Anonymous said...
Hey, just wanted to say that I feel really sorry for you. I have been a friend of the Rojas family ever since I was born, when I read this I could not believe that patrick had done this. I still love the Rojas family from the bottom of my heart. I will be praying for your comfort, and that Jesus will open your eyes to forgive Patrick. Remember- pray for Patrick, in God's word it says to pray for your enemys, if you consider him your enemy, pray for him. If you consider him a fellow sinner, pray for him. He needs your prayers, he really does. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, you are a sinner and so is he. The hurt is deep, I know, I know. But who did God come for, the "good" people? No, Jesus came for the broken, the beggars, the prostitutes, the tax colectors. Do not judge patrick for his sins, we are not the judge CHRIST is the holy judge. He will bring justice. Patrick is already forgiven, he repented, and Jesus has washed him whiter than snow, he is a new creation. The old is gone and the new is here. Remember that, remember that Jesus forgave Patrick, so like Jesus, you must also forgive him. It is very far that patrick has fallen, very evil the things he has done, but he is forgiven, God is saving him.
May God continue to bless you, to pour out his blessings upon you. May he open your hearts to the true righteosness of the rojas family. They are whiter than snow by God's washing them.
-A humble servant of Him who loves you.
July 28, 2010 2:37 PM said...
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As you can see I just received the above comment. Anonymous made this comment on my "What Eddie Knew" post. So many things run through my mind...it sounds so familiar...truth with a twist. I want to reply, Yes, but....
I can't get worked up and try to justify myself to these individuals. So,I remind myself that God is my judge, I believe He will say, "Well done."
It is interesting to me how the supporters of Patrick and the Rojas family focus so much of their concern on my need to forgive them. I do believe that Patrick is a wolf in sheep clothing, an impostor, a dangerous sexual predator! I believe that the actions of Eddie and Kathy raise many red flags. I believe I have a moral and spiritual obligation to tell our story so individuals around Patrick are aware of his danger to children and I also wanted Eddie to be located in hopes of the girls getting the professional help that they need along with Eddie being held legally accountable for his actions. Telling our story and bringing awareness to this subject matter is bigger than Patrick, bigger than the other Rojas family members, bigger than my need to forgive Patrick!
Only God knows what is in a man's heart...so, all I have to go by is their actions. I see a lot of secrets, darkness, and evil in the Rojas's actions. I see pain and destruction as their legacy. I do not see repentance.
8 comments:
I'm speechless. DEB
Forgiveness is for the person doing the forgiving, it does not free the person who has been forgiven. They have to do their own work. Also, to forgive is not the same as forgetting. I ask the person who says Patrick is washed white as snow, was he washed clean each time he committed a horrible act? Will he be washed clean after he commits some other awful act? I always tell people, I don't want to hear, "I'm sorry" I want to see changed behavior. Patrick has forfeited the right to show that he has changed to the people he has hurt. He just has to do the changing. I also always say, if someone has a problem with people talking about what they have done.... Don't do the actions in the first place. Patrick, maybe you should have kept your hands to yourself and we wouldn't be talking about you now.
Thank you so much for being strong and having this blog.
Why are some believers relutant to confront sin? Jesus did not come to make everything nice and pleasant. He came as The Light of the World. He is our Judge, but so many Pleasant Christians use that as an excuse to be lazy when it comes to dealing with sin and darkness. A sexual predator who has not turned himself in, acknowledged his sin, accepted consequences and begged for help to protect future victims from his problem is not repentant. It is so much easier to tell the victim to forgive than to deal with the sinner. Very sad.
Well, obviously none of you have talked with or had fellowship with Patrick since he confessed his sins and turned his life around. You cannot judge his heart and you cannot know what God has done in him and what he is doing through him.
The comment made by anonymous was best post on this entire blog. They understand the gospel, grace and forgiveness. Jesus blood can make the VILEST sinner clean, yes that includes Patrick.
Let me lay a solemn warning for all... remember the words of Jesus,
"He who is without sin, cast the first stone."
-Dave, a sinner washed by His blood
judge not lest ye be judged. i can't really judge whether patrick is repentant or whether God has forgiven him, that is in God's hands. but, in matthew 18 verse 6, Jesus says "If any of you causes one of these little children who trusts in me to lose his faith, it would be better for you to have a rock tied to your neck and be thrown into the sea." Danielle N.
I am addressing my comment to Dave as I think that although he may mean well, he doesn’t fully “get it.” ( I think Danielle also addressed this comment in today’s post). This isn’t about forgiveness. It’s about knowledge. Patrick already had a history as a sexual predator when he was allowed into Danielle’s home and given access to her young children. Had one of his other victims or his family spoken up and warned the church, this wouldn’t have happened. By all outward accounts, he was “washed clean” and “forgiven” at that time as well. It didn’t stop him from taking advantage of an innocent family. It sounds like you know Patrick’s history and also interact with him currently. Are you willing to let him babysit your children? You said that we cannot judge his heart. True, to a degree, but that should also be a caution. His past behavior has shown his heart. It’s common knowledge that pedophiles generally struggle with these impulses and desires their entire lives. To maintain some accountability and transparency, has he been up front and open about his past sexual abuse with everyone he interacts with? If Patrick truly is repentant he should be willing to live his life in an open manner, in the light. Instead, it seems he has done everything possible to avoid all consequences of his actions and in turn, put families in danger. That’s what this blog is exposing—and I’m glad it exists.
Cheryll
1 John 1:7 (The Message)
If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we're obviously lying through our teeth—we're not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God's Son, purges all our sin.
Well said Cheryll.
AND, if I remember right, he had already confessed to "something" he did to someone in his family right? His parents "counseled", and prayed with him and showed him the way to go...and he didn't. I wonder how freeing it would be for Patrick to admit he has a problem, say he needs on-going help, actually getting the help, staying clean, being honest about his struggles, doing the hard work that needs to be done, showing the fruit of a changed man. I look at this as a sickness...(not sure if a pedophile can ever change)...but like an alcoholic..even a saved, washed by the blood, washed as white as snow, made perfect in the Lord's eyes alcoholic can never drink again. NEVER. I expect the same from anyone struggling with an addiction...especially serial killers and pedophiles.
Deb Llewellyn
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