Regarding Allegations Of Sexual Molestation By D S, What has been the response of the Adventist Church? Options

[Artiste]

I completed a qualitative study about two years ago where I gained the bylaws/rules/handbook instructions of Catholicism, United Methodist, and lastly SDA as to what should be done in in the respected churches. I was not able to find actual statements directed at what should be done within the SDA church if it is discovered that a member is sexually abused/molested or is sexually abusing/molesting.

I may be wrong - but the Pastor that I interviewed got the Church Handbook out and tried to find the section. He could not.

As for the Catholic and United Methodist churches - they had an entire section of their bylaws/rules/handbook dedicated to the topic of sexual abuse/molestation.

Amazing to hear that, PrincessDrRe!

I wonder why the Adventist church has not addressed this...

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This post has been edited by Artiste: Jan 1 2008, 10:22 PM

[Observer]

I completed a qualitative study about two years ago where I gained the bylaws/rules/handbook instructions of Catholicism, United Methodist, and lastly SDA as to what should be done in in the respected churches. I was not able to find actual statements directed at what should be done within the SDA church if it is discovered that a member is sexually abused/molested or is sexually abusing/molesting.

I may be wrong - but the Pastor that I interviewed got the Church Handbook out and tried to find the section. He could not.

As for the Catholic and United Methodist churches - they had an entire section of their bylaws/rules/handbook dedicated to the topic of sexual abuse/molestation.

You are unlikely to find much (anything) in the Church Handbook.

The General Conference has advised individual Conferences to establish a specific committee to deal with sexual misconduct, as well as to establish formal rules in regard to what is supposed to happen.

When my son first enrolled at Walla Walla University in 2006 we visited the school. On Sabbath we found the established policy covering the issues you mention in the entrance to the church. It was the local church policy, which was based upon the policy ot the Upper Columbia Conference. I consider that policy to be an excellant one.

[Johann]

this ground has been covered before.... several times.... is there something new or something that was missed the other times we discussed this? I am curious...

Some of us tend to forget -- unless reminded. Here is what I recall we have come to:

1. As for the church there is bery little in the Church Mannual, and many pastors may not even have the latest edition. It gets revised every five years. Directives have been issued on the local level and could vary according to how important the local conference/union thinks it is.

2. One of the vice presidents of the General Conference called me concerning Alyssa's letter. He told me this was a very serious accusation against Danny Shelton, but difficult to handle because Danny Shelton claims it is false. From Danny we have heard it is something the girl has made up so many years later only to defend her mother.

The vice president said it had been suggested a committee of three meet with Alyssa and question her to find out if the statement really is true. I told him I felt this was mistreating the girl. It should be sufficient that she had the statement notorized and the statement was then sent to a Conference President in North America - who I understand forwarded the statement to the president of the Illinois Conference. He should have taken it to the local church, but I am afraid it did not make much impact on the leadership of the 3ABN church who are convinced Linda and her children are great liars, as one of the pastors involved told me.

You may feel this is rehashing, but I am convinced an honest Christian person needs to remind himsel and others at times if honesty is to prevail, and to prevent serious issues from being swept under the rug.

It may bore some, but recall Scripture calls for the patience of the saints.

[Clay]

Criminal charges were never filed. In the absence of such what is there to discuss? Or is it the desire to convict him in the court of public opinion....These charges are serious and as I indicated the last time we covered this ground, it should have been reported and let the legal or criminal system take its course..... Has their been a civil suit filed claiming this? If not, what purpose does it serve?

I am sorry I disagree, if nothing is going to be done or can be done, how many times do you go over the same stuff? Take action, or leave it alone....

[Johann]

Criminal charges were never filed. In the absence of such what is there to discuss? Or is it the desire to convict him in the court of public opinion....These charges are serious and as I indicated the last time we covered this ground, it should have been reported and let the legal or criminal system take its course..... Has their been a civil suit filed claiming this? If not, what purpose does it serve?

I am sorry I disagree, if nothing is going to be done or can be done, how many times do you go over the same stuff? Take action, or leave it alone....

Leave what alone? Is it certain this is a criminal offence that should be handled by public authorities? What do we have the church for? Some feel this is primarily a matter to be handled by the church, and some feel that segments of the church is corrupt when it comes to this issue. Does such corruption infuence BSDA in reluctance to make it a vehicle to convict in the court of public opinion? I do not state it is, but just ask if there is a danger of such a development?

[Seraphim7]

Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
George Santayana

Frankly, from where I stand, this is a legal matter that should not be left for the "church" to handle. Such behavior is criminal and should be handled accordingly period,

The dear sister should not wait on the church to "do" anything. She has a responsibility to herself, as well as any youth who would be in danger of such abuse, to report it to the authorities. BMTJM

[Johann]

Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
George Santayana

Frankly, from where I stand, this is a legal matter that should not be left for the "church" to handle. Such behavior is criminal and should be handled accordingly period,

The dear sister should not wait on the church to "do" anything. She has a responsibility to herself, as well as any youth who would be in danger of such abuse, to report it to the authorities. BMTJM

Is this not one of the great purposes of this discussion club to achieve knowledge and possibilities of reaching conclusions that may be most important for guiding us through life.

Does anyone dare discount this importance of BSDA?

[Clay]

Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
George Santayana

Frankly, from where I stand, this is a legal matter that should not be left for the "church" to handle. Such behavior is criminal and should be handled accordingly period,

The dear sister should not wait on the church to "do" anything. She has a responsibility to herself, as well as any youth who would be in danger of such abuse, to report it to the authorities. BMTJM

the person to whom it allegedly happened to is now grown.... she has not filed charges so it is my opinion that if she has not filed charges what purpose does it serve to rehash this? She has chosen not to do anything, no one can make her file charges if she doesn't want to, so what would be the purpose of this thread?

[Clay]

Leave what alone? Is it certain this is a criminal offence that should be handled by public authorities? What do we have the church for? Some feel this is primarily a matter to be handled by the church, and some feel that segments of the church is corrupt when it comes to this issue. Does such corruption infuence BSDA in reluctance to make it a vehicle to convict in the court of public opinion? I do not state it is, but just ask if there is a danger of such a development?

church is overrated... you expect too much from it in my opinion... the church cannot and has not dealt with other issues so I don't expect them to handle this one...

I would hope that in the absence of legal action the members of BSDA don't take it upon themselves to convict a person just because there are allegations....

[Clay]

Is this not one of the great purposes of this discussion club to achieve knowledge and possibilities of reaching conclusions that may be most important for guiding us through life.

Does anyone dare discount this importance of BSDA?

ummm no.... not for me....I am not looking for any discussion here to guide me through life...

[Johann]

the person to whom it allegedly happened to is now grown.... she has not filed charges so it is my opinion that if she has not filed charges what purpose does it serve to rehash this? She has chosen not to do anything, no one can make her file charges if she doesn't want to, so what would be the purpose of this thread?

Aren't we through these discussions learning what a tragedy such a situation is in the society around us?

Where I live the media is *rehashing* similar problems daily because it takes an eternity to inform and form an opinion amoung the powers that be how to deal with this. Your opinion may be the best in the world, but it takes a lot of patience and rehashing to make it a general rule that all will follow.

So why in the world did you ever conceive the idia that BSDA is not mere trash that never should have appeared on the scene? Or are you just lookiing for a million people who will agree with your perspective and way of expressing themselves in regard to these issues? Am I expressing this too bluntly just to stir up your pure mind? Am I searching for that glimmer of gold in your comprehension? - No, I'm not finding fault with you nor how your mind works, just looking for that graceful amber and brilliance you so often expose in your excellent remarks.

Could it be that as a pastor I have a different perspective because I have to deal with such matters? Take this six year old girl who keeps it secret for years that her father is abusing her sexually. At 12-13 she finally tells her mother. Her mother is chocked and closes up tight as a seachell. Then she expresses disbelief and orders her daughter to keep such a false notion to herself. She is forced to act as if nothing is the matter. What does this lovely young girl do to escape? She starts an intimate relationship with another young man so that she can get away from the abuse of her father. Nobody else was willing to help her. She found no Seventh-day Adventist pastor, at that time, to lisaten to her plea. Finally a parson in another denomination comes to her aid, but too late to file any charges. (Fortunately those laws have been changed in that area since then.)

This story is but one of so many similar I have come accross in my ministry. In different parts of the world. We live in a society where life is heavly stained by such happenings, also within the Seventh-day Adventist church. Will our indifference and unwillingness to expose what needs to be cleaned within our culture help perpetuate the status quo? Or has our God given us a responsibility? Are we, like Jonah, buying a tiket to another destination to avoid our duty? Because we are tired of dealing with it?

[Johann]

ummm no.... not for me....I am not looking for any discussion here to guide me through life...

Why did Jesus bring up issues from daily life through his parables? Not to guide us?

Why, then, for heaven's sake, are you involved with BSDA? Is it the salary Calvin pays you why you are staying here? (Just a joke, of course. I know you volunteer.)

Isn't everything that happens to us in life a lesson for the eternal, or is it of no significance?

[Noahswife]

Some of us tend to forget -- unless reminded. Here is what I recall we have come to:

1. As for the church there is bery little in the Church Mannual, and many pastors may not even have the latest edition. It gets revised every five years. Directives have been issued on the local level and could vary according to how important the local conference/union thinks it is.

2. One of the vice presidents of the General Conference called me concerning Alyssa's letter. He told me this was a very serious accusation against Danny Shelton, but difficult to handle because Danny Shelton claims it is false. From Danny we have heard it is something the girl has made up so many years later only to defend her mother.

The vice president said it had been suggested a committee of three meet with Alyssa and question her to find out if the statement really is true. I told him I felt this was mistreating the girl. It should be sufficient that she had the statement notorized and the statement was then sent to a Conference President in North America - who I understand forwarded the statement to the president of the Illinois Conference. He should have taken it to the local church, but I am afraid it did not make much impact on the leadership of the 3ABN church who are convinced Linda and her children are great liars, as one of the pastors involved told me.

You may feel this is rehashing, but I am convinced an honest Christian person needs to remind himsel and others at times if honesty is to prevail, and to prevent serious issues from being swept under the rug.

It may bore some, but recall Scripture calls for the patience of the saints.

Johann~

What I find surprising about your position here is that in the past you have made it very clear that Alyssa never intended for her private information to be made available for public consumption on the internet. You have more than once openly questioned Calvin's decision to post the letter or even to leave it posted. Have you discussed revisiting this painful and very personal issue with Linda or Alyssa? Do they desire this be discussed so publicly yet again? Do their desires or wishes matter to you? Or do you also take the position that it is unfortunate that there will be victims along the way in order to acheive a desired result?

I think it is unfair to suggest that those who feel there is no point in discussing this matter without a compelling reason to do so (IOW, something new has happened or come to light) are bored or that they have forgotten and need to be reminded. I guarantee that not one person that has read Alyssa's letter and believed it has forgotten and continues to be disgusted if the allegation is true. But some are more concerned with Alyssa getting on with her life and are also disgusted to see her possibly being "used" against her wishes. (Tell me she wants this discussion to continue and I will have nothing more to say). I personally do not believe discussing it again allows her to do so.

Reminded? I will tell you what bringing it up reminds me of. It reminds me once again of a church that continues to sweep things under the rug rather than deal with them. A church that once again failed to listen to someone without the power to compel them to and instead treated her as if she had a lesser value when compared to her step-father in a risk benefit analysis. If the allegations are true I am sorry that Alyssa did not have the courage to take legal action. But I respect her choice not to do so. Only she knows what was right for her. It is not our job to continue to try to make things right for her unless she has requested that we do so.

You suggest patience. I agree. If there are governmental agencies investigating as we have been told then let them do their work and file their charges. If there is concern that others who have experienced something similar to Alyssa's alleged abuse be listened to in the future and the alleged perpetrator dealt with by the church, then I think such a discussion is appropriate without focusing on what happened to Alyssa and the discussion if held on BSDA be outside the 3abn forum so those who genuinely care about all the victims and not just what DS allegedly did can participate.

I will be the first to admit that I have become very cynical and suspicious about the timing of why certain topics are brought up for discussion again when there does not seem to be anything new to discuss.

nw

This post has been edited by Noahswife: Jan 2 2008, 10:29 AM

[lurker]

We are the church. If we are members, we are legally the church. If not, we may still be part of what God considers to be the church at large.

[PrincessDrRe]

You are unlikely to find much (anything) in the Church Handbook.

The General Conference has advised individual Conferences to establish a specific committee to deal with sexual misconduct, as well as to establish formal rules in regard to what is supposed to happen.

When my son first enrolled at Walla Walla University in 2006 we visited the school. On Sabbath we found the established policy covering the issues you mention in the entrance to the church. It was the local church policy, which was based upon the policy ot the Upper Columbia Conference. I consider that policy to be an excellant one.

See. Therein lies the rub (IMO).

We as "separate" churches must make protocol. Why is there not an overall protocal that all churches must follow. The Catholic Church (due to some past issues that we all know of) and the United Methodist Church have bylaws that address this very matter passed down from their "General Conferences". Why is it left up to individual churches to handle this?

Oh - we don't leave up to individual churches how to disburse funds and voting for officers (whatever...) but we'll leave something as important as the protection of a child/survivor up to an individual church to "do what's best"?

I'm so done.....