“Funny Business”

    The recent revelation by Dave Letterman that he was stupid in having sexual relationships with female members of his Late Show staff has brought various reactions.  His public doesn’t seem to care much which says something about the declining state of morality in America. His wife — and former live-in partner — is upset and his marriage is reported to be in trouble.  His lawyers and CBS wish he had kept all this to himself.  What a surprise!  None of this seems very funny to me though it is furnishing other comics with material for humor.

    I come at this from a different point of view. I believe that any sexual relationship between a powerful man and a woman of lesser power is always wrong.  Power can come in many forms: money, job status, celebrity, emotional influence, even religious authority.  The women involved in such relationships are always in an inferior position.  They and others may believe that this is between “consenting adults,” but it really isn’t.  Dave and others who abuse the power of their positions for personal gratification are exploiting their partners. It is a form of sexual abuse.

    In the church world we know that clergy who exploit their clerical authority in order to have sexual relationships with parishioners have committed not simply a personal moral breach but also professional misconduct.  Such misconduct will carry serious penalties for the clergy involved.  The church must be a safe place for all.  Dave’s world may choose to wink at such conduct; we in the church world don’t believe it’s funny business at all.

— Pastor Dave