I’ve been working on a post about male-centered cultures where protecting men is more important than protecting women. E.g. a rape occurs and the focus is on preserving the man’s future rather than protecting and healing the victim. Unfortunately, with the current events, such a post would get swallowed up in political comments and posturing, so I decided to pull it.
I also considered a post about the pilot program in Portland on interviews for children and how a recently excommunicated advocate of similar things has affected the dialogue for the worse. But that discussion gets too personal, too quickly.
The truth is that there are often posts in process that end up waylaid by current events for all of us here.
Which left me with just this introspection for this morning about how time and chance happen to us all.
Image from Wikimedia Commons “Introspection” by Ferdinand Pire Ferdinand.
Wheat & Tares 
BTW, the Maxwell institute at BYU interviewed the Reverend Mpho Tutu Van Furth about her current book, her wife and her ministry. One interesting point she raised is that for reconciliation to occur, the community must hold the offender to account.
She said a lot more than that, the transcript is here: https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=7462&index=1
But that part struck me, though again, not enough for a full post without getting derailed by current events.
“The end of the process, which we don’t talk really deeply or in great length about reconciliation, but reconciliation is the partner to forgiveness. And reconciliation is that thing of God saying, “Behold, I make all things new.” I will make a new relationship on just terms, on terms of love and wholeness and justice. So when you have forgiven it doesn’t mean you go back to what was before. That when you have forgiven you have opened the door for a new and different and just relationship to occur.
That’s where reconciliation requires the other person, requires the perpetrator to be part of the story. But reconciliation isn’t the job of the victim . It is, again, where we speak about being the body of Christ—not one of us alone, but all of us together are the body of Christ. So that the task of becoming reconciled can’t rest only on the shoulders of the one who was previously victimized, but it must be that the community holds the perpetrator to account and says, “okay, this person has now opened the door for a more just dispensation, a more just way of being, what is your role? How do you show up here?””
So true. We certainly can and should move our tails to swim where we feel the water is best, but there are some significant currents that move us all around. Some good, some not so good.
“this person has now opened the door for a more just dispensation”
Ignoring the elephant in the room, which is, who decides what is “just”? YMMV
Great thoughts. May I very carefully, very respectfully ask “why do you think white, middle aged men have become the Great Satan in our country….and because these charges are (many times) leveled at white, middle aged men…is there an almost immediate jump to guilt; with out any facts being brought into the open”? Are men the Great Satan of our times? and are we just worthless, stupid pigs – which we are many times portrayed to be? Please know, I’m not trying to be provocative…I’m really wondering. I’ve always tried to be a good person, husband and father…I don’t recall ever deliberately hurting anyone….and yet I’m lumped into “the filthy caste”. Thanks (in advance) for your observations.
“I’ve been working on a post about male-centered cultures where protecting men is more important than protecting women”
While I observe the existence of a VAWA (Violence Against Women Act), I do not see a corresponding VAMA. I look forward to your essay on which man you suppose is being protected, and by whom, and from what. Perhaps I could get some of that protection!
There are definite class issues in those societies as well. Wrong social class and you are out in the cold.
Race, sex and social class issues often interact a good deal, clouding issues.
Michael, the speaker is talking in the context of South Africa and the reconciliation efforts that occurred there instead of retribution efforts.
You are right that it often may not travel well to other contexts.
Leftandloafer/-I’m not calling you dirty or impure.
Again, often these discussions play out in contexts with high status academics and low status blue collar individuals.
It is not a single axis and is a much longer essay than my introspective musing.
What is the pilot program in Portland (and say that 3 times real fast!)?
Requiring two adults in the area for all interviews, and if they are both not in the room, one is immediately outside and listening in to make sure nothing inappropriate happens.