The Anglican Church announced the suspension of one of her bishop for having sexual intercourse with a pastors wife This is not the first time men of God are involved in adultery and fornication.The profession is associated with integrity.Members of the church find it difficult to recover from the shock afterward. Many point accusation fingers on the pastors. This article examines reasons clergy get involved in such scandal.
1) The Bible did not offer proper sex education: The best the Bible told us to do is to avoid sex outside marriage. That is not a sufficient sex education. Infact, To tell someone not to perform an act is to instill the idea on the individual. This is evident in the fall of Adam and Eve.
2)The position is tempting; The role involves a lot of one on one counselling section with female members. Research shows that those who share intimate part of their lives to a stranger tend to fall in love with that stranger. Female members open up emotionally to their pastor, Women need someone to listen to her endless tales. This leads to a development of feelings for the pastor. If care is not taken, a bond may develop.
3)Repressed emotion is transmitted in another way. Would be pastors spend years in training repressing their sexual cravings. This feelings come out in another form. Many engage in online pornography, some masturbate. Few Catholic priests sexually harras young boys and others are involved in extra marital affair.
4)Pastoral training did not offer proper training on how to prevent sexual immorality: Some people are ordained pastors after few months training with no discussion on sex . The work involves constant dealing with members of opposite sex. Some are unable to detect the early signs a lady gives when she is falling in love with the pastor and how to abort such session instantly.
5)Clergy are not God : That one is a pastor does not mean that he has supernatural powers capable of doing the impossible. They are human and are subject to mistakes. What differentiate then from the average member is an interest in church leadership. Pastors are picked from a sex- obsessed population. An individual may have a high sexual urge and still be interested in church leadership. Pastors are not eunuchs.
6)Level of Maturity. A pastor may be sound in interpreting scriptures yet deficient in other aspect of life. Resistance to sexual temptation involves period of training until one gets matured in it .
7)Members are corrupt . The act is not done alone. It involves an accomplice. immoral pastors are growing because immoral members are growing. Church members want quick route to salvation. She wants immediate forgiveness to her sins which she does not want to stop . Some corrupt pastor suggest more donation from her stolen funds Other sexually corrupt pastors suggest a night of sexual purification to insert holy sperm into her body . Some ladies intentionally lead the men astray. It reveals the level of holiness of the church.
8)Childhood Trauma . Adults are grown up children . Some of them were abused as children They still carry the experience within and transfer it to other children.
This write-up does not intend to exonorate the pastors. Rather,it aims at urging church to look into the aspect of pastoral training very serious. Sex education ought to be added to training curriculum Experienced pastors should share their temptation stories and how they conquered it. Counsellors and therapist ought to be active participant in the training. Pastors are vulnerable like the average member and deserve double protection.
THE NAKED NIGERIAN 