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Featured The Southern Baptist Apocalypse - Sexual Abuse Report Released

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Baptist Believer, May 23, 2022.

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  1. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    The Guidepost Solutions' Report of the Independent Investigation of sexual abuse was released yesterday afternoon, and I was surprised to see that no one here has mentioned it at all. It is probably one of the most painful and consequential events in SBC history, but a good day for the Kingdom of God, as it uncovers (apocalypse) a pattern of covering up sexual abuse in the leadership of the SBC.

    This is essential reading for Southern Baptists, and other Christians in the Baptist movement should also learn from this dreadful revelation.

    The best way to characterize this content is this passage from Russell Moore's Christianity Today piece, "This is the Southern Baptist Apocalypse," published last night:

    The conclusions of the report are so massive as to almost defy summation. It corroborates and details charges of deception, stonewalling, and intimidation of victims and those calling for reform. It includes written conversations among top Executive Committee staff and their lawyers that display the sort of inhumanity one could hardly have scripted for villains in a television crime drama. It documents callous cover-ups by some SBC leaders and credible allegations of sexually predatory behavior by some leaders themselves, including former SBC president Johnny Hunt (who was one of the only figures in SBC life who seemed to be respected across all of the typical divides).

    And then there is the documented mistreatment by the Executive Committee of a sexual abuse survivor, whose own story of her abuse was altered to make it seem that her abuse was a consensual “affair”—resulting, as the report corroborates, in years of living hell for her.

    For years, leaders in the Executive Committee said a database—to prevent sexual predators from quietly moving from one church to another, to a new set of victims—had been thoroughly investigated and found to be legally impossible, given Baptist church autonomy. My mouth fell open when I read documented proof in the report that these very people not only knew how to have a database, they already had one.

    Allegations of sexual violence and assault were placed, the report concludes, in a secret file in the SBC Nashville headquarters. It held over 700 cases. Not only was nothing done to stop these predators from continuing their hellish crimes, staff members were reportedly told not to even engage those asking about how to stop their child from being sexually violated by a minister. Rather than a database to protect sexual abuse victims, the report reveals that these leaders had a database to protect themselves.

    Indeed, the very ones who rebuked me and others for using the word crisis in reference to Southern Baptist sexual abuse not only knew that there was such a crisis but were quietly documenting it, even as they told those fighting for reform that such crimes rarely happened among “people like us.” When I read the back-and-forth between some of these presidents, high-ranking staff, and their lawyers, I cannot help but wonder what else this can be called but a criminal conspiracy.    ​
     
    #1 Baptist Believer, May 23, 2022
  2. canadyjd

    canadyjd Well-Known Member

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    Really two issues here.

    Any sexual abuse allegations should have reported to police at the time it occurred for investigation and prosecuted.

    The national convention has no authority to impose discipline at the local church level, beyond disfellowship, or to collect and store this kind of info from local churches.

    If the abuse occurred within the national convention structure it should be reported to police at the time it occurred.

    If someone is investigated by police and charged/convicted of anything then that info is public knowledge and should come up in a background investigation by churches looking to hire a pastor.

    Anyone reporting abuse 15 years after the event should have their voice heard, and certainly not be harassed, but the delay in reporting is problematic for investigation and prosecution.

    peace to you
     
    #2 canadyjd, May 23, 2022
    Last edited: May 23, 2022
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  3. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Many are saying that the SBC should do all the investagation.

    But why isn't the local church doing so?
    Many insurance companies - are able to do so.

    Also - is this limited to just the SBC
    Do other denomination Baptist groups been with such issues?

    Granted many are victims of this abuse
    but on the other hand, several have been unfairly accused?
     
    #3 Salty, May 23, 2022
  4. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Sadly, with so many churches and huge bureaucracy you will have issues. Some heinous, many that could have been avoided.

    Is it the SBC role to intervene in a member church that might cover-up issues? With 15,000,000 members in 50,000 churches that would be a daunting task. Remember each church is 100% independent (unlike a catholic church or most protestant churches) that simple join in support of projects too large for a single church - like missions, schools, camps, et al
     
    #4 Dr. Bob, May 23, 2022
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  5. Reynolds

    Reynolds Well-Known Member
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    SBC wants to keep it hidden.
     
    #5 Reynolds, May 23, 2022
  6. AustinC

    AustinC Well-Known Member

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    I agree with the report on this issue. Persons who are convicted of sexual abuse and are members in any SBC church should be tracked at the national level and reported to any local churches so that the offender will be held accountable to never offend again. Sadly, there has been an immoral "good ole boys" club in the church and missions agencies that have been so concerned with outward appearance that they covered up sexual sins. I have a friend whose young son was sexually abused on the mission field and the organization covered it up and sent his entire family packing rather than remove sin. Reading a book by Wes Stafford, former director of Compassion International, he tells of his own molestation at the hands of a dorm parent as his parents put him in a missionary boarding school. These demonic things ought never be tolerated in the body of Christ.

    I commend the SBC for commissioning this report and transparently addressing the evil in its midst so that it can purge the church of godlessness. The shame must be faced so the world can see that the church will not tolerate perversion in its camp.
     
    #6 AustinC, May 23, 2022
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  7. AustinC

    AustinC Well-Known Member

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    The SBC commissioned the report. They would not have done so if they wanted to keep it hidden.
     
    #7 AustinC, May 23, 2022
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  8. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Yes, it is so sad that happens in our convention.
    But what I don't understand is why the SBC did not want to maintain a list of pastors and others who have been convicted of se/ual crimes. I do not see the problem of how that would be intervening with the autonomy of the Local church.

    Does anyone know the actual reason the SBC will not maintain such a list.

    The second issue would be - suppose a pastor is only accused of such an action - should he
    be put on such a list - if so - then where do we draw the line.

    and finally - how much responsibility does the local church have in checking the background of a prospective pastor. -- Would just one accusation be enough to not consider someone?
     
    #8 Salty, May 23, 2022
  9. canadyjd

    canadyjd Well-Known Member

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    All very good questions. Anyone can make a list from public records if someone is convicted of a crime. Most counties keep a public list of convicted sex offenders and where they live The problem is that such public records don’t indicate the person’s occupation.

    I have no doubt the convention layers concluded they had no authority to generate and keep such a list and it would open the convention to civil lawsuits.

    Additionally, as you mentioned, what about unsubstantiated allegations? What about decades old allegations?

    The local church has authority in all other areas, why not this?

    I suspect even one allegation would prevent calling someone as a pastor in many churches, but you never know these days.

    peace to you
     
    #9 canadyjd, May 23, 2022
  10. Reynolds

    Reynolds Well-Known Member
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    They had to do the report. They put it off long as possible and repeatedly hid abuse.
     
    #10 Reynolds, May 23, 2022
  11. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Has anyone here read the entire report?
     
    #11 Salty, May 23, 2022
  12. Marooncat79

    Marooncat79 Well-Known Member
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    #12 Marooncat79, May 25, 2022
  13. Marooncat79

    Marooncat79 Well-Known Member
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    Does anyone know the actual reason the SBC will not maintain such a list.

    1. Potential lawsuits in case of false report

    2. Does not account for most have committed several before it becomes known, so it’s a “false sense of security”

    3. Who determines the criteria for making the list vs not making the list

    I know of a dude who was accused, pled guilty, did about 5-6 yrs. The 15 yr old then comes forward and said “I was lying”

    prime example of a false allegation

    just good for thought
     
    #13 Marooncat79, May 25, 2022
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  14. Marooncat79

    Marooncat79 Well-Known Member
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    4. Incomplete list

    5. Who is going to maintain it

    6. Wrong “Brad Durcer” in Iowa on list when he is innocent
     
    #14 Marooncat79, May 25, 2022
  15. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    There is already a national and in some states websites that list those convicted of sexual abuse. Why does the SBC need to make another one?
     
    #15 Revmitchell, May 25, 2022
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  16. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    a more general report should have been done without currently naming anyone until those individual cases have been completely resolved.
     
    #16 Revmitchell, May 25, 2022
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  17. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    The only reason I could think of would be it is easier to check out only one list
    instead of 41 separate State conventions.
     
    #17 Salty, May 25, 2022
  18. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    The more bureaucracy the kore control by them. Im not for that
     
    #18 Revmitchell, May 25, 2022
  19. AustinC

    AustinC Well-Known Member

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    Too many "good ole boy" individual churches that cover up their sins and bully out the victims. Oversight is needed in such a situation.
    I attended a SBC church for a couple years. The pastor taught free will salvation, just say the prayer and your saved (no change of behavior needed), and refused to discipline sin. His worship leader was a cocaine addict who relapsed and kept leading worship (we left when he wouldn't discipline the sin). The turning the back to open sin is a problem in many churches where the family name holds more authority than Christ himself.
     
    #19 AustinC, May 25, 2022
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  20. Marooncat79

    Marooncat79 Well-Known Member
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    #20 Marooncat79, May 29, 2022
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