APOLOGIES AND PIGEON POOP

Heard on Fakelook when asked why the Church never apologizes:  

makes sense that they would never apologize... Have you noticed that after celebrities apologize for something they said that offended someone else then they just get thrown under the bus and it just turns ugly... it really doesn't help the situation but is only fodder for those who will be offended no matter what.

I love what one celebrity said (can't recall who) but when asked why she would not apologize for something she publicly said that offended some folks, she said her mom (or grandma?) taught her that when you hang your white sheets out on the line and a bird poops on them... you don't try and wipe it clean (as it will make a horrible mess) you just let it be and when it drys then you just flick it off. ....Best advice I've ever heard. 

I have found that to be the case when surrounded by sharks who are there to "dig a pit" for their neighbor.  In the case of us being the neighbor, the Church has deep pockets and there are those who will attempt to take advantage of it.

In fact, my oldest texted her Mom and I about an article that the Church is going to be forced to pay out over sexual abuse by members of clergy (I think this was independent of anything to do with the Boy Scouts).  She asked if Mom was going to take advantage of the cashola.  First and foremost, I probably would never take consecrated money.  Period.

The only case I would bend that rule is if my wife were truly messed up from the sexual abuse at the hands of her abuser (her step-dad was struggling with alcoholism and sexual addiction to some degree or another as he grudgingly served as a Branch President in the middle of nowhere Colorado back in the 70's and had actually pleaded to be released when all of this was going on - but he was the best or only option at the time) and we were in indigent circumstances so to not be able to afford counseling and treatment, I might be tempted to take up on that offer.

However, we are not in those circumstances - so it probably would never happen.

Secondly, the abuse did not happen while the "clergy" was on the clock in an official capacity - so this kind of is a simple case of a guy who was struggling mentally/emotionally himself, acted out on an innocent kid as her step-dad.  

Lastly, he has profusely apologized to her (in spite of the fact that there is no statute of limitations on rape in the state of Colorado - yes, I have looked that detail up when I was exceptionally pissed off a decade or two ago) and he has sincerely apologized to me when I confronted him about it, so I have no ought against him.  It strictly is between him and the Lord now.  My wife has no complaints against him.  We both get that we have likely caused irreparable harm to many of God's children by our actions (both intentionally and unintentionally), therefore in order to receive forgiveness for our wretchedness, we have to allow the same of others with grace and without reservation.  It simply is that way.  If he had set a goal to destroy or tear my wife's life apart with intent, I still might harbor some resentment and definitely some continued mistrust - no matter the level of bowing and scraping for forgiveness.  To me, raw evil takes a lot to expunge - not just a glossed-over reno of the spirit....

Anyway, what was done was mostly out of weakness - twisted weakness, don't get me wrong - but it was not done viciously or with intent.

So yeah - apologies are rare because people are literally lining the sidelines looking for malfeasance.  Every Conference address is pored over by countless people who, instead of looking for the good in the message - are looking for a way to trap someone in their words.  From the rainbow agenda peeps to the DoC crowd.  Even those wascally anti-vaxxers were looking to see if the message was going to change - and it did.  No apologies for the previous drum beating.  Just pigeon poop on the white sheets - and it has dried and soon will be flicked off....