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The Catholic Church is seeing an explosion in Sexual Abuse reports.  Other ministers are not beyond reproach either especially when you consider some of the recent revelations regarding Martin Luther King and some of the pastors that he associated with.  Additionally, even in our own area, there were revelations of sexual abuse at some of our larger Churches by an employee of the Church who was hired to work with youth.  

Christians aren't perfect, never will be, at least on Earth, and neither are ministers who are just as sinful and flawed as everyone else in the congregation but because of their positions they should be more than ever responsible and if they can't be then they don't deserve to be in their positions.  Another problem is that so many Churches almost deify their pastors and ministers and whether conscience or not conscience elevate them to almost a position of worship themselves.  There are some very influential pastors/ministers and some that are great counselors and speakers but people often forget that they are just as human and flawed and sinful as all other Christians who need forgiveness and to request forgiveness daily.  

This isn't just a Catholic problem but it effects all Religions and denominations. It also doesn't mean it's all a lie and that all Religion is false and flawed.  People should realize that even ministers are flawed and capable of failures just as the people they minister to.  Many are paid so well that even though they may be conflicted by. their own lives and choices they will never make the decision to leave it or be accountable because they know they are paid far above what they should be.  I don't know if there is an answer but it is a problem that Churches and Christians have to deal with because as it is the problem is causing harm to the Cause of Christ.

Be as the Bereans ( Acts 17:11 )

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Report Finds UN Employs 3,300 Pedophiles, Responsible for 60,000 Rapes in Last 10 Years

A former high-level official from within the UN has blown the whistle on a pedophilia network of massive proportions involving thousands of UN employees wreaking havoc on tens of thousands of innocent children.

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https://thefreethoughtproject....000-rapes-worldwide/

New report reveals shocking details of how sexual abuse took place in churches

The research report on child sexual abuse in religious institutions, based on accounts shared by survivors at its Truth Project, includes reports from survivors abused within the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baptists, Methodists, and Islam and Judaism, with most abuse taking place within Anglican and Catholic churches.

The victims suffered the abuse between the 1940s and 2010s.

The report’s key findings show that those sexually abused in religious institutions were less likely to report the abuse at the time than those abused in other institutions. More than half did not report abuse because they felt ashamed and guilty. Half knew of others being abused by the same person. One fifth of the victims lost their faith as a result of the abuse. 

"The spiritual impact of the abuse upon victims and survivors is evident in these accounts of sexual abuse that occurred within religious contexts," the report says. "This can have a particularly damaging impact on victims and survivors, particularly where their religion provided the foundation to their morality, beliefs, social relationships and the way they lived their daily lives."

In religious contexts, more than six in 10 of the victims were male. This compares with just a third of the victims being male where abuse takes place in non-religious contexts. 

Most of those who suffered abuse believe other people knew what was going on but did nothing. Most of the abusers had an official religious title, just as priest, vicar or imam. 

If they did find someone to tell, victims often found that they were disbelieved, that their experience was minimised and little or no action was taken. 

Other members would also leap to the defence of the institution. "Some participants described how they were harassed, threatened and intimidated by others in the religious community after they disclosed the abuse they experienced," the report says.
 
"One participant described how such was the hold the perpetrator had upon him and his family that after his parents became aware of the abuse, the perpetrator came to the family home and physically exposed himself in front of the participant and his parents and then left. The participant’s parents never discussed the matter thereafter."
 
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In yet the latest revelation about a pastor/minister's errant conduct a Kentucky pastor of Elevate Christ Church was under arrest for his attempt to line up a sex in a three-way with underage children.  I'm familiar with Churches like the one in this article and most are of a new design and format that is called "Seeker Churches".  Deviation and errant conduct on Minister/Pastor's part though isn't restricted to Seeker Churches, Catholic Churches or even Christian Churches but in this case it happened to be a Seeker Church.   I have worshiped at a powerful and growing Seeker Church in McDonough, Georgia when I lived there called Momentum Christian Church.  If you click on the link in the line above and compare it to the link for Elevate Church you can tell some similarities and these are awesome worship experiences Churches and growing in popularity as one of their staples and top efforts is NOT to Offend anyone with their teachings.  

In a seeker church you may never hear about what sin is or about Hell or ****ation.  Nothing is usually taught or preached that would offend some and many feel that Seeker Churches experience unbridled growth due to the movement of dying Churches and along with other conservative and "traditional" churches making moves to make their music programs more relevant using contemporary music and upgraded music programs along with sound systems that would make a major Rock Band envious.    In the case of this pastor though he was caught from a text intercepted by some parents.

In the article I also saw where the pastor owned a local pizza restaurant so either he wasn't paid that well, which I greatly doubt given the church involved, or he was someone trying to achieve wealth and was astute at how to accomplish it best and was a great and dynamic speaker/actor.  I'll post under another topic my feelings about that combination.  Anyway it goes today Pastors/Ministers and Churches, Christian Churches are more under scrutiny and in the spotlight than ever before and reported abuses are way up compared to years past.  That could be a function of the new generation of technology and smart phones as well as the internet because I tend to believe that the abuses have always been there but were not revealed or they were covered up.

This is yet another case of where damage, I believe, has been done to the cause of Christ and while Seeker Church may not strive to offend in this case they have done worse and the whole question comes back to just how qualified (Spiritually Qualified) their pastor/minister was, and is?  

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