God accepted the thief into Paradise
Submitted by Heather on May 06 1999 at 20:49:21
In reply to Change and Jesus Submitted by Ben on May 06 1999 at 20:21:43
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Let me quote from a letter I received today from a psychologist who was also a Lutheran pastor for many years: "In the face of the widespread demonization of pedophiles, the recognition that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God is a necessary beginning point." Keep that in mind. For you the problem you're having is fantasies that distract you from feelings you would rather have. For somebody else – I'm not naming any names :) – it would be spending too much time on the Internet. And somebody else might become so absorbed in his job that he neglected his family. While we should all strive for high goals, don't fall into the trap of thinking that the sins you have (whether connected with boylove or anything else) are worse than other people's. Your young friends' father is undoubtedly struggling with his own temptations, just as the pastor at his church undoubtedly is. (What do you want to bet that most of the unmarried men in your church are tempted to masturbate?) Keep in mind also that the Christian message is not, "I can battle my sins." It is "God will give me the strength I need to battle my sins." If you start thinking of it as your battle, rather than as the battle that you and God are joining together in, you will find yourself slipping away from God just as surely as if you gave in to the sins. So what I'm saying is, Relax. Put your trust in God, and if you slip – as we all do, every day – ask for forgiveness and then get on with your life. One of the pits of hell, according to Dante, is reserved for those who fall into self-despair. Heather |