Is it acceptable to apoligize in private for an offense committed in PUBLIC?

[Cow Poke]

This comes from a discussion we're having wherein Ty seems to defend the fact that Benny Hinn has made numerous "prophesies" in PUBLIC, for which he has never publicly apologized.

Let's look beyond the argument that a false prophesy (by OT standards) is a serious matter. Let's pretend, for the purpose of argument, that BH (or "whoever") made a factually false (demonstrably false) statement in his official capacity as a "Church Leader", but has never publicly corrected it.

Ty's assertion is that BH MAY have privately confessed this to God, and that somehow gets him off the hook. (I'm paraphrasing Ty's position, of course, and he's welcome to clear it up if I have mis-stated it. Anybody else who feels that I misrepresented his position, please feel free to clarify or vouch for its validity)

MY assertion is that an offense committed in public needs to be corrected (or apologized for) in public.
Basically, the apology should occur in the same circle in which the offense was committed.
If i offended my Sunday School Class - that's the group to whom I apologize.
If I offended the NATION (if, for example, I were President, and said or did something really stupid) then I should apologize to the NATION.
If, for example, I were the leader of a big religious group or denomination, then my apology needs to be pretty broad - not just "whisper a prayer to God".

Your comments please?

[CodewordConduit]

Easy - apologize to everyone who (as far as you can tell) was affected by your actions.

If you shamed a person in public, reinstate their honour publicly.

If you gave some sort of false witness, make sure everyone that might have believed you knows that you were indeed mistaken.

If your actions cause pain to people close to the individual you originally offended, as a direct consequence of your action, make sure that you apologize to them, too.

[Jedidiah]

I doubt you will find many Christians who will defend option 1 or 3.

[Conductor42]

I say we treat 'em like the guy who prophecied the world would end on June 6 on this forum.
Kick 'em to the curbs.
Just the 2 cents of this heathen.

[CodewordConduit]

I say we treat 'em like the guy who prophecied the world would end on June 6 on this forum.
Kick 'em to the curbs.
Just the 2 cents of this heathen.

Dani predicts that San Fransico will be destroyed before the end of 2009. He had a feeling that something would happen on June 6th but didn't attribute this to revelation. Like I told him, I don't believe that it will happen, but he still has the rest of the year to prove himself to Christians.

[Cow Poke]

I doubt you will find many Christians who will defend option 1 or 3.

Well, Ty defends it vigorously, but he has to do that because it applies to one of his heroes.

[eudyptes]

to those that the offense is given.....you must make apologies too, as much as is within your power....to anything less is to cheapen...or nullify your apology


(by within your power I mean; if you spoke to a large audience where you don't know everyone...then you must apologize in a way that can reach everyone...but some may not hear the apology....as long as you've "put it out there"...you've done as you can.
Same would apply if you harmed someone who has passed away by the time you come to a point to apologize...)

[rogue06]

Moved to Biblical Ethics which seems a better fit