Baptists must face fear and prioritize risks

[Joanne98]

Southern Baptist leaders refuse to take action on reports of clergy sex abuse because they claim it’s up to the local church. They say that all those 43,000 local churches should just tell other churches about anything troubling in a minister’s past conduct.

But that’s not what happens in the real world, and we all know it. Southern Baptist leaders know it too.

For starters, churches are afraid.

A Texas Monthly journalist pondered this reality when he considered the question of why Southern Baptist pastor Matt Baker was able to keep church-hopping despite the many abuse and assault accusations against him. He offered this explanation:

"To avoid defamation lawsuits, leaders of a church have an incentive to keep their mouths shut when it comes to questionable behavior among clergy, which is perhaps why First Baptist officials said nothing about the allegations when other churches later called, interested in hiring Matt.”

Churches are afraid of being sued by the very ministers who cause trouble. It’s easier to just let a minister move on. It’s easier to “pass the trash.” It’s easier for church leaders to simply keep their mouths shut when other churches call for a reference.

http://stopbaptistpredators.blogspot.com/2010/08/baptists-must-face-fear-and-prioritize.html

[Cirque du So-What]

1. Due to the decentralized structure of the SBC

it would seem more difficult to track miscreants among their clergy than in the RCC. I don't recall ever hearing a bishop or church spokesperson mention fear of lawsuits from wrongly-accused priests as a reason for not attempting to remove them from the priesthood or to have them prosecuted. I wonder if it would take a mere handful of lawsuits against the SBC organization to get the ball rolling and for individual congregations to cease covering up for the criminals formerly in their employ? Seems to me that damages from a libel suit would be less than a civil suit (or even criminal suit) against the organization itself.

[get the red out]

2. Not that difficult

If someone is suspected of a sex crime, let the police investigate, it's their job.

[Ozymanithrax]

3. So Baptists are Papists when it comes to sex abuse...

Let ministers have their way with a new flock of sheep rather than protecting the innocent.

How does a Baptist minister define "Gods Work?" Telling the members of his flock that he sexually abuses that using a condom is wrong.