Ethics: a Pastor Secretly Records Conversation with Another Pastor

I don't think the pastor should have privately recorded the conversation; but, I also don't think the blogger should have written publicly about their private conversation and the pastor's private sin (the blogger argued the pastor sinned). The blogger has no credibility either due to publicly speaking about a private conversation. The blogger also shared information from a private email with the pastor. Neither acts were ethical: the pastor's private recording and the blogger publicly speaking of private sin and content from the private email. The difference in this situation is that the pastor has repented (according to the blogger), but the blogger has not. He's still publicly speaking about the private sin of the pastor and private email.

Quite frankly, let them sort it out. But, if someone has such a level of immaturity as to approach someone who was with their family in a restaurant, under the guise of having a "brother-to-brother" conversation, but secretly taping the conversation in an attempt at a gotcha moment, then I would not trust this person as far as I could throw them (which would not be far). It is already obvious from how the question has been framed and how some have responded that the ethics of the situation is dependent upon one's opinion of Peter as opposed to how one views the ethics of what this other pastor did. Regardless of our differences with one another on certain issues, I would say what the pastor did in secretly taping the conversation was unethical. I would tend to agree with Cathy M. that this scenario would highly damage the trustworthiness and credibility of the pastor who secretly recorded the conversation. Thanks and God bless,

Howell

Right is right and wrong is wrong. Secretly recording the conversation is wrong regardless of anything else - period! Chris, situational ethics does not make for ethics!

Neither "devious" nor "sneaky" are fruits of the spirit. Shame on ANYONE for secretly recording a private conversion; more so a pastor. I'm appalled by the very notion! Rebuke the pastor-friend, and NEVER trust him again. He's thrown away all trustworthiness and credibility.

Oh, and:

**IF** this is true about the blogger

And it is true about the blogger in question.

What was he hoping to achieve by (a) recording it; and (b) telling the P.B. AND you about the action?

Maybe b/c he truly wanted to get on tape what he's known all along - the blogger is a false brother and an evil wolf.

**IF** this is true about the blogger, so much the better that he's been exposed.

I don't have a lot of patience for people complaining about being recorded. What you say in private you should be willing to say in public, excluding confidential info, intimate details, etc.

Tell them to have a Holy Kiss and make up.

I like this option.

wondering why a private conversation between two others should have been shared with anyone. Whether Pastor is your friend or not, is it not verging on gossip for him to have called you and relayed the conversation to you - whether he recorded it or not? What was he hoping to achieve by (a) recording it; and (b) telling the P.B. AND you about the action?

I would say rebuke them both. This was a private conversation. If your yes means yes and your no means no, then why do you need to record it? Pastor Friend was trying to confront Pastor Blogger in response to his responsibility as laid out in Matthew 18. Pastor Blogger should be rebuke for his lack of teachability, insensitivity, inability to listen, and harshness. Pastor Friend should be rebuked for recording the conversation without Pastor Blogger's prior approval. Now that Pastor Blogger did not listen to him, he gets to do this again with another brother whom he implicitly trusts. However, instead of doing that, he told many other people that he had Pastor Blogger on tape. According to the Scriptures, we are to widen the circle gradually, not suddenly in order the give the brother multiple chances to repent. 2 Thessalonians 3:16-15 says, "Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them in order that they may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard them as an enemy but warn them as you would a fellow believer." We are to give them multiple chances. Pastor Friend did not do that and should be rebuked.