Evangelical Sex Abuse Record 'Worse' Than Catholic [MERGE]

[doggie]

I think we all know it is more then we hear about.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/0 ... 19347.html

AUSTIN, Texas (RNS) 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, â€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.

Earlier this summer, GRACE spearheaded an online petition decrying the “silence†and “inattention†of evangelical leaders to sexual abuse in their churches.

Mission agencies, “where abuse is most prevalent,†often don’t report abuse because they fear being barred from working in foreign countries, he said. Abusers will get sent home and might join another agency. Of known data from abuse cases, 25 percent are repeat cases, he said.

Still, he says, he sees some positive movements among some Protestants. Bob Jones University has hired GRACE to investigate abuse allegations, a move that encourages Tchividjian, a former Florida prosecutor. â€That’s like the mothership of fundamentalism,†he said. His grandfather split with Bob Jones in a fundamentalist and evangelical division.

“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.

Too many Protestant institutions have sacrificed souls in order to protect their institutions, he said. â€We’ve got the Gospels backwards,†he said.

Tchividjian said he is speaking with Pepperdine University, a Church of Christ-affiliated school in California, about creating a national GRACE center.

[rward]

This must be what winning feels like in Hell.

[gustava]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/0 ... 19347.html

Aside from a very intriguing name, Billy Graham's grandson is a Liberty University law professor who investigates abuse.

[louisa05]

I know of a case in an evangelical mega church where a girl who had a sexual encounter (that was basically abuse) with a nearly 30 year old youth pastor when she was 16 was just married off to him at 17 . He was later arrested for having sex with an underage girl at another church.

I know of another case where a 17 year old was married to a 36 year old youth pastor. The "relationship" started when she was 15 but the evangelical church made it "stop" until she graduated from high school and they could have them marry to save face.

I have no problem believing this guy.

[tropaka]

Oh totally believing him. Any position where people have access to minors attracts pedophiles etc - teaching, ministering/Priesthood. Time for the evangelicals to catch up and name/shame as other groups have had to do (Catholic Church, Boy Scouts etc)

[louisa05]

Oh totally believing him. Any position where people have access to minors attracts pedophiles etc - teaching, ministering/Priesthood. Time for the evangelicals to catch up and name/shame as other groups have had to do (Catholic Church, Boy Scouts etc)

Thank you for the bolded part. This is absolutely why we see the problem in schools, churches, and organizations that work with kids. But somehow instead of seeing this logically, some people have decided that it is the profession itself that creates pedophiles.

All public schools, churches, and youth organizations need to take some of the steps that most Catholic dioceses in the U.S. have--background checks for all employees and volunteers, training to recognize and prevent abuse, and policies to keep kids out of vulnerable situations. It is not perfect, but it is a step in the right direction.

[maybeizfundie]

Not one little tiny bit surprised. Because of this:

Any position where people have access to minors attracts pedophiles etc - teaching, ministering/Priesthood.

[salex]

Not one little tiny bit surprised. Because of this:

I think my mom's church (a tiny methodist church in a tiny town) has had background checks on all sunday school teachers and youth leaders (including my mom and dad) and have had training on never being alone with kids, etc. Again, this is a tiny church (small enough they share a pastor with another church).

[louisa05]

I think my mom's church (a tiny methodist church in a tiny town) has had background checks on all sunday school teachers and youth leaders (including my mom and dad) and have had training on never being alone with kids, etc. Again, this is a tiny church (small enough they share a pastor with another church).

Good for them. As much as I can't stand sitting through the training, it is a good step to make people aware of warning signs and to help protect kids. I have done it six times because Catholic school teachers have to do it regularly--then I forgot to renew it on time, so in order to volunteer at my parish,I had to sit through a full one again when, as a volunteer, I would have only had to done an online "refresher" course. Just having a well taught policy in place that no one is to be in a one on one situation with a minor behind closed doors is a good start, because when that one person insists on doing it, the warning bells should go off for the other adults.