By now, you’ve heard stories like this too many times. Father McFarlin had a reputation for sexual deviancy. He crossed the line in conversations with children with sexually suggestive language. By 2005, his Bishops had investigated complaints by six different children in his diocese. But they didn’t report him to police or remove him from […]
Let’s get real about clerical sex abuse
As we hear the horror stories of how 300 Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania sexually abused over 1,000 identified child victims and potentially thousands more, we need to keep a few things in mind for perspective. But let me warn you, the first part of the article gets real. Then, it gets real real. Let’s […]
Blame-shifting, victim blaming, and the modern-day friends of Job
They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He […]
Larry Nassar, the church, and the culture of abuse
A guest post by Elizabeth Sachs *** When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn (Prov. 29:2). Reviewing the details of the many abuses of Larry Nassar against innocent young girls in his medical care, as I listened to the impact statements, it all sounded […]
The Georgia Republicans’ Welfare and Strip Club Establishment Act. Yes, it’s that bad
A new child welfare services expansion and alleged sex-trafficking prevention bill is making its way rapidly through the Georgia State Assembly led by Republican, and some Christian, lawmakers. It is euphemistically titled the “Safe Harbor Act,” but it ought to be titled the “Welfare and Strip-Club Establishment Act,” for that is effectively what it will […]