THIS STORY IS AMENDED. PASTOR RICK RESPONDED TO OUR POST (SEE COMMENTS) AND TO THOSE WHO WROTE HIM.
I AM KEEPING THIS STORY UP BECAUSE THE REPORTING FROM THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER, THE POST STAR, RECOUNTS THE EVENTS DIFFERENTLY FROM PASTOR RICK AND PERHAPS THE REPORTER DESERVES THE FOCUS OF OUR EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS, NOT THE PASTOR.
WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE PASTOR RICK’S RESPONSE TO OUR MEMBERS AND HOPE HE IS SINCERE IN HIS MESSAGE THAT ALL ARE WELCOME IN HIS CHURCH.
A wedding that was scheduled to take place this Saturday at South Granville Congregational Church in New York, was cancelled after individuals pressured the pastor, Rick Backus, to not allow the wedding to take place because the groom was convicted of a sexual offense.
Apparently, many in the community reached out to the church opposing the wedding and even suggested they would protest during the ceremony. Pastor Backus wound up telling the couple they could not marry in his church.
Ironically, when you Google the church their descriptor begins, “Loving God * Loving Each Other * Loving our Neighbors“. Perhaps they should change that to “loving some of our neighbors”.
Should anyone want to share your thoughts with the Pastor, he can be reached at [email protected]
Well, if a church or the church im currently attending decides that im not welcome there because of my past, then that’s a church that does not “walk it’s talk” an why should i follow in those footsteps. You in the bible where it talks about people that will be left behind, it mentions that some pastors will left behind an they will telling God ” Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’, besides all of that if there was death threats an pastor gave that info to the police then the police would have been there to protect the public, which is apart of there job description. Most likely neither one of the two groups would’ve shown up anyways but they got what they wanted, that’s all they were gonna do & the pastor let them win. In law enforcement they call that ” a Terrorist Act!”
How easily some professed “believers” forget something that the New Testament says. Matthew 7:[12] “All things therefore whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them. For this is the law and the prophets.” And, what the accusation the pharisees made against Christ. Luke 15: 2 “[2] And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying: This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. “
I DO NOT think we went overboard in these responses, nor do I think we should be apologetic. We’re talking about a potential American holocaust, here. If the word gets out concerning how aggressive we are in our protection efforts, especially if it forces a supportive response then so be it.
Thanks FAC for you kind response to Pastor Rick.
Just heard back from the minister. They suspect his ex-wife as his son had an invitation. That makes perfect sense, nothing like a vindictive ex to make trouble. This rings true to me. We need to take down our hateful comments. The problem came from his ex and outsiders caused the stink. The church acted to protect the registrant; not shun him. I have no reason to believe the minister is lying. The minister met with the couple and they unanimously decided to wed in private due to the stink that had been stirred up on Facebook. The minister resoundingly says the couple would be welcomed with open arms. I have no grounds on which to doubt him or call him a liar. I hope you all will be as fair to him and you expect society to be with us.
I got the same response and sent an apology. I can see where we were so quick to jump on this but clearly it was in the best interest of the couple.
I just heard from the minister again. Someone leaked a scan of the invitation in the comments on this wedding on Facebook. I’m trying now to ascertain the source of the links. I think we all have jumped the gun and have rushed to judgment in the same way others jump to judgment on us. We assumed the worst right off the rip.
My name is Pastor Rick Backus – I wish someone from this organization had contacted me prior to writing this BLOG – Because the facts are simply wrong. I have replied to everyone who has emailed me so far but let me set the record straight. No one – absolutely no one from my congregation complained about this wedding. There was a viral post on Facebook that caused (at least) two groups of people to decide they were going to form a large protest, storm our grounds and disrupt this wedding. In the comments section there were death threats and threats of physical harm to the groom (which have been turned over to police). I made the decision to cancel the wedding for the safety and welfare of all concerned – the bride and groom, their wedding party, and all those who were supposed to attend – as well as the church (both congregation and property) and the community at large. I spoke with the Bride and Groom and we felt it was best that they have their wedding in a private and undisclosed location where their safety could be assured. Our congregation welcomes them to worship with us ( and anyone else who is seeking Christ). I preach and we believe in the redemptive blood of Jesus Christ and the fact we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God and no one is beyond that redemption. I hope this brings some clarity to my decision. Thank you and God Bless.
Thank you Pastor Backus – the news came from the Post Star (https://poststar.com/blogs/don_lehman/blog-church-pulls-plug-on-sex-offender-s-wedding/article_2d441ae6-f02c-5499-a460-19f9125938be.html)
The story stated, “Pastor Rick Backus said that he was aware Saladin had been accused of child sexual abuse after the wedding was booked, but in light of the fact he hadn’t been convicted the wedding was going to be allowed. But after he was sentenced last week, Backus said it was decided the church would not allow the ceremony under the circumstances.” Which indicated that the decision to cancel the wedding was based on him being convicted.
I appreciate your desire to set the record straight on our Forum and your willingness to publicly welcome the couple to your church. You might also want to set the record straight with the Post Star, specifically the journalist responsible for the story ([email protected]) because his reporting of your motivation for cancelling the wedding differs from this, far more humane, reason.
I sent the response from Pastor Rick to the author mentioning his story DID NOT reflect the said response.
Thank you, Pastor Rick, for your responsiveness in helping clear this up.
Just sent this to the email provided.
So you wouldn’t allow a sex offender to get married in your church? Seems to me that there are more catholic priests that are child molesters and remain in the church. Do you even know what it takes to be labeled a sex offender? Did you know if you are caught peeing outside where you thought no one was around can get you slapped with the label the rest of your life? How many child touching priests should have that label but don’t. I thought church was to forgive people for their sins. Wasn’t prison and probation and a lifetime of being publicly shamed enough pay for the sin of being labeled a sex offender. By the way not all offenders are child molesters. I didn’t get touch anyone and was even 100’s of miles away from my “victim” whom the judge found to be an adult undercover officer who willing participated. Don’t judge people on their past but judge them in the present.
Response from Pastor Rick:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the Saladin Wedding. Matthew 7:1 says “Judge not, that you be judged.” It’s true that after we’ve removed the speck from our own eye – we can judge the “Actions” of another Christian – but what we can never judge is motive. Especially when we don’t have the facts. In a case like adultery or theft – the motive is pretty clear – but in this case – you simply do not have all the facts. When a post on Facebook went viral, two groups decided that they were going to form protests and storm our grounds and disrupt the wedding. If you haven’t had your head in the sand and have watched the news at all – you can see what happens at these protests – many times they turn violent – In the comments section where this was being discussed there were both death threats and threats of physical harm to David (The Groom) (which have been turned over to police). Ultimately, I made the decision to cancel the wedding for the safety of everyone involved (The Bride and Groom, Wedding party, those attending, our church – both congregation and property, and the community at large). I Spoke with David and his fiancé and they agreed that it would be best to have their wedding in private in an undisclosed location where their safety could be assured. I preach and believe in the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ and that no one is beyond that redemption. My congregation feels the same way. David and his fiancé are more than welcome to attend our church for services as is anyone who is seeking Christ. I hope this has given you some clarity. Thank you and God Bless.
Pastor Rick
Perhaps we all jumped the gun on this one, eh? This is how rumors start. I ask that FAC now DOUBLE CHECK the validity of all stories BEFORE posting. We’ve had enough of fake news in our society. Thank you.
I personally think jumping the gun is well within our expectations especially in regard to the registry. If it serves a forced response that is supportive then so be it.
There is so much to say on this matter. Will the madness find a door mat not welcome?
There is a booklet in prison I found, Our daily bread, and they have counselors available if you purchase the bigger version of their booklet. We exchanged letters and the final one I received read that I am inherently evil. So much for that. At Beaumont Tx federal correctional low the Complex Chaplain preached in his sermon that all are forgiven under the Lord unless however you put your hands on a child. I stood up and clarified the issue before leaving the chapel. I tried the Buddhist services till they found out about my conviction.
I was kicked out of every church but for the Wicken/Druid services from two prisons and the Jewish/Christian services from another. Over the course of 13 1/2 years I tried so very hard to seek out spritual guidance from within prison walls to no avail. I guess what I’m tryin to say is if I had the ear of any preacher that crumbles to the sinful wishes of their congregation is, I’ve been kicked out of better churches than this and I found the peace I was looking for in my personal relationship with my creator. If I am to be condemned for my actions then maybe you will be also. 🧙♂️🗿🙏🏼👽
Letter sent with a broken heart.
Here is the email I sent:
Dear Pastor Rick, where’s they forgiveness?
I read a news article that you cancelled a wedding because the groom has a sex offense record. The article states that your congregants are the culprits in your decision. I guess you’re not emphasizing the “forgiveness” of your Jesus from your bible stories.
This is one reason why I decided to become an atheist (among other scientific reasons).
But seriously, you AND your congregation should be ashamed of yourselves. I guess people with sex offenses (there are many kinds including urinating in public or high school kids sending each other nude photos) have become the new “Jews” or “negros” of the first half of the 20th century.
Remember when our county had “Whites Only” signs?
I’m sure it would not be an issue for your congregants if the groom was an armed robber. I mean, no way could someone putting a gun to a cashier’s head and demanding the money or else face being killed ever match up to that awful, public safety threat known as “sex”!!!! Wow!
Perhaps you should remind your congregants that “Jesus” hung out with 12 illiterate homeless men and a prostitute which he told to “go, and sin no more”. Are your congregants aware that even prostitution has made its way to being considered a sexual offense? Either way, WHERE IS THE FORGIVENESS???
Close your church. Even if there is a god and a Jesus, I’m sure they’d be ashamed of you and your followers.
This is the e-mail I sent to the minister of that brood of hypocrites:
Rick,
I am a Christian and find your cowardice over not marrying a couple simply because the groom has a sexual offense in his past to be in very poor form. You should have stood up to your congregants and put their hypocrisy before them in a sermon. You have a higher calling than giving in to blackmail from a bunch of self-righteous HYPOCRITES who don’t have the first clue what Christianity is all about. You and your congregation will stand before Almighty God one day and answer for the horrible way this couple was treated. May you and your congregation do some serious soul-searching, otherwise all your congregating and worship will be totally worthless with this kind of unforgiving and judgmental attitude in your hearts. Shameful; simply shameful!
Your congregation just proved that they have NO IDEA WHAT TRUE CHRISTIANITY IS! There are some Scriptures you need to read, take to heart and preach some serious sermons on:
THE SIN OF SHOWING PARTIALITY:
Jas 2:1 MY brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
Jas 2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
Jas 2:3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
Jas 2:4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
Jas 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
Jas 2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
Jas 2:7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
Jas 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Jas 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Jas 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Jas 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
NO ONE HAS ROOM TO POINT FINGERS AT ANOTHER:
Joh 8:1 JESUS went unto the mount of Olives.
Joh 8:2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
Joh 8:3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
Joh 8:4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
Joh 8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
Joh 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
Joh 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
Joh 8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
Joh 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
Joh 8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
FORGIVENESS AND REDEMPTION:
Luk 7:36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.
Luk 7:37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
Luk 7:38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Luk 7:39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
Luk 7:40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
Luk 7:41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
Luk 7:42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
Luk 7:43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
Luk 7:44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
Luk 7:45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
Luk 7:46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
Luk 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
Luk 7:48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
REFUSAL TO FORGIVE OTHERS:
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
When I heard of the shameful way your congregation acted, I was shocked, angry and quite frankly hurt. It’s sad when those who wear the name of Christ don’t have one clue as to what true Christianity is about. When you have people threatening to picket over someone with a checkered past wanting to get married in the building where they supposedly worship, that shows you they do not have a Christ-like spirit in any way whatsoever. You have a congregation of hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees to deal with.
Mar 2:16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
Mar 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR CONGREGATION,
My remarks to the pastor via email:
You should of stood up for what is right and what God requires of you as a pastor. Your fear is evident when you heed the requests of individuals who have no business discriminating against other members, especially in regard to holy matrimony. The Christ instructed if you’ve done this to the least of you, you done this unto me. You’re are nothing but a bully in cohort with the devil, that is Satan.
I find this interesting. Their church covenant. They are most definitely NOT being obedient to the teachings of scripture NOR doing good for their fellow man. This makes me SICK!!!!
We promise, as
members of the Church, to walk together
as Christian Brethren, obedient to the
teachings of the Holy Scriptures. This we
do for the glory of God, for the good of
our fellowmen and for mutual growth in
Christian grace. Seeking to do all in faith
fellowship and service, in the Spirit of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
I actually think this is not so clear cut. A pastor has the responsibility to ensure that the betrothed are entering into their marriage in keeping with their belief system. From the reports, the wedding was to take place only days after the gentleman was sentenced for the sexual assaults. If I were in the pastor’s position, I would ask the couple to go through additional counseling before commencing a marriage on the heels of such a life altering event. I would not think it wise to rush into marriage, particularly with the man’s sexual abuse history not having been appropriately dealt with (assuming he had not already received counseling specific to his particular issues prior to sentencing. I suspect not, since the report also indicated that he claimed his innocence prior to his plea. It leaves some unresolved questions at least). I would not let the public factor into the decision but I would want what’s best for the couple, which probably would be to delay the ceremony at least.
If these were just two people wanting to get legally married by a notary or such at a public venue like a country club, that would be a different matter, as a belief system doesn’t come into play, but in this instance I would withhold judgement without all the details.
I emailed the errant pastor the following:
“You have forgotten Matthew 7:1 have you?
You will have your judgement in full unless you repent, Sir!”
And Jesus said
“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
Matthew 25:40
Dear Pastor Rick,
My heart is heavy as I read an article on the cancellation of the wedding in your church. What would Jesus have done? Did you listen to the voice of Christ or the voice of pharisees?
We are here to bring healing to the broken, not cater to the religious, who do not practice forgiveness and restitution. The greatest miracle is the restoration of a broken individual. We have seen this miracle in a local church in our area – you missed the opportunity to see this in yours.
What would Jesus do? I feel deep sorrow.
dr
I attended a church in downtown Tallahassee for over a year. I was even a member of the praise and worship team. When a congregant complained, I was asked to no longer attend by the pastor. A pastor who claims to be a “recovering alcoholic”. The pastor’s favorite song at the time was “If We Are the Body”, a song that asks why the church isn’t reaching out to include more people.
I ended up at another church and I told the priest up front about my “situation” in order to stave off future issues. The priest later pushed for me to join the church vestry (council). I explained that I could just keep volunteering and didn’t need a title/ position. I was elected to the vestry and served for over a year before there was an issue. The priest (same one) then asked me to resign an made a veiled threat if I didn’t. Fortunately, the congregation knew me and after the initial shock (4-5 days), people processed what the label says with who they knew me to be. I had already resigned and the situation had already soured me on the church leadership (priest), so I only attended a few more months. Now, I haven’t been a member of any church in nearly 10 years.
Interestingly enough, the state has now passed a law that makes it a felony for me to serve in any such position again. I was threatened with arrest for helping my daughter sell girl scout cookies. The law makes no statement of effective date but I believe it was passed in 2014 while my charge is from early 1995. Isn’t this ex post facto as well?
When I was sentenced, the judge made a stipulation on the designation order that I was not to be subject to community and public notification. The judge did this at his own discretion and not at the behest of my public defender or myself. In fact, the judge did not want to designate me at all, but the p.d. made no arguement against it. If the state were following the court order, so much of this harassment would not have come against me.
On a positive note, I had a visit for address verification last night and the officer made no comment on the Halloween lights nor made any comment to try and restrict my participation. So, that’s a definite plus.
Lastly, I am so thankful for the F.A.C. for not only helping us legally, but keeping us informed of news around the country AND, just as important to me, giving us a place to vent our thoughts and frustrations on occasion.
We are thankful to our members for providing the community for all to feel comfortable and welcome.
Amen to that ! ( Your last paragraph )
My letter to the pastor. Also, please know that this was not a Jesus move. This was a sinful man move.
Hi Pastor Rick!
You don’t know me, but I recently heard about the wedding being canceled this weekend due to the background of the groom. I was so saddened to hear that. As a Bible reading Christ follower, I know that it was not a decision that Jesus would have supported. The church condemned what Jesus forgave. Thankfully, Jesus died for all sins- including this one.
I know you were in a hard place. For that I am sorry. My dad is a pastor. So, I completely understand the difficult place you were in. I just wish this decision would have been based on Biblical principals instead of human emotion.
I’ll be praying for you, your church, and the couple condemned by the action of the congregation.
What an embarrassing shame. So hypocritical. Here is my response.
The Bible talks a great deal of judgement, forgiveness, and repenting. Have you, has your congregation, forgotten that?
Today, after reading that your church was led to dismiss the binding marriage of a man and a woman’s love in front of Our Lord (not only those of your congregation that condemn this man/his partner/his family) but He is Lord of ALL!, today, I am ashamed to be part of a Christian belief that is so hypocritical that we earthly beings are led to condemn in this way. Cancelling this wedding.
Do we so easily forget the story of the woman who wept in front of Jesus and asked forgiveness as she was waiting to be condemned by stoning. What did Jesus say? He told them all, if anyone is without sin, go ahead, you be the first, you throw the stones! What happened? They all turned and went away, knowing EVERYONE HAS SINNED!! No sin is greater than another. The Lord told her to go and sin no more.
Leave the judgement to God. Let these people live. In one place where anyone, ANYONE, should be welcomed, is in Church.
Such a shame that this man, who you’ve likely come to know in some way, who is looking to put mistakes behind him, and move on, pave a new path lit by the light of OUR LORD, and he is turned away by those people who count themselves as ‘Christian’.
I’ve always said there are two types of Christian, those who walk the walk, and those who talk their own talk. Which do you want to preach?
May I respectfully suggest an emphasis on those scriptures of forgiveness, judgement, and love this week?
God bless you and I pray He leads you in every word, step, and breath. May the Holy Spirit proceed you in service this week and surround your congregation with a new understanding, the warmth of love and forgiveness. I pray the Holy Spirit gives you the words to lead this lost group, gives you the strength to lead through action, showing love, compassion, and forgiveness. I pray for you now! Amen.
-A fellow Christian, who walks the walk the best I can every single day, looking for God’s light in every step and every word. Praise Him
Pastor Rick. I am sure you have received an overwhelming amount of emails.
Matthew, the disciple, was extremely despised and hated by his own people because he was a tax collector working for the Roman government and therefore considered a ‘traitor’.
Imagine if Jesus esteemed the thoughts of the people over the love and will of God.
Imagine if Jesus cared more about what the people thought than what God thought-the book of Matthew would not be in our Bible.
Unfortunately, this is exactly what you have done, and this is not from God nor is it spiritual conduct of a Christian.
You really need to repent of this and apologize to the man and the woman, and if the congregation you serve dislikes this, then this is not where you need to be or anyone else for that matter.
As Christians, we are not to be swayed by the thoughts and intents of man and the world, but rather by the love of God. That is a truth throughout the Bible.
Also, one worldly man once said “The path of least resistance not only makes rivers crooked, but also the hearts of men.”
What you, and your congregation have done is wrong, and I am in doubt if Jesus is actually among you or if you understand His love and Who He truly is, because this does not line up with Him and what He teaches.
I received a response:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the Saladin Wedding. Matthew 7:1 says “Judge not, that you be judged.” It’s true that after we’ve removed the speck from our own eye – we can judge the “Actions” of another Christian – but what we can never judge is motive. Especially when we don’t have the facts. In a case like adultery or theft – the motive is pretty clear – but in this case – you simply do not have all the facts. When a post on Facebook went viral, two groups decided that they were going to form protests and storm our grounds and disrupt the wedding. If you haven’t had your head in the sand and have watched the news at all – you can see what happens at these protests – many times they turn violent – In the comments section where this was being discussed there were both death threats and threats of physical harm to David (The Groom) (which have been turned over to police). Ultimately, I made the decision to cancel the wedding for the safety of everyone involved (The Bride and Groom, Wedding party, those attending, our church – both congregation and property, and the community at large). I Spoke with David and his fiancé and they agreed that it would be best to have their wedding in private in an undisclosed location where their safety could be assured. I preach and believe in the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ and that no one is beyond that redemption. My congregation feels the same way. David and his fiancé are more than welcome to attend our church for services as is anyone who is seeking Christ. I hope this has given you some clarity. Thank you and God Bless.
Pastor Rick
Rev Richard J. Backus (Rick)
Senior Pastor
South Granville Congregational Church
(518)222-7506
http://www.sgcongregationalchurch.org
From: https://poststar.com/blogs/don_lehman/blog-church-pulls-plug-on-sex-offender-s-wedding/article_2d441ae6-f02c-5499-a460-19f9125938be.html
“Pastor Rick Backus said that he was aware Saladin had been accused of child sexual abuse after the wedding was booked, but in light of the fact he hadn’t been convicted the wedding was going to be allowed. But after he was sentenced last week, Backus said it was decided the church would not allow the ceremony under the circumstances.“
not shocked at all and it will only get worse as long as it is allowed to. It is designed to get worse. same way the mob mentality treated blacks, irish, witches, japanese, jews, babies, Christians, Muslims,.ect… You name it and mob herd mentality will attack it.. It has nothing to do with being a “sex offender” and it has everything to do with the government branding a select group of people as different and therefore open for vigilante behaviours. The registries are beyond punishment, they are a deliberately designed attack on the humanity of a select group of individuals and a deliberate effort to desensitize the “herd of humanity” so that they accept categories of humans are acceptable for lesser then human treatments. . That “select” group will continue to morph into a larger and less selective group the longer it is allowed to exist.Eventually the “registered group” will include everyone the government doesnt like..The exact same as the Nazi Germany registries that started with “offenders” and ended with anyone the government didn’t like. How did 75% of the German population get convinced to help torture and exterminate the other 25% of their population”? Get your popcorn because you are getting a front row seat..
Believe it or not, I had something similar happen. I was volunteering at a church event that had nothing to do with under age people and was answering phones for a fund raiser. On the third day they simply left me a message on my voice mail telling me someone had complained about my past and I was no longer welcomed there.
I know places want to protect themselves from liability but I bet if you asked a church to raise their hands if you have ever been arrested and everyone was honest, in a large congregation, I bet everyone would be shocked of how many would raise their hands. If you do not feel safe in a church where can you feel safe.
On that note, that reminds me of a man a few years ago who was anonymously leaving money orders for a huge amount each week in the offering plate. The church was on the verge of closing but his secret checks were keeping the place afloat. Someone in church reported that he was in a gay relationship and when confronted he stated that was none of the church’s business. He got booted and his checks stopped of course. I guess after that they knew where the checks had been coming from.
Not sure if the church closed or not after that but they bit the hand that fed.