• Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    In 2007, Gutgsell pleaded guilty to theft by deception for embezzling $127,000 from an area church. He was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution. He was later reassigned to another church. At the time, church leaders said Gutgsell learned his lesson, admitted wrongdoing and sought forgiveness.

    Score another win for the power of God.

    • GiuseppeAndTheYeti@midwest.social
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      11 months ago

      I know there’s a strong anti-religious rhetoric now but if you take this at face value, isn’t it a good thing that a person that committed a crime shows remorse? The crime committed occurred 16 years ago in 2007. That’s plenty of time for someone to change their behavior.

      On top of that, the police don’t have any evidence of this attack being linked to his criminal history. The poor man was stabbed to death by an early morning intruder into his home. It’s really no different than using criminal history as justification for a wrongful death involving the police.

  • GrayBackgroundMusic@lemm.ee
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    11 months ago

    He was later reassigned to another church. At the time, church leaders said Gutgsell learned his lesson, admitted wrongdoing and sought forgiveness.

    Priests should be held to a higher standard, not lower. Confessing and seeking forgiveness is the first step. Penance is next. Things like this REALLY make me struggle with my faith. What is the point of being part of an organization who preaches virtues but then doesn’t hold their own to that standard.

    I hold myself to the same standards I give my children, and then more. I give them more leniency because they are children. If we are supposed to be the children of God and the priest is our leader, then it follows that the priest should be held to a higher standard! ;alsjdfn;lasf;oiasjf;olasjhdfsd;fo

    • Enkrod@feddit.de
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      11 months ago

      Regardless if you are religious or not, misuse of authority by anyone occupying such a position out of their own free will is always wrong and they always should be held to a higher standard.

    • EssentialCoffee@midwest.social
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      11 months ago

      This is pretty in line with the ‘repent and all is forgiven’ standard of Catholicism. I say that as someone who was raised Catholic.

      I’m not sure what else you expect.

  • qooqie@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    I smell this being used by people in some sort of narrative formation hmmm