Polygamist Pedophiles and Papal Pontifications

POSTED BY: deadlockvictim
UPDATED: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 01:32
VIEWED: 23329
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DEADLOCKVICTIM

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 7:48 PM

Two articles in today’s newspaper deal with the problems of continued sexual abuse of children and teenagers by their supposedly moral and religious guardians and elders.

“Polygamist Ranch”, as it is being called, in west Texas is a large compound established by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that was recently raided by Texas authorities.

Over 400 children were removed from the compound near Eldorado by Child Protective Service after the state accused the sect of physically and sexually abusing the youngsters. CPS wants to strip their parents of custody and place the children in foster care or put them up for adoption.

Quote:
"Investigators determined that there is a widespread pattern and practice of the (Yearn for Zion) Ranch in which young, minor female residents are conditioned to expect and accept sexual activity with adult men at the ranch upon being spiritually married to them," stated the affidavit signed by Lynn McFadden, an investigative supervisor with the Department of Family and Protective Services.

The court documents also describe a desperate 16-year-old girl's whispered calls to authorities. Using a borrowed cell phone, she told of being raped by her 50-year-old "spiritual husband," and then beaten until her ribs were broken and she had to be taken to an emergency room. The girl, who is alleged to have given birth to a child at the age of 15, has still not been located by authorities.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89476130

In another article Pope Benedict XVI addresses the sex scandal involving pedophile priests, saying he is “deeply ashamed” of the actions of priests. However, Tahira Khan Merrit, a Dallas attorney representing plaintiffs in clergy sexual abuse cases said, “I haven’t heard anything in there about reparations to the victims, just protecting the Church… all I’m seeing is legal maneuvering to get out of their moral obligations to these victims.”
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/041608
dnnatpope.6a250413.html

I know this is a touchy subject and while it is far from being new news, it continues to attract attention, especially the Polygamist Ranch stories in the Texas press. I didn’t start this thread to denounce any organized religion, and what consenting adults do to each other in the name of – whatever – does not concern me, but the abuse of unsuspecting minors, imo, is wrong and should not be protected in the name of any particular deity.

I do believe that we each posses a certain spirituality and how we choose to display that spirituality is a personal matter, but when I hear stories of children being forced into a lifestyle chosen by their parents or by someone who sets themselves up as a spiritual leader in order to fulfill their twisted view of how individuals should live their lives, I lose what little faith I ever had in organized religion.

I mean no offense to Catholics, Seventh-day Adventists or any religion in general, and perhaps this is not a subject to get into on this board, but it is a real world event – and therefore, fair game.

HERO

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 8:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by deadlockvictim:
I lose what little faith I ever had in organized religion.

Organized religion is a powerful force, a force that can be used for good (which is Godly) and one that can be used for evil (thats us). That makes the church no different then any other human created entity.

Your problem seems to be that you want to hold the church to a different standard then you would...a grocery store. There may come a time when a grocery store sells you bad food...that does not mean all grocery stores intentionally sell you bad food or that all the food is bad. You just have to be careful, check the expiration dates, and follow safe preparation practices in your kitchen. Churches are exactly the same.

Put you faith in God, your trust in man, and be careful not to mix the two up.

Edited to add: I really want to work in some kind of line about 'not bowing down to Roman Popery'. Does not really fit, but its my favorite line from 'Gangs of New York.'

H

DEADLOCKVICTIM

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 8:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hero:
Your problem seems to be that...

I really don't see myself as having a problem...(i don't abuse children), but I understand your point - and the grocery store analogy - it's just never been hard for me to see the disparity in what the church preaches and what the church does.

DEADLOCKVICTIM

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 8:51 PM

An interesting sidebar to the Polygamist story in Texas surrounds the custody hearing being held in San Angelo...

Quote:
About 350 lawyers from throughout Texas are converging on San Angelo to represent free of charge the 416 children and scores of parents caught up nearly two weeks ago in a raid on the compound.

A marathon child-custody hearing is set for Thursday (17th). Because of the size of the case, the Texas state bar called for volunteer lawyers to represent the children, as well as any parents who want to fight for custody.

San Angelo is a town of about 90,000. Lawyers will stay for what they believe to be at least two nights - some will stay at the homes of local lawyers...

H, I know there is a joke in there somewhere and I'm sure you've heard more than your share... so i'll leave it at that

Just thought you might find that interesting.

CHRISISALL

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 8:58 PM

This thread, and the very notion of organized religion offends me.

Or not.

Chrisisall

DEADLOCKVICTIM

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 9:06 PM

mea culpa, oh thin-skinned one...

CHRISISALL

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 9:10 PM

HEY! 'Culprit' come from that!

The easily thrilled at new discoveries Chrisisall

PIRATECAT

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 9:14 PM

Child molestors are predators. You'll find most of them where the kids are. Schools, day cares, churches, parks, and so on. If your in a neigbor hood the child molestor will always pick out the idiot family. The dad's a drunk the wife is caught up in the drama. The kids aren't being looked after and here comes Joe friendly. You protect your kids because when their harmed its the parents fault for being dumb asses. Then you execute the pervert. Simply. Now on the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Look at what you got an ex nazi running the show. Men who don't lay with women. I think god wants you to do that. Rabbis get married. They own the most land in the world, art, and whole bunch more. But they can't spare a dime to the children's lives they have ruined. Its just a corporation. Nothing spiritual about em reminds me of a pharoh with the hat. Alot like an ancient Babylonian cult. I watched this irish catholic on tv once speaking as a pr dude in Boston he blamed the teenage boys not the pervs in the church. When people like that are representing the church time to bolt.

"Battle of Serenity, Mal. Besides Zoe here, how many-" "I'm talkin at you! How many men in your platoon came out of their alive".

FINN MAC CUMHAL

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 9:24 PM

While I share your objections to the heinous acts preformed by so-called religious leaders and my sympathies go out to the victims - I’m not sure I think the church is obligated to pay reparations. Because some crazy Mormons made a prison camp for their sexual exploitation of minors shouldn’t reflect on the Mormon church as a whole. In the same way that a priest who commits his how twisted acts of sexual exploitation of minors shouldn’t reflect on the Catholic Church. In the same way that the twisted religious practices of 19 hijacker shouldn’t reflect on the Muslim church as a whole. That doesn’t however mean that the crazy Mormons and the twisted priests shouldn’t get their due reward at the hands of a big hairy dude named Ben Dover.

Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum.

Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system.

-- Cicero

DEADLOCKVICTIM

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 9:49 PM

There are Good, Bad & Ugly aspects to all walks of life I suppose, and I'm not trying to lump all Mormons, Catholics, etc into the same category... but there does seem to be a few long established trends in some of these religions that don't always work for the betterment of mankind.

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