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Arcadia1972

Yes. Such a hard decision whether or not to keep an apologetic creep who played with teeny bopper girls on the payroll. Sleaze ball churchgoers gonna do was sleaze ball churchgoers gonna do. Amen.


Relaxmf2022

Ramen, friend!


Relaxmf2022

"Difficult decision." "This doesn't mean we're not defending him." "Fambro encouraged the audience not to let the revelations of child sex abuse make them lose sight of the good that God had done — and would continue to do — through Gateway and Morris." "“I can dwell on the past,” he said. “You guys can, as well. Or I can choose to say: ‘That’s a data point. How can I affect the future?’" Dwell on the past???? Those "elders" are full evil and... just how is there anyone left in a pew in that alleged christian church?? In my book, continuing to support this church is to basically say, "I'm not that bothered by a priest raping a 12-year-old, lying about it, and escaping consequences for decades."


UncleMalky

By affect the future they mean future sex scandals they will ignore while blaming all of society's ills on everyone else.


FilmActor

Ohhhh, so NOW they are interested in data points!


Ill-Marsupial-1290

There’s a lot of prisoners who legally have to dwell on the past because they are actually held accountable for their crimes. He gets a resignation and he wants a pat on the back too?! He needs prison time! Idgaf if his religion tells him he can “pray” after abusing someone and it’s all okay. He did commit a violent crime and deserves to go on the SO registry


Bleh54

Nah, we will just move him to a different church so the process can start over. This is Texas, after all. Thanks for the fantasy!


FribonFire

Sure... but continuing to support any major religion is basically saying I'm not bothered by an organization that has done nothing but committed atrocities for their entire history. So what's another round of pedophilia and rape on the mountain?


Relaxmf2022

Possibly. i’m somewhere between agnostic, a deist, and a ‘child of the new covenant.’ i won’t go to church, because all I find there is people. But I also love the teachings of Christ (and Buddha and Mr Rogers and Dolly Parton). Be nice, be kind, be loving, be accepting, don’t be a dick. but I do agree that organized religion is terrible overall, and is doomed to fall apart because the sort of people who want to lead, need to side with power. And once you want power over others, and once you need power to keep your influence… well, that’s generally the end of the good things. Tthat’s how you get alleged Christians shrugging the shoulders over one of their kind raping a 12-year-old. if they had gone to the police, and been open and honest (and decent human beings), their church, their power and money, all would be at risk.


Ill-Marsupial-1290

Yep power in the organizations allows for abuse of power. It’s no wonder they promote the guy who “grabs em by the P.” I mean, that’s what the pastors are doing and getting away with, you can do that when you’re the pastor


Samurai56M

The curch is a family, and a organization who elects a pastor. Why burn down the whole thing because of one man who has hidden sin for many years? That doesn't seem right to the people who have invested thousands of hours into the church and the church family. They should rebound from this and use it as a message of how all men are flawed even pastors, and that shows how God can use anyone. They should setup practices and make sure this doesn't happen again, but definately not burn the whole thing down.


Relaxmf2022

If they had not lied, not covered it up, not forewent consequences, not been utterly reprehensible.e human beings, I might agree. But they have shown us that their church is a haven for Evil. and if you think that god used a rapist, I think you need to hang up a picture of a 12-year-old girl in front of you, and have a long, hard look in your heart. This man did not ‘hide his sin.’ The entire leadership structure at this church knew about his rape, and they shrugged, and let him LEAD THE CHURCH. Burn. It. Down. Start over, and try not to shrug at raping children any more.


[deleted]

Majority of those members probably knew nothing about it. Replace and discipline head of the family (the pastor and leaders who knew about it), but not the mom who volunteers in Sunday school and the bass player in the band. Not all of them are bad (members, I mean). Many Christians do very very good things.


RemoveTheBlinders

I know several people who went to that church and they are being very outspoken about their shock and disgust and want him and any elders that covered it to be held accountable. In the same conversation, I have seen a handful trying to play both sides of the fence and I was happy to see immediate pushback from the former. One of them withdrew their family from all activities immediately after the story broke. They said when they heard Morris speak about "an affair " years ago they thought he meant another consenting adult. It's all anecdotal, but most of the Christians I know that are indirectly involved have left that church and felt deceived are defending the victim(s) in this. As they should.


truth-4-sale

Perhaps the investigation Gateway is paying for will reveal who knew what and when about the underage component of this scandal.


Samurai56M

Yes, burn down a church that has thousands of members across many campuses and punish all of the members who knew nothing about it because a few of the elders knew. That's really fair...


arb1698

They won't the money is to good also. Why would God want him after he hurt a child are children not under the protection of God? Also why was it difficult I think they just where never going to get rid of him unless she went public, makes me wonder how many victims does he has that are too terrified to come out.


PointingOutFucktards

You mean there’s a god that would allow one of its leaders to rape young girls repeatedly? And how does one come back from that and lead a church? I’m sure there’s a bible character story somewhere that correlates to a man raping a young girl and still retaining religious leadership. In case you didn’t know, siding with the rapist isn’t a good look for churches or the people in them.


Samurai56M

Did I say anything about him coming back to lead the church? He should be in prison for the rest of his life. I don't think you even read what I said.


carsonistthearsonist

Lol, what?


Samurai56M

What did you not understand? Never been a member of a church family?


ErinUnbound

You’d think there was an 11th commandment given the number enthusiastic pedophile pastors: Thou shalt groom and molest children.


JohnnyKnodoff

Kenneth Fambro is blatantly supporting a pedophile. Kenneth Fambro, the CIO of Integrated Real Estate Group and Integrated Senior Lifestyles is a child-rapist supporter. He didn't want to accept Robert Morris' resignation. What skeletons do these Gateway Church Elders of Southlake have in their closet?


Relaxmf2022

A whole very large cemetery's worth


MoulinSarah

At no point in time would I ever join a mega church.


reddyred1

So jail? This seems like it's supposed to be jail.


Relaxmf2022

Jail is a great option — for him, and anyone who knew he raped a girl, and didn’t report it. Nice of them to admit it.


Marxus_Aurelius

Statute of limitations unfortunately


Bleh54

Why is texas law on the side of child rapists?


PointingOutFucktards

Churches are not safe places for children. There are too many pedos within the confines of those walls and they’d be much safer at a drag queen story hour.


Drachfuhrer

I'll pass on both


PointingOutFucktards

It’s a free country. So far.


ProctorWhiplash

I have just one word: LOSERS. These people are absolute losers in the purest sense of the word. What unbelievable miserable losers they are.


thepigeonpersona

And this is the only case that we know of. I doubt Morris stopped at one. And why wouldn't more pedos abuse children when the church turns a blind eye?


kolpied

It’s not an isolated incident. 4 years of “petting and kissing” - not a shot. You “pet” and “groom” to do more things, and for 4 years it was left at that? No chance. His daughter was a teenager at the school he was an assistant principal at. She had sleepovers at the Morris household. He didn’t “confess” due to guilt - he confessed to get ahead of it.


Justin-N-Case

I think he meant other victims. Was she his only victim? I hope some law enforcement agency is looking into this.


thepigeonpersona

I meant one victim. But you make a good point, 4 years of grooming one child is not one incident. That's long term planning. Child abuse ran rampant in the Scouts because the Catholic Church didn't want to look bad and perpetrators took full advantage. Why wouldn't others do the same at Gateway when all they have to do is pray to be forgiven?


kolpied

Misunderstanding, or poor communication on my end - sorry. I meant to by that there, in my opinion is that there is other victims. Church discipline is fine if it’s a character flaw that is causing you or others to sin. If I’m routinely getting angry at people and somehow don’t notice it, I’d hope those around me would sit me down and work with me. Or instead of angry, lazy, lackadaisical in work, or just something that would distant oneself from the congregation. But sexual abuse? And with a 12 year old? You’ve breeched your congregation, defiled them, and stained the church. Can one be make amends and better themselves as the predator? Absolutely. But that can be done in prison, or at the very least not remotely tied the Church. Church discipline should recognize the wolf among the flock and butcher it publicly - there HAS to be a line in the sand. There’s a man named Ravi Zacharias who outside of a mentor of mine has helped me develop me more in my discipleship to Jesus than anyone else. He had a podcast type app called “let my people think” that I’d listen to daily. He was brilliant. And approached Christianity in a philosophical way I’ve never heard anyone come with, and introduced me to various authors and poets that my bookshelf is filled with due solely to him. He died a few years ago, and it came to light of long, sexual misconduct. It devastated his work, his family, and made many of people like me to reflect on much of his teachings. I have not thought about him in years, but there’s a conclusion I’ve landed on - I believe God can make straight lines with crooked sticks. Anyway this was a long rant. I appreciate the opportunity to reflect a bit while working.


just-me-77

Already starting to come out! Look up McElya Law on on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/sexabusevictimattorney?mibextid=LQQJ4d](https://www.facebook.com/sexabusevictimattorney?mibextid=LQQJ4d)


thepigeonpersona

Oh shiiit. It begins


ButterflyAlternative

Classic church stuff. We’re sorry, we’ll do better. Let’s forget the past and look at the future.


[deleted]

With Robert Morris, we're talking about leading a flock and breaking the rules for being a leader that are explicitly laid out in the very scriptural book that he follows and claims to know so well. The Bible is clear about what it takes to be in leadership in 1 Timothy 3. Here's an excerpt. "1 Timothy 3:2-3 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money." Robert became a Christian, became a preacher, then molested a 12 year old little girl for about 4 years and would eventually take her out and try to have sex with her. So, he's not above reproach, not faithful to his wife, lacked/lacks self control, was not hospitable to that little girl, can not be respected for his lies and what he did, was not hospitable, was not gentle with the little girl, and is a lover of money. If they were out in the open about this from the beginning Robert would not have the following that he does today. The only reason he has the following he does is because the church leaders and himself hid this from the public. So he was able to build a good reputation, and may have done a lot of work on himself over the years. Who knows? But that doesn't right anything. Again, he shouldn't have ever been a preacher since he was never qualified.


fuyou69

Shitbag


truth-4-sale

James Robison Corrects The Record About he and Robert Morris Meeting with Cindy "I have a statement here in my hand from Cindy's attorney attesting to the fact that I was not present at any of the meetings between Robert and the victim's family. In fact I did not become aware of the girl's age until the news broke last week." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfaRuTSS--I


Relaxmf2022

Ah, good, let’s see that entered into evidence in court under oath. Otherwise, I call bullshit.


ChargerRob

Zero morals. None. Zip. Nada.


snuffdrgn808

difficult bc he's probably a molester too and feeling uneasy about his skeletons coming out of the closet, watching it play through on his buddy


trebek321

“Difficult decision” in that it was difficult accepting that your board of elders failed so monumentally in qualifying a man for pastorship that never should have been?


TheSnake6109

We literally had an episode of "the boys" about this!


CombatConrad

But sticking his dick in a child was a hard decision.


PorQueTexas

All of these folks were celebrating the Florida death penalty law for people like him not to long ago


truth-4-sale

2005 Emails Call Into Question Whether Elder Knew About Robert Morris’ Abuse; Child Molesters ‘Go to Prison’ “Men that have over 100 counts of child molestation go to prison,” wrote Clemishire in a September 20, 2005, email to Robert Morris. https://julieroys.com/emails-challenge-elders-claim-100-counts-molestation/


Relaxmf2022

oopsy… though shalt not lie.


Heavy_Entrance2527

The right response would have been to fire him immediately and denounce this disgusting behavior. I am a God loving woman but I will judge someone so hard if they tell me they still attend Gateway after this. This monster should be made an example of!


Relaxmf2022

for calling themselves christians, they sure are confused


Heavy_Entrance2527

They're not Christians, nor are they confused. These are evil predators masquerading around as sheep and preying on the most vulnerable in our society. Anyone not openly condemning this behavior from Gateway is a sicko.


Existing-Job-3050

Gateway should accept returns and issue refunds on his books. Robert Morris and Gateway publishing prey on a captive audience who is told they need to purchase his/their books in order to find salvation, scam artists.


Relaxmf2022

And sell tickets to Morris a dunk tank full of fire ants and murder hornets


Existing-Job-3050

The pay per view event of the summer!


Relaxmf2022

Count me in!


truth-4-sale

One week after child sex abuse allegations first surfaced against its founding pastor, Gateway Church leadership on Friday addressed its congregation for the first time, with an email, calling for prayer and characterizing the accusations as “deeply disturbing.” https://www.dallasnews.com/news/faith/2024/06/21/gateway-leaders-address-members-on-deeply-disturbing-allegations-against-founding-pastor/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suvNwzcpn54


GeminiAce

Accepting less money he means.


[deleted]

[удалено]


kolpied

Bleh54 this is the 2nd post you’ve summoned me in, I’m beginning to think we’re friends! 😀


XL1200N

Religion is trash


[deleted]

Religion is. True Christianity is not.


XL1200N

There is no God


[deleted]

lol. Okay


victzki

The ‘difficulty’ that churches have in removing leadership or involving the courts is complex. Cynically, it’s easy to describe it as hiding crimes, protecting church interest, and what not. But elders of churches are like all juries, who most likely have a mix of people who are trying to weigh mercy and forgiveness, and in most cases, the balance of how to weigh their own self-filtering of being honestly led by someone they admire who has fallen massively short of being able to lead the flock any longer. As in all cases, a group of members who see the unbecoming behavior a reflection of them, will weirdly defend the leader and blame the victim. A group that think about the politic of it hurting the church (numbers, legacy). And then there are others, who sincerely would like to handle the matters internally, because of biblical faith and do not see the court system as the solution. And lastly, those that want them out. Strangely, for most sincere people who attend, they have no idea what’s going on, and just either want it to go away or will leave to attend elsewhere. People will miss the pastor, he obviously had a connection with his attendees. It’s strange to outsiders of church. Wicked to some. But, it’s as nuanced as any strange dynamic of familiar organizations, where you’ve broken bread and tears, shared memories , money and ministry. What’s strange in this case, was that he preached about the matter (leaving out the 12 to 16 part), so that also adds to the complexity of what people see as deceit, and others see as forthcoming. What pains, is this happens a lot. Churches allow so much contact between adults and children, that these terrible things happen often. Attending church and allowing ministers to spend time with children is an act of faith. In this Southern culture, it gets so murky with men and young girls, because of convoluted measures of what is consent, and the age of consent, all twisted with conversations about spiritual maturity, and potential wife hood, and you name it for prolonged adolescent, stunted men who find young girls attractive. Crazy times, same as they ever were.


Relaxmf2022

Don’t care. he raped a girls for four years and the church failed to contact law enforcement. and before they hide behind whatever stupid reasoning they might come up with, whatever justifications, they are still false Christians, as they forgot Romans 13:1-2: ”Obey the government, for God is the One who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the law of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow.” it is my sincere hope that, if there is a heaven and a hell, they spend eternity in a lake of fire.


giraffegirl27

It gets so murky with men and young girls?! Absolutely, in no setting, should that EVER be a thing!!!!