Religious charlatan Ed Young, Second Baptist Church master pastor, had the gall to call Democrats godless even as many are in his pews. As he and other evangelicals moralize, they need to look at the evil within their realm that many of us are fighting against. It seems they have many pedophiles and sexual abusers in their midst.
Is it any wonder our racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, misogynist-in-chief is a natural ally with the evangelical religious leadership? They feel absolute privilege over the bodies of others. That is why it is so easy for them to force legislation that takes full control of women’s bodies. I continue to wonder at what point will women unite with their allies to take down the church patriarchy.
The Houston Chronicle is currently running a multi-part series detailing that cancer that lives within that church. Contrary to exposing their sex abusers, shining the light to ensure they could not easily repeat their crimes, the abuse of faith turned into an “Offend, then repeat” series. Who protects the children and the evangelically abused?
Abuse of Faith: Abused by missionaroes (Part 4)
The Chronicle found a long trail of alleged cover-ups involving sexual misconduct or crimes committed abroad by a small number of Southern Baptist missionaries, all salaried employees of the mission board. Collectively, five men were credibly accused or convicted of abusing about 24 people, mostly children, court records, documents and interviews show.
These new revelations come as the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest and most influential coalition of Protestant churches in the United States, is wrestling with a burgeoning sexual abuse crisis as it prepares for its national meeting in Birmingham, Ala.
The missionary cases followed a similar pattern: Leaders were informed of alleged abuse but made no public statement to immediately alert others and often delayed or took no action to remove an accused offender. In at least three of five cases, survivors allege that the board’s failure to act gave perpetrators the opportunity to harm more people, according to court records, correspondence and interviews.
Nationwide, other major Protestant groups have hired consultants to devise new policies that better fit a modern world with an enhanced awareness of the dangers of charismatic predators who misuse charitable fronts to hide child abuse, sex tourism, child pornography or pedophilia.
But the practice of relying on church insiders to privately investigate allegations of sexual abuse involving missionaries still prevails at the IMB, though leaders repeatedly promised to address failures and enact reforms. Copies of policies, letters, court documents and interviews show that the board refused to change despite being repeatedly confronted by survivors and their families:
Source: Abuse of Faith: Missionaries left trail of abuse, but leaders stayed quiet – Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is providing an essential service with this investigative series on the Southern Baptist leadership and the many predators in their midst. One hopes that more media outlets will take on the corruption that has damaged the lives, likely permanently, of scores of children.
See my take on part 2 & 3.