I remember watching Ravi talk several years ago, and often mentioning being gone from home months at a time. Back then, I knew nothing about scandals but I remember wondering how he could handle being gone from his wife for so long.
Are you saying that King David didn't try to hide it? He got Uriah drunk and tried to blame him for Bathsheba's pregnancy and then had Uriah murdered. It was so horrific that the messenger who told David that they lost the war immediately said, but Uriah is dead! He knew that David wouldn't be angry if he at least knew that. No one knew completely what David had done until the prophet Nathanael stood up to him. Even then not many others knew until Abshalom's rebellion. Please read the Bible more before you make comparisons and before you put your place in God's seat and pass judgements.
When I saw this email pop-up in my inbox, I wondered if I was ready to read/listen to it. Ravi was brilliant! He defended the faith with eloquence, authority and flair. I was drawn to his arguments for the Christian Faith and even more so to the depth of his story telling. Even as I listened to this clip, tears came to my eyes because I've asked God over and over again, "WHY Lord?" He knew better! He knew so much and still! WHY!!?? It still hurts but I also remember that Judas sat at a table with Our Lord Jesus Christ and STILL betrayed Him! I'm mature enough to know that, as the saying goes, you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. I was more concerned about the many hearts that came to the Lord Jesus under his ministry and also the impact this would have on other defenders of the faith like you. I wondered if this would rock your faith or Abdul's faith but I know that after being an atheist for many years, you came to accept Jesus Christ after realizing that the gospel is TRUE!! Even though this happened, it does not and CANNOT discredit the gospel. It cannot make untrue what IS TRUE! The Bible tells us that EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; and so yes, that includes Ravi's. It's just really sad that this ended up the way it did but hopefully, we will ALL learn from this that the devil still aims high and no one is outside of his scope. The devil will do anything to make people question the veracity of Christianity and targeting someone who has such a far reach of souls is undoubtedly a cunning yet brillant tactic by the enemy of our souls. Hence the Bible warns us to be sober and vigilant. For as a roaring lion, the devil seeks whom he may devour. I Peter 5:8
It seems to me that J. Warner was essentially saying that Ravi was all style and no substance, or as we say in Texas "All hat and no cattle". My sentiments exactly.
Great clip! Thanks for this....... I read Ravi's autobiography about 4 or 5 years ago, and what really drew me in was his description of his broken relationship with his Dad. I related so much to his experience with his Dad, even though my personal experiences were not nearly as bad as his. I could see, from my personal interpretation of his autobiography, that he was gathering the building blocks to potentially build a double life. I remember thinking that very thought. I carried on a very promiscuous life style for many years, and no one knew a thing. Working through my issues with professional help, got me out of that trap. Thank God. I think Ravi got stuck. So much fallout and damage. God have mercy.
Professional helps and self awareness helped but some said seek only church help. Church is not equipped and they can't handle or ev3n give counselling. Judgemental verbal attacks and gossips, ridiculings prevail instead.
Although I've been Saved since 1/5/1997, I was backslid for most of that time. It wasn't until late September 2018 that I came back around to trying to be a Christian. I invested in Audible books and TH-cam videos to learn as much as I could. Ravi was one of the first Apologists I came across. I remember posting in one of my classes at Regent University in early 2019 that I would like to be an Apologist like Ravi and a few others. It is sad to see a person that you admired and looked up to be involved in such a horrendous scandal.
When a Ravi Zacharias video appeared on my wall i listened bec.i believed he was a christian but i was not taken in by his style bec. i observed he was using less scripture and more on poetry or quotes of other people. I believe that even then the Holy Spirit in me protected me from a "charismatic talker".
This scandal hit me so very deeply. I was a very involved and, can I say, devoted? follower of Ravi. As an intellectual, how he approached apologetics fueled my own journey to faith. I was soul-broken by the revelations about his awful behavior, mainly due to my own history of sexual abuse. This hurts so badly, I can't breathe when I think of it. Thank you for tackling this situation head-on. It helps a little. A little. God bless you. -Heidi R. P.S. "Pride goeth before the fall".
I'm so sorry for the abuse you've suffered and wish the other commenters had acknowledged that this scandal only reminds you of the pain coming from the very one you (or I) never expected. The hard lesson here is anyone can fall. But Ravi took it to a whole 'nuther level by refusing to acknowledge it and going to great lengths to cover it up and showed no remorse. He had the right theology, but still he was an evil man, his heart unchanged. God will repay him for his deeds if he never truly repented.
so sorry for your abuse, and sense of betrayal at Ravi's failure. I hope you have a supportive, biblical, Spirit-filled community that can help you in your spiritual journey of healing.
@diy_nailsby_heidi_r3889 I am praying that, even though this reply is one year after yours, that you are thriving in Christ and experiencing measures of healing. I am sorry the scandal hit you as it did - especially given your horrid experience - so please know that God loves you and cares for you deeply. He has so much for you. Please don't give up. Continue to seek Him and you will find Him.
We can learn that people will believe anything that they want to hear. Religion and politics both run on fear and anger under the guise of caring about people and society. The human tendency toward self-delusion is far more powerful than we want to admit.
This was interesting. It's like watching a child become a spoiled brat. There will always be a breadcrumb trail. I'm usually wary of any organization that is built upon the personality of 1 person. You are correct that he needed guard rails but initially such a person would promote persons who are in awe of them and then it becomes the character of the organization. Meaning accountability will never be put in place.
I’m Malaysian (Ex Mormon). When I was investigating the truth he was one of the first person(s) I found on the internet. When he came to Malaysia I was excited to go listen. He came with Nabeel Q and they both spoke. I didn’t understand at that time but there was a difference between the two when they spoke. Nabeel was filled with the spirit but Ravi wasn’t.
@@MuslimByChoicewhy don't you go and see the frauds in your community? In Kerala state of India some of your madressa teacher are caught all sort of activities and going to jail, it was all in news
The Three Temptations All of Us Face: Money, Sex, or Power. My first thought was what about young kids but then I realize that they misbehave in order to gain power even if they don't realize that's what they are after. I think what was the saddest part about Ravi was that there were actually clues earlier on and yet people either gave him the benefit of the doubt or they just couldn't believe it about him. It grieves me how his ministry ended up so tainted and what is so extremely sad is how much his family doesn't want to believe any of it. I feel like he groomed his wife to not question him and to believe him no matter what. My husband would not be able to own or go to massage parlors on his own as much as he did or go and live by himself to write for such extended periods of time in a different country, etc. Not that I don't trust him but some things are just not good for marriages and breed temptations.
I have a question maybe someone can answer: Was Zacharias still alive at the time and know he'd been publicly humiliated? Did he ever deny the accusations?
Public figures religious and non-religious are under attack by the adversary more than those not in the limelight. Many religious figures have fallen. Therefore, let's pray for those Christian leaders who are on the front lines. No one is immune to these atracks.
If you look at his conversion testimony there is nothing about turning from sinner to saint. It's just about turning from depressed and suicidal to having purpose. He was probably never a Christian.
I used to listen Ravi his sermon his way of speaking his intelligence and i used to think this man is truly blessed , but i was really disappointed after seeing news regarding his sex scandal etc . Im not here to judge anyone but how can one preach but dont practice anything what they preach 😢 , nowadays i see scandal inside of church , pastors preaching prosperity gosple they dont fear God Almighty .
As a retired police officer, and TH-camr, I connected with your message on money, sex and power - and how we have become fixated on recognition in this generation of social media.
What took place with Ravi Zacharias is the same thing Billy Graham avoided by writing & signing the Modesto Pact with his ministry. Billy understood the temptations that “could” come their way. What concerns me with Ravi is the following he had. How many people put stock in him? How many baby Christians were there that he shattered? SMH Ravi gave Christianity two black eyes!!
Ravi was a really important speaker to me in my early years as a Christian. He helped bridge the mind and the heart like no other could. I'm quite impressed by Bishop Barron nowadays who does a similar thing. Anyway, I started to drift away from his podcasts as I felt he was just trotting out the same lines. He seemed to have lost his passion but his arguments and observations were strong and remained relevant. I came to the conclusion he was just coasting to retirement. Now I know what had happened. He had become compromised by sin in quite a terrible way. Sadly it seemed to make sense of what I'd been feeling about his ministry for a few years before his death.
Red flags 1) eloquent speech emphasized over the simple gospel, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 2) takes 10 minutes to explain simple things like the fact the Bible says homosexuality is wrong 3) spas 4) the (possible) real number 1: what was his church fellowship life like? 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 2For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.
Unfortunately, human nature is such that we tend to judge the Message by the character of the messenger, especially when it comes to matters of faith. In many cases it's a sound judgement, but in this case the Message is sound, but the messenger was deeply flawed, and many of his flaws weren't discovered until after his death. The truth will always be revealed. A lot of people were deeply impacted by Ravi's hypocrisy and I suspect some may have turned from their faith as a result. I hope anyone who pulled away from the Word as a result will put aside the flaws of the messenger and come back to their faith as they look upon the perfection of the Message.
Especially when you start to reach that type of status, you have to remember to glorify God and magnify Jesus. The Lord God said I will exalt the humble and bring down the proud. On a side note, it's important to have an accountability partner that would not be subject or be intimidated by someone's status in the ministry.
Yup and always take your wife with you, but highly probable that he wasn't regenerated. As Macarthur said unconverted people are going to act unconverted, he said this years before the Ravi scandal.
Ravi’s problem came from putting too much accent on bright logic used to justify God. Apologetics involve logic. The danger in spending too much time in apologetics is that it actually distancing you from God instead of making you to “walk and have a personal relation” with God. I personally stoped watching apologetics and logical debates on God when I started to feel that these actually distance me from God. On the topic of disappointment: indeed was very hard to see Ravi’s image falling from height. However we should not forget, that we are all sinners and that also those who were spying and investigating on Ravi’s life might have similar sins but none cares to discover them. And last point: it is easy to find errors on someone when you know the standard he relates to. While it is difficult to judge someone who has no reference or a very loose reference standard.
To me, Ravi use to be one of those guys that I'd be tempted to put too high on a pedestal. If I had been asked to name one prominent Christian figure that I had no doubt was 100% genuine, there's a good chance that I would have named Ravi. Then one day, it seemed out of the blue, something dawned on me; a predominate part of his speaking style was to gradually increase his cadence and his volume in a rhythmic way as he was making a particular point, whipping up the intensity of the crowd toward a climax where everyone would stand to their feet and give applause and I'm pretty sure he'd do this repeatedly over the course of the presentation. It seemed to me he was manufacturing it in an almost hypnotic way and everyone would applaud right on time when he would subliminally cue them to do it. I didn't want to believe it. To a non-believer it would seem silly even to be concerned about this, but a believer knows that when one is speaking in a ministry role, seeking applause is not an insignificant fault. I thought then (and still wonder) if I misperceived the situation, but after that thought came upon me, I always had a question mark in my mind about his heart and no longer enjoyed listening to him (rightly or wrongly). I say this not to toot my horn as if I'm so discerning, but to praise God for giving me a gift of some measure of discernment. It felt more like a revelation rather than something I worked out in my brain because of the suddenness that the realization popped into my mind.
Perhaps you did get a revelation. 'Cause I am really wondering why the leadership in our church, who has invited Ravi to speak in several big conferences we've had over the years, did not get any kind of revelation about his true nature. And they are supposed to be anointed.
Who investigated the investigators? Just a question. I'll wait. By the way, if anyone does happen to share this information here, also please attach to it that ... before the LORD, you stand behind the investigators of the investigators, should they all be in agreement. Let's just make sure our records are together, before the LORD and his divine council. And to be clear: for the record, my position is not on either side of the issue. This is a situation where I'm gathering information. Thanks to any who want to weigh in, under my stated conditions. Otherwise, it's not addressing my post and should be disregarded by the discerning.
if you really want to gather information, start with Steve Baughman's book, then go from there to the journalists who further investigated him, at World magazine and Christianity Today. It's easy to "investigate" Baughman, as he's not trying to hide anything.
I was really saddened by Ravi's fall. Only Jesus's knows where his heart actually lay. I'm really sad but I can rely on Jesus and will leave the outcome to Him and the Father.
The whole debacle made me so sick. Ravi's man made "wisdom" helped me out at a time when I was struggling with agnosticism. But in the end it's only the preaching of Christ crucified that saves the human soul. He never preached Christ. He preached around Him and about Him sometimes. But mostly he preached his own "wisdom" not based on scripture. And he quoted Muggeridge and Chesterton far more than actual scripture. I hate to say it but apologetics cannot ever take the place of preaching Christ crucified. Apologetics alone has enormous appeal and is very popular nowadays, but it only leads to mental converts, not genuine heart converts.
This interview is a bit sad to me in that you refer to what Ravi did as a "Personal Failure"! That is one of the sad things in the Church also, the crime of a perpetrator is diminished as a personal failure. Really?
One of the aspects of Ravi's Ministry or I should say his Delivery, since I was a Speech Major in College, is that although I enjoyed listening to his factual defense of The Gospel, but since I studied at L'Abri Fellowship, when Dr. Francis Schaeffer was alive and teaching at that location, in comparing these two influential Apologeticists, is tha Schaeffer always seemed to "distill scientific and Biblical aspects in a fairly simple, easy to understand manner. Ravi, on the other hand, always seemed to come across to me as a combination "Apologists/Entertainer." I found that Ravi's language usage as well as his philosophical examples, were, in my opinion, a bit too flowery and complicated, and drew attention a bit too much to himself and his eloquence, rather than aa compared to Schaeffer or someone such as J. I. Packer, who both seemed to speak in plainer, less dramatic terms and methods. At times, I found it difficult to actually follow Ravi's thinking and line of reasoning, and felt that he was making his references and examples "too complicated and entertaining." This aspect may shed even more light on the "charming side of his personality" in a similar way as when he misrepresented his educational credentials and used his personal charm to inflate his "Ministry Image." Then, as he struggled with his "Celebrity Status." In a similar fashion, former President Kennedy, like his father Joe Kennedy, became victims of their own charm and business success. Interesting..... very interesting...... Each of us as fallen human beings, definitely need to place healthy "Guardrails on any level of Celebrity status" we may achieve over time......:). Amen. Ted Schempp, Nashville
The Homicide Detective has a good nuanced approach. He has written a book: Forensic Faith: A Homicide Detective Makes the Case for a More Reasonable, Evidential Christian Faith Ravi did have a sex addiction. In his case very serious, and it has something to do with grandiosity and lust for power too. Nowadays this is taken seriously by therapists and there are good treatments. Also, do not forget he tried to commit suicide when he was young. I am a Christian and dislike the legal treatment of the Bible and theology. You are supposed to become more wise and nuanced when you get older. David did have some sort of sex addiction too. Nowadays he could have treatment. God normally works by the ordinary means.
Solid analysis. One component that you touched on in a moment here with celebrity and influence was, people becoming attachet to paul or others in the new testament. I would say a large part that fuels power in many ways is humans natural tendency towards tribalisim. We often see people offering more slack to those they feel in a tribal unity with than others who are not. From sports fans, to followers of different Christian doctrines we all naturally stick with our tribes. Which makes it very easy to offer more power and less scrutiny to those within our groups.
This is just a case of cult of personality. He became a brand name to be marketed. No one in his company could put on a brake check, because he was their stream of money. They weren’t going to question his actions because maybe they feared him. So even if they knew the truth they weren’t going to expose him. This same story plays out with actors and musicians everyday. But actors and musicians can retire. Ravi couldn’t just fade away because he was the brand, he was the whole company.
It is not uncommon now for professing christians and churches to identify with a dynamic, skilled speaker under some kind of "cult of personality," as J. Warner Wallace identified it. Zacharias was one of those people. The messenger was above the message.
I have a question, and I’d really like an answer, if you would be so kind. I have a very large collection of Kindle books-including “Healing for Damaged Emotions” by David Seamands (he resigned his ministry position with a formal apology for his abuses of power, and was three months into a year-long discipline time imposed by church leadership when he passed away in 2006), as well as several books by Ravi Zacharias, and other apologists, unsure off the top of my head if any others have been involved in sex scandals). My question is this: The information in the books is still good info, don’t you think? I mean, it’s still usable, even though the author(s) were personally disgraced-I’d like your thoughts, please. Many thanks.
A theologian commented that the Scriptures say that there is a sin that leads into death. Ravi died of cancer if my memory serves me right. The theologian could be right
I didn't know about this. Interesting but reading through some of the documents as a layperson is revealing. The texting is condemning and that seems like suitable evidence but reading through...the allegations of unwanted touching is more of a he said she said. Considering the power and influence he had, it'd be no surprise at all to think that a person could be motivated by money to make those kind of allegations against a person who has passed on and not here to defend himself. A person who probably has some money in his estate that could be tapped into to make allegations like this "go away". True or not, he died in May of 2020 and the report didn't come out until Feb. of 2021. There was no trial so to talk in terms of Ravi's "criminal" behavior is a litte confusing to me. Is a man not considered innocent until proven guilty?
You've made some very relevant points but the investigation was extensive and conclusive. Even though he was not alive to defend himself or to be put on trial, there was enough evidence to prove guilt.
The bigger Christians that have influenced my faith the most are Ravi, Kent Hovind, Joel Richardson, Nelson Walters, Frank Turek and J Warner Wallace. If you mention any of these in atheist circles they are immediately triggered (especially the first 2). Personally, I don't care what happens in their personal life. A lot of the characters in the bible did terrible things and satan wants people to focus on the bad so you dont hear the good. I haven't heard the case against Ravi. Idk if it's true or not. I don't see how that makes anything Ravi has said in his seminars or his books wrong. If we ignored everything Moses said because he murdered someone or ignored everything Noah said because he was a drunk, or the story of Uriah's wife. Even Sampson being an idiot and falling for Delilah's tricks was used for God's glory. Peter denying Jesus 3 times was still a disciple for Jesus that was still a teacher to us. I've never understood Christian's gripes on preachers like they're supposed to be as perfect as Jesus to gain respect. And Ravi is evidence of that. It's like God allowed this to happen so that Ravi didnt end up being propped up at a saint or glorified. Ravi's name being dragged through the mud is a way of God knowing who was really listening and who was just there because of Ravi.
*1 John 2:15-17* Lust of the Flesh Lust of the Eyes Pride of Life It all goes back to the Garden of Enden *Lust of the Flesh* Eve gave into the Temptation to have what she was told by Adam what they weren't allowed *Lust of the Eyes* She saw the Fruit was Beautiful to the Eyes *Pride of Life* With the lust of the Flesh & lust of the Eyes already ingaged *She saw How eating the Fruit would gain Her Knowledge and become like God*
hey james warner wallace i watch all your videos they are really good.i just want to say the way you approached the gospels is really fascinating.You are a great inspiration to me man i wish i could speak to you one day i hope god gives me that chance
I still have difficulty believing that this is true of Ravi Zacharias. We know the potential for depravity even of the best men. It is also possible in my mind that those who desire to see the destruction of effective Christian personalities could fabricate a smear so convincing that even his own family, friends, and business believe it. As far as I know, his wife doesn't.
With all due respect, you should get rid of the fantasy that "christian" leaders somehow seem to have immunity to type of behavior. No one ever questions when it's a so called "secular" personality. But whenever it's a Christian, confirmation bias kicks in,
Logically think about that one…so ALL of the stories, 3rd party investigations, testimonies, etc…theyre ALL a smear campaign????? More logically, everything is true and he fooled a bunch of people. No one wants admit theyve been fooled, but admitting it will help it not happen again. These kind of men are wolves in sheeps clothing of the worst kind.
Thanks for drawing out lessons to help any man who is willing to work out his salvation with fear and trembling. Power, money and sex guard rails are the same God warned future kings in Deut 17:14-20 to pay attention to as they obey scriptures for their good and the good of their people.
One could narrow the list of “deadly sins” down to only 3 from 7 - pride, lust, and greed - given that it’s those 3 that serve as root causes, even root causes of the other 4 in virtually all cases.
Do you have the allegations of where his soul is so long...RAVI'S SOUL .I believe, even though I'm ain't knowledgeable much but let's not take GOD position if it comes to judgement.We will speculate more stories but of what benefits.Where he's sleeping nobody knows what happened who took his soul whilst resting not even his family knows.WHO r we to condemn
This is the first I heard of this. I used to listen to him but feels that he speaks over my head. This is such tragic. I was so sad why God would take Nabeel Qureshi so soon. He was on fire for God, Seeking Allah Finding God, but it is to his benefit he died a few years into his ministry. RZ, The longer we live the more sins we commit. It’s a lesson to not exult any man, only God. Always test what they say to scripture. Jesus said, “So practice and obey what they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach.” Mat 23. 1-3. Love my God, full of wisdom❤️. Blessed are those apologists who die young for they will remain pure in heart for the Lord. May God watch over you both and keep you pure in heart. You are needed for such a time as this. Remain faithful people, his reward is not just heaven, His blessings are abundant on earth to those who believe and remain faithful. I am a recipient and a witness to this truth.
Being silenced and intimidated. Then a lot of them didn’t come forward on their own. Their stories were uncovered only when approached by investigators after Ravi’s death. Why didn’t the investigation happen while he was alive? Because the people in charge of his organization had placed blind faith in him, and he still had a lot of influence over them while alive. Then, a lot came out after his death because his records and technology were now in other hands than his own. There was a very substantial investigation with very conclusive results. These aren’t smears. No one who’s halfway looked into the evidence believes in Ravi’s innocence. It’s not surprising his wife is still in denial. I can’t imagine her pain when she finally faces the truth.
believe it or not, some of them were actually trying to get someone to listen to them. Steve Baughman wrote a book but couldn't find a Christian organization to publish it or even look into RZ and finally resorted to writing to a news blogger, asking her to look into his accusations.
I don't know what to think considering his own wife and son have said SINCE everything was allegedly exposed that they personally don't believe he did anything, because all the investigation shown is that certain individuals did send him inappropriate material but that he deleted it--- it doesn't necessarily mean that he participated or responded. Yet that's what so many people want to believe. That being said, even if he did do what he's accused of doing, those were his sins and his relationship with Jesus Christ Almighty God was his own--- and it's a bit sad that we as Christians focus on everyone else's sins than our own. I often wonder what Christianity so many of my fellow Christian's are following or what Bible they have read because time after time after time Father Jehovah, Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit All Three in One and One and the Same Who Are the One and Only True Living God chose broken men and women to lead people to Jesus Christ Almighty God and I suspect the reason for that is because real recognizes real, and you know the truth when you hear it from people who have lived both sides of the tracks. No, I'm not turning a blind eye to sins or condoning sin--- sin is sin and we need to speak out against it and warn the world against normalizing what is sinful--- however, whether he really did these things or didn't we need to be ever mindful as children of Jesus Christ Almighty God to not be unmerciful and to not get involved in gossip and being apart of a worldly mob set out to discourage and destroy our fellow Christians because nobody is as they should be and never will until we leave this world to be with Jesus Christ Almighty God forever and always 😊
I remember watching Ravi talk several years ago, and often mentioning being gone from home months at a time.
Back then, I knew nothing about scandals but I remember wondering how he could handle being gone from his wife for so long.
I remember hearing how Ravi was the Billy Graham or Charles Spurgeon of our time. Just a reminder to keep our focus on Jesus.
Graham and Spurgeon very different people with different theologies.
I think the hard part is he didn't just 'fail' like King David, it's the way he tried to hide it.
Yeah! Ravi was worse in the way he tried to hide it than the way King David tried to hide it.
No one, not even Ravi, can hide anything from God. Jeremiah 17:9
Are you saying that King David didn't try to hide it? He got Uriah drunk and tried to blame him for Bathsheba's pregnancy and then had Uriah murdered. It was so horrific that the messenger who told David that they lost the war immediately said, but Uriah is dead! He knew that David wouldn't be angry if he at least knew that.
No one knew completely what David had done until the prophet Nathanael stood up to him. Even then not many others knew until Abshalom's rebellion.
Please read the Bible more before you make comparisons and before you put your place in God's seat and pass judgements.
Dude, David literally had someone murdered to cover up what he did.
I would add that King David was repentant.
When I saw this email pop-up in my inbox, I wondered if I was ready to read/listen to it.
Ravi was brilliant! He defended the faith with eloquence, authority and flair. I was drawn to his arguments for the Christian Faith and even more so to the depth of his story telling. Even as I listened to this clip, tears came to my eyes because I've asked God over and over again, "WHY Lord?" He knew better! He knew so much and still! WHY!!?? It still hurts but I also remember that Judas sat at a table with Our Lord Jesus Christ and STILL betrayed Him!
I'm mature enough to know that, as the saying goes, you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. I was more concerned about the many hearts that came to the Lord Jesus under his ministry and also the impact this would have on other defenders of the faith like you. I wondered if this would rock your faith or Abdul's faith but I know that after being an atheist for many years, you came to accept Jesus Christ after realizing that the gospel is TRUE!! Even though this happened, it does not and CANNOT discredit the gospel. It cannot make untrue what IS TRUE! The Bible tells us that EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; and so yes, that includes Ravi's. It's just really sad that this ended up the way it did but hopefully, we will ALL learn from this that the devil still aims high and no one is outside of his scope. The devil will do anything to make people question the veracity of Christianity and targeting someone who has such a far reach of souls is undoubtedly a cunning yet brillant tactic by the enemy of our souls. Hence the Bible warns us to be sober and vigilant. For as a roaring lion, the devil seeks whom he may devour. I Peter 5:8
It seems to me that J. Warner was essentially saying that Ravi was all style and no substance, or as we say in Texas "All hat and no cattle". My sentiments exactly.
When people give more importance to the speaker rather the Gospel there will always be a problem.
Great clip! Thanks for this....... I read Ravi's autobiography about 4 or 5 years ago, and what really drew me in was his description of his broken relationship with his Dad. I related so much to his experience with his Dad, even though my personal experiences were not nearly as bad as his. I could see, from my personal interpretation of his autobiography, that he was gathering the building blocks to potentially build a double life. I remember thinking that very thought. I carried on a very promiscuous life style for many years, and no one knew a thing. Working through my issues with professional help, got me out of that trap. Thank God. I think Ravi got stuck. So much fallout and damage. God have mercy.
Professional helps and self awareness helped but some said seek only church help. Church is not equipped and they can't handle or ev3n give counselling. Judgemental verbal attacks and gossips, ridiculings prevail instead.
Although I've been Saved since 1/5/1997, I was backslid for most of that time. It wasn't until late September 2018 that I came back around to trying to be a Christian. I invested in Audible books and TH-cam videos to learn as much as I could. Ravi was one of the first Apologists I came across. I remember posting in one of my classes at Regent University in early 2019 that I would like to be an Apologist like Ravi and a few others. It is sad to see a person that you admired and looked up to be involved in such a horrendous scandal.
Ravi was the reason I found this ministry. He is also the reason my distrust increased. I thank God though for those who repent and return to Jesus.
When a Ravi Zacharias video appeared on my wall i listened bec.i believed he was a christian but i was not taken in by his style bec. i observed he was using less scripture and more on poetry or quotes of other people. I believe that even then the Holy Spirit in me protected me from a "charismatic talker".
This scandal hit me so very deeply. I was a very involved and, can I say, devoted? follower of Ravi. As an intellectual, how he approached apologetics fueled my own journey to faith. I was soul-broken by the revelations about his awful behavior, mainly due to my own history of sexual abuse. This hurts so badly, I can't breathe when I think of it.
Thank you for tackling this situation head-on. It helps a little. A little.
God bless you.
-Heidi R.
P.S. "Pride goeth before the fall".
That is why we need to follow Jesus not men who preaches.
Jesus is Faithful and True. Fallen humans, saved or not saved, fail. Jeremiah 17:9
I'm so sorry for the abuse you've suffered and wish the other commenters had acknowledged that this scandal only reminds you of the pain coming from the very one you (or I) never expected. The hard lesson here is anyone can fall. But Ravi took it to a whole 'nuther level by refusing to acknowledge it and going to great lengths to cover it up and showed no remorse. He had the right theology, but still he was an evil man, his heart unchanged. God will repay him for his deeds if he never truly repented.
so sorry for your abuse, and sense of betrayal at Ravi's failure. I hope you have a supportive, biblical, Spirit-filled community that can help you in your spiritual journey of healing.
@diy_nailsby_heidi_r3889 I am praying that, even though this reply is one year after yours, that you are thriving in Christ and experiencing measures of healing. I am sorry the scandal hit you as it did - especially given your horrid experience - so please know that God loves you and cares for you deeply. He has so much for you. Please don't give up. Continue to seek Him and you will find Him.
So true guys 👍 that was a very good exhortation for us all! Thank you for doing this one seriously. God bless you I'll share this one for sure!
We can learn that people will believe anything that they want to hear. Religion and politics both run on fear and anger under the guise of caring about people and society. The human tendency toward self-delusion is far more powerful than we want to admit.
This was interesting. It's like watching a child become a spoiled brat. There will always be a breadcrumb trail.
I'm usually wary of any organization that is built upon the personality of 1 person.
You are correct that he needed guard rails but initially such a person would promote persons who are in awe of them and then it becomes the character of the organization. Meaning accountability will never be put in place.
I’m Malaysian (Ex Mormon). When I was investigating the truth he was one of the first person(s) I found on the internet. When he came to Malaysia I was excited to go listen. He came with Nabeel Q and they both spoke. I didn’t understand at that time but there was a difference between the two when they spoke. Nabeel was filled with the spirit but Ravi wasn’t.
The answer is simple Ravi visited Malaysia to look for women and doing massage
@@MuslimByChoicewhy don't you go and see the frauds in your community? In Kerala state of India some of your madressa teacher are caught all sort of activities and going to jail, it was all in news
God bless 🙌 both of you! It's wonderful to hear from Father and Son Who can defend The Word of Lord the Bible as well you two do! Jesus never changes
The Three Temptations All of Us Face: Money, Sex, or Power. My first thought was what about young kids but then I realize that they misbehave in order to gain power even if they don't realize that's what they are after.
I think what was the saddest part about Ravi was that there were actually clues earlier on and yet people either gave him the benefit of the doubt or they just couldn't believe it about him. It grieves me how his ministry ended up so tainted and what is so extremely sad is how much his family doesn't want to believe any of it. I feel like he groomed his wife to not question him and to believe him no matter what. My husband would not be able to own or go to massage parlors on his own as much as he did or go and live by himself to write for such extended periods of time in a different country, etc. Not that I don't trust him but some things are just not good for marriages and breed temptations.
I have a question maybe someone can answer: Was Zacharias still alive at the time and know he'd been publicly humiliated? Did he ever deny the accusations?
Public figures religious and non-religious are under attack by the adversary more than those not in the limelight. Many religious figures have fallen. Therefore, let's pray for those Christian leaders who are on the front lines. No one is immune to these atracks.
If you look at his conversion testimony there is nothing about turning from sinner to saint. It's just about turning from depressed and suicidal to having purpose. He was probably never a Christian.
Thanks so much for your insights on this. Wow. Seeing my own limited social media usage in a whole new light.
I used to listen Ravi his sermon his way of speaking his intelligence and i used to think this man is truly blessed , but i was really disappointed after seeing news regarding his sex scandal etc . Im not here to judge anyone but how can one preach but dont practice anything what they preach 😢 , nowadays i see scandal inside of church , pastors preaching prosperity gosple they dont fear God Almighty .
As a retired police officer, and TH-camr, I connected with your message on money, sex and power - and how we have become fixated on recognition in this generation of social media.
Only God can restrain evil Sir. The people who loved Ravi are also guilty of not praying for him that he may not fall into sin.🙏🙏🙏
What took place with Ravi Zacharias is the same thing Billy Graham avoided by writing & signing the Modesto Pact with his ministry. Billy understood the temptations that “could” come their way.
What concerns me with Ravi is the following he had. How many people put stock in him? How many baby Christians were there that he shattered? SMH Ravi gave Christianity two black eyes!!
Christianity will do just fine without him. Because Jesus is the cornerstone of the foundation, not Ravi.
Ravi was a really important speaker to me in my early years as a Christian. He helped bridge the mind and the heart like no other could. I'm quite impressed by Bishop Barron nowadays who does a similar thing. Anyway, I started to drift away from his podcasts as I felt he was just trotting out the same lines. He seemed to have lost his passion but his arguments and observations were strong and remained relevant. I came to the conclusion he was just coasting to retirement. Now I know what had happened. He had become compromised by sin in quite a terrible way. Sadly it seemed to make sense of what I'd been feeling about his ministry for a few years before his death.
Red flags
1) eloquent speech emphasized over the simple gospel, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
2) takes 10 minutes to explain simple things like the fact the Bible says homosexuality is wrong
3) spas
4) the (possible) real number 1: what was his church fellowship life like?
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
2For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.
Jim: I love your approach. Unique.
Unfortunately, human nature is such that we tend to judge the Message by the character of the messenger, especially when it comes to matters of faith. In many cases it's a sound judgement, but in this case the Message is sound, but the messenger was deeply flawed, and many of his flaws weren't discovered until after his death. The truth will always be revealed.
A lot of people were deeply impacted by Ravi's hypocrisy and I suspect some may have turned from their faith as a result. I hope anyone who pulled away from the Word as a result will put aside the flaws of the messenger and come back to their faith as they look upon the perfection of the Message.
Especially when you start to reach that type of status, you have to remember to glorify God and magnify Jesus. The Lord God said I will exalt the humble and bring down the proud. On a side note, it's important to have an accountability partner that would not be subject or be intimidated by someone's status in the ministry.
Yup and always take your wife with you, but highly probable that he wasn't regenerated. As Macarthur said unconverted people are going to act unconverted, he said this years before the Ravi scandal.
Ravi was my hero and I’n still devastated.
Imagine how his kids and wife feel.
This is why Jesus said HE is the only teacher. If anyone is a hero it should be the one who saved us from God's wrath.
Power, sex, greed
I looked up to this guy, I prayed that it wasn’t true. It’s sad, hopefully he’s in Heaven.
Ravi’s problem came from putting too much accent on bright logic used to justify God. Apologetics involve logic. The danger in spending too much time in apologetics is that it actually distancing you from God instead of making you to “walk and have a personal relation” with God. I personally stoped watching apologetics and logical debates on God when I started to feel that these actually distance me from God.
On the topic of disappointment: indeed was very hard to see Ravi’s image falling from height. However we should not forget, that we are all sinners and that also those who were spying and investigating on Ravi’s life might have similar sins but none cares to discover them. And last point: it is easy to find errors on someone when you know the standard he relates to. While it is difficult to judge someone who has no reference or a very loose reference standard.
You two work so well together.
Well said, thank you gentlemen.
Thank you, this was a good analysis! Greetings from Finland!
To me, Ravi use to be one of those guys that I'd be tempted to put too high on a pedestal. If I had been asked to name one prominent Christian figure that I had no doubt was 100% genuine, there's a good chance that I would have named Ravi. Then one day, it seemed out of the blue, something dawned on me; a predominate part of his speaking style was to gradually increase his cadence and his volume in a rhythmic way as he was making a particular point, whipping up the intensity of the crowd toward a climax where everyone would stand to their feet and give applause and I'm pretty sure he'd do this repeatedly over the course of the presentation. It seemed to me he was manufacturing it in an almost hypnotic way and everyone would applaud right on time when he would subliminally cue them to do it. I didn't want to believe it. To a non-believer it would seem silly even to be concerned about this, but a believer knows that when one is speaking in a ministry role, seeking applause is not an insignificant fault. I thought then (and still wonder) if I misperceived the situation, but after that thought came upon me, I always had a question mark in my mind about his heart and no longer enjoyed listening to him (rightly or wrongly). I say this not to toot my horn as if I'm so discerning, but to praise God for giving me a gift of some measure of discernment. It felt more like a revelation rather than something I worked out in my brain because of the suddenness that the realization popped into my mind.
Perhaps you did get a revelation. 'Cause I am really wondering why the leadership in our church, who has invited Ravi to speak in several big conferences we've had over the years, did not get any kind of revelation about his true nature. And they are supposed to be anointed.
God taught me not to put any mortal on a pedestal, from the punch-in-the-face allegations feeling I got from seeing this wolf exposed.
Who investigated the investigators? Just a question. I'll wait. By the way, if anyone does happen to share this information here, also please attach to it that ... before the LORD, you stand behind the investigators of the investigators, should they all be in agreement. Let's just make sure our records are together, before the LORD and his divine council.
And to be clear: for the record, my position is not on either side of the issue. This is a situation where I'm gathering information. Thanks to any who want to weigh in, under my stated conditions. Otherwise, it's not addressing my post and should be disregarded by the discerning.
why do you think the investigators need investigating?
if you really want to gather information, start with Steve Baughman's book, then go from there to the journalists who further investigated him, at World magazine and Christianity Today. It's easy to "investigate" Baughman, as he's not trying to hide anything.
I was really saddened by Ravi's fall. Only Jesus's knows where his heart actually lay. I'm really sad but I can rely on Jesus and will leave the outcome to Him and the Father.
The whole debacle made me so sick. Ravi's man made "wisdom" helped me out at a time when I was struggling with agnosticism. But in the end it's only the preaching of Christ crucified that saves the human soul. He never preached Christ. He preached around Him and about Him sometimes. But mostly he preached his own "wisdom" not based on scripture. And he quoted Muggeridge and Chesterton far more than actual scripture. I hate to say it but apologetics cannot ever take the place of preaching Christ crucified. Apologetics alone has enormous appeal and is very popular nowadays, but it only leads to mental converts, not genuine heart converts.
Excellently said!
“Adversity is sometimes hard upon a man; but for one man who can stand prosperity, there are a hundred that will stand adversity.”
This interview is a bit sad to me in that you refer to what Ravi did as a "Personal Failure"! That is one of the sad things in the Church also, the crime of a perpetrator is diminished as a personal failure. Really?
One of the aspects of Ravi's Ministry or I should say his Delivery, since I was a Speech Major in College, is that although I enjoyed listening to his factual defense of The Gospel, but since I studied at L'Abri Fellowship, when Dr. Francis Schaeffer was alive and teaching at that location, in comparing these two influential Apologeticists, is tha Schaeffer always seemed to "distill scientific and Biblical aspects in a fairly simple, easy to understand manner. Ravi, on the other hand, always seemed to come across to me as a combination "Apologists/Entertainer." I found that Ravi's language usage as well as his philosophical examples, were, in my opinion, a bit too flowery and complicated, and drew attention a bit too much to himself and his eloquence, rather than aa compared to Schaeffer or someone such as J. I. Packer, who both seemed to speak in plainer, less dramatic terms and methods. At times, I found it difficult to actually follow Ravi's thinking and line of reasoning, and felt that he was making his references and examples "too complicated and entertaining." This aspect may shed even more light on the "charming side of his personality" in a similar way as when he misrepresented his educational credentials and used his personal charm to inflate his "Ministry Image." Then, as he struggled with his "Celebrity Status." In a similar fashion, former President Kennedy, like his father Joe Kennedy, became victims of their own charm and business success. Interesting..... very interesting...... Each of us as fallen human beings, definitely need to place healthy "Guardrails on any level of Celebrity status" we may achieve over time......:). Amen. Ted Schempp, Nashville
The Homicide Detective has a good nuanced approach. He has written a book: Forensic Faith: A Homicide Detective Makes the Case for a More Reasonable, Evidential Christian Faith
Ravi did have a sex addiction. In his case very serious, and it has something to do with grandiosity and lust for power too. Nowadays this is taken seriously by therapists and there are good treatments. Also, do not forget he tried to commit suicide when he was young. I am a Christian and dislike the legal treatment of the Bible and theology. You are supposed to become more wise and nuanced when you get older. David did have some sort of sex addiction too. Nowadays he could have treatment. God normally works by the ordinary means.
Solid analysis.
One component that you touched on in a moment here with celebrity and influence was, people becoming attachet to paul or others in the new testament.
I would say a large part that fuels power in many ways is humans natural tendency towards tribalisim. We often see people offering more slack to those they feel in a tribal unity with than others who are not. From sports fans, to followers of different Christian doctrines we all naturally stick with our tribes. Which makes it very easy to offer more power and less scrutiny to those within our groups.
This is very insightful. Thanks
This is just a case of cult of personality. He became a brand name to be marketed. No one in his company could put on a brake check, because he was their stream of money. They weren’t going to question his actions because maybe they feared him. So even if they knew the truth they weren’t going to expose him. This same story plays out with actors and musicians everyday. But actors and musicians can retire. Ravi couldn’t just fade away because he was the brand, he was the whole company.
It is not uncommon now for professing christians and churches to identify with a dynamic, skilled speaker under some kind of "cult of personality," as J. Warner Wallace identified it. Zacharias was one of those people. The messenger was above the message.
I have a question, and I’d really like an answer, if you would be so kind. I have a very large collection of Kindle books-including “Healing for Damaged Emotions” by David Seamands (he resigned his ministry position with a formal apology for his abuses of power, and was three months into a year-long discipline time imposed by church leadership when he passed away in 2006), as well as several books by Ravi Zacharias, and other apologists, unsure off the top of my head if any others have been involved in sex scandals). My question is this: The information in the books is still good info, don’t you think? I mean, it’s still usable, even though the author(s) were personally disgraced-I’d like your thoughts, please. Many thanks.
1. Lust of the FLESH, 2.Lust of the EYES, 3. PRIDE of life. 1john 2:16
A theologian commented that the Scriptures say that there is a sin that leads into death. Ravi died of cancer if my memory serves me right. The theologian could be right
But is it physical death or spiritual death that's being talked about?
It 2024 😢 i never hear of this 😮😮 was i under a rock.
Lesson learned: just read your bible alone at home. No need for church and other nonsense.
I didn't know about this. Interesting but reading through some of the documents as a layperson is revealing. The texting is condemning and that seems like suitable evidence but reading through...the allegations of unwanted touching is more of a he said she said. Considering the power and influence he had, it'd be no surprise at all to think that a person could be motivated by money to make those kind of allegations against a person who has passed on and not here to defend himself. A person who probably has some money in his estate that could be tapped into to make allegations like this "go away". True or not, he died in May of 2020 and the report didn't come out until Feb. of 2021. There was no trial so to talk in terms of Ravi's "criminal" behavior is a litte confusing to me. Is a man not considered innocent until proven guilty?
You've made some very relevant points but the investigation was extensive and conclusive. Even though he was not alive to defend himself or to be put on trial, there was enough evidence to prove guilt.
I don't know, but I suspect it was an elaborate hit job, just like they took down Trump.
@@J-aiJ-ai They could have gone deeper but didn't. Who knows what more could have come out if they really did a thorough investigation.
The bigger Christians that have influenced my faith the most are Ravi, Kent Hovind, Joel Richardson, Nelson Walters, Frank Turek and J Warner Wallace. If you mention any of these in atheist circles they are immediately triggered (especially the first 2).
Personally, I don't care what happens in their personal life. A lot of the characters in the bible did terrible things and satan wants people to focus on the bad so you dont hear the good.
I haven't heard the case against Ravi. Idk if it's true or not. I don't see how that makes anything Ravi has said in his seminars or his books wrong. If we ignored everything Moses said because he murdered someone or ignored everything Noah said because he was a drunk, or the story of Uriah's wife. Even Sampson being an idiot and falling for Delilah's tricks was used for God's glory. Peter denying Jesus 3 times was still a disciple for Jesus that was still a teacher to us.
I've never understood Christian's gripes on preachers like they're supposed to be as perfect as Jesus to gain respect. And Ravi is evidence of that. It's like God allowed this to happen so that Ravi didnt end up being propped up at a saint or glorified. Ravi's name being dragged through the mud is a way of God knowing who was really listening and who was just there because of Ravi.
Great points 👍🏻
*1 John 2:15-17*
Lust of the Flesh
Lust of the Eyes
Pride of Life
It all goes back to the Garden of Enden
*Lust of the Flesh*
Eve gave into the Temptation to have what she was told by Adam what they weren't allowed
*Lust of the Eyes*
She saw the Fruit was Beautiful to the Eyes
*Pride of Life*
With the lust of the Flesh & lust of the Eyes already ingaged *She saw How eating the Fruit would gain Her Knowledge and become like God*
Can anyone give me link to ravi Zacharias videos debating.
You don't need to keep your pets off camera. I am not alone in wanting to see them.
hey james warner wallace i watch all your videos they are really good.i just want to say the way you approached the gospels is really fascinating.You are a great inspiration to me man i wish i could speak to you one day i hope god gives me that chance
I still have difficulty believing that this is true of Ravi Zacharias. We know the potential for depravity even of the best men. It is also possible in my mind that those who desire to see the destruction of effective Christian personalities could fabricate a smear so convincing that even his own family, friends, and business believe it. As far as I know, his wife doesn't.
With all due respect, you should get rid of the fantasy that "christian" leaders somehow seem to have immunity to type of behavior. No one ever questions when it's a so called "secular" personality. But whenever it's a Christian, confirmation bias kicks in,
Logically think about that one…so ALL of the stories, 3rd party investigations, testimonies, etc…theyre ALL a smear campaign????? More logically, everything is true and he fooled a bunch of people. No one wants admit theyve been fooled, but admitting it will help it not happen again. These kind of men are wolves in sheeps clothing of the worst kind.
Thanks for drawing out lessons to help any man who is willing to work out his salvation with fear and trembling. Power, money and sex guard rails are the same God warned future kings in Deut 17:14-20 to pay attention to as they obey scriptures for their good and the good of their people.
Didn't even know that happened with Ravi.
Ravi perfected the art of mumbojumbo. Empty calories he offered in exchange for human adoration which he craved above everything
One could narrow the list of “deadly sins” down to only 3 from 7 - pride, lust, and greed - given that it’s those 3 that serve as root causes, even root causes of the other 4 in virtually all cases.
Do you have the allegations of where his soul is so long...RAVI'S SOUL .I believe, even though I'm ain't knowledgeable much but let's not take GOD position if it comes to judgement.We will speculate more stories but of what benefits.Where he's sleeping nobody knows what happened who took his soul whilst resting not even his family knows.WHO r we to condemn
This is the first I heard of this. I used to listen to him but feels that he speaks over my head. This is such tragic. I was so sad why God would take Nabeel Qureshi so soon. He was on fire for God, Seeking Allah Finding God, but it is to his benefit he died a few years into his ministry. RZ, The longer we live the more sins we commit. It’s a lesson to not exult any man, only God. Always test what they say to scripture. Jesus said, “So practice and obey what they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach.” Mat 23. 1-3. Love my God, full of wisdom❤️. Blessed are those apologists who die young for they will remain pure in heart for the Lord. May God watch over you both and keep you pure in heart. You are needed for such a time as this. Remain faithful people, his reward is not just heaven, His blessings are abundant on earth to those who believe and remain faithful. I am a recipient and a witness to this truth.
He is still my hero. Where were these alleged alligators when Dr Ravi was alive??
Being silenced and intimidated. Then a lot of them didn’t come forward on their own. Their stories were uncovered only when approached by investigators after Ravi’s death. Why didn’t the investigation happen while he was alive? Because the people in charge of his organization had placed blind faith in him, and he still had a lot of influence over them while alive. Then, a lot came out after his death because his records and technology were now in other hands than his own. There was a very substantial investigation with very conclusive results. These aren’t smears. No one who’s halfway looked into the evidence believes in Ravi’s innocence. It’s not surprising his wife is still in denial. I can’t imagine her pain when she finally faces the truth.
🐊🐊🐊😂
believe it or not, some of them were actually trying to get someone to listen to them. Steve Baughman wrote a book but couldn't find a Christian organization to publish it or even look into RZ and finally resorted to writing to a news blogger, asking her to look into his accusations.
RZ was born in India to Christian Parents.
His parents were not Christains until later in life. He was raised in the Hindu faith.
His parents did not become Christains until later in life. They were high caste Hindu's.
I don't know what to think considering his own wife and son have said SINCE everything was allegedly exposed that they personally don't believe he did anything, because all the investigation shown is that certain individuals did send him inappropriate material but that he deleted it--- it doesn't necessarily mean that he participated or responded. Yet that's what so many people want to believe.
That being said, even if he did do what he's accused of doing, those were his sins and his relationship with Jesus Christ Almighty God was his own--- and it's a bit sad that we as Christians focus on everyone else's sins than our own.
I often wonder what Christianity so many of my fellow Christian's are following or what Bible they have read because time after time after time Father Jehovah, Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit All Three in One and One and the Same Who Are the One and Only True Living God chose broken men and women to lead people to Jesus Christ Almighty God and I suspect the reason for that is because real recognizes real, and you know the truth when you hear it from people who have lived both sides of the tracks.
No, I'm not turning a blind eye to sins or condoning sin--- sin is sin and we need to speak out against it and warn the world against normalizing what is sinful--- however, whether he really did these things or didn't we need to be ever mindful as children of Jesus Christ Almighty God to not be unmerciful and to not get involved in gossip and being apart of a worldly mob set out to discourage and destroy our fellow Christians because nobody is as they should be and never will until we leave this world to be with Jesus Christ Almighty God forever and always 😊
Ravi never deleted the inappropriate pictures or emails. He did in fact participate.