Being a Council Member comes with great responsibility and often means there are days where you have to do things you don’t like but nevertheless, in the best interest of the forum, you must do anyways. Today is one of those days.

From the earliest moments of Jay’s arrest, the Council knew there would be issues with Jay’s past coming to light, and the complexities of his imprisonment. The forum team has never made a secret over the fact that there are some members who thought that, as a convicted sex-offender, Jay had no place in the leadership of this forum. There were even those who thought he shouldn't be allowed to have membership on HW because of his conviction.

To be honest, those were valid concerns. Many parents would be quick to keep their kids off a site where a convicted sex-offender was a member, let alone a leader. In fact, many of the members pulled from the site early on were pulled from it due to their parents concern, and still yet other members chose not to tell their parents because of their fear of removal.

While Jay is innocent of the specific charges he was accused of, he has acknowledged that he did do things that were immoral, even if they weren't the things that he was accused of. Let’s be honest, that would be enough for most parents to pull their kids off the site. Sex-offender is a pretty serious label and has pretty serious effects on how a person is perceived and treated, regardless of whether the person is innocent or not—regardless of whether they have since been made new in Christ—it really damages how a person is seen in today's society.

Many of us thought that the forum had moved past these hurdles we faced early on, but it is because of these concerns about Jay’s past actions that one of our own Council Members has said that Jay should not only step down from any form of authority, but should not even be allowed on the site as a member. In essence, HW should have no affiliation with Jay because of his past which has led to his incarceration.

The Council Member is Timotheus, and he has said that if Jay stays on as a member he (being Tim) will be unable to, in good conscience and for the sake of his career, remain in leadership, or even as a HW member.

So, knowing you all, I’m sure you want to know what Jay’s take is on this. Well, he believes that the mindset that would judge him based solely on things he did before becoming a Christian is an unbiblical one. He agrees that he should step down from leadership since it's not practical for him to be in command while in prison—it just wouldn't work—but he has no intention of leaving the forum completely.

The next question that would naturally follow is where does the Council stand on all of this, then? If this is so serious an issue that a CM is leaving over it, which member (Jay or Tim) will we choose over the other?

First off, the Council is not choosing one member over another. In fact, the Council isn’t really choosing one side (Jay’s) or the other (Tim’s). We have come to a decision based on our own views of the scripture, our role as the Council, and after having spent time in our own respective prayer closets.

This decision of which I speak is quite simple. The Council does not feel that we have a right to deny membership on any level to someone who has committed any form of sin prior to salvation if they have shown that they are no longer tied to the old man, but have become a new creation in Christ.
You see, Jay is a very different man today then he was five years ago, just as any number of us are very different from who we were then. He changed, due to his Salvation while at the Boy’s Ranch. Jay found forgiveness and grace, which led to him turning his life around and following after Christ. It wasn’t instant, and I am not going to say that Jay is perfect by any means—he makes mistakes and he makes wrong decision—but he is not the same.
Jay has worked hard to make a name for himself and distance himself from the past life he lived, and the Council feels that who are we to say we will not forgive him for his past when Christ has not only paid the debt owed, but forgiven Jay.

It is because of this position that I come before you today to do one of those tasks that make being a Council Member hard.

While we the Council Members feel it is not our place as leaders of this forum to slander a person’s Christianity or faith, it is our place to make decisions about the leadership which are in the best interest of the forum community. Therefore we are not coming today to tell you that Tim’s position is wrong, but rather, we are coming today to tell you that because of Tim’s views and convictions in regards to Jay’s current situation, and the fact that he can no longer support the forum and the Council because of our decision, we are removing Tim from the rank of Council and placing him as a foundational member.

Now, why are we doing this? We are removing Tim from the rank of Council Member because his views and his desires no longer align with that of the Holy Worlds’ community. However, Tim has been, and will continue to be, a respected member of this forum. He was very influential in the early days of forum work, and it is because of Tim and his efforts that we have a podcast to utilize. Therefore, in honor of the work and sweat Tim has poured into this forum, we are setting his rank and permissions to that of Foundational Member.

We are sad to see Tim go, most especially because of the manner in which this has come about, but we wish him well and pray that the Lord will bless him in whatever new endeavors the Lord brings along his path.

Well said, as usual. (Though you had me panicked for a second there. "Airi's leaving? NOES!")

I can honestly say, I agree with everything you said.

Thank you for letting us know about this, Airi. And I'd also like to thank the Council for the decision they have made, I completely support it and believe it to be the right one. Paul was a great, respected man of God, who had before his conversion killed, imprisoned and tortured lots of Christians. Past sins are wiped away in God's sight and so should they in ours, no matter what.

I'm sad to see him go, but I respect Tim's decision.

No kidding, I about had a heart attack there.

Thanks for posting this, Airi.

Good for Tim! *applauds quietly* I respect your views, sir.