Michigan legislative action thread
Posted on 11/12/2013 6:27:40 PM PST by Morgana
(WXYZ) - It is an unthinkable crime that robbed a 2 year old of her innocence. Even more unbelievable, it happened inside a local church. Tonight we're exposing the vicious attack. A sinister crime that has a mom fighting for justice, and seeking answers from the church she grew up in and considered family.
"I really became active in the church when I was like 11 or 12. They've just been a big part of my life." she tells 7 Action News. The identity of the 23 year old mother is not being revealed for this story in order to protect her daughter's identity. She says she now feels betrayed by the Detroit Church Grandvale Corps Community Center, a place she and her daughter once called home.
"I was a member before she was born. Throughout my pregnancy I worked there. I volunteered there. My daughter started going there when she was 6 days old and from there we'd just go. Every Sunday" she says.
Ironically, it was on a Sunday inside the holy place that she says the devil's hands touched her 2 year old child. She says on a quiet morning last July, parents were attending services and kids were in Sunday School. Afterwards, there was no sign of her little girl until she found her alone in the dark of the church basement.
"She was fully nude and screaming for me. I honestly think I went into shock. Seeing her standing there crying I can only imagine how she felt. Like my mom wasn't here for me" she says. Seconds later, the pastor was telling her "We don't need to call the police. You can't go up and down the street talking about this. Meet me up here tomorrow."
(Excerpt) Read more at wxyz.com ...
Let’s play deck the pastor.
It’s highly,suspicious the shepherd doesn’t want to protect the sheep.
My church has a policy which requires at least two adults to be in every classroom whenever there are kids in the room. They also do background checks and spot checks.
Kind of a shame but predators will seek out these types of positions to gain access to children.
Not all that unusual for pastors of smaller churches without training or policies to handle this. They panic. Doesn’t mean that he had anything to do with the attack.
We were free to roam at the church but there were lots of familiar adults around pretty much all the time.
I was too as a kid but times have changed. Perhaps we’re just more aware of what can happen.
It also protects the adults from false accusations from troubled children. Thats not what happened here but it does happen.
What it does mean, is that he fully intended to cover it up.
It's called something like an accessory after the crime.
I don't accept any excuses for that. Nor should anyone.From anyone.
I grew up in a rural community with our Methodist church and a Baptist church and everybody knew everybody from every day life. Even our teachers went to one church or the other.
Of course you shouldn’t accept excuses. I was explaining what happens when some people don’t know how to handle something like this.
Just because someone is a pastor doesn’t mean they do the right thing. Heck one pastor I had told me about 50% of pastors don’t really believe Jesus is risen.
I grew up in a small town like that.
I now go to a fairly big church, too big for me but the kids love it so we keep going.
More and more churches in my area have background checks for everyone involved with minors and many are just installing cameras that cover the facility.
Makes sense.
yeah background checks aren’t enough.
I think the law is now clear in every state that if you are informed or become aware of sexual abuse of a minor, you MUST report it to the police or government social services agency. Failure to do so is a crime, and will land you in jail, even if you didn’t have anything to do with the abuse.
It shouldnt require a law for a pastor to do the right thing.
“In a statement to 7 Action News, the Salvation Army which operates the church says ‘We continue to express deep concern for the young girl who’s mother reported an incident that allegedly occurred earlier this year at the Grandvale Corps Community Center. Our prayers and thoughts go out to her and her family. We continue to assist the police with their investigation and don’t speculate on an ongoing investigation.’”
Obviously, this is not your typical church.
Primarily because I am not in fellowship with any sect, and elected to refrain from inflicting my disbeliefs on them.
Perhaps congregations should demand much more of each other, and especially of their pastors.
You explained nothing.
You merely proffered a feeble excuse for the inexcusable.
Do you not see what you do?
Take your accusations and throw them at someone else. You have fallen away from the flock and attack others out of your own self hatred.
It shouldn't require a law for anyone to do the right thing. Pastors/priests/reverends are all human and therefore flawed. They are not anything special as churches are not holy places - they are simply buildings where folks congregate to worship the Lord - any holiness comes from those who welcome the Holy Spirit into their midst and not from the trappings.
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