By Elder Gerald DeForest Tyler
Last week I began writing about the Pennsylvania State University child sex abuse scandal involving Jerry Sandusky as the alleged predator directly, and several other Penn State employees somewhat indirectly, including its former head football coach and president. I say former because both Coach Joe Paterno and President Graham Spanier were fired as a result of the sex scandal over two weeks ago now. I trust that you are a regular reader of my “Pastor’s Corner” columns and that you read last week’s column for a better introduction to this conclusive piece. And if by chance you did not, by now you probably know right much about the aforementioned sex scandal that I need not attempt to recapture all of it for you. So let me just continue from where I left off, essentially.
From a public relations and image perspective, it’s a sad time during the history of this great university, Penn State, and will very likely continue to be for several decades or generations yet to come. It’s also quite sad, regrettable and unfortunate when because of one bad “snapshot moment” in life, a person’s entire body of great works can be so drastically diminished, if not completely wiped out, but occasionally it does happen. I’m afraid such is the case here with Coach Paterno. Rather than putting his arms around this matter demonstrating the most appropriate action to safeguard and protect young innocent boys, “Joe Pa” allowed this scandal to erupt into one of the biggest fiascos ever known to land on an American college campus. In other words, he “fumbled” this one away big time, and he does not have the privilege of instant replay to reverse public opinion.
Granted, Jerry Sandusky is probably the real “dirt bag” involved in this horrible sinful practice, but Paterno, et al. are not completely exempt either. There is that “moral responsibility” whereby God expects us to step up to the plate. The Holy Writ says, to whom much is given, much is required. My guess is that “Joe Pa” is already beginning to regret that he did not “Do The Right Thing!” The “good news” in all of this is that God will forgive him, Spanier, Sandusky, et al. if they go to him with earnest, sincere, and repentive hearts. Yes, God will indeed forgive!
I’ve been proclaiming for quite some time now, that collegiate revenue producing sports, as well as professional sports, have simply gone too far in America. I mean, our athletes and coaches are thought of as kings and queens seemingly; and even “dieties” in some instances. They’re paid multi-millions more than some Fortune 500 company CEOs. And they think that they’re indispensable, invincible, and untouchable when they do wrong. Well, they’re not, and somebody needs to tell them so.
I’ve heard it said that, “when truth clashes with a legend…you print the legend.” I’m here to tell you no, no! You print and you tell the truth regardless of the stature of the person, no matter what. There’s only one God! Tell the truth even when it hurts to do so. Tell the truth and be done with. Otherwise, be sure your sins will find you out, sooner or later, and your conscious will eat at you like a canker worm. While I thank God for that great teacher we call “hindsight,” let me quickly express that it’s so much better to get it right the first time around. In other words, “Do The Right Thing” coming out of the box!
Elder Gerald DeForest Tyler is an ordained minister with years of senior pastoral experience.
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