Problem of Rampant Sexual Abuse Among Protestant Clergy

Reformation.com ^

[big'ol_freeper]

Special Bulletin

Welcome! Catholic sex scandals dominate the news. Are we next?

A sample of our own scandals is below:

ALL denominations - 313 instances

Baptist Ministers - 59 instances

"Bible" Church Ministers (fundamentalist/evangelical) - 150 instances

Episcopalean Ministers - 31 instances

Lutheran Ministers - 23 instances

Methodist Ministers - 25 instances

Presbyterian Ministers - 10 instances

various Church Ministers - 13 instances

This service is provided by volunteers for non-profit.

This Site The Web
Get your own Search Engine

You are visitor since April 3, 1997.

[big'ol_freeper]

Try this thread too:

Clergy Sexual Misconduct: Just a Catholic Problem?

[Meletus]

I noticed that for the religious body of which I am a member, that of the four listed, one was about an offense by a former "pastor." Such a listing is utterly irrelevant and malicious: "Blame the church"--even if the minister is no longer in the ministry. At any rate, raw numbers are hardly significant. One needs to do some percentages. Further, my inclination would be to compare religious bodies that enforce celibacy versus those that prefer married clergy.

[big'ol_freeper]

See link in #22.

[ethical]

This horrible behavior can be found in any denomination or organization

I don't think homosexual promiscuity and pedophilia is found in other denominations like it has been found in the Catholic Church. That's partly because homosexual activists targeted the Catholic Church around 25, 30 years ago for a hostile takeover and partly because heterosexual Catholics were bullied into covering it up or thought protecting the facade of the Church was more important than rooting out evil doers.

[AlGone2001]

Honestly, this has very little to do with church affiliation. There are losers everywhere who like to take advantage of those who are too weak to fight back.

It does seem that the Catholic church has become more closely associated with the homo-sexual act. I may be wrong, but that seems to be the jist of what we see every day in regard to the Catholic pedophiles.

I hope that we are all mature enough to realize that this should not be a fight between Catholics and non-Catholics.

Satan loves to divide us (as though we weren't already arguing, huh?).

If we continue to fight one another and keep score on this subject, we are forgetting the children and defenseless ladies.

It's kind of like saying "Thank you God that I am not like that sinner."

We must be very careful.

[big'ol_freeper]

Try this:

Celibacy

The fact and the fiction.

By Raymond Arroyo

When he met with the U.S. cardinals to formulate some response to the sexual scandals besieging the Church, the Pope, in his wisdom took the issue of clerical celibacy off the table as a cure-all. Against the strident voices of dissenters, disaffected clergy, and at least one American cardinal, His Holiness suggested that celibacy was part of the solution, not the problem. And the facts seem to bear him out.

In 1992 the Archdiocese of Chicago reviewed some 2,252 priest personnel files. They found that 40 priests — 1.8 percent had been guilty of sexual misconduct at some point in their career. Of that 40, only one was a pedophile. Another study by Penn State Professor Philip Jenkins reveals that a mere .3 percent of priests are pedophiles. Married men abuse children in far greater numbers. Anywhere from 3 to 8 percent if you believe the studies.

So statistically, children are far safer with the celibates. As the U.S. cardinals said in their report of April 24: "a link between celibacy and pedophilia cannot be scientifically maintained."

"But if only these men had a spouse, a sexual outlet, they would not need to turn to kids" goes the conventional wisdom (and the screeds regularly littering the op-ed pages). Aside from reducing women to little more than child-protection devices, there are logical holes here.

Putting aside the media fixation with the Catholic Church it is important to point out, as the Christian Science Monitor recently did, that the majority of sexual-abuse allegations in America occur in Protestant churches. There are 3,500 sex-abuse allegations a year — roughly 70 a week in Protestant churches according to the Christian Ministry Resource Survey. Remember, these are churches where married clergy and volunteers predominate.

If the objective is to stop the abuse before us, and prohibit its happening again- the Protestant statistics prove marriage is no insurance policy. Since the victims in 98 percent of the alleged Catholic abuse cases were teenage boys, allowing priests to marry (women) seems a pointless solution. There is just no correlation between the offense and the corrective. It's a little like offering the alcoholic priest the deed to a dairy and calling him cured.

If the truth be known: These scandals were not caused by celibacy. These scandals were caused by a lack of celibacy. The ancient discipline has gotten a bad rap in the chaos of the last few months. But it is so much a part of the Church's history and its goodness, to cast it away in this dark hour would be an error.

If you believe the folks on TV, celibacy was something "imposed on the priesthood" during the Middle Ages to keep the children of clerics from inheriting Church property. If I had a dime for every time I've heard this.… Actually, the real history is far more interesting, and complex.

To begin with, Christ himself was a celibate so it is no surprise that the early Church and the Scripture itself salutes and commends the practice. In Matthew's Gospel, Christ lauds those who "make themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven." In his first letter to the Corinthians St. Paul, another celibate, writes: "the unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord....but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided."

From the time of Christ forward celibacy was the Catholic norm for priests — married clergy were merely tolerated. Certainly by the 4th century there is little doubt where the Church stood on the matter. In 385, Pope Siricius issued the first papal decree on priestly celibacy. Five years later, the Council of Carthage announced: "Previous councils have decreed that bishops, priests, and deacons must be continent and perfectly chaste, as becomes ministers of God...as the Apostles taught." By the Council of Toledo in 633, a bishop's permission was needed for a priest to marry. Finally in 1139, Pope Gregory VII declared celibacy mandatory for all priests; formalizing in law what was already the general practice for centuries.

And the canard that protecting Church land rights drove the papacy to the discipline of celibacy just isn't true. But there is a spiritual explanation. Starting in the third century married priests were required to abstain from sex the night before offering Mass. The notion being: Separate yourselves from the worldly and focus on the transcendent. As the demand for the sacraments increased, these men were abstaining from sex all the time. Thus, like all things in the Church, a practice rooted in tradition evolved over time and eventually was codified into law.

At a time when the world is so transfixed by the deviant, where all mysteries are laid bare, these celibate men and women are a contradiction: a people set apart, people who have saved the most precious part of themselves for God alone. The world needs that example and purity today more than ever.

In the final analysis we are right to condemn, and bring to justice those non-celibate clergymen guilty of these heinous crimes, but let us not strike out against those who faithfully observe their vows to God and continue to walk steadily down this holy and well-trodden path of sacrifice.

— Raymond Arroyo is news director and host of The World Over on EWTN, the world's largest religious network. He writes from New Orleans.

[RaceBannon]

I have previously only tried to address issues of Doctrine that I have disagreed with concerning the Catholic Church, but the recent sham meetings I have read of and heard news of makes it imperitive I speak my mind.

Please tell me which denomination stays within their denomination when the leaders of that denomination tell the laity that it is ok to keep pedophiles in the church without punishment of the law after they sodomize your little boys.

Tell me which denomination has told it's people that those who rape and sodomize your little boys are Godly men who need to be forgiven.

Tell me which denomination is fighting for the right to allow one molestation and to keep the priest in office, just behind the scenes, instead of behind bars? Tell me which denomination is hiding it's pedophiles like that?

Which denomination has to have meetings to discuss what to do with the pedophiles? Only the Catholic Church has had these meetings that I am aware of. Please tell me which other denommination has had to have meetings to define pedophilia among Priests/Pastors as reason to defrock/dis-fellowship/arrest pedophiles in the pulpits. Tell me also how the members of that denomination have staunchly defended their religion even though they knew that their leadership was allowing and hiding pedophiles by putting them in new churches where no one knew of them, and tell me how those members of that denomination have knowingly defended this perversion.

And, How many meetings do they have to have before they decide that it is wrong to bugger your children? Please tell me which other denommination has had to have meetings to discuss whether pedophilia among Priests/Pastors is a grevious sin. Tell me which denomination seems to be absolutely blind to the gross and despicable sin this is by actually haveing to have meetings to decide what to do about it, sounding totally like they aren't even sure it is wrong! Tell me, which denomination?

And, once they decide it is wrong to bugger your children, how many meetings do they have to have before they agree to keep the pedophile away from children? Please tell me which other denommination has had to have meetings to decide what to do when pedophilia among Priests/Pastors is rampant and covered up for several generations now, especially when we learn that some of these pedophile priests are in their 70's.

And, How many meetings does it take to arrest the pedophile? Please tell me which other denommination has had to have meetings to decide whether to arrest pedophile Priests/Pastors in the pulpits.

And, how many times is this pervert allowed to just transfer to another church within this denomination to continue in his perversion? Please tell me which other denommination has had to have meetings to discuss which church to transfer the pedophile Priests/Pastors to another church.

And, if this pervert is just transferred to another church within the denomination, how many of the leaders on the national level knew of this pervert and transferred him anyways? The Catholic Bishops have recently been reported on NEWSMAX.COM to have over 2/3 of the Bishops KNOWINGLY transfer perverts to other churches where they commited perverse acts against children. Please tell me which other denommination has 2/3 of it's leadership guilty of transferring for several generations pedophile Priests/Pastors to other churches. I would really like to kow which denomination has been known for doing this for the last 3 generations in this country.

And, if they, the laity, do have meetings amongst themselves to discuss the pedophilia in the denomination, how long does it take the parishoners to leave that denomination or immediately leave church?

Please tell me which denomination has had to have meetings over this, I would be interested to learn.

If someone tells you that a certain sect/religion/denomination is founded by Jesus, and that sect/religion/denomination is arguing over whether to oust people who are sodomizing your children, and has been covering up for this sodomy against your children for generations, do not be alarmed. That is NOT a religion founded by the Son of God, that is a cult.

[Enlightiator]

The accuracy of the "lists" you have linked to is poor. The list is also misleading, some of the "abuses" are "affairs" for example. I also question the intent of whovever has compiled these listings given the incorrect categorization of some of these "protestants."

There is little doubt that sexual abuse occurs all over the spectrum of religious faiths as well as in secular society since we read such stories frequently, so why the author of the "list" exagerates the "protestant" abusers numbers is beyond me.

The worst exageration is the first listing for "Baptist Ministers - 59 instances". The first article link takes you to this:

The Rev. James A. Forsythe was a Roman Catholic priest in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kan., when he molested a 15-year-old boy.

Forsythe, who served three months in prison, is now a Protestant minister in South Dakota, where a newspaper found he has not registered as a sex offender as required by law.

Forsythe, 47, pleaded guilty in 1989 to attempted indecent liberties with a child. He admitted molesting the boy about 20 times while a pastor at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Overland Park.

Even ignoring the fact that this guy was a Catholic "priest" (he was a deceiver of course), nowhere in the story did I find that this now "Protestant" minister was a Baptist. In fact, the article states:

Since January 2000, Forsythe has been minister of the Metropolitan Community Church of the Black Hills in Rapid City, S.D. The church is part of a growing denomination that serves predominantly gay and lesbian worshippers.

That's no "Baptist", thats no "priest", its just another homosexual masquerading as a religous figure in order to manipulate young boys and young men for his own sick desires.

big'ol, the "list" you linked to is of poor quality and full of bias. It needs work. Why pump the numbers up falsely? Reality is bad enough! And I wonder, whats the authors intent in compiling this list?

[big'ol_freeper]

You can rant (might want to find out what pedophilia is btw instead of just using the word and then compare to the Catholic scandal) but the fact is that despite not addressing the problem for years, as they should have, at least the bishops are admitting they erred and attempting to correct it. In the Protest-ant world it is being totally ignored and is rampant. And you are right...they are not meeting, they are ignoring their problems and soon that is what we will be reading about. BTW you might notice that this post is a Protestant site. Get you head out of the sand Race.

[big'ol_freeper]

I can't say whether the list is accurate or not. It is a Protestant run website that is concerned with what they see as a problem that will effect them.

[E=MC²]

Over the years I have heard of Protestant clergy being arrested for sexual abuse on the public news channels, but never heard of a Catholic being arrested (although rumors abounded). Historically, I've found that the Catholic church covered its own whereas the Protestant churches exposed and prosecuted theirs (especially Bible believing churches). There was even a case of a Mennonite pastor sexually abusing a 5 year old girl in his care and the church elders had him arrested.

[ReadMyMind]

What's your agenda? of the 23 lutheran ministers you report, your details show that 5 of them were not reverends or pastors but teachers and/or counselors. Also, if you take a look, most of the 23 Lutherans have been fired by the church. This is a stark difference from the Catholic hierarchy's willful ignorance and blind-eye shuffle the deck policy.

[big'ol_freeper]

The scandal has produced around 300 cases of priest sexual abuse over the last 30 years. An average of 70 complaints of sexual abuse are leveled against Protestant churches EVERY WEEK. You tell me where the bigger problem is.

[Enlightiator]

It appears that at least one of the "Baptists" priest in this dubious "list" is actually a gay activist former Catholic Priest. So much for the accuracy of the "lists," I suggest you follow some of the linked stories to see how this list is highly exagerated. See my post #29 for the details.

This is a homosexual -and to a lesser degree heterosexual- predator problem, and it runs the gamut of faiths and non-faith. However, religious faiths and denominations that tolerate homosexual church leaders will have a higher share of homosexual sexual abuse.

[big'ol_freeper]

What is my agenda? Silly question in my mind. The thread is a post from a PROTESTANT source. If you dispute the information tell them.

[Enlightiator]

An average of 70 complaints of sexual abuse are leveled against Protestant churches EVERY WEEK. You tell me where the bigger problem is.

BS. Give us some proof here, and I hope its a lot more reliable than the "lists" you linked to. By the way, did YOU compile these lists? I am curious as to why the "author" of the "lists" you posted is attempting to mislead and exagerate the "protestants" involved in "sexual abuse." Any ideas? ;)

[Enlightiator]

What's your agenda? of the 23 lutheran ministers you report, your details show that 5 of them were not reverends or pastors but teachers and/or counselors.

Exactly, you also are finding that his list is so erroneous as to be basically a bogus cheap shot. If "big'ol_freeper" is the author of the website, thats sad. I too wish to know why the attempt at deceiving freepers???

[Enlightiator]

It is a Protestant run website that is concerned with what they see as a problem that will effect them.

Good grief, "big'ol_freeper," theres nothing at all on the website to indicate that its "a Protestant run website." With the inaccuracies, I serously doubt it. No organizations or people who run the website are identified, all it says is that "this service is provided by volunteers for non-profit." Its quite obvious that its a website of someone who has an agenda, who has no qualms about compiling inaccurate and exagerated "lists" about protestant sexual abuse.

[Ouachita]

The thread is a post from a PROTESTANT source.

How the heck do you know THAT? Do you believe everything that you read on the internet?