JTO Commentary
To all Orthodox Parishioners:
Had ROCOR exhibited righteousness and, frankly, common-sense decency years ago, the current destruction of a church and so many families would not be happening before your eyes. Do you not see that ROCOR is also responsible before God for the soul of Father Matthew Williams, that they allowed him to fall to his destruction?
All Christians are fully justified to speak privately and publicly regarding ROCOR's actions both historically and currently. Do not let errant men, be they Bishop or King, step on your neck. Although Orthodox culture may frown on it, the scripture allows for the people to bring accusations against an Elder/Bishop:
1 Timothy 5:19-20 Do not accept an accusation against an elder EXCEPT on the basis of two or three witnesses. Those who persist in sin, reprove IN FRONT OF EVERYONE, so that the rest will also be afraid of the consequences.
Firstly, find and use the in-house ROCOR method of contact and appeal. Use it. Go above your Metropolitan if needs be. ROCOR can dismiss JTO as inconsequential, however, if numerous Orthodox voices are raised and persistently, ROCOR may be compelled toward a righteous response.
Hear the words of YOUR Lord:
The Parable of the Persistent WidowThen Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Secondly, if ROCOR will not give justice, shout your complaint from the rooftops to ALL who will hear. Warn others to flee. For surely, the walls they have erected will crumble and all within will be overrun. "Let their days be few and another take their office."
You may be delighted and joyful to find that there is life in Christ and a future and a hope outside the fortress in which you dwell.
Nathan Lee Lewis
JTO Editor
All parties involved that didn’t report this suspected abuse IMMEDIATELY upon hearing it is criminally liable at this point.
ReplyDeleteBingo! What Anonymous @8:53 said. Enough is enough.
ReplyDeleteIf you are Orthodox, do something about it. Confront your Bishops, start a petition, hire an investigator or an attorney, tell the FBI, organize a protest outside the Metropolitan's headquarters, unless they have you brainwashed into thinking that to do so is a mortal sin. They have a way of waiting these things out in silence. Waiting for the fire to die down. Don't let it.
ReplyDelete“If you are Orthodox”
ReplyDeleteBrother, you don’t even accept the Trinity.
Yes, calling on those who are Orthodox to stand against Sexual Abuse in their church... and thank you for calling me "Brother."
ReplyDeletehttps://journeytoorthodoxy.blogspot.com/2025/01/where-is-trinity-in-bible.html
ReplyDeleteSorry, this is just wrong on many levels. I will not participate in public bashing of our Metropolitan, it is just not in my DNA to do that.
ReplyDeleteAnon @ 12:09 am : Have you asked yourself what is in your Metropolitan's DNA that allowed a sexual predator to run rampant in his flock? What was in his DNA to know of the allegations of FMW's sexual abuse, rape, and molestation, as early as 2019, and fail to follow ROCOR's own PUBLIC Sexual Abuse Policy? Had your Metropolitan's DNA been pure, he would have removed FMW six years ago perhaps preventing the sexual abuse of his own children. They have DNA also and are forever marred by your Metropolitan's lack of a pastoral heart. So, what is in your DNA? Do you just have it in you to deem public exposing of a sinful shepherd, "bashing?" Since your DNA won't allow you to stand up for the weak, helpless and abused but rather defend the wolf in sheep's clothing, comments such as yours here just expose your own perverse heart.
DeleteI never said I have not and will not continue to voice my concerns to our Metropolitan. It is just your method and Tactics that I will not support.
DeleteAnon. You didn't answer the questions. Nevertheless, are you aware of how many have "voiced their concerns" directly through private communication and documentation? Numerous priests and bishops have brushed off such communications and, like you, seem to have a propensity to attack and vilify the tactics and methods rather than deal with the real issue of Sexual Predators in their midst. I wonder if you have read the articles that list the many players who have vilified the mother of the raped 15-year-old girl. Over six years JTO has been communicating to the Metropolitan as did the mother of the rape victim many years before that. So, no. You do not get to enter late to this discourse and malign the open exposing of these priests and Bishops who are failing the body of Christ. The day of allowing them to give the silent treatment or the brush off to these very real issues is over. Please take the time to read all of the articles related to this issue. JTO and other public forums will continue to expose sin in the body of Christ until it is weeded out, sinful Metropolitans included. That should be in every Christian's DNA. You are certainly in the minority in advocating keeping all of this quiet and private. You are a good sheep. FMW raped his 15-year-old goddaughter, molested his own daughters, was improper with adult women in his church and your esteemed Metropolitan and others have known of his character and conduct for 10-plus years! Not only did they allow FMW to remain, but they awarded him for "long and faithful service." Please let JTO know when you deem it okay to call them out on their ungodly conduct. Did you see the movie Spotlight, about the Roman Catholic systemic sexual abuse case? Your attitude of squelching information is not new. You sincerely think you are supporting the church and its leaders (DNA) and honoring God, but unfortunately, you are an enabler.
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