 

[guno]

It seems to me that Josh "diddle my sisters" Duggar gets a bit of a free pass from the other Christian club members simply because of his club affiliation.

That club membership sometimes is effective in swaying various parole boards.

Former Charles Manson follower gets parole Fox News

"He became a born-again Christian in prison, earned a master's degree and a doctorate in philosophy of religion and ministered to other inmates."

Had Josh been a Moslem or a Jew or if Bruce Davis had converted to Islam, I suspect the Christians in this thread would be much less forgiving of their crimes.

Some of you might recall the 'Christian' movement to spare axe murderer Carla Faye Tucker from the death penalty because she supposedly became a devout Christian while on death row.

I just posted the same sorry I didn't see your post

 

[NYcarbineer]

It seems to me that Josh "diddle my sisters" Duggar gets a bit of a free pass from the other Christian club members simply because of his club affiliation.

That club membership sometimes is effective in swaying various parole boards.

Former Charles Manson follower gets parole Fox News

"He became a born-again Christian in prison, earned a master's degree and a doctorate in philosophy of religion and ministered to other inmates."

Had Josh been a Moslem or a Jew or if Bruce Davis had converted to Islam, I suspect the Christians in this thread would be much less forgiving of their crimes.

Some of you might recall the 'Christian' movement to spare axe murderer Carla Faye Tucker from the death penalty because she supposedly became a devout Christian while on death row.

I just posted the same sorry I didn't see your post

One of her most prominent supporters was Pat Robertson, who, recall, also ran for president. He gave us a chilling preview of what electing a Christian extremist president in this country would bring about.

 

[guno]

Imagine this....

A man plans to buy his daughter a life-saving operation. So he goes to the bank and withdraw the necessary $10,000 in cash. But then a man steals his wallet and runs away. The mans daughter can't have her operation and so she dies.

After spending the money on drink, drugs and prostitutes, the thief feels remorse. His Christian upbringing tells him he should beg Christ for forgiveness. So he begs Christ for forgiveness. in his "mind" his jesus forgives him and his victims daughter is dead, should society say he just made a mistake and his jesus forgave him so lets move on.. Crimes on credit

 

[saintmichaeldefendthem]

It seems to me that Josh "diddle my sisters" Duggar gets a bit of a free pass from the other Christian club members simply because of his club affiliation.

That club membership sometimes is effective in swaying various parole boards.

Former Charles Manson follower gets parole Fox News

"He became a born-again Christian in prison, earned a master's degree and a doctorate in philosophy of religion and ministered to other inmates."

Had Josh been a Moslem or a Jew or if Bruce Davis had converted to Islam, I suspect the Christians in this thread would be much less forgiving of their crimes.

Some of you might recall the 'Christian' movement to spare axe murderer Carla Faye Tucker from the death penalty because she supposedly became a devout Christian while on death row.

And a Christian governor refused to stay the execution. What's your point, that Christians have disagreements?

 

[saintmichaeldefendthem]

It seems to me that Josh "diddle my sisters" Duggar gets a bit of a free pass from the other Christian club members simply because of his club affiliation.

That club membership sometimes is effective in swaying various parole boards.

Former Charles Manson follower gets parole Fox News

"He became a born-again Christian in prison, earned a master's degree and a doctorate in philosophy of religion and ministered to other inmates."

Had Josh been a Moslem or a Jew or if Bruce Davis had converted to Islam, I suspect the Christians in this thread would be much less forgiving of their crimes.

Some of you might recall the 'Christian' movement to spare axe murderer Carla Faye Tucker from the death penalty because she supposedly became a devout Christian while on death row.

I just posted the same sorry I didn't see your post

One of her most prominent supporters was Pat Robertson, who, recall, also ran for president. He gave us a chilling preview of what electing a Christian extremist president in this country would bring about.

As we speak, we're already seeing what happens when an extremist is in the White House.

 

[Papageorgio]

This is what fundie Christian theocracy would look like. 'Christian' child molesters getting a pass.

Not seeing where they are giving him a pass, show me where.

 

[saintmichaeldefendthem]

Of the many aspects of this scandal that have been debated, very few have touched on the fact that Josh Duggar knew what he did was wrong, repented of it, and asked forgiveness. He then walked free from his sins. It seems the gospel of Christ has been presented so often that we become jaded to it, but this serves as an opportunity to emphasize that what Josh Duggar did is available to anyone.....just for the asking.

This is pretty much why I think Christianity is all sorts of fucked up. This video captured the stupidity perfectly.



Jesus isn't responsible for what Josh Duggar did. Josh Duggar is.

To put it another way. Ann Frank burns in hell for all eternity for not accepting Jesus.

Jeffrey Dahmner killed and ate 17 people, but he accepted Jesus in his heart, and he gets to go to heaven because he accepted Jesus' sacrifice and grace.

Joe, I like your post because you get right down to the scandal of forgiveness, that it dismisses from all further pursuance some very terrible sins. Many books have been written positing an argument between the personifications of Mercy and Justice. Justice without mercy is heartless and offers no venue for redemption and mercy without justice ignores the victims of crimes inflicted by evil people.

In Jesus Christ, both mercy and justice merged, the sins of mankind which demanded reciprocity were taken by Christ, nailed to the cross so that remission of sins may be offered to all who seek it. This is the gospel and it is indeed good news.

 

[TrinityPower]

I see those opposed to what the family did for the child not enough, what exactly should have happened that was more than what they did? I see many shooting down what was decided by his family but I see no other suggestions as to what they should have done instead. I think the family did over and above what most families would have done had it been their child

 

[Foxfyre]

I see those opposed to what the family did for the child not enough, what exactly should have happened that was more than what they did? I see many shooting down what was decided by his family but I see no other suggestions as to what they should have done instead. I think the family did over and above what most families would have done had it been their child

And again, nobody here has argued that anybody not be subject to the consequences justified by his/her misbehavior or 'sin'. A change of heart, true repentence, does not absolve us from responsibility to make amends or accept the consequences of our actions.

What is being argued here, I believe, is not an argument to forgive the sin or dismiss the requirement to make right what is possible to make right. But unless we are perfect, and nobody is, we cannot expect forgiveness of our own imperfections and wrong doings if we make ourselves judge and jury of what is in another's heart and mind.

 

[Vandalshandle]

Imagine this....

A man plans to buy his daughter a life-saving operation. So he goes to the bank and withdraw the necessary $10,000 in cash. But then a man steals his wallet and runs away. The mans daughter can't have her operation and so she dies.

After spending the money on drink, drugs and prostitutes, the thief feels remorse. His Christian upbringing tells him he should beg Christ for forgiveness. So he begs Christ for forgiveness. in his "mind" his jesus forgives him and his victims daughter is dead, should society say he just made a mistake and his jesus forgave him so lets move on.. Crimes on credit

As near as I can tell, guno, your hypothetical man should be given his own show on CBN, and a McGraw-Hill book contract. He should then be held up to the world as a living miracle. Then he should be given the Elmer Gantry award, when he begins to raid brothels and bars. He should be invited to appear on TV with Glenn Beck, where they can have a good cry, together. Finally, he would be elected to congress for opposing Obamacare, which, for some reason that nobody quite understands, is the real cause of the little girl's death.

 

[ClosedCaption]

Molesters love to hide behind JEE-HAY-SUS

 

[NYcarbineer]

For the left/libs "forgiveness" is only for those WHO they deem should get it

and that means. everyone who is a Democrat. No matter they are: an adulterer, a drowner of women, a Former KKK member, a homosexual who ran a underage brothel out of his home. AND their sick judgment of all Mankind goes on and on

oh did I mention. Anyone who is Conservative/Republican gets NO FORGIVINESS from them. they think they should automatically be sent to hell

that's a two faced hypocrite

If Josh Duggar owned up and paid his debt to society and served his time, I'd let him vote. Conservatives wouldn't.

 

[NYcarbineer]

I see those opposed to what the family did for the child not enough, what exactly should have happened that was more than what they did? I see many shooting down what was decided by his family but I see no other suggestions as to what they should have done instead. I think the family did over and above what most families would have done had it been their child

He molested a ten year old when he was 15. That appears to be 2nd degree sexual assault in Arkansas.

I'm guessing that if it were your 10 year old and the 15 year old kid from next door you'd want more than a few prayers and fatherly advice for the perpetrator.