Courtesy of Religion News:
The Christian mission field is a “magnet” for sexual abusers, Boz Tchividjian, a Liberty University law professor who investigates abuse said Thursday (Sept. 26) to a room of journalists.
While comparing evangelicals to Catholics on abuse response, ”I think we are worse,” he said at the Religion Newswriters Association conference, saying too many evangelicals had “sacrificed the souls” of young victims.
“Protestants can be very arrogant when pointing to Catholics,” said Tchividjian, a grandson of evangelist Billy Graham and executive director of Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE), which has investigated sex abuse allegations.
“The Protestant culture is defined by independence,” Tchividjian said. Evangelicals often frown upon transparency and accountability, he said, as many Protestants rely on Scripture more than religious leaders, compared to Catholics.
Abusers discourage whistle-blowing by condemning gossip to try to keep people from reporting abuse, he said. Victims are also told to protect the reputation of Jesus.
You know you would think that if church groups were so invested in protecting the "reputation of Jesus" they might prosecute the shit out of somebody who raped one of their own and protect the vulnerable from any further abuse.
After all isn't that what Jesus would do?
I have long thought that all of the attention on Catholic sexual abuse was somewhat hypocritical within the religious community. I have not had a great deal of exposure to Catholics up here (With the exception of my beautiful and talented ex-girlfriend.) however I have had substantially more exposure to religious types of other denominations raping children, sometimes even their own, as well as their wives.
It also needs to be pointed out that the sex abuse that has been visited upon the indigenous people of Alaska has NOT all come from Catholic priests, but has also been linked to other missionaries working in rural communities, though there is barely a whisper about it in the media.
Sadly there are features within certain very religious communities which allow this abuse to continue unabated, especially when the victims are kept away from secular education facilities, or others who might not be so willing to overlook abuse to protect a prominent church member or a minister.
You know the ironic thing is that if these people were REALLY living their lives according to the teachings of their idol, they would never think to harm anybody in this fashion. But the mantle of Christianity can often camouflage a black heart, and for some it is a license to do despicable things with no fear of retribution.
Neither in this world, or the next.
During the Vietnam War, my Southern Baptist Sunday School teacher's spouse was declared missing. Our preacher went to her home to "comfort" her. She went to the church deacons to report the assault. They relieve him of duty and sent him to another church. While no one questioned her integrity and the truth of her statement, they still sent him to do evil elsewhere rather than charge him with a crime.
ReplyDeleteThere's a sad thing about widows, and that is that they don't immediately understand that they all become vulnerable single mothers overnight, and that there is a certain type of male that preys on lone mothers.
DeleteHaving the protection of an institution when your husband isn't around leads to a false sense of security. No woman on her own with children is safe.
No woman with children on her own is safe from predatory males. It's sad but true. Protect your self and your children. Please.
Fuckers. Literally.
DeleteI think that's typical of the way institutions deal with sexual assault. Even if they take the victim seriously they simply kick the predator down the road. The victim could have reported him to the police and taken it out of the church's hands but there's no telling if the police would have taken her seriously.
DeleteNot a stretch to believe one mental illness leads to another........
ReplyDeleteI'd like to take this opportunity to laud Father Ron Lowe, who was my parish priest as a teen. Father Ron was raised a Methodist until he was 21; he came into the priesthood later in life and taught me all I know about living a good and satisfying gospel-driven Christian life- but he taught mebugger-all about being a good Catholic. I may never be a good Catholic but I'm a damned good committed Christian- and with any luck the world is better place for that.
ReplyDeleteThe very idea of pretending ridiculous shit is REAL
ReplyDeleteis delusional.
Forcing little tiny kids to believe that nonsense is, in itself, abusive.
Programming their little minds towards blind obedience to the power structure of The Church is disgusting.
But we don't get upset until the abuse gets sexual,
then we're concerned.
The sexual is but one facet of the abuse of teaching nonsense to your children.
They think that as long as they can whisper “forgive me” with their dying breath, they can slip right into heaven. The blood of the Lamb has washed them clean in advance; they just have to do that last little bit. And some of them probably don’t believe at all, it’s just a cover.
ReplyDeleteI’ve had clear evidence of an existence after life, but I’m pretty sure it isn’t what any major religions claim.
"Abusers discourage whistle-blowing by condemning gossip to try to keep people from reporting abuse, he said. Victims are also told to protect the reputation of Jesus." Wishful thinking, but I sure hope the Krusty Trolls get that one.
ReplyDeleteThese tragic problems have gone on throughout time and the length people go through to cover up. http://www.franklincase.org/
ReplyDeleteIn-Depth Article
Deletehttp://www.franklincase.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85&Itemid=21
ReplyDeleteIt also proves that no religious institution that is run by man will ever be the ambassador of Christ. The command for the early church after Christ's death never meant to be a religion, but a way of life. They focus on themselves and their fame, name, ministry - accentuate their religious works, and end up hurting the very One they promised to serve.
OK, most clergy are men, right? Let's hand the clergy, ALL OF IT, over to women and see if sexual predation by the clergy continues at the same rate. I'll bet NOT.
ReplyDeleteIt's against Catholic Church doctrine so it WILL NEVER HAPPEN. Not now, not in the future, not EVER.
DeleteI wonder how many religion started as a way to getting some sex?
ReplyDeleteReligions are started by ruthless people to control others. Esp their sex lives, but, most especially, their money.
DeleteIt is the greatest curse ever visited on mankind. Except, mebbe, for Yanni.
Our church requires background checks and mandatory training to educate and help prevent abuse. As an employee, I had to go through it, and we watched a video (produced by the ECA) that scared the shit out of me.
ReplyDeleteWhat I really learned was how skilled these predators were at identifying their victims and then drawing them into their web, giving them gifts and convincing them to keep it a secret from their parents (and once they start keeping secrets . . . .) Convincing these children it was their fault, and they would be blamed for the sex, their parents wouldn't love them if they knew what they'd done, etc.
It was so frightening I came home and asked my own children if they would tell me had someone tried to molest them. I was terrified I hadn't made that clear enough, that I would always love them, that I would never blame them.
I guess the point of this post is to ask your children about their leaders, to make it clear you will always love them and support them no matter what. You don't want your child to ever doubt your love, especially when their abuser is telling them otherwise.
Why This Walkaway’s Message is Important to Us All
ReplyDeletehttp://godsownparty.com/blog/2012/03/why-this-walkaways-message-is-important-to-us-all/
The grandson is so right. I've been following this for years (My good friend was serially raped, as a toddler, by his father and friends. I've read all I can about this.) and have found it's probably a three-way tie between the RCs, Baptists and Orthodox Jews.
ReplyDeleteMormons (Remember, the second "m" is always silent.) run a close second simply because there aren't as many of them.
Sexual assault/abuse IS rampant in those evangelical communities. I met my best friend in high school; she told me at one time her family had been homeless and been taken in by an evangelical shelter where she was molested and abused by one of the priests. She'd had 2 abortions already. Three years ago she put a gun in her mouth and ended her life.
ReplyDeleteMormons will prey on your children and seek to turn them against you. They believe it's their right to pull your child out of classes without your consent or knowledge (even if you've expressly forbid it) and ask sexual questions. Have you ever had sex? (I'm 7, what's sex? oh, let me show you on this doll in horrifying detail) Teens are asked about masturbation and if they do, pray tell, what is it you masturbate to? i went to church with a man in an authority position who was so creepy and slimy that i could not even bring myself to shake his hand, and even then he'd grab it and try to pull my under his arm for an awkward hug. I remember the day I said fuck this shit and said "i don't want to shake your hand." I got in big trouble for that.
I will be so happy when religions lose their special tax privileges. The sooner they are all exposed, the better for humanity.
ReplyDeleteSadly, pedophiles and child abusers exist at all walks of life. ALL churches, Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs, Daycare centers.....attract these creeps.
ReplyDeleteThe Catholic church is the one that made the news because they are the RICHEST in the land. Protestant churches have too many branches and nowhere near the $. For years, the abuses were covered up and paid off. It wasn't until the Dioceses were filing for bankruptcy that the abuse came to light. Just counting American Catholic churches - annual spending is around $170 BILLION, and Catholic churches are minority in this country. When taking into account the church's wealth world wide, the $ is incomprehensible.
If other types of religious churches had just 20% of the $, they'd also become a target for lawsuits.
I can only speak of the Roman Catholic Church, because I was raised in the religion and know several classmates who've been molested, raped, and mentally tortured. The abuse in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is well documented, and what's even worse than the hell the victims went through, is that the Church knew about it, didn't report it to the police, moved the perps to other parishes, or waited for the priest to die a natural death.
ReplyDeleteThe Church is famous/infamous for stripping people of their worldly goods while offering "a better alternative".
I don't think the ranking or nomenclature of the church matters, they all need to be held accountable. A lot of victims, unfortunately, are forever broken, self medicate, perpetuate the abuse on others, and tragically suffer mental illness and suicide. When I read "Sexual Abuse", the focus is always on the perp, and rarely, if ever, on the devastation it causes society, individuals and families.
I don't care who's number one, I want it to end.