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MineralMan

(150,367 posts)
15. I don't know the numbers, frankly.
Sun Nov 23, 2025, 12:16 PM
Sunday

However, people in positions of trust who deal with children often seem to believe they are immune to punishment for child molestation. Like all such abusers they use threats to keep the victims from talking about the abuse. Religious leaders, teachers, people leading youth groups and others seem to be common offenders. My theory is that such positions attract people who seek to abuse children. They are in contact with their victims and trusted by adults.

In my life, I've encountered a few such abusers. One, who was a youth minister in the church I attended, was caught in the act with a 14-year-old girl who had developmental issues. Rather than be punished in the legal system, he was shuffled off to another church in another city. I was 16 when that occurred. it was one of the primary reasons I decided to distance myself from religion.

In the end, that episode cost a couple of pastors to lose their jobs, since some people, including myself, went public on the abuse. My wife has a similar story from her own church when she was about the same age. Again, the perpetrator simply transferred to another city. Eventually, though, he was caught and prosecuted.

Recommendations

2 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Past the paywall UpInArms Sunday #1
It was in today's Sunday paper. MineralMan Sunday #3
I understand UpInArms Sunday #5
The ProPublica story and the big four-page story in the Strib are the same. WhiskeyGrinder Sunday #4
Yes. One, though, is behind a paywall. MineralMan Sunday #6
ProPublica often collaborates with local news sources to help expand coverage, and that's what they did here. WhiskeyGrinder Sunday #7
Thanks for that information. MineralMan Sunday #8
Kick dalton99a Sunday #2
Just another fucking cult. flvegan Sunday #9
Pretty much. MineralMan Sunday #10
Stories like this come nearly daily. News of the Cults. NotHardly Sunday #11
Yes. They're rare, though, in major metro area news outlets. MineralMan Sunday #12
Just disgusting, Old Crank Sunday #13
I don't know the numbers, frankly. MineralMan Sunday #15
Pedo's are ForgedCrank Sunday #26
religion is where the REAL child grooming is Skittles Sunday #29
This story reminds me of the huge expose MPR did on the systemic abuse going on in Grand Marais awhile back. WhiskeyGrinder Sunday #14
Yes. Such stories are far from being rare, I'm afraid. MineralMan Sunday #16
Im glad the vitims have a good lawyer, sue that sick church out of existence BlueWaveNeverEnd Sunday #17
A church full of sickos BlueWaveNeverEnd Sunday #18
Thank goodness for the victims that came forward and Sgt. Adam Kleffman. chowder66 Sunday #19
Apparently, that church thinks Jesus said, "Suffer, little children..." MineralMan Sunday #20
Thank you for quoting that. I wanted to scream in rage when it was posted niyad Sunday #21
Yeah, that's how it hit me too. The main preacher in the interview w/ investigators strikes me as chowder66 Sunday #23
May all involved receive everything they deserve. niyad Sunday #22
This Church is Duluth Township, Far Northeastern Edge of St. Louis County. waterwatcher123 Sunday #24
They own multiple construction businesses, both residential and commercial, as well as all sorts of shell companies/ WhiskeyGrinder Sunday #25
Your are right about the direction (my mistake). waterwatcher123 Sunday #28
The companies change regularly as they declare bankruptcy and then start up again with difference names. WhiskeyGrinder Sunday #30
Thanks - I will have to check the Secretary of State's site to see if this company is legally incorporated/dissolved. waterwatcher123 Sunday #34
for what? WhiskeyGrinder Sunday #35
Evil LoisB Sunday #27
Routine forgiveness becomes acceptance.... Norrrm Sunday #31
Western, authoritarian churches lend themselves multigraincracker Sunday #32
Churches. It's always churches. KentuckyWoman Sunday #33
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