Joe Paterno's problem was not that he did not do enough to rein in a child sex offender.

He didn't, of course, and the actions taken by the Penn State Trustees against him and the other officials in this sordid, tragic episode were altogether appropriate and just.

I'm saddened by the situation, however. I have admired Coach Paterno for nearly 42 years now, ever since his Penn State team barely, but cleanly and soundly, defeated the Missouri Tigers - for whom I played at the time - in the 1970 Orange Bowl.

They came to Miami all business and did their job in a workmanlike manner, as a team, while we, cocky in our Big 8 title and number 5 ranking, banking on our big name stars, looked like prima donnas and schmucks.

Over the years, the more I observed Coach Paterno, the more I came to appreciate his "Success with Honor" approach to athletics and life. No other big time college football program can boast as high a percentage of graduates as Penn State during the Paterno years.

The Penn State scandal demonstrates the double-minded, unstable nature of American culture. On the one hand, we encourage everyone to indulge as much sex as they consider to be their right or need. Pornography is readily available to anyone of any age, pop culture and advertizing celebrate sex and exploit its marketing power, and standards are lowered and laws are changed to accommodate the new attitudes toward and demand for sex.

Some taboos still exist, however, and most of us understand where the boundaries lie.

But there will always be people who will test those boundaries and challenge those taboos. Indeed, the reason sex has become much more visibly a part of American life is precisely because people have been successful in moving the boundaries and shattering the taboos of previous generations, arguing that "times have changed" and the old ways are no longer best.

Those challenges continue in our day. And though they have not yet managed to establish sex between adults and children as an, if not normal, at least not uncommon, expression of sexual behavior, present trends suggest this may be only a matter of time. What moral and ethical bulwark exists to prevent it?

In years to come, those who look the other way at adults preying on children may not be treated so harshly. Joe Paterno's problem may only have been that he was born too soon.

As for those of us who are called the salt of the earth by our Savior and King, we need to ask ourselves some serious questions about how we're doing at preserving what is good and decent and holding off what is corrupt and decadent in our society.

Which is just to say, Joe Paterno's problem is, in many ways, as much our problem as his.

Related texts: James 1.5-8; Ephesians 5.6-11; Philippians 4.8

A conversation starter: "How long do you think it will be before everyone is turning a blind eye to child sexual abuse?"

T. M. Moore, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.