I am posting this here because it involves a minister.  The Rev. D.E. Paulk is the guy  who under a court ordered DNA test found out his uncle was his real father. 

Disclaimer: this is not in anyway an attack on religion! 

I found what this guy had to say very interesting.  Here's the interview: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/11/20/intv.church.scandal.paulk.cnn?iref=videosearch

Here's more background on this story: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/dekalb/stories/2007/11/20/paulktimeline_1121.html

And, more on D.E. Paulk's story: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hPKlzgBlHChmg3NdrSTG4VhIPSuQD8T0VO5G0

He didn't really talk about his own situation too much, but he had some interesting thoughts about the church structure. 

One thing that struck me was his feeling that the problem with church congregations today is the prop their preachers and ministers up to be like God.  Then they find out they are human and flawed and they become disillusioned. 

He also referred to a divorce doctrine where ministers were not allowed to divorce.  He felt this lead ministers to feel that they had to perfect and thus hiding their own flaws and failings.  He said that they should be more forthright about their failings so that people realize they are just like them.  Real human beings.

He had some interesting thoughts on society, forgiveness, etc.

I just thought it was an interesting exchange.  It must have been something to find out his father was not really his father, but his uncle was his father.

If anyone listens to the interview and has some thoughts, I'd like to hear them :) 

It's very easy to become disillusioned by church members, pastors, etc. I know that nobody is perfect so I try not to model myself after anyone else in a church. In this world, a person who is not a christian makes a mistake and it is in fact, a mistake. If a christian leader (or sometimes just a person who is christian) makes a mistake, they are a hypocrite. I would not want to be a pastor. It would be a difficult life to lead.

It's always interesting to see how important they think forgiveness is when they need it and how quick they are to point the finger of righteousness at others. 

Rainey, I think that was part of his point.  If ministers acted more human, admitted their failings instead of trying to pretend they have no failings, they wouldn't be seen as Godly and they wouldn't do things secretly which are then usually found out by the congregation and sends them into shame.

Shannon--I agree in part.  I think that sometimes when folks where their religion on their sleeve and make it a point to say they are more moral or more ethical than everyone else, it only makes everyone look harder to find their flaws.  It doesn't have to be a Christian it can be a person of any religion.

I also think a congregation of any denomination would feel a sense of betrayal if the minister has spent time accusing members of sins but won't admit to their own failings.  When it comes to light, I think one would feel betrayed.  Of course, the minister is only human, but that's what happens when we put people up on pedestals.  We, as followers, expect them to be more perfect than us and we don't like to find out that they aren't.  This could go for anyone from a religious leader to a leader of a movement to a congressional representative.  In some ways the followers set themselves up because they know there is no perfect person without flaws or sins.  I guess we have some inner need to believe that some people are above it all.  It's an impossible standard to live up to.

What's interesting if you look at the time line there are incidences going way back to the 1960s.  I think there were accusations of extra-marital affairs from other women within the congregational.

I could finally pull at least the last 2 links up. I could not get the video to play. Oh well. Yeah, he definitely made some mistakes. If I were a member of the church I would be very disappointed in him. We all make mistakes but that would bother me because it affected somebody else in the process, a child. I'm not going to judge him but if I did that I don't think I would feel good about leading Sunday worship services. I'd have to do something different just because of everything that is attached to that title.  As I said before, I could not be a pastor!

Shannon, it was on the CNN website under videos.  Once you get to the video page, put Paulk in the search box.  It's titled Pastor's Dark Secret

I was impressed with the son.  I think finding out your father is not your father (or you mother your mother) would be very hard to deal with.  You'd have so many emotions going on.

I read this story, and the whole family needs help.  The brother of the pastor was innapropriate in his behavior with other women as well.  They've lost/shut down huge portions of their ministry, and attendance has dropped drastically.  Religious or not, when you're not living in truth, eventually, life unravels.