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December 13th, 2011
07:46 AM ET
Sandusky's pastor stands by him through sex abuse crisisBy Dana Garrett, CNN Senior Pastor Edwin Zeiders of St. Paul's Methodist Church in State College says he speaks to Sandusky every day, and will Tuesday, when Sandusky appeared for a preliminary hearing at the Centre County Courthouse and waived his right to a preliminary hearing. It was the first chance Sandusky's alleged victims could begin to publicly tell their stories. Zeiders says Sandusky and his wife Dottie have been members of his church for about 30 years. He has refused interview requests, but offered thoughts to CNN in an e-mail on Monday, a day before the hearing, and followed up by email on Tuesday confirming he had attended. The pastor was careful not to take sides in the emotive case. "All of our attention and energy is focused on those who are in need, those who are struggling to understand their circumstances and find their way through the wilderness of feelings, opinions, and hope," he said. "These are difficult times for our community," he continued, "and for all of us who care deeply about the safety, health, and the suffering of others." Zeiders said that pastors at St. Paul's "are providing care for anyone who has been sexually assaulted or abused, and do all we can to help them work through their pain and the reliving of those dreadful experiences." "We continue to define the local congregation as a people of love and restoration, while giving witness and endless stream of mercy from our Lord and the forgiveness the opens the doorway to new life." At a recent service, Zeiders preached a similar message of love and forgiveness, urging his parish to be "authentic Christians" in the wake of the sex abuse allegations against Sandusky. "We are entrusted with the light of the world," Zeiders told his congregation. "We are the bearer of each others' burdens... (called) to care for each other as deeply as we can." Neither Sandusky nor his wife Dottie have been to church since the charges were filed last month, parishioners said. Asked after the service if Sandusky should be forgiven, even if the allegations against him are proved true, Zeiders said yes. He quickly added that forgiving does not mean forgetting, nor that people should not be held accountable. Zeiders declined to say who initiated his daily contact with Sandusky and would not describe the content of their conversations. A grand jury report says Sandusky molested young boys after developing close relationships with them through a charity he founded for at-risk youths. Pennsylvania's attorney general charged Sandusky, 67, with 40 counts in what authorities allege was the sexual abuse of eight young boys over several years. Some churchgoers said they were still in a state of shock about the accusations against Sandusky, which he has denied, and some said the charges don't jibe with the Sandusky they know. They seemed mixed on the question of whether the congregation would welcome Sandusky back. Before leaving the church on a recent Sunday, a member of the congregation gave a CNN reporter a coffee mug emblazoned with the name St. Paul's. Inside was a card with the service schedule on one side and a message on the other: "Do you know that God's love can and does achieve great things, even amid the turmoil of today's world?" |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Jerry is a big tall man, I could only imagine the horror from Kids he took advantage of and abused and scarred their lives forever. He was too big to fail, and those who protected him should also stand trial.
I can just see this, pray, repent and all is forgiven. Doubt that will hold up in court though.
I'm running out of Ewws! Sandusky, his wife Dotie, his creepy lawyer and now his Pastor. Eww, Eww, Eww, and Eww! God is not happy.
What did the pastor do or say to condone the accusations? The article I read spoke of his and the church's support for victims. Is it you contention the pastor should condemn Sandusky because of the accusations in order to be perceived by the public as "righteous" or "authentic"?
Well, it is not like we didn't know that organized religion was a sickness...
Last night I dreamt I was a beautiful woman picking flowers in a meadow. I saw a handsome man walking by, and I called out to him; "Yoo hoo, handsome man! I am all alone here picking flowers. Someone could easily have their way with me!' And then the handsome man gave me a banana to eat, and I ate it with pleasure. And then I woke up. What did the dream mean?
it means that you are freaking retard*d rainman...
...a normal person does not remember his/her dreams for more than a few seconds after waking up....
captain america deals in truth, justice and the American way. He does not deal in fantasy or dreams.
Captain the dream simply means that your handle will stolen for the pleasure of someone else.
LOL, good one Cpt A
The name thief is a canadian qu eer who goes by the handle tom tom. canadians have a real problem keeping their useless opinions on American issue to themselves .
it means you are a monkey and have not evolved? how clever of the handsome man to know this.
There are at least three, maybe four, separate people who go around stealing names here. I know this because I have been one of them in the past. This is just an observation to educate and wake people up to the folly of making foolish assumptions about anonymous posters in here. I am not Tom. I am also not Uncouth Swain who steals the names of atheists. There is a fourth I think, but I am not sure. I'm not so sure Tom is one either, but some youth sure shows up and walks that walk.
So that's three for sure. When you assume about namestealing you look the fool for there is no way outside of the CNN web management staff that would know for sure – unless you want to pretend your from the FBI or other gvot agency?
I should add for the record that I am not the one who did the captain america skit above. That is **** who shows up fairly regularly here. I only take names once in a blue moon for punitive purposes. Such is also the justification given by Uncouth Swain who calls himself that because he hates the 'arrogant rudeness' of atheists so much he changed his name to Uncouth.
But Uncouth does it pretty often. I don't like taking names after having my own taken from me so often I am now nameless in self-defense, so i know how you all feel to say the least.
hey captan stupid fvck u r the dumbest fvck i have ever seen u must be fred george nobody else is that stupid
hey fandom ur a wuss go whine somewhere else
He probably touches little boys too.
I bet you do too.
So what? The guy likes kids...a lot...a whole lot.
There are just as many PEDOs in the Methodist Church as there are in the Catholic Church!
captain america would never capitalize canada.
...but he does love the feeling of a freshly exercised prostate during a Pokemon marathon.
captain america never indulges in canadian pursuits.
A true wise man...stand beside Sandusky instead of in front of him.
At age 67, Sandusky's legal wows are just starting. but how long will he live?? His legal plan is to stall the courts till he dies a free man.
Yes you heard it hear first! Sandusky will die before being brought to justis. Sandusky will die from natural causes. The courts are too slow and full of stall tactics. This tactic was taught in my High school class by a very old Doctor who challenged his classes to take him to court. the Doctor was a very smart man.....
That tactic was designed by the legal system not for accused but for lawyers...the longer the case the greater the reward. Lawyers bill by the hour right? Nuff said.
I'm out of the closet and struttin' my stuff, girlfriend!
Waitress.... I'll have the Sandusky Sampler.... with a side of young boy-scent.
Spoken like a canadian tom tom .
Oh, no you didn't! Next!
Young boys in Canada don't taste the same. Just ask Jerry!
canadians speak fluent qu eer.
Hit the showers, kids! Bring your towels.... you'll need to clean up the shame afterwards!
captain america has riled up a canadian qu eer who goes by the handle tom tom.
only fa.ggots hate fa.ggots that means captan dipfvck is a fa.ggot
It would be funnier if his pastor was standing behind him instead of by him.
Well... its not like an established church could ever condone child abuse. Right? I mean Right?
this board is a great source for my standup comedy act... love it 🙂
Sit down...
We work for scale.
captain america supports giving young boys oral pleasure.
captain america never speaks of himself. He is a true hero of the American empire.Bull sh it canadians attempt to undermine the good captain but he really doesn't give a sh it about them.
Maybe the pastor was one of those that was moved from parish to parish!!
Well of course he would, pastors like little boys too!
He buggers 10-year-old boys and the pastor stands by him? Pastor, you are just as guilty.
Cast the first stone then, cow!
captain america never says cow.
Did you notice the article never stated the pastor stood by Sandusky? Neither did it even imply so? Only the headline, which is an editorial inclusion, not a statement of fact.
I BELIEVE YOU, JERRY!
captain america doesn't shout.
captan dumbfvck always yells when we fvck him in the ass way to go captan dumbfvck