Registered Sex Offender Running for Mayor

[His_Own]

He is arranging sex with a teen, and he knows it. He goes to her house, he knows why he is going. He asks for forgiveness. All sounds like guilt to me. No, we are not to judge the value of people, for that ultimately puts us as judge of the One who made them. We are each created in His image, He died for us; our worth, our value is beyond description. But it is imperative, in these times especially, that we use discernment to know right from wrong; to flee from evil. We should seriously question our relationships with those who have a history of running to evil rather than away from it, especially when we are considering placing them in positions where they might have authority over His Own.

I have known men who have been predators. They have been charming, charismatic, loving, leaders in their church, community and/or group; dear and loyal friends. One, in particular, was one of the most influential teachers in the community. He taught in the "at risk" school, had foster children, handled crisis unbelievably well, brought our Savior into public school classrooms in appropriate ways, amazingly gifted. Yet, the evidence was undeniable. In another instance, one of the children was my own; the predator was the closest of family friends.

Years ago, this sin was actually more prominent in the church than in the world. (It may be that the world has caught up by now.) Drinking, smoking, drugs, etc. are more likely to be found out, they are more likely to leave tell tale signs, smell, appearance, etc. This is a 'secret' sin, it is the victims that are more likely to show the signs, but most people dismiss them as rebellion or behavior disorders, and look no further. The predator has only to carefully manage his time and relationships with his victims, and he will rarely be discovered. In fact, the average predator has over 300 victims before he is found out; usually, when the children are no longer children, and he no longer is able to have control over them. It has become so ingrained in them by that time, that they are rarely rehabilitated. Of course, nothing is impossible for our Father.

I personally believe that the solution is not in the sex-offender list, but in learning to trust our Father. In the dear family friend instance, before I married, before I had children, I felt that I should break the friendship, felt the Father had given me scripture as guidance. I also believed in the safety of counsel. I went to my pastor for confirmation, and he told me I was reading too much into the scripture, that this man came from a well respected family in the community, that he had a good reputation,....... It took many years, but I eventually learned. The pastor was wrong, I had heard correctly from my Father, and my family and I paid dearly, beyond words, for the mistake of listening to man.

The basic problem is that we tend to rely on "the government" for our protection, rather than our Father, Who alone knows the truth of the situation. As a result of our dependence, we (as a society) have begun to demand that the government provide services that are only to be provided by our Father; a very dangerous trend. His body alone can reverse that trend, but will we?

[The Lorax]

If the guy wants to run, let him. It's not like a registered sex offender will even stand a chance at winning public office.

Kara Martos, a part-owner in the restaurant, said people can't lump all registered sex offenders together.

I agree here. A kid I know from high school was caught "mooning" (hanging his butt out in full view) in the rear window of his friends' car. Now he's a registered sex offender, as a result. What he did lacked taste and intelligence, to be sure, but it seems wrong to give him the same label as rapists and child molesters.

[His_Own]

Wilmer TX is a totally disfunctional city just south of Dallas. A few years ago, the state had to step in and take control of the school system because it was so corruptly inept. No one seems to care about the city

This guy could win the mayoral race with a dozen votes, imo.

It's not like a registered sex offender will even stand a chance at winning public office.

We once thought that no one who had committed adultery could win office, either.

[Guest yod]

We once thought that no one who had committed adultery could win office, either.

twice!

[Treasure]

It's not a question of his running for public office but of him being allowed to run for public office in the first place. It's very unfortunate that someone who was acting in poor taste (as I'm sure we all have in some way) has been labeled as a sex offender which I'm sure has done irreparable damage to his life. Laws are enforced by fallible man to fallible man. That doesn't change the fact that this man made a huge mistake and should not have the authority of public office.

[His_Own]

It's not a question of his running for public office but of him being allowed to run for public office in the first place. It's very unfortunate that someone who was acting in poor taste (as I'm sure we all have in some way) has been labeled as a sex offender which I'm sure has done irreparable damage to his life. Laws are enforced by fallible man to fallible man. That doesn't change the fact that this man made a huge mistake and should not have the authority of public office.

The 'typical' predator has 300 victims before he is caught. Is it possible this is a one time deal? Of course, anything is possible, but the odds are about 1 in 300 that this is his first time. He was on the net talking about immoral topics with a teenage girl, (that alone should be considered inappropriate), he made the arrangements, he went to the house with intention, he has asked for forgiveness.... all that we know points to his actual intention and guilt. He did not stand trial, why? It may well be that there is more that he did not want to have revealed, and this route was safer for him. Do we know this for a fact? No, but his own actions indicate this. I know it goes against our perceptions of what a 'pervert' or 'predator' is, but often they are the charming, intelligent ones, the ones we would trust most and suspect least. Those who are less socially and mentally adept are less likely to be given such privileged access to ones we hold so dear, they are less likely to be able to charm a teen into their confidence. Should he be running for office? Should we allow anyone who runs to evil and not away from it to be in authority over His bride?

Those in "the public eye" have unprecedented opportunity to participate in sexual sin. He is not guilty of mooning, or an inappropriate teenage romance decades ago. This was recently. This man's behavior is typical of a predator. As Christians, if we see someone on a destructive path, and we allow them to go to destruction with no warning, their blood is on our hands. An alcoholic should avoid going into bars, for it is a place of nearly certain destruction for them. One who is drawn to sexual sins should not be in public office, for it is a place of nearly certain destruction for them.

Proverbs 24:11

Edited April 5, 2008 by His_Own

[The Lorax]

It's not a question of his running for public office but of him being allowed to run for public office in the first place.

Sex offenders shouldn't be allowed to run for public office?

What about my friend who hung his butt out the window? He's a sex offender now, and he will always be, I believe. Suppose, 40 years from now, after he's wised up, he wants to be on the city council. You think he shouldn't even get the chance to run?

I'll stick with democracy as we know it. If someone has been convicted for something appalling, like child molestation, that will appear on their record for the electorate to judge. If you really think Americans are too stupid to be trusted to vote wisely, then why have a democracy in the first place?

[Guest LadyC]

lorax, in what state is someone who mooned people classified as a sex offender? i'm not saying you're wrong, i'm just curious as to WHERE that is the case. maybe it's everywhere, i dunno, i've never heard of that one before.

in any case, there are various LEVELS of sexual offense, and that is true, i think, in every state. someone who was 17 and had sex with a 16 year old would not be classified in the same manner that someone who is 40 who raped a actively tried to seduce a teenager in a chatroom. and that person wouldn't be in the same class of offenders as an adult who molested a five year old.

but adults trying to solicit sex from teenagers in a chat room IS a much more serious crime, because they have the INTENT to MOLEST. no such intent exists on the part of the guy who drops his drawers and moons the campus co-eds.

the person who has intent to molest should never be allowed to run for office.

[Guest LadyC]

oh.... and you asked why have a democracy in the first place.... might i remind you, THIS IS NOT A DEMOCRACY.

[The Lorax]

lorax, in what state is someone who mooned people classified as a sex offender? i'm not saying you're wrong, i'm just curious as to WHERE that is the case. maybe it's everywhere, i dunno, i've never heard of that one before.

It happened in Massachusetts.

the person who has intent to molest should never be allowed to run for office.

I understand why you'd think this, but there's no need to make a law. Pedophiles are the most reviled people in society today next to terrorists. In the almost unimaginable case that people are stupid enough to elect a pedophile to represent them, then let them be represented by a pedophile. We shouldn't violate the spirit of democracy to protect unimaginably stupid people from the consequences of their own decisions.