The following is reposted with permission from our beloved friend Dee Parsons’ blog, the Wartburg Watch.
We intend to write more on acceptance, inclusion, and church discipline, including the appalling situation at Tenth Presbyterian. But for now, please enjoy this excellent post.
As you read the nonsense about the Ninth Commandment, keep this in mind: The Bible is clear about adultery and causing others to stumble, as in Liam Goligher’s conduct in Lancaster. Nowhere does the Bible speak to the issue of transgender children, yet folks at Tenth have no problem waxing eloquent about how this is the work of Satan.
Folks, Satan seems to be doing just fine at Tenth, thanks to Goligher and his minions, including Lisa and Ron DiGiacomo. He doesn’t need help from transgender persons or those who love them.
As for us, we’ll vote for love, compassion, and acceptance over the approach of these buttheads, any time.
I have learned a crucial lesson in my years of exposing abuse in the church. It doesn’t matter if the church is SBC, PCA, nondenominational, Orthodox, Catholic, or whatever. If the truth is being exposed, the church leaders or their sycophants will go out of their way to silence an individual from talking about the abuse. Karen Walton (and her husband) were excommunicated from Liam Goligher’s Tenth presbyterian church because they had a transgender child. I was shown the email which confirms the removal. I say this upfront because the Tenth Presby machine appears to be trying to say this excommunication didn’t happen. Perhaps leaders shouldn’t use emails… The elders’ cavalier “We hurt with you, but goodbye” attitude hurt Karen and her husband. In TWW’s post (Update) Liam Goligher Resigns! Guess Those “Personal Conduct Citations” Were Spot on are some of the comments from folks with ties to Tenth Presby.
Karen has given me some emails/documents that indicate that she and her husband were removed from membership at Tenth Presby. If I receive permission, I will post these emails. They are an example of why so many are leaving the church. They are made even more critical because Goligher appears to have been involved in some hanky panky with his gal pal. He got to stay and preach and will probably receive an amicable settlement, which the tithes of the faithful members of the church will supply.
As the days pass, I am becoming increasingly aware of several issues within the church, as outlined by the GRACE report, which is linked in this post. Some church leaders have said this is a fake GRACE report. Dear reader, they are upset because they had chosen not to release the GRACE report. I am so glad that Anglican Watch believes in a different interpretation of the 9th commandment. More on that shortly.
I am providing the exact comments by one Lisa DiGiacomo, who appears to be an expert on applying the Westminster Larger Catechism standards and providing views on women’s roles in groups like the Duggars.
Comment Number One: Shut up, submit to your husband, and where is he, anyway? You are violating the 9th commandment, and don’t forget Matthew 18.
Lisa sure knows how to “win” an argument.
Dear Sister Karen,
For starters, I would like to say that I am sorry that you are in pain over how you have been treated. And for the struggles your family is facing. Ron and I will most certainly be praying for you all and the the matters you are burdened by.
I do want to just jump in here as a woman and sister in Christ, and since your concern is being communicated publicly, I would like to publicly express that regardless of whether your assertions are true (that is not what is in question), it is a violation of the ninth commandment to pass on a bad report in any way other than God prescribes. This is what is personally so disheartening to me about what is going on with our former pastor. The untold liberties people have taken in expressing their opinions about Liam (even if they are first hand experiences) without following the biblical process God has laid out for us. We so often make dealing with one another far more difficult than it needs to be. God makes all of this very simple for us. We have only two options: We all called to cover a multitude of sins, or we follow Matthew 18. Neither of those options give us liberty to express a bad report to anyone other than the accused, a witness, and then the church (or when we must confidently solicit help from a godly person in seeking to discern how to handle something.).
Ron and I are not so naive as to believe anyone is not capable of the most egregious of sins for we know our own hearts and that apart from God’s grace we are all desperately wicked. His point, and now mine, is that we ought to strive to be a part of the solution by confronting our brothers and sisters in Christ in the ways that God ordains and not in such public ways, that in all do respect, I believe violate the 9th commandment.
Karen, might I urge you as a woman, that God has given you a husband to protect you. I would urge you to submit to your husband on this front and if he wants to make this a public matter than let him lead your family on this front. But for you to be coming out publicly against ministers of the gospel, is not something that I believe is becoming of a Christian woman. If your husband is not inclined to address this matter on your behalf, than I encourage you to “leave it to God who judges justly.”
Praying for you all and hoping we will all do our part to end the horrible sin of spreading a bad report to those who are in no way a part of the solution. To your last question, the reason we are not to spread a bad report, is because God forbids us from doing so apart from the courts of the church. See Westminster Larger Catechism on the 9th Commandment below.
If you do desire to talk about anything, I am here for you. I believe you have my phone number.
With heart felt concern for you and your family,
Thoughts:
- She pulls the “you are my sister” card at the beginning, even though they do not have a relationship now.
- Karen violates the 9th commandment. However, Karen is telling the truth as she knows it, so following the letter of the commandment, she is not in violation of it. As you will see, the Westminister Larger Catechism pours all sorts of meaning into this difficult-to-understand commandment.
- Lisa claims that “passing a bad report on to someone else” violates the 9th commandment. However, I don’t see that. The 9th commandment speaks about telling lies about someone else. A bad report may not be a lie. It is essential information that should be known. A pastor who “tiptoes through the tulips” with his gal pal is concerning. It shows a pastor who is a risk taker by performing his “code violation” publicly. I think everyone should be aware of a pastor who behaves in such a manner.
- She says we are called to cover a multitude of sins. Yes, but not sins of abuse or violations of the law. Such sins should be publicly spoken out against.
- Matthew 18 concerns sins between two people in the church. Here is a link. It is one of the most misused verses in the Bible, and Lisa continues that tradition.
- She claims that Instead of passing on a bad report, one can seek help from a godly person. Who? Like Liam? What does she mean by godly? Surely not the elders?
- She says we are “to cover a multitude of sins.” Really? Which ones? How do you deal with abuse? Sex abuse is a crime? Do we cover that one as well?
- Lisa assumes that Karen must allow her husband to speak out on her behalf, and she needs to submit to him. Except… Karen’s husband wrote a lengthy comment that commended her for speaking out…Lisa did not consider such a scenario, which causes me to worry that she has a difficult marriage.
- Speaking out against “ministers of the gospel” is “unbecoming” for a woman. Which “ministers of the gospel?” Explain unbecoming. As we say down here, “Bless her heart.”
Comment Number 2: Why I fear that the Westminster Larger Catechism may contribute to spiritual abuse in the church.
So Lisa, unable to leave it alone, prints the following on the 9th commandment. Pay close attention to the duties required and sins forbidden inherent in the commandment as interpreted by the Westminster Larger Catechism. I am grateful that Lisa printed this out for me. It caused me to stop, carefully read, and reflect on the abuse that I have seen in churches.
Lisa DiGiacomo
Q. 143. Which is the ninth commandment?
A. The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Q. 144. What are the duties required in the ninth commandment?
A. The duties required in the ninth commandment are the preserving and promoting of truth between man and man, and the good name of our neighbor, as well as our own; appearing and standing for the truth; and from the heart, sincerely, freely, clearly, and fully, speaking the truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justice, and in all other things whatsoever; a charitable esteem of our neighbors; loving, desiring, and rejoicing in their good name; sorrowing for and covering of their infirmities; freely acknowledging of their gifts and graces, defending their innocency; a ready receiving of a good report, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report, concerning them; discouraging talebearers, flatterers, and slanderers; love and care of our own good name, and defending it when need requireth; keeping of lawful promises; studying and practicing of whatsoever things are true, honest, lovely, and of good report.
Q. 145. What are the sins forbidden in the ninth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the ninth commandment are, all prejudicing the truth, and the good name of our neighbors, as well as our own, especially in public judicature; giving false evidence, suborning false witnesses, wittingly appearing and pleading for an evil cause, outfacing and overbearing the truth; passing unjust sentence, calling evil good, and good evil; rewarding the wicked according to the work of the righteous, and the righteous according to the work of the wicked; forgery, concealing the truth, undue silence in a just cause, and holding our peace when iniquity calleth for either a reproof from ourselves, or complaint to others; speaking the truth unseasonably, or maliciously to a wrong end, or perverting it to a wrong meaning, or in doubtful or equivocal expressions, to the prejudice of the truth or justice; speaking untruth, lying, slandering, backbiting, detracting, talebearing, whispering, scoffing, reviling, rash, harsh, and partial censuring; misconstructing intentions, words, and actions; flattering, vainglorious boasting, thinking or speaking too highly or too meanly of ourselves or others; denying the gifts and graces of God; aggravating smaller faults; hiding, excusing, or extenuating of sins, when called to a free confession; unnecessary discovering of infirmities; raising false rumors, receiving and countenancing evil reports, and stopping our ears against just defense; evil suspicion; envying or grieving at the deserved credit of any; endeavoring or desiring to impair it, rejoicing in their disgrace and infamy; scornful contempt, fond admiration; breach of lawful promises; neglecting such things as are of good report, and practicing, or not avoiding ourselves, or not hindering what we can in others, such things as procure an ill name.
Thoughts
- What is meant by “discouraging talebearers?” I know of many instances in which abuse victims or their advocates were accused of being “talebearers.” They were then ignored. How is this term applied? Does everyone know what this term is? I guess that some have misused this terminology to the detriment of victims of abuse.
- I assume that “speaking the truth unseasonably” means speaking it at the wrong time. That is problematic when it comes to abuse or other sins and crimes in the church. The truth should be told immediately in these circumstances.
- “Talebearing” is mentioned again. It is an old English term meaning to gossip or tell stories. Gossip is defined as “conversation or reports about other people’s private lives that might be unkind, disapproving, or not true.” Once again, the meaning may not be clear to some. One must always tell the truth. Sometimes gossip, which is unkind or disapproving, might also be accurate and need to be dealt with. For example, I disapproved when I learned of Goligher’s activity outside of the church. When we spoke about it, some people thought it was unkind. Yet, it needs to be discussed and brought out into the open. If it was confirmed that Goligher was involved with a deaconess, it needed to be addressed and ascertained if there was similar behavior with other women. Such a scenario is more likely than not.
- Is it wrong to “receive and countenance evil reports?” Not in my book. If there is evil in the camp, it must be exposed. Sadly, many churches refuse to do this. They are afraid to “air their dirty laundry.” How many churches have hidden reports of child sex abuse?
- We do not rejoice in disgrace and infamy. I love the church. However, I am grateful when such things are exposed. Shouldn’t we be glad when evil is exposed?
Number 3 comment by Ron, Lisa’s husband. Only church courts will get at the truth.
Good question, Karen. The only way I can reconcile not spreading a bad report and dealing with sin in the church is by availing ourselves of the church’s courts. I believe that to be God’s ordained accommodation where damaging testimony may be appropriately unearthed. It keeps us all from judging in an unprescribed way.
Thoughts
I have dealt with large and small churches as I’ve covered abuse. Sadly, the “godly” church courts are often filled with men who want to hide sin and attack those who bring it to their attention. Interestingly, the GRACE report allegedly was not made freely available to the church. There are a lot of things in that report which are deeply concerning. Given what I’ve heard about Tenth Presby, I wouldn’t advise anyone to trust your church courts. Can it get cleaned up? Who knows? I haven’t seen much to engender my trust. I may write some further posts in the near future.
Finally, as I said on the home page, “It’s Christmas, and instead of saying Merry Christmas, they hit us over the head with the Westminster Larger Catechism, which is quite difficult to interpret when it comes to abuse.” Maybe it’s time for church leaders to rethink the lingo and become more trauma-informed.
Wow: quite an answer! The more I read about Calvinist scum, the more I’m inclined to be an Arminian: the logic is less tidy, but the spirit is far more Christian!