Thursday, February 23, 2012

Do standards matter?

Pastor James Davis stands accused of raping a child. Yet when we look at his past, it is clear that he should never have stood in the pulpit of a church.

  • 1999 - Manufacture, delivery or possession of a controlled substance
  • 2000 - Parole violation
  • 2001 - Manufacture, delivery or possession of a controlled substance

He was released from prison June of 2008, and then became a pastor of a Baptist. The truth is, he was a criminal with no education or formal training, yet he became a pastor. How does this happen? Do one simply hang out a shingle, call oneself a church, and then people will start dropping money in the collection plate? It’s insanity (and a scam). With a criminal record, a real job would be difficult for Davis to secure, but a church… it’s easy. Why? Because they have no (or low) standards.

I bet Davis is a beer goggle pastor – you know, a small desperate church looks past his fitness to lead because it’s last call. It’s a criminal pastor or nothing. Or worse, It’s a criminal pastor or you head down the road to Evening Star Baptist Church and try to adapt to a new and different culture.

We do we give special privilege to churches if there are no standards to judge them by?  Why do we grant special privileges to pastors when there are not held accountable to a standard? Let’s end the tax exemption for pastors.

Let’s put this in perspective. A man of low moral character is allowed to lead a church where he allegedly raped and impregnated a young girl. Members of Morning Star Baptist church is Cotton Plant, Arkansas, you are just as responsible as James Davis. You should have done your job and kept this man out of your church and away from your children. It’s your fault damn you. Don’t you see that?

Clergy Sexual Abuse, Rape, Baptists