A
few thoughts related to the Southern Baptist Sexual Abuse Task Force (SATF) and
Guidepost Report.
1. Sexual abuse should be reported to the
police. It is a shame when abuse is
alleged, but the accuser is unwilling to file charges.
2. If you are truly guilty of sexual abuse,
don’t expect me to excuse it.
3. All of us need to be vigilant to avoid any
type of sexual abuse.
4.
The SATF and Guidepost seemed a little
one-sided. Why not hear from more than
one side? Why not a more diverse
committee? At times it seems like a
trial with only the Prosecution allowed to speak. The accuser needs to be heard; but, so does
the accused.
There
is good, needed information in the Guidepost report. There are instances, however, where one side
of the story is not told, even though it is in public records. Other times when one side of the story is
minimized.
5. Often, on this issue only one side is allowed
to be heard. At least one website is
very quick to delete any comments on this subject that do not fit their
narrative. The opposing side may have
some valid perspectives. Without allowing
the other side to be considered, you may be left with groupthink.
6. The issue seems to be overhyped. Sexual abuse is horrible and without excuse,
but its overall numbers are low compared to the entire Southern Baptist
Convention (SBC).
7. There is some amount of difference between
outright sexual abuse and consensual immoral relationships. There is also a difference between illegal
relationships and legal, but immoral relationships. Both are wrong, but there’s a
difference.
8. If a sexual abuse situation is criminally
prosecuted and the offender punished, it is now a matter of public record. What more are Southern Baptists supposed to
do? SBC churches today are encouraged to
do background checks on leaders. This
should reveal any such legal issues. Also,
check references. If you need help,
check with your Association or State Convention.
9. There is a big, big difference between a
sexual abuser, and someone you feel did not properly handle a sexual abuse
situation. Yet some who never committed
sexual abuse are treated like those who did, or even worse; because the accuser
thinks they should have handled a situation differently.
10. This issue at times seems to be a way for
some to handle old grievances. They use
it to condemn their enemies, while condoning their friends. Social media can be vicious and evil.
11. Most of the SBC Executive Committee’s “secret
list” was simply a compilation, over the years, of newspaper reports about
sexual abuse. It was already public,
nothing secret or sinister about it. But
it was made to look that way.
12. It often seems the same group who is quick to
accept divorce, will never, never forgive certain situations of immorality or
abuse, or even a poor choice of words. Much
of this seems kind of arbitrary. I’m not
making a point about divorce; just that some of the condemnation seems uneven,
and perhaps too “woke,” “me too,” and “virtue signaling.”
13. It strains credulity that a grown,
intelligent woman who had a years-long sexual relationship with a married man
(not married to her), be proclaimed completely innocent and a survivor of
sexual assault. The married man involved
is most guilty, but there is guilt on both sides.
14. There is nothing wrong with SBC lawyers
advising their client on how to avoid liability. That’s a lawyer’s job.
15. Some of the accusations could have been
handled better. There is nothing like
having the ability to look back and see what you should have done. Many of those situations were later
corrected.
It
does need to be understood though, that some views about this subject have
changed in recent years. Get up to
date.
16. In more than one instance, some have said we
need to change our practices or pass this motion, so no one is ever abused
again. Wouldn’t that be grand? But sin is always present. We can work to prevent it, speak against it. But abuse, crime, greed, murder, drug abuse, immorality
will always be among every group of human beings.
17. Never accept, “Believe all women.” Women lie, just like men, and any other
group. That’s why we investigate and
attempt to hear all sides. Don’t be so
quick to dismiss the example of Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39).
But
do take accusations seriously, and if it involves illegal activity, report it
to police. Treat all sides with respect. See Judge Righteously article
below.
18. If a church has a sexual abuser, and they
properly and legally deal with it, they are often put in the same category as a
church who accepts or hides abuse. That
is obviously unfair.
To
those of you who viscerally disagree with me, according to God’s Word you still
have to love me!
*******
Megan
Basham
previously wrote for WORLD magazine and now writes for Daily Wire. She has written a very thoughtful, investigative
article (Southern Baptists’ #MeToo Moment). Read it, as well as the Guidepost Report. It gives a needed balance. A couple quotes are published below, and the
link to the article is given.
“a
total of 409 accused abusers were found over the course of 21 years in
approximately 47,000 SBC churches.”
“six
different SBC pastors pointed out to me that very little in the Guidepost
report was actually new information. In many of the cases, flagrant mishandling
of allegations had already been addressed and the men involved removed from
office. And the highly publicized list the executive committee was keeping of
abusers was, in fact, culled from newspaper reports. Every accusation it
contained was already in the public domain.”
-Southern
Baptists’ #MeToo Moment by Megan Basham
https://www.dailywire.com/news/southern-baptists-metoo-moment
Also:
https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/former-ec-vice-president-counters-guidepost-characterization-of-abusers-list/
-David
R. Brumbelow, gulfcoastpastor.blogspot.com, August 15, AD 2022.
Articles:
Judge Righteously
Note: I referred to this article at a site and
provided a link. My comment and link
were deleted.
On
an earlier occasion, I referred to several Bible passages mentioned in this
article. The website informed me these
verses had no relevance to sexual abuse in the SBC. How could they not? Read the article and decide for
yourself.
Basic Baptist Doctrines / Beliefs
Baptists on Tithing
Other Articles in
lower right margin, Web Version.
