dawnnikol
Prolific Pea
'A life without books is a life not lived.' Jay Kristoff
Posts: 8,552
Sept 21, 2015 18:39:25 GMT
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Post by dawnnikol on Jun 17, 2024 23:47:15 GMT
I am just at an utter loss... I realize abuse in the church is nothing new. I realize it has been covered up and glossed over too many times to count.
The latest thing with Gateway Church and the woman coming forward about abuse by a pastor for years when she was only 12... is just sickening. This man is STILL working in the church and people are defending him! They're blaming the "sexy" child and the Devil... and, I just can't wrap my head around how you get from A to B in that.
I can't understand an institution that flat out has things like raping nuns and children as something that is absolutely 100% known to have (and still continues) happened over and over and they're still just chugging along. Nothing to see here.
Things like this just make me want to burn it all to the ground... or maybe that's from watching the last episodes of "Sweet Tooth".
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pantsonfire
Drama Llama
Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
Posts: 6,239 
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Post by pantsonfire on Jun 17, 2024 23:59:00 GMT
I am just at an utter loss... I realize abuse in the church is nothing new. I realize it has been covered up and glossed over too many times to count. The latest thing with Gateway Church and the woman coming forward about abuse by a pastor for years when she was only 12... is just sickening. This man is STILL working in the church and people are defending him! They're blaming the "sexy" child and the Devil... and, I just can't wrap my head around how you get from A to B in that. I can't understand an institution that flat out has things like raping nuns and children as something that is absolutely 100% known to have (and still continues) happened over and over and they're still just chugging along. Nothing to see here. Things like this just make me want to burn it all to the ground... or maybe that's from watching the last episodes of "Sweet Tooth". Patriarchal abuse and patriarchal brain washing run deep. This is why women keep quiet until others come out or they finally have had enough and don't want to carry the weight anymore because they aren't believed. They are the ones taunted and called names and pushed away not the abuser. |
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pantsonfire
Drama Llama
Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
Posts: 6,239
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Post by pantsonfire on Jun 17, 2024 23:59:54 GMT
Also men have a good way of working non fear into persons and that allows them the scape goat to continue on.
And religion is huge at that.
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,828
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Post by gottapeanow on Jun 18, 2024 1:27:10 GMT
I'm horrified by this too.
She was "flirtatious."
Supposedly.
She.
Was.
Twelve.
Jesus, have mercy. Truly.
Robert Morris should never stand in a pulpit again. EVER.
(To be clear, I am a Christian and take my faith very seriously.)
Lisa
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Post by worrywart on Jun 18, 2024 2:52:20 GMT
And they keep calling her a young lady. She was 12!
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Post by Merge on Jun 18, 2024 11:25:03 GMT
It’s disgusting. As far as I can tell, there is no statute of limitations on child sex assault on Texas. Who would need to bring charges? Tarrant County? The state?
Unfortunately I’m not sure we can rely on either of those entities to bring charges against a white Republican “Christian” man.
IMO everyone involved in the coverup should be charged, including the father if he’s still alive.
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Post by gar on Jun 18, 2024 12:17:06 GMT
  Here we are again 🤷🏼♀️
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pilcas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,236
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Post by pilcas on Jun 18, 2024 12:24:59 GMT
These churches are misogynist, that is why the blame is put on the 12 yr old instead of the adult male.
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Post by monklady123 on Jun 18, 2024 13:55:01 GMT
And they keep calling her a young lady. She was 12! We hear this a lot. They also say "so-and-so had sex with underage women". No he didn't, he had sex with a GIRL! What does "underage women" even mean?  |
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Post by gracieplusthree on Jun 18, 2024 14:58:04 GMT
And yet people wonder why I'll not likely ever routinely be involved in a church.
My kids are grown, and they did grow up with us going to church, and I know nothing like this happened(we stopped for many other reasons) but. I just can't go back to going to one.
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Post by tmarschall on Jun 18, 2024 15:10:10 GMT
And they keep calling her a young lady. She was 12! We hear this a lot. They also say "so-and-so had sex with underage women". No he didn't, he had sex with a GIRL! What does "underage women" even mean? And to further clarify....an adult man does not have sex with a girl... that's rape. |
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Post by epeanymous on Jun 18, 2024 15:15:30 GMT
And they keep calling her a young lady. She was 12! We hear this a lot. They also say "so-and-so had sex with underage women". No he didn't, he had sex with a GIRL! What does "underage women" even mean? . Yup. A child. People need to remember that a lot of churches are centered on male power. And that women and children are not fully people in that world view. |
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Post by questioning on Jun 18, 2024 19:45:10 GMT
I don't know if I have the heart to look for more info on this.
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Post by mom on Jun 18, 2024 20:02:54 GMT
I am absolutely sick over this. My former church is a 'sister church' to Gateway, and years ago DH and I hosted a home life group in our home that went thru several series of Robert Morris. We haven't been to this particular church in years so I have no idea what they are saying about all of this, but I feel so disgusted that he was brought into our home.
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Post by jackietex on Jun 19, 2024 1:59:16 GMT
Robert Morris stepped down today, but the story better not end there. It also turns out that the man leading Gateway's prison ministry went to jail years ago for attempting to molest a minor.
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Post by refugeepea on Jun 19, 2024 3:23:27 GMT
Yeah, I am so damn sick of the comments from current members of my former religion about how bad the "anti" people have become. "They can leave the church, but they can't leave the church alone."
Well, no shit. It's decades of proven sexual abuse cover ups in The Boy Scouts, of Native Americans, from top church leaders, and the list goes on and on. Yeah, I'm not going to leave it alone. Don't get me started on bishop interviews of children and teens.
My personal favorite is "You can tell the light in their eyes has left." And I can tell the power of discernment, the power of the priesthood, the power of the man being the leader in the home and of the church is pure b.s.
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Post by refugeepea on Jun 19, 2024 3:25:51 GMT
This is why women keep quiet until others come out or they finally have had enough and don't want to carry the weight anymore because they aren't believed. And because a lot of these religions are very insular. There's church attendance, teaching classes, being assigned to visit members, weekly activities, and other religious activities. Don't do those things and your eternal salvation is at stake.
Leave the church, and that whole network is gone. You haven't had time to expand your circle.
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Post by refugeepea on Jun 19, 2024 3:32:00 GMT
And they keep calling her a young lady. She was 12! Yes, that was the same age I was mature enough to be interviewed in a room alone with a grown man with no ecclesiastical training. The age I was suddenly mature enough to understand adult questions about my promiscuity when I had been raised from birth in that church with little to no understanding of what those questions meant.
It’s disgusting. As far as I can tell, there is no statute of limitations on child sex assault on Texas. Who would need to bring charges? Tarrant County? The state? I don't know about Texas, but I just watched the documentary about the dance cult on TikTok (on Netflix). The leader of this church/organization that is basically slave labor has an extensive history in the state of California. One victim was told we need more than one person to come forward. ONE person was not enough to care. Many have come forward and as of now, I don't think he's been charged. |
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Post by ingridguerci94 on Jun 19, 2024 5:20:56 GMT
In general, both in churches and in everyday life, people tend to believe that not discussing bad things will make them less severe. There's some truth to this because we tend to see and feel more of what we focus on, but this mindset misleads us when it comes to ignoring sin, especially sins that harm the most innocent and vulnerable.
This is a situation where bringing things to light is necessary. Hiding it in the shadows is not spiritual; it is a manifestation of human weakness.
The key to preventing ourselves from hiding or protecting such wickedness is understanding that God opposes those who harm the innocent. We must recognize that the God of Truth and Light will not look kindly on those who allow such harm to persist in darkness.
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dawnnikol
Prolific Pea
'A life without books is a life not lived.' Jay Kristoff
Posts: 8,552
Sept 21, 2015 18:39:25 GMT
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Post by dawnnikol on Jun 19, 2024 11:01:44 GMT
I am absolutely sick over this. My former church is a 'sister church' to Gateway, and years ago DH and I hosted a home life group in our home that went thru several series of Robert Morris. We haven't been to this particular church in years so I have no idea what they are saying about all of this, but I feel so disgusted that he was brought into our home. Not to mention the "Elders" that knew about this and still allowed it to continue. The letter I read from the victim says she's been in touch with multiple church leaders starting in 2005. So many people knew about his abuse and chose to let him continue. Here's the victim's statement:   |
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Post by mom on Jun 19, 2024 14:23:24 GMT
dawnnikol Nothing surprises me anymore. It should be noted, though, that I am fairly certain his son James is still on staff at Gateway. So they aren't going out of their way to disassociate with him and his family. Like I said, it's been years since we attended Gateways sister church, but I am confident in saying the coverup runs deep.
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dawnnikol
Prolific Pea
'A life without books is a life not lived.' Jay Kristoff
Posts: 8,552
Sept 21, 2015 18:39:25 GMT
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Post by dawnnikol on Jun 20, 2024 17:09:26 GMT
Now, local to me, a Lead Pastor and President of the School Board just resigned (from the Board) because allegations came forward about him grooming a child. Many, many more women have now come forward since one brave person decided to call him out.
Back to the original post, a reporter was on a public sidewalk outside the church and 3 patrol cars showed up.
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Here we are again 🤷🏼♀️
