Posted on 05/30/2018 6:21:56 AM PDT by Morgana
For those of you familiar with fundamentalist movements, particularly the IFB (Independent Fundamental Baptist), you’ll know these movements tend to be rife with sexual abuse and cover-ups. Because the IFB maintains ideologies of separatism and elitism, they tend to deal with their issues “in house.” The trend is: keep it in the church, don’t tell anyone (authorities included), blame the victim, and re-locate the offender to another church in another town (and don’t forget his severance package).
Well, in a shocking turn of events, one IFB mega-pastor took a public stand against these actions, and those of us who have come out of that culture, many being survivors of abuse ourselves, aren’t quite sure what to think. The Facts
Friday, May 11 – The victim outed Cameron Giovanelli for sexually abusing her when he was pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Dundalk, MD and she was a 16-year old student in their private school. Current pastor of Calvary Baptist, Stacey Shiflett, began an investigation.
Monday, May 14 – Shiflett and deacons reached a unanimous decision that the victim was “credible.” They presented their findings to Pastor Jack Trieber at North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara, CA where Giovanelli has been serving as president of Golden State Bible College.
Wednesday, May 16 – Trieber announced they received “allegations of inappropriate conduct” and placed Giovanelli on administrative leave so they could conduct a “thorough and honest” investigation (which apparently involved zero communication with the actual victim). Giovanelli submitted his resignation. The rest of Trieber’s statement went something like this: the church and related ministries are blameless, and please pray for our church and the rapist. (No mention of the victim though … Giovanelli is the “real” victim here!)
(Excerpt) Read more at patheos.com ...
His story is shocking as he too was a victim.
I will watch the rest of the video when I have time. I applaud mr Shifflett for taking his strong stance.
Did he contact the police or just the other pastor?
Maryland law requires certain people to report child abuse crimes. I assume when the victim reaches majority the law would still require reporting of events that occurred to a minor.
I know of another similar case in Maryland several years ago involving a church janitor. When it was discovered years later, the church wasted no time calling police.
If allegations are true, life in prison is warranted.
I make one argument with the writer.
This statement:
“For those of you familiar with fundamentalist movements, particularly the IFB (Independent Fundamental Baptist), you’ll know these movements tend to be rife with sexual abuse and cover-ups”,
is a gross, unfair, unwarranted and prejudicial accusation about “these movements” (which implies all of them); when the writer has no foundation for painting that brush so widely beyond their own evidence of just what they know.
Butthurt member of a church rife with sexual abuse and cover-ups looking to cast aspersions on another in the hopes that it will somehow diminish the shame. Psychologists call it projection.
Somehow I suspect we have just seen the tip of an iceberg.
I had the same concern. I truly believe that sexual abuse in fundamentalist churches is a rare anomaly and not a culture.
I don’t know how rare or widespread it is. My problem with the writer is they presented no evidence that it is widespread but passed judgement on “all these movements”.
I don’t know how rare or widespread it is. My problem with the writer is they presented no evidence that it is widespread but passed judgement on “all these movements”.
bkmk
If you are accused of a crime and you are innocent, NEVER do anything that reflects guilt(like resigning).
It’s extremely widespread. The only reason we don’t know how much is IFB’s don’t keep records like Catholics did. They just ship the pastor off to the next church with glowing references and he’s “their problem”.
Fr. Malachi Martin, who was in a position to know, said this problem is in every religion on planet earth, as far as Christians go the Greek Orothodox have it the worst, but even then they are not the worst offenders on planet earth. The worst offenders are not even Christian.
http://stopbaptistpredators.org/index.htm
http://fundamentalbaptistabuse.blogspot.com/
http://www.netgrace.org/ http://www.netgrace.org/blog/
http://peterruckmantalks.blogspot.com/
“They just ship the pastor off to the next church”
I believe each church choses it’s pastor. A pastor leaving one job before having another job would be a red flag for a another congregation looking for a minister.
What is the age of consent in MD? Do they have a law regarding teacher/student relationships? In any event a teacher, particularly a Christian in a Christian school, should not have done this. Unfortunately there is even such sins in church schools although I believe it is much less widespread than in public schools.
True only so long as every single member of the search committee has no experience to speak of outside of their long time congregation.
But that would be the only instance in which that were true.
A competent committee would inquire why the pastor left and seek confirmation from the previous church or chuches. And that is what we are talking about here. Churches are not passing along what happened previously when inquiries are made. If the pastor in question doesn't volunteer that information seeking churches have no way of knowing. Rather disgusting.
Sounds like you just described the issues with Roman Catholicism.
“It’s extremely widespread. “
Opinions are easy, but they are unjustified without data that backs them up.
Use of the phrase "these movements tend to be" looks like an attempt to tar all Bible believing churches and designate them as cults. Intentional or not, the effect is the same.
It should show up on the pastor’s resume that he worked say 4/12/10 to 5/7/18 at Church A. If he is looking for a job in July 2018 at Church B it should be a little suspicious. If Church B checks with Church A, Church A should be comfortable stating the precise dates of employment but may not be comfortable stating the reason due to legal concerns.
She's an ex-fundamentalist atheist, if you Google her bio.
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