“Who and what we surround ourselves with is who and what we become. In the midst of good people, it is easy to be good. in the midst of bad people, it is easy to be bad.”
— Karen Marie Moning
The old saying about birds of a feather is true. And it’s also true that we become like those with whom we share our lives.
It is thus surprising that even after the allegations about the Ayres family and their potential ties to torture became public, Oran Warder, rector of St. Paul’s Alexandria, and his family still socialize with the Ayres.
According to well-placed sources, the Ayres and Warders continue to spend time together. We also have received reports that they visit each other’s homes.
That begs the question: How can someone recite the baptismal covenant, with its promise to respect the dignity of every human being, and hang out with alleged torturers? Wouldn’t that make you uneasy? Can you trust someone who thinks it’s okay to get rich from the suffering of others? How is torture different than trafficking in drugs, prostitution, child pornography, or slavery?
We don’t know the answers to these questions, but they are worth asking.
In the meantime, there’s a more important lesson to be learned from this: St. Paul’s is morally bankrupt. Therefore, this is a place to avoid if you are serious about the Christian faith.
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