Paul blogs at Paul Thompson Blog and is pastor of Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls, Idaho.
For more than a week the conversation of the local community is about some refugee children who have been charged with sexual assault. At this point, it is an open investigation and we must trust the law enforcement and prosecution process to do its duty.
In the mean time; there are many things lost in the conversation.
- the depravity of humanity is active in the corrupt heart of all citizens. This is not a condition that is owned exclusively by men or women. Obviously it’s not something that U.S. Citizens are immune to.
- any sexual assault acted out on a child is of serious weight in any community. This happens more in our neighborhoods than most know about and is not a new problem just because of the refugee center. Listen, you don’t even have to be an active church goer to be sickened by the sexual perversion.
- this is first a sin issue – first and before it being a psychological issue, long before this being a refugee issue, or an Islam issue, this is a sin issue.
- It’s even possible that your sons and daughters are exposed to sexually deviant behavior this summer at any given church camp.
Church, where are you in the conversation? Parents, Hopefully you’re not lost in the weeds of this being the kind of thing that other people’s children do.
Sin did not come to the city gates because of refugees. Press the law enforcement to do her duty, expect the city council to not be naive, but hold your church accountable to preach the word and your pastor to be the pillar and buttress of truth.
Sexual deviancy will not flee because you’ve signed a petition to shut a federally funded agency down (and I support the shutting down of federally funded agencies that don’t allow the citizens the privilege of accountability.) Sexual assault isn’t snuffed out because law enforcement and judicial prosecution exist (and I’m in favor of both.) But do not expect any change in the heart condition of humanity without the faithful proclamation of the gospel by biblically faithful preachers in God glorifying churches filled with forgiven sinners seeking the face of God.
Preacher, to your pulpit! Church, to your duty! Christian, be an ambassador of Christ’s reconciliation. All men, everywhere, repent!
That’s a very tough and disturbing case. Painful.
I appreciate this article and agree with you. I would just not that while the facts may play out as reported, and this is truly a sin issue all ethnicities and religions commit, we are seeing a trend worldwide. This trend is particularly prevalent within Islamic migrant communities at a per capita rate that seems to exceed what is normally witnessed in the general population. I would be curious to see some statistics that have been gathered from around the world which indicate the actual rate of these crimes and compare them to what appears to be an extraordinarily high rate reported in media sources.
Again, we do see this sin in all ethnicities and religions. But, it seems that people are concerned because they are witnessing a disproportionately high rate in areas with large numbers of migrants. I think it would be fair to be concerned if in fact the statistics validate their concerns. I am just speculating, but perhaps they may also be concerned that the DOJ is forcing this into communities that do not have the police staffing to meet the potential needs that may come with an over-night population increase. I have seen news reports that many communities are unaware of the immigrants being brought in until the last minute and that in some instances, inquiring state governments are not being apprised as to where these groups are sent. The Federal Government has shown itself untrustworthy in vetting some who enter as we can see magnified in the case of the Orlando Shooter. If the Feds have admitted the system in place is inadequate, it would be no surprise that some will have concerns about our current policies.
The European countries that have taken in the largest rates of immigrants have seen large increases in general crime. Sexual crimes are being reported, at least it seems through the media, at a very high rate never before seen in some of these areas. I am inclined to believe the media has been mostly favorable to these immigration policies. I have no reason to believe they are reporting these stories to stir trouble for immigrants.
I am just throwing this out there because I wonder how these issues can be overcome while still welcoming in foreigners, protecting the citizens and living in understanding that there are multiple views on how to handle the situation and only a few are wrong. It seems appeasement for all is impossible.