When you think about it, it’s asinine to walk away from religion over a headline. Think about it this way: Your best friend is an outstanding guy. Everyone looks up to him, wants to be like him, not one bad quality about him. One day, you find out someone else who’s best friends with him did something you find unforgivable. And he forgave that friend. That’s really enough to make you break off your friendship? Really? Maybe you weren’t such a good friend as you thought you were.

The ones who fall are the ones who need the most help, not the ones you need to avoid. The failings of a human priest are not the failings of a church. You are part of the church. When you walk away instead of rebuilding, it’s you who has failed. When you ridicule and condemn those who fall, you’re no better than those who scourged Jesus for dropping his cross. Failure is not the end. It’s not over ’til it’s over. Forgive and continue.

Mark Elfering
Hermiston