ABC Ordination Recognition and Sexual Abuse.

[jerryl]

[Ed Pettibone]

[Dee Ann Miller]

[Dee Ann Miller]

[Ed Pettibone]

[Dee Ann Miller]

[Dee Ann Miller]

[Dee Ann Miller]

[Christa Brown]

[jerryl]

[jerryl]

[ehart]

[Christa Brown]

[ehart]

Christa,

Unfortunately I believe you are right that no one in the organization who seems to be fighting for the organization or ministering to the victims. Too often pedophiles of all sorts find refuge in churches because they are filled with forgiving people and a few runs to the altar make people who might know about their past feel that these people are now "safe" to be around. That's exactly why I think victims should go first to their doctors (for evidence) and then to their law enforcement agencies. Many pastors just seem to have no idea how to handle this sort of thing even if they are not trying to be in on a cover-up. It just hasn't been that many years ago that this sort of thing was the sin that "dared not raise it's head" so to speak. Just like rape in the early 70's and before, it was considered to be the victim's fault.

Believe me when I say I understand that the victims often cannot speak. One of my friends was abused by her father. Her mother walked in once but would not do anything because "it looked like you were having fun." She married to leave home to be out of this abuse. Her father died having never even been accused by any of his victims of which we are certain of at least 2. My other friend was abused by an uncle who had many, many victims including his sister, daughter, sons, neices, family friends, etc. He came to the attention of the law enforcement agencies after his granddaughter abused his grandson and that led back to his abuse of the granddaughter. He served NO time but went through counseling where he was required to write a letter to each victim and mail them to the ones he could locate. I read my friends letter. It was never an appology. It was an admission of deed. I now know what he did to her. She has never been able to marry or have children. She is 40 and was finally able to psychologically have her first gyn exam last month. Neither of these friends has ever gone to counseling much less sought to confront or have their perpetrators disciplined even within the families involved.

No, Christa, I will NEVER blame the victim unless I am fairly certain they are blaming someone who may very well be innocent. I do know of at least one of those. Her evidence is so flimsy that I would suggest a different perp where she to ask my opinion which she has not. But the system is so unused to dealing with this that I think it would be better to go through a system that will at least try to listen and has some measures in place to help victims. Obviously at this point, as you have shown in numerous posts, the Baptist churches just don't have it together yet. I'm praying that they get it together not only for ministers of all types, but also for parishoners who seek someplace to hide and perpetrate.

[Ed Pettibone]

[Christa Brown]

[Christa Brown]

[Ed Pettibone]

[Christa Brown]

[Ed Pettibone]

[Ed Pettibone]