Bombshell. That’s how multiple media outlets described the 395-page report released Sunday (May 22) by Guidepost Solutions after a months-long investigation into how the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee responded to clergy sexual abuse allegations over the last two decades. The
When the "Bombshell" exploded I was sure B & B would be on top of the story. So much appreciate your perspective. It will be interesting to see what comes out of the SBC Annual Meeting on this matter. In my skeptical mind, I had little confidence in what would be forthcoming in the Report. I do plan on putting aside the time to read it for myself. It was so far worse than I had imagined. The use of the phrase "Criminal Conspiracy" does not appear to be out of line at all from my perspective. We will simply have to wait and see what happens. As an outsider looking in, I have my doubts as to what extent real repentance will take place, but I may be surprised. I know B & B will keep providing a faithful and free witness on this important situation in Baptist life.
I hope that appropriate actions will lead to not only catching perpetrators quickly, but preventing some potential perpetrators from acting on their impulses. I attend a church which requires both preventive measures like having two adults present for youth activities and training for both volunteers and staff in recognizing signs of incipient abuse. I also worked for a decade in a clinic which treated both offenders and victims. Then a family member was caught. It is possible that if this man, or others, had been required to undergo the training which I had before I could teach a Sunday School class, he might have seen himself in that training and either decided to not work with children, or to face his own problems first. If the training and associated introspection keeps even a few persons from committing crimes, that's even better than catching perpetrators quickly. It's still true that it's those who have not been caught who are the greatest danger to both children and vulnerable adults. I should add that one who has been caught, if he/she has responded to effective treatment, will, for the rest of his/her life, be responsible for avoiding any future temptation. My relative, who lived long enough that few people knew what he had done, ever after avoided any work or occasion where he could be either tempted or accused. The reason for background checks is that those who don't monitor themselves are the ones most in need of it.
When the "Bombshell" exploded I was sure B & B would be on top of the story. So much appreciate your perspective. It will be interesting to see what comes out of the SBC Annual Meeting on this matter. In my skeptical mind, I had little confidence in what would be forthcoming in the Report. I do plan on putting aside the time to read it for myself. It was so far worse than I had imagined. The use of the phrase "Criminal Conspiracy" does not appear to be out of line at all from my perspective. We will simply have to wait and see what happens. As an outsider looking in, I have my doubts as to what extent real repentance will take place, but I may be surprised. I know B & B will keep providing a faithful and free witness on this important situation in Baptist life.
I hope that appropriate actions will lead to not only catching perpetrators quickly, but preventing some potential perpetrators from acting on their impulses. I attend a church which requires both preventive measures like having two adults present for youth activities and training for both volunteers and staff in recognizing signs of incipient abuse. I also worked for a decade in a clinic which treated both offenders and victims. Then a family member was caught. It is possible that if this man, or others, had been required to undergo the training which I had before I could teach a Sunday School class, he might have seen himself in that training and either decided to not work with children, or to face his own problems first. If the training and associated introspection keeps even a few persons from committing crimes, that's even better than catching perpetrators quickly. It's still true that it's those who have not been caught who are the greatest danger to both children and vulnerable adults. I should add that one who has been caught, if he/she has responded to effective treatment, will, for the rest of his/her life, be responsible for avoiding any future temptation. My relative, who lived long enough that few people knew what he had done, ever after avoided any work or occasion where he could be either tempted or accused. The reason for background checks is that those who don't monitor themselves are the ones most in need of it.