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American Against the Tea Partyi
If you think that Catholic priests are the only men of the cloth who molest children, think again. There is a streak of denial in Protestant churches as wide as the River Jordan. They think it can’t happen in their churches. But it does and with alarming regularity.
The good folks at Awkward Moments Children’s Bible keep an eye on local stories about pastors who molest children and the disabled. In May of 2014, they found 24 stories about pastors who committed the unforgivable sin of molesting a vulnerable member of their flock. These men are trusted by their congregations — they are leaders — which makes their betrayal of trust that much worse.
Unlike the Catholic Church, the myriad Protestant organizations have no real governing body, which means that a pastor can avoid trouble simply by moving away from the place where the crime occurred. These offenders are harder to spot, harder to accuse, harder to hold accountable. They are seen as respected community leaders and authority figures. To a child, these men are infallible and unquestioned. Which makes it easier for them to molest their victims.
Before I present the list from Awkward Moments Children’s Bible author Gilgamesh Horus, I want to quote him:
Obligatory disclaimer #1: Yes, of course – they are all innocent until proven guilty. I’m sure it was all just a misunderstanding.
Obligatory disclaimer #2: “They are obviously not real Christians!” Says who? Were they not trusted “real Christian leaders” the day before they got arrested? Wake up!
List of Pedophile Pastors.
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