If a pastor is accused of spiritual abuse, it would not be surprising, nor would it be inappropriate, for him to declare his innocence. He might, in fact, be innocent. But it is wholly different for that pastor to declare that he has been slandered. That is more than a claim of innocence; it is an aggressive countercharge that the accusers themselves are engaged in despicable and sinful behavior. It’s a way to present himself as the victim and the accusers as the problem. In other words, it is a methodology designed to flip the script.
