I have run into the idea, in an Orthodox context, of the propriety of suppressing
information about major horrific sins of clerics as being as case of "covering your
father's nakedness," as per Shem and Japheth going backwards into Noah's tent
with a blanket, and covering him up, after Ham had come laughing about him
drunk unconscious and naked in the tent, telling shem and Japheth.
but wait a minute.
this idea equates the shame of nakedness with that of sin, and also draws on the
presumed sin of drunkenness by Noah. (maybe he wasn't used to wine after
years without it, didn't have the same tolerance. or maybe he got drunk not as
a chronic thing but a temporary measure to forget all he'd been through and maybe
the wine was very good tasting and he drank more than he intended to in a short
time.)
but DID SHEM AND JAPHETH COVER THE NAKEDNESS OF THEIR
BROTHER HAM'S SIN, AND NOT TELL HOW HE HAD MOCKED NOAH?
NO THEY DID NOT.
They told Noah and Noah DID NOT REBUKE THEM FOR "SNITCHING"
BUT BLESSED THEM AND CURSED CANAAN, HAM'S SON.
(why Noah cursed Canaan instead of Ham: one expositor noted God had
already blessed Noah and ALL his sons, so Noah couldn't curse Ham, on this
basis, Canaan was probably picked because he was of the same mentality as
Ham, and maybe encourage him. Another theory is that Canaan stole Noah's
clothes. maybe did something worse.)
Exposing evil is COMMANDED in Ephesians 5:11.
The idea of the church as family and priests and bishops as your father, well,
there is such a thing as disowning a family member who is very very evil.
