tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post6383048691634179851..comments2024-03-17T16:21:14.907-05:00Comments on Stop Baptist Predators: Age, anger, etc.Christa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04560409585720043015noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-45768333728872485002008-07-04T18:10:00.000-05:002008-07-04T18:10:00.000-05:00Christa,All of the emotions of pain present themse...Christa,<BR/>All of the emotions of pain present themselves in this devilish behavior. The SBC has and will continue to loose credibility with communities all over the country as long as faithful people keep reminding them that all is not well in the SBC.<BR/>JohnAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-10742334066356650222008-07-03T18:55:00.000-05:002008-07-03T18:55:00.000-05:00I mentioned earlier of how it has affected my wife...I mentioned earlier of how it has affected my wife and still does. Ministers need to go back and look at civil justice from a principle of civil restraint.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-49564842408632624012008-07-03T12:29:00.000-05:002008-07-03T12:29:00.000-05:00"I have got to go on and live my life the best I c..."I have got to go on and live my life the best I can."<BR/><BR/>John Doe: I applaud you. I think this is what we all learn to do in different ways and in our own ways... and in different ways at different times. I don't see it as "moving on" - at least not in the way that so many others tell us we should "move on." I see it as learning to carry on with our lives AND remembering - both at the same time.<BR/><BR/>This is why I have such enormous respect for clergy abuse survivors. Whether they speak softly or loudly, for every abuse survivor who confronts this even in their own head, they show courage the likes of which most Southern Baptist leaders cannot even imagine. We see and know that the veil between darkness and light is tissue-thin and that it has been rent asunder. We live WITH that knowledge. That takes courage. Meanwhile, religious leaders continue to find ways to minimize the horror of it, to deny the reality of it, and to turn a blind-eye to it. Why? Because if they allowed themselves to fully see it, it would rend their own little worlds asunder in ways that are too uncomfortable for them to even contemplate... and so they don't go there.<BR/><BR/>They so fear that darkness that they don't even allow themselves to look at it. There's no courage in that. By contrast, clergy abuse survivors see that darkness, confront it, and live WITH it.Christa Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04560409585720043015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-20874613583205065342008-07-03T11:49:00.000-05:002008-07-03T11:49:00.000-05:00Christa..It is frustrating to know you have tried ...Christa..<BR/><BR/>It is frustrating to know you have tried so hard to make something good come of something so bad and those power plasyers choose to ignore your cries.<BR/><BR/>I've decided that God will, most likely, have to take care of my Baptist predator. I have got to go on and live my life the best I can. My kids and my wife depend on me.<BR/><BR/>My choice doesn't lessen my feeling that predators need to be exposed. They do. For when predators are exposed, more children are safe. Not all children, but more children. It sounds so cliche, but one child saved is one less child abused.<BR/><BR/>I still applaud what you are doing to make a difference and I applaud what you have done for me personally. I realize you can't fight all battles all of the time but you have gone above and beyond.<BR/><BR/>Unless something drastic changes to allow my fight to continue, I will be laying my sword down and letting God take over. I'll continue to tell my story if it helps. <BR/><BR/>If I can help you in any way, please call or e-mail.. John DoeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-91260429579821741722008-07-03T10:27:00.000-05:002008-07-03T10:27:00.000-05:00Anon 9:48 - Thank you so much for sharing your "mo...Anon 9:48 - Thank you so much for sharing your "mother's heart." How I wish Baptist leaders could see and understand the full extent of the harm they're allowing and perpetuating. And how I wish that they would begin to understand that it's not "merely" about the "bad apples." It's about THEM and about how they foster the environment that allows rot to spread within the bushel. I believe the far greater harm is the harm done by those who are not perpetrators themselves but who turn a blind-eye, cover-up, keep quiet, and in many cases, engage in outright bullying and intimidation of the victims. THAT is what kills the faith of many, and certainly what kills for them the sense of a faith community.Christa Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04560409585720043015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-28460985373693896522008-07-02T21:48:00.000-05:002008-07-02T21:48:00.000-05:00In regards to how victims are not the only ones af...In regards to how victims are not the only ones affected but other family members as well...<BR/><BR/>Our sons stopped going to church when they found out what was done to their mother. They lost all respect for the ministers and those in ministerial leadership for not doing anything about it. They have lost respect for those who have not taken a stand to say clergy sexual abuse is wrong, should not be allowed, and taken what action they can to stop it.<BR/><BR/>I remember how our sons would say their prayers at night and ask about the missionaries, how they did devotionals, participated in prayer retreats, encouraged and prayed for their friends who were going through difficult times, and were leaders among the youth at church. They were sweet Christians and now feel betrayed by those in authority in the church.<BR/><BR/>They are still sweet young men, responsible and loving, who believe in God but want no part of organized religion when they know that those in leadership allow clergy sexual abuse to continue.<BR/><BR/>A mother's heartAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-25489261101492063212008-07-01T13:08:00.000-05:002008-07-01T13:08:00.000-05:00I read that article that Lydia was talking about y...I read that article that Lydia was talking about yesterday. What crap, isn't it? And yes, unfortunately, too many people think like Ware. It's scary that he's a professor in one of our seminaries!<BR/><BR/>And, yes, that does feed into the problem - majorly. And I don't know how he can blame the wife because her husband is mean, hateful and abusive.<BR/><BR/>I wonder if he's married, and, if so, how he treats his own wife.Elisabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14764962887542099106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-77826962928702794222008-07-01T09:51:00.000-05:002008-07-01T09:51:00.000-05:00Anon 12:13 - Thank you for reminding us about the ...Anon 12:13 - Thank you for reminding us about the terrible ripple effect of clergy abuse. It wreaks havoc, not only in the lives of the direct victims, but also in the lives of countless others - the spouses, the future spouses, the families. I know for sure that my own husband has suffered greatly because of what a Southern Baptist minister did to me years ago. My thoughts are with you and your wife.Christa Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04560409585720043015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-37128574134771559812008-07-01T07:31:00.000-05:002008-07-01T07:31:00.000-05:00Anonymous - you are absolutely right. The damage ...Anonymous - you are absolutely right. The damage affects everyone. These awful, abusive, patriarchal attitudes that are being used as an excuse for abusive behavior damage men as well as women. Until we value and respect the strengths of both the masculine and the feminine inside of each of us, seeing the divine spark we all hold, the damage will continue. What's scary to me is that these guys get louder and bolder in perpetuating their poison all the time. <BR/><BR/>Christa - hope you are right and the pressure from mainstream journalists will begin to mount. <BR/><BR/>That's why it's so important for everyone to use their voice to speak out against these dark, oppressive, abusive theologies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-7538626645333251362008-07-01T00:13:00.000-05:002008-07-01T00:13:00.000-05:00Having a wife that was abused by a follow seminary...Having a wife that was abused by a follow seminary student prior to meeting her has caused me deep to seriously at this problem. My prayers are with you in this fight. If someone thinks this only affects women and children they are sorely mistakenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-90207045106604843052008-06-30T23:21:00.000-05:002008-06-30T23:21:00.000-05:00LOL...you DID make yourself older!!!Now the record...LOL...you DID make yourself older!!!<BR/>Now the record has been set straight!gmommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11713588262748876624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-79399659321282571382008-06-30T22:47:00.000-05:002008-06-30T22:47:00.000-05:00False. I'm 55.False. I'm 55.Christa Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04560409585720043015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-70865502874447307342008-06-30T21:31:00.000-05:002008-06-30T21:31:00.000-05:00Christa, For the record...just HOW old are you????...Christa,<BR/> For the record...just HOW old are you?????<BR/>I think the last I read said you were 56.<BR/>True or false???<BR/><BR/>I've been getting my age wrong for the past few years too:)<BR/><BR/>I think it requires relentless energy to speak out against clergy sexual abuse.<BR/>I'm sure your age is the least important fact on your mind when given the opportunity to take a stand for those the SBC leadership would like to forget.<BR/><BR/>Keep shining the light!!gmommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11713588262748876624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-64595203198096997432008-06-30T19:00:00.000-05:002008-06-30T19:00:00.000-05:00Christa, If you have not seen this:http://www.ethi...Christa, If you have not seen this:<BR/><BR/>http://www.ethicsdaily.com/article_detail.cfm?AID=10675<BR/><BR/>Perhaps it will help explain why so few care. Look what is being taught by our seminary 'scholars'. If anyone thinks this does not feed into this problem, they are kidding themselves. At the root is how we view those 'below' us...women and children.<BR/><BR/>This story about Prof Ware's teaching is gaining traction on the internet. Since I have been following him and other Baptist preachers, professors, etc for a while, I happen to know he has been teaching a twisted view of the pre-fall Genesis for some time now. <BR/><BR/>The SBC is making 'authority' over others an idol. They are devaluing women as a result. And they are doing this while screaming 'autonomy' for the local church when it comes to sexual abuse issues. <BR/><BR/>Can you say, hypocrite?<BR/><BR/>LydiaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com