tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post4715703120677133732..comments2024-03-17T16:21:14.907-05:00Comments on Stop Baptist Predators: Irish Catholics and Texas BaptistsChrista Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04560409585720043015noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-160862287520336702010-03-26T18:55:00.562-05:002010-03-26T18:55:00.562-05:00"I just wished that they could learn from the...<i>"I just wished that they could learn from the sadness my Church has gone through..."</i><br /><br />Yes, that has been my hope as well. Thanks for your kind words, Christiane.Christa Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04560409585720043015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-23419858650775358072010-03-26T14:20:10.137-05:002010-03-26T14:20:10.137-05:00Hi CHRISTA,
Speaking as a Catholic, I remember so...Hi CHRISTA,<br /><br />Speaking as a Catholic, I remember something that I once read. I can't quote exactly, but it had to with:<br />'the more we know of our own hearts, the less we are inclined to despise others'. <br />It took a long, long time for my Church to come to acknowledge its mistakes in attempting to 'cover up' abuses. And when it finally did, it may have been initially the result of law suits against certain clergy and bishops. But, in time, the Holy Spirit convicted the hearts of all of our faithful to the magnitude of the great harm done to the innocent and of the great sins of those who did not call the perpetrators to account, and therefore perpetuated the tragedy. <br /><br />So I have hope that when the 'fundamentalist leaders' in the SBC lose their arrogance, they will, by the grace of the conviction of the Holy Spirit, try to acknowledge responsibility for 'covering up', and blaming victims, and perpetuating the tragedy. <br /><br />I just wished that they could learn from the sadness my Church has gone through, and try to understand the need for deep repentence in response to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. <br /><br />I admire your work, Christa. You have taken your own suffering, and transcended it with God's grace, to try to help so many others. <br />Remain in Christ's peace,<br />ChristianeChristianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15969310497166526545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-14706706230190422722010-03-24T20:59:24.702-05:002010-03-24T20:59:24.702-05:00Debbie V: Good to see you on the blog again. I hop...Debbie V: Good to see you on the blog again. I hope you're doing well. Please don't worry about it one bit if you feel like you need to use all caps to see what you're saying. We're just happy to have you here.<br /><br />James H: I've written about the risk of false accusation on several occasions - <a href="http://stopbaptistpredators.blogspot.com/2008/07/risk-of-false-accusation.html" rel="nofollow">here's one.</a> Most experts say that, for those who report having been sexually abused in childhood, fabricated reports constitute only <a href="http://www.darkness2light.org/KnowAbout/statistics_2.asp" rel="nofollow">1 to 4 percent.</a> For the most part, I think the sorts of accusations adults sometimes make in child custody disputes are a whole 'nother matter and a very different context.<br /><br />Since you seem interested in Catholic comparisons, you might find this of interest: A lawyer who defended Catholic dioceses against sexual abuse claims in over 500 cases said that he himself had concluded that <a rel="nofollow">"fewer than 10"</a> of those cases were based on false accusations. (And again, this was a guy who was working on the side of the dioceses!)<br /><br />Nevertheless, though the risk is small in terms of its incidence, it is real and painful in terms of its impact. This is one of the reasons why we have asked Baptist leaders for the creation of a denominational review board that would be staffed by professionals with the training and experience to responsibly assess abuse reports. A responsible assessment by trained professionals can help to protect <b><i>both</i></b> the accused and the accuser, and it can also help to afford credibility to the assessment conclusion.Christa Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04560409585720043015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-20452546477234746532010-03-24T11:49:54.872-05:002010-03-24T11:49:54.872-05:00If I can let me ask you a question.
I have to adm...If I can let me ask you a question.<br /><br />I have to admit I have some disagreements with some people in SNAP at times. It might have just been the people I have interacted with.<br /><br />One reason I am interested in your blog is that needless to say there is a lot of LAY involvement in the Baptist Church. In real areas of authority , abuse of authority, and sexual abuse the line between "ordained" clergy and volunteer (Youth minister SUnday school teacher etc) is well blurry.<br /><br />It is I know not popular to talk about but on the flip side of this is the rights of the accused. In the Catholic Church of course we are seeing more lay people in positions of power and trust(dealing with kids). We also have the issue of married Deacons that is huge.<br /><br />There have been some complaints from Priests(some of which are valid) that they are one phone call or accusation from being on the Street.<br /><br />So while I think of course the victims need justice I am also concerned about some Youth Minister that is forced to defend himself from accusations that occured over 30 years ago. I have dealt with a lot of child custody matters and accusation of abuse are rampant and to be honest I have found a good many (NOT ALL) to be false. Still for the person accused it can be horrific experience.<br /><br />So I am curious sine you are associated with SNAP if you have done a post on what sort of system that balances these concerns and what kinda of system you would like to see.<br /><br />Again I am not minomizing the plight of the victims here or the need for JUSTICE. I am just trying to envision a system that will work and be fair.<br /><br />Thanks againJames Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00406049343115557137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-77157673019172848132010-03-24T11:46:57.779-05:002010-03-24T11:46:57.779-05:00I am not sure what is meant
I have spoken to many ...I am not sure what is meant<br />I have spoken to many Baptist Leaders<br />They do not even try to make things better or take steps that could help<br />All that has been done is for show only<br />I have quite a few documents showing communications between myself and the BGCT & SBC and others<br />More people need to speak up and let them know change is necessary<br />I know Christa has tried to communicate as well<br />I was told that the Baptist monitor this site<br />If they can do that why can they not monitor or keep tract of those who are predators<br />They got rid of a church for having homosexuals in their directory and congragation, but known rapist - abuser of children they state their hands are tied<br />People need to speak up<br />Change the way they think <br />They can do more and they know it<br /><br />I am not anonymous, I am Debbie, just hard to see enough to do this where I say who I am<br /><br />I was abused and they know it<br />Christa was abused and they know it<br />Many others were abused and<br />unless things change more will be<br />Speak up<br /><br />Thanks for Listening<br />Debbie VAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-64981759782207224592010-03-24T10:17:28.278-05:002010-03-24T10:17:28.278-05:00Linked
http://opinionatedcatholic.blogspot.com/20...Linked<br /><br />http://opinionatedcatholic.blogspot.com/2010/03/next-major-clergy-abuse-scandal-will-be.htmlJames Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00406049343115557137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-87793210572306003842010-03-24T09:21:49.089-05:002010-03-24T09:21:49.089-05:00To Anonymous 10:54: Why don't you try expressi...To Anonymous 10:54: Why don't you try expressing YOUR concern to Marv Knox and other Baptist leaders? Why don't you try talking to as many Baptist leaders as you can stomach? See what happens when you do. NOTHING.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-10168106848657303452010-03-24T06:47:15.652-05:002010-03-24T06:47:15.652-05:00Baptist leaders are well aware of all of this and ...Baptist leaders are well aware of all of this and they know how to contact Christa. The fact they choose not to says a lot, to their shame. They spend time keeping up with articles like this, but do not spend time to keep up of those who abuse. I have written proof of that from so called leaders. The longer they wait to act to protect children from these so called ministers the more they are accountable for in the future. Time to do somethingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-88483006834898738992010-03-23T22:54:30.732-05:002010-03-23T22:54:30.732-05:00Christa - Thanks for your work here. I noticed th...Christa - Thanks for your work here. I noticed that you were interviewed in a number of articles published in the Baptist Standard. I was wondering if you have recently tried expressing your concerns to Marv Knox or others at the Baptist Standard, especially in the aftermath of the Matt Baker case. Thank you very much again.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com