Billy Graham’s Grandson: Evangelicals "Worse than Catholics" On Sex Abuse

This blog is none too kind to the Roman Catholic Church and the Church hierarchy when it comes to the issue of sexual abuse of children and minors by priests and other clergy.  The hierarchy is little more than a foul cesspool which has engaged in a worldwide criminal conspiracy to cover up abuse and to protect sexual predators.  I continue to believe that much of the abuse stems from priestly celibacy and the stunted and warped psycho-sexual development of priests that arises from the seminary system.  Add to that the Church's obsession with sex and the fact that the Church provides good cover for those with sexual/developmental problems and it is a recipe for disaster.  But while the Catholic Church has the most centralized and extensive conspiracy to cover up sexual crimes by clergy, the problem extends far beyond the Catholic Church, probably because far too many who are struggling with sexual identities and addictions see joining the clergy as a means to control their sick inclinations.  Naturally, it doesn't work as planned and the fox is in the hen house with access and a system of deference that makes abuse all too easy and subject to cover up. Billy Graham's grandson (pictured above) has had the courage to call out other Christian denominations.  Here are details via Religion News Service:

AUSTIN, Texas (RNS) The Christian mission field is a “magnet” for sexual abusers, Boz Tchividjian, a Liberty University law professor who investigates abuse said Thursday (Sept. 26) to a room of journalists.

While comparing evangelicals to Catholics on abuse response, ”I think we are worse,” he said at the Religion Newswriters Association conference, saying too many evangelicals had “sacrificed the souls” of young victims.

“Protestants can be very arrogant when pointing to Catholics,”  said Tchividjian, a grandson of evangelist Billy Graham and executive director of Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE), which has investigated sex abuse allegations.

Earlier this summer, GRACE spearheaded an online petition decrying the “silence” and “inattention” of evangelical leaders to sexual abuse in their churches.

Mission agencies, “where abuse is most prevalent,” often don’t report abuse because they fear being barred from working in foreign countries, he said. Abusers will get sent home and might join another agency. Of known data from abuse cases, 25 percent are repeat cases, he said.

Evangelicals often frown upon transparency and accountability, he said, as many Protestants rely on Scripture more than religious leaders, compared to Catholics.

Abusers discourage whistle-blowing by condemning gossip to try to keep people from reporting abuse, he said. Victims are also told to protect the reputation of Jesus.

Too many Protestant institutions have sacrificed souls in order to protect their institutions, he said. ”We’ve got the Gospels backwards,” he said.

Candidly, in my view, the more a denomination obsesses over all things sexual, the higher the likelihood that sexual abuse is rampant.  Not only is the forbidden fruit of sex made more attractive, but the more warped members of the clergy are likely to be themselves.  Unfortunately, Tchividjian stops short of making this connection.

Why is the So-Called Christian Press Imposing a Blackout on New Sexual Orientation Research?

As noted in the prior post, Lisa Miller, a kidnapper under federal arrest warrant, claims to be an "ex-gay" even though all of the legitimate medical and mental health associations are of the position that sexual orientation cannot be changed. Despite many new research studies that collectively support this premise and demonstrate the falsity of the "ex-gay" myth, the so-called Christian press - not to mention virulently anti-gay hate groups - seems to conveniently act as if this research and the newer studies don't exist. The reasons are pretty obvious: this research underscores that many pastors, Christian publishers and the anti-gay hate groups are lying to their flocks/subscribers. They care more about denigrating LGBT individuals and pocketing money made by misrepresentation than they do about telling the objective truth. As I note frequently, virtually no one is more dishonest that the "godly Christian" crowd. It seems that in their minds, the truth is whatever is convenient to their anti-gay agenda and will put money in their pockets. They make the money lenders described in the Gospels look like highly ethical and upstanding folks. Warren Throckmorton (pictured above) looks at this phenomenon and the amazement from some among the sheeple who are finding out that they've been deliberately misled. Here are some highlights:

Of late, I have given several talks to a variety of evangelical groups on the current research on sexual orientation. Along the way, I have been contacted by evangelicals who ask about the current status of sexual orientation research. After the conversations and speeches, many questions come up. One question I hear after almost all of these conversations is: Why haven’t we seen anything about these studies?

Many of the questioners read evangelical publications and consume evangelical media. However, they don’t know anything about the brain research of Ivanka Savic in Sweden (2005, 2008) or Adam Safron and colleagues at Northwestern University (since 2005).

They know there is no gay gene but they don’t know about the significant brain, perceptual and cognitive differences reported within the past five years by various researchers around the world.

Many evangelicals believe homosexuality is due to abuse. . . . . they are unaware of the 2010 study by Wilson and Widom’s study which found no relationship between abuse and having a gay partner for men or women (men were more likely to have had at least gay experience in their adult lives but not a recent partner). They are unaware of the 2010 work of Wells in New Zealand that found 81.6% of gays reported no sexual abuse in their lives.

Many evangelicals I speak to think that change of orientation is pretty common and the evidence is being suppressed by the gay-friendly media. . . . When I explain to them what change means in the context of the study, they are surprised. Then I point out the study, also by Mark Yarhouse, that found no change in orientation for men and women in mixed orientation marriages, they wonder why that study was not reported in the media. I wonder the same thing.

I could be wrong but I don’t think any of the studies to which I have referred here have been reported in the Christian press. The Jones and Yarhouse study was reported widely, but the Yarhouse study showing no change among sexual minorities in mixed orientation couples – which is more recent – was not reported anywhere.

Many evangelicals get their information from NARTH through groups like Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, Exodus International, etc. Others get information from Christian media. However, these studies are not reported in these places.

I suspect the culture war is to blame. It cannot be because sexual orientation is not news. The issue comes up in the Presidential campaigns and other news all the time. However, evangelicals are quite unprepared to discuss this very current topic with the most recent and best scholarship.

In my view, Christian media and organizations have a responsibility to provide this information to their readers and consumers. Given the backlog of unreported studies, there is plenty of material for their reporting.

If I were Warren, I would not hold my breath waiting for this information to be reported. Candidly, the anti-gay organizations have no desire in reporting the truth. They will lie, distort information, and continue a news blackout on anything that gets in the way of their agenda. Truth and accuracy in reporting are mutually exclusive from the Christian press.

Africa's Anti-gay Laws Are Product of American Religious Exports

Like the Roman Catholic Church, American Christian Right elements are focusing their efforts on Africa where unfortunately lack of education and other social conditions make the population vulnerable to a hate based form of Christianity that is withering in Europe, the USA and educated parts of the world. One of the by-products of this phenomenon is the growing homophobia making itself visible in African nations such as Uganda, Malawi and other countries. The London Times has a piece that looks at this problem and traces the poison back to American Christianist groups that are seeking more fertile ground for their perverted version of Christianity. In my opinion, it borders on being criminal that obvious lunatics like the totally discredited Scott Lively are allowed to sow lies and falsehoods in Africa. Worse yet, such individuals are allowed to pose as "experts" even when associated with known hate organizations. Here are some story highlights:

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When he arrived at Kampala’s Hotel Triangle for a three-day conference, the Rev Kapya Kaoma knew that he would not like what he heard. The clue was in the event’s title — “Exposing the truth behind homosexuality and the homosexual agenda” — and in the line-up of guest speakers arranged by Stephen Langa, head of the Ugandan-based Family Life Network (FLN), and an outspoken advocate for the criminalisation of homosexuality in Uganda.
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Given top billing at the event hosted by the FLN was Scott Lively, president of Abiding Truth Ministries, an American conservative Christian group from California, and a Holocaust revisionist
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To Mr Kaoma, an Anglican priest from Zambia who is project director of Political Research Associates — a Massachusetts-based progressive think-tank — it was further evidence of how America’s Christian Right has stoked intolerance to homosexuality in Africa.* After a 16-month investigation, during which he interviewed scores of witnesses in Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria, Mr Kaoma concluded that Africa’s anti-gay crackdowns are, at least in part, “made in the USA”.
*
“Through their extensive communications networks in Africa, social welfare projects, Bible schools and educational materials, US religious conservatives warn of the dangers of homosexuals, and present themselves as the true representatives of US evangelicalism,” he wrote in Globalising the Culture Wars: US Conservatives, African Churches and Homophobia, a damning report on the issue.
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The results are becoming clear. In Malawi, where this week an openly gay couple were sentenced to 14 years in prison with hard labour, and across the continent, gays and lesbians face lives of increasing dread. It is hard to underplay the depth of anti-gay sentiment expressed in Africa.
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It wasn’t always like this. A decade ago Uganda seemed at the forefront of a liberal renaissance sweeping Africa. Then, Angela, a Ugandan transvestite, led a dance troupe that regularly played to packed audiences. Now she fears for her life. “This is the worst it has ever been; they say we are evil and blame us for everything,” she said.
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Also on the speakers’ list at the conference were Don Schmierer of Exodus International — an organisation that argues that same-sex attraction can be “cured” — and Caleb Lee Brundidge, a counsellor who claims that he was healed of his homosexuality and promotes others to do the same through “healing seminars”.
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“Just as the United States and other northern societies routinely dump our outlawed or expired chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, and cultural detritus on African and other Third World countries, we now export a political discourse and public policies our own society has discarded as outdated and dangerous,” said Tarso Luis Ramos, executive director of Political Research Associates.
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“Unless the world moves fast, we should expect a lot of killings of gays, not by state sanction but through mob violence. This will continue unless the international community can start talking about gay and lesbians having human rights that need to be protected and defended.”
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Meanwhile, policies like DADT and the lack of civil equality for LGBT citizens plays right into the hands of the hate merchants who can point to U.S. laws that fail to protect all citizens.

Langley General (and others) Could be Punished for Role in Christian Video

I have been increasingly alarmed by the manner in which high ranking military officers have been recruited into the Christianist ranks and then seem unable to distinguish between the fact that this is a secular nation, not a theocracy. This story in the Virginian Pilot involves one general - Maj. Gen. Jack Catton (pictured at left) - almost literally in my back yard (http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=129880&ran=143555&tref=po). Here are some high lights:

A general at Langley Air Force Base could face discipline for violating regulations by wearing his uniform in a fund-raising video for an evangelical Christian group, according to a government report. Maj. Gen. Jack Catton, a director at Air Combat Command, improperly promoted Christian Embassy, the Inspector General of the Department of Defense concluded after a seven-month investigation. Seven Air Force and Army officers appeared in video segments filmed in the Pentagon, according to the 45-page report.

Catton remains at his job, which includes planning for planes and parts, said Maj. Thomas Crosson, a spokesman for the command. He said Catton announced July 5 that he will retire on New Year’s Day after 31 years of service. According to the report, released late last month, the Pentagon Chaplain’s office sponsored a group from Christian Embassy in 2004.

The nonprofit group is dedicated to evangelical Christian teachings and relies on donations, according to its Web site. It hosts weekly prayer meeting at the Pentagon and is affiliated with Campus Crusade For Christ International.

The group filmed at the Pentagon over several months, despite receiving permission for a single day of shooting, inspectors found. The video showed various military scenes, emblems and symbols, spliced with interviews of uniformed officers in Pentagon offices. Appearing in the video, the report said, were Catton, Air Force Maj. Gen. Peter Sutton, Army Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks, Army Brig. Gen. Robert Caslen Jr. and retired Army Chaplain Ralph Benson.

I urge every reader in the USA to contact their representatives in Congress and urge them to take action that will firmly punish service members who endorse religious organizations while in uniform. This phenomenon is only one of many which has been allowed - if not encouraged - by Chimperator Bush's regime. Meanwhile the Chimperator threatens to veto legislation providing health coverage to poor children and gays in the military need to live in the closet.