Jack Schaap: Jesus Approves of Adultery?

March 14, 2013 By 5 Comments

We’re coming up on the sentencing of First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana’s ex-head pastor Jack Schaap. I believe it’s a week from tomorrow.

This morning coming out of station RTV6 comes word that the Feds have released some new information on the case during their sentencing memorandum filed Wednesday.

INDIANAPOLIS – The former pastor of a northwestern Indiana mega church awaiting sentencing for a sexual relationship with an underage parishioner allegedly told the girl Jesus Christ approved of their tryst.

Federal prosecutors included letters former First Baptist Church pastor Jack Schaap wrote to his victim in their sentencing memorandum filed Wednesday in federal court in Hammond.

The Times of Munster reported that Schaap, 55, wrote in the one letter to the then-16-year-old girl that their relationship “is exactly what Christ desires for us.”

 

Comments open below

NLQ Recommended Reading …

‘Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment‘ by Janet Heimlich

‘Quivering Daughters‘ by Hillary McFarland

‘Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement‘ by Kathryn Joyce

 

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About Suzanne Calulu
  • Nightshade

    What the…? Completely speechless for a moment, then two thoughts came to mind, almost simultaneously.
    1. If there was any question whatsoever whether he had used his position of authority to coerce the girl-and as I understand the story there really wasn’t but still!-this statement completely confirms it.
    2. Jesus approved of his adultery? What would he say if his wife had been in a similar situation with a teenage boy and said ‘it’s OK honey, it’s what Jesus wants.’ Yeah, I think we all know how that would have gone over, like the proverbial lead balloon.

  • chervil

    Well, what girl could say no to Jesus?

    Cue the ILFers who come here to say “but he’s such a godly man, a good man, a real sweetie pie, this was just one time, one mistake, how dare you judge us, we’re not all like that.”

    To which I say the only proper response is to this perpetrator’s actions is ‘”This is unacceptable and we will do everything in our power to end abuse in our church.” That’s it. Simple. Not one current IFBer has come here to say anything like that. Not one. Even one self proclaimed pastor commented on a Schaap article here with some lame-assed jelly donut analogy, searching frantically for the Exit from Responsibility.

    Until you demonstrate that you have some standards, until you say anything other than excuse after excuse after excuse, blame, blame, silence, silence then you get lumped in with all the rest. Enjoy, you’ve earned it!

  • Howl

    Was searching for information on Jack Schaap’s sentencing (did not happen today, apparently) and came across a video of one of his sermons where he simulates masturbation using the shaft of a broken arrow — I’m not sure I have ever seem anything so utterly repellent. I had to stop after watching briefly; it was so incredibly creepy and revolting. If that wasn’t exhibitionism, then I don’t know what is. Thousands of people were watching this sermon IN PERSON and apparently nobody thought to realize that they were in that moment being totally violated by this man on so many levels. And yet, everyone seemed to accept this, because he was, you know, “godly.” Really, REALLY, it was magnitudes worst than anything on TV or in the movies (except, maybe, parts of Borat).

    • madame

      Howl,
      I haven’t seen that video (not that I want to), but I saw several of his rants against women. He even said that it would be a cold day in hell before he listens to a woman teach doctrine (or something like that).
      I’m sorry for all his followers. When your leader is such a personality, and you’ve been taught to submit to his authority, it takes a long time to see his wrong.
      I’m sure many still believe the girl seduced him, but even if she did, who is the adult here? who took full advantage of the situation? Who is responsible? I mean, even IF he had been seduced when he was weak, he’s the MAN, the LEADER. If he won’t listen to a woman teaching him good doctrine, why would he be seduced by one who wanted to “lead him into sin”?
      Whatever. I hope his followers have a pastor who can help them through the trauma of this, and I hope the girl and her family find healing.

  • SAO

    I wonder if he knew that what he was saying was wrong and did it anyway because “Jesus wants us to be together” is so much more powerful than, “I lust after your teenaged body and want to grope your breasts.”

    Or whether he was so used to praying and thinking he was channelling God’s word that he couldn’t tell the difference between what he wanted and what Jesus might conceivably want.