Anybody else following the Ravi Zacharias debacle?

ALAYMAN

ALAYMAN

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The following is a link to RZIM ministries admission of guilt that Ravi Zacharias had inappropriate sexual conduct...

www.christianitytoday.com

RZIM Confirms Ravi Zacharias’s Sexual Misconduct - Christianity Today

Full report from outside investigation to be released in January.
www.christianitytoday.com www.christianitytoday.com
This saddens me. He died in May of 2019, having gone to his grave denying any improprieties. I wanted to believe him. Not sure what to think now.
Your thoughts?
 
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illinoisguy said:
I remember hearing Ravi Zacharias preach in a Christian and Missionary Alliance church in Peoria, Illinois in 1975 - he was unknown back then. I thought he was great, but the evidence of wrongdoing on his part is massive Those who wish to research the matter can check out the Julie Roys blog, or this site:
Ravi Zacharias and RZIM 2020 Research and Resource Post: Timeline, Links to Articles/Analysis, Nonprofit Reference – Spiritual Sounding Board
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Thanks for the link. I am still absorbing and assessing things, in the very early stages. The Roys blog gave good background to the claim of the coerced abortion. My question, given the young ladies testimony about her eventual choice of vocations (law enforcement), why she didn't confront him with his alleged role and consequent hypocrisy in the situation.
 
This is sad to hear. He was with the MacArthur/Todd Friel/Phil Johnson crowd and was opposed to megachurches, seeker sensitive, CCM music etc. I always enjoyed listening to his sermons and still do from time to time on YouTube.
 
Very sad for this to sink in as truth. I enjoyed his preaching as it caused me to think through my beliefs giving me more clarity. I was not a RZ "groupie." Nor did I have him on my daily listening schedule but a yet a few times a week. Perhaps I can still listen to him and enjoy it because I was at no time a RZ disciple. Hard to say.
 
Let my people think was what he entitled his radio program. There is a crowd that followed him the way many followed JH. NOW............maybe..........just maybe, they too will begin to think for themselves & open their own Bibles to find what God says to us in His Word about His Word and how we ought to think & live in this world.
 
ALAYMAN said:
The following is a link to RZIM ministries admission of guilt that Ravi Zacharias had inappropriate sexual conduct...

www.christianitytoday.com

RZIM Confirms Ravi Zacharias’s Sexual Misconduct - Christianity Today

Full report from outside investigation to be released in January.
www.christianitytoday.com www.christianitytoday.com
This saddens me. He died in May of 2019, having gone to his grave denying any improprieties. I wanted to believe him. Not sure what to think now.
Your thoughts?
Click to expand...
just tells me that we should only put trust into the Lord Jesus, as others can do great things for God, and yet still be failures also!
 
Baptist City Holdout said:
Very sad for this to sink in as truth. I enjoyed his preaching as it caused me to think through my beliefs giving me more clarity. I was not a RZ "groupie." Nor did I have him on my daily listening schedule but a yet a few times a week. Perhaps I can still listen to him and enjoy it because I was at no time a RZ disciple. Hard to say.
Click to expand...
I actually did listen to him daily, and also am not sure if I could continue on listening now. The good news is that the transition to other featured speakers/apologists had already begun more than a year ago. There is much doubt If they will continue on as a ministry since many media outlets like Moody have already dropped them.
 
fishinnut said:
Let my people think was what he entitled his radio program. There is a crowd that followed him the way many followed JH. NOW............maybe..........just maybe, they too will begin to think for themselves & open their own Bibles to find what God says to us in His Word about His Word and how we ought to think & live in this world.
Click to expand...
I don't disagree that he had groupies. What I am troubled about is that the gospel will be hindered in very hostile areas that they are accustomed to going into.
 
YeshuaFan said:
just tells me that we should only put trust into the Lord Jesus, as others can do great things for God, and yet still be failures also!
Click to expand...
Agreed, at least agreed in the sense of guarding against ever putting undue or idolatrous trust in ANY human.
Interestingly and ironically in Zacharias' case his own adult daughter is head of a ministry that helps women/people who were sexually abused and/or trafficked.
 
ALAYMAN said:
The following is a link to RZIM ministries admission of guilt that Ravi Zacharias had inappropriate sexual conduct...

www.christianitytoday.com

RZIM Confirms Ravi Zacharias’s Sexual Misconduct - Christianity Today

Full report from outside investigation to be released in January.
www.christianitytoday.com www.christianitytoday.com
This saddens me. He died in May of 2019, having gone to his grave denying any improprieties. I wanted to believe him. Not sure what to think now.
Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

ALAYMAN said:
Agreed, at least agreed in the sense of guarding against ever putting undue or idolatrous trust in ANY human.
Interestingly and ironically in Zacharias' case his own adult daughter is head of a ministry that helps women/people who were sexually abused and/or trafficked.
Click to expand...
Maybe that explains it. It sounded like his daughter is running RZIM now. I was wondering why his own organization and daughter would open their ministry up to lawsuits and criticism when it would likely open them up to lawsuits with the offending organization already admitting guilt. Especially since he's already dead. I don't know if it was his decision to leave her in charge, but that puts her in a tough position.
 
I also wonder if there will be forums started condemning everyone in Ravi's religious ilk because it is obvious that since he was an abusive perv, everyone who listened to him or is in the same religious circle as he must also be an abusive perv like he was.
 
Starlifter said:
I also wonder if there will be forums started condemning everyone in Ravi's religious ilk because it is obvious that since he was an abusive perv, everyone who listened to him or is in the same religious circle as he must also be an abusive perv like he was.
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I'm sure that in some circles, that conclusion will be drawn.
Fortunately, whether you're an IFB or a Ravi Zacharias evangelical...the Lord knows.
 
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I don't think anyone on the IFB side wants to start counting perps and victims to see who is in the lead. I think the IFBs would be on the losing end of that. Also while Ravi appears to have been involved in immoral behavior I haven't yet seen anything along the lines of child grooming and rape. It's not that every IFB is involved in it but the system works in favor of the perps. Authority can't be questioned. Admitting something bad/illegal at your ministry is seen as diminishing God. Lots of bus children coming in that in many cases are desperate for attention and in a lot of cases the parents are disengaged. These all make the IFB world a perfect place for a pedo.
 
Starlifter said:
I also wonder if there will be forums started condemning everyone in Ravi's religious ilk because it is obvious that since he was an abusive perv, everyone who listened to him or is in the same religious circle as he must also be an abusive perv like he was.
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What bothers me is that a particular megachurch here is Atlanta (& others around the country) kept using & inviting RZ to speak & teach even after the news about his indiscretions and admitted failings were reported on in publications like Christianity Today. Building pedestals is not just an IFB problem.
 
YeshuaFan said:
just tells me that we should only put trust into the Lord Jesus, as others can do great things for God, and yet still be failures also!
Click to expand...

What's sad is now the seeker sensitive/liberal/TBN crowd can now gloat about this since they weren't found of Ravi because he was in the MacArthur/Todd Friel crowd.
 
My thoughts:

1. Anyone can sin. Sexual sin is in every denomination, sub-denomination, group and camp. It is not just a problem in a particular group. Anyone can sin and everyone does sin.

2. Just because someone sins does not mean that the good they did in their life is no longer good. King David is a good example of this principle along with the apostle Paul, Moses, or every other human except for Jesus Christ. The difference is that you found out about the sin that doth so easily beset them and we haven't yet found out about yours. Maybe it would be good to let grace be good.

3. I am not a follower of RZ. I have not read any of his works or listened to any of his sermons. I have only seen some clips on Youtube and know some people thought he hung the moon in a similar fashion to how HACkers followed JH. I don't know if he ever addressed these issues.
4. Why would the woman wait until his death to speak up and turn her life upside down? Doing this brings unnecessary attention to herself in a very bad way. What is she hoping to accomplish and why wait until now to speak up? Is it possible that someone was paid to "bring this sin to light?" Yes. I am naturally cynical.

5. Sin should be dealt with. If it all did happen and since it has become public, there should be a public condemnation of sin. This does not mean there must be the obliteration of everything RZ taught or that what he taught was wrong.
 
Binaca Chugger said:
My thoughts: ....
4. Why would the woman wait until his death to speak up and turn her life upside down? Doing this brings unnecessary attention to herself in a very bad way. What is she hoping to accomplish and why wait until now to speak up? Is it possible that someone was paid to "bring this sin to light?" Yes. I am naturally cynical.

5. Sin should be dealt with. If it all did happen and since it has become public, there should be a public condemnation of sin. This does not mean there must be the obliteration of everything RZ taught or that what he taught was wrong.
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On your question #4 I asked a similar question, not in order to dismiss her claims, but rather to understand how a person who had a career in law enforcement could stand by in the shadows for decades without saying anything until after his passing. Doesn't make sense.

Regarding #5 I feel confident in the virtue of RZIM that their final conclusions, which will be pending the finalization of the independent investigation, will give a fair rendering of the facts of the claims alleged.
 
ALAYMAN said:
On your question #4 I asked a similar question, not in order to dismiss her claims, but rather to understand how a person who had a career in law enforcement could stand by in the shadows for decades without saying anything until after his passing. Doesn't make sense.

Regarding #5 I feel confident in the virtue of RZIM that their final conclusions, which will be pending the finalization of the independent investigation, will give a fair rendering of the facts of the claims alleged.
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Very sad - 1 Cor.10:12, "Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall."
 
ALAYMAN said:
I don't disagree that he had groupies. What I am troubled about is that the gospel will be hindered in very hostile areas that they are accustomed to going into.
Click to expand...
This is hilarious. The gospel of Christ can really be hindered by a sinful man? So those names that are written down in the Book of Life, before the foundation of the world, can somehow be erased or altered by the actions of a single man?
This excuse about the gospel being "hindered" is a damnable lie, many times used as an excuse to cover up sexual sins by perverts in the pulpit and other places of leadership.
 
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