NBC News uncovered a 50-year pattern of sex abuse, silence and cover-up in the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination.
A children’s pastor was caught filming girls in a church bathroom in Arkansas. Elders suspended him for a few weeks.
In Illinois, a preacher was accused of sexually abusing children. Church leaders sent him to therapy rather than call police.
In California, a worship minister went to prison for molesting boys. His congregation threw him a party when he returned.
All of these men remained in ministry in the Assemblies of God, the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination. All went on to abuse more children.
I’m pretty sure that most mainstream Christians believe that God needs no assembly.
Jesus said exactly that in Matthew 6:5-6
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Is there any established church that’s not chock full of pedos?
Honestly no. The very idea of religion is control based.
I don’t know first hand, but the Unitarian Universalist churches that embrace LGBT and everyone seem reasonable. Still, I think any leaders in a place that draws spiritually or socially needy people are in a position to abuse their congregation.
I grew up UU. We considered it an ideology not a religion.
The thing about UU is that it is kinda both because it was made from the merger of Unitarians, who were a Christian sect and Univesalists who were not specifically religious.
It’s weird and lovely. I know a lot of clergy from other faiths who attend UU churches in retirement because they want the fellowship, but don’t want to be the defacto “backup preacher.”
Unitarian churches are the only ones that I’ve been welcomed, loved, and asked if there was anything I needed as soon as I walked in. They’re all awesome people actually making differences in their communities. People give freely in the churches I’ve been in and multiple times, unhoused folks would walk in and there was a stash of clothes, food, and hygiene products to give to them during the service. Like, as the pastor was preaching. And nobody made them stay. A few did, but most grabbed and left. Everybody would smile at them and offer seats next to them. I’ve never seen that in other Protestant churches before.
Does the Satanic Temple count?
Yes many of the mainstream Protestant churches that permit clergy to have sex lives and marry do not share this problem to the same degree.
Uhm. AG is fundamentalist evangelical. Their pastors are encouraged to marry. (And the spouse is basically free labor.)
Nice try, though.
Edit to add; if that were true then you’d see a disproportionate number of sex pests outside the church being single- yet most are in fact married (because most people marry.)
The Assembly of God are by no means a mainstream Protestant denomination. None of the Pentecostals fall into what is typically viewed as the mainstream.
You should pay closer attention before replying “Nice try, though” to others because you could be making a glaring mistake.
The baptists don’t have a problem? or Methodists? or Lutheran?
Your claim that allowing clergy to marry is a bald faced lie designed to make you complacent. Of course it’s the catholics who have the problem- and of course it’s beause their priests aren’t allowed to marry and vent their perversion.
I know rational thinking is hard when it goes against everything your taught, so allow me to repeat my edit: if that claim were true, then when you step outside the church, you would see a disproportionate number of sexual harassment and other forms of sexual misconduct in the workplace among single men and disproportionately less among married men. The reality is, when it comes to sexual abuse; being married has almost no statistical effect on who is a sexual abuser.
the reality is that sexual abuse and misconduct among clergy and lay leaders is a problem in every religion, and every sect of every religion. If your particular flavor of religion doesn’t have a problem… it’s because your flavor doesn’t see it as a problem. But it is going on. Quite probably in your own church.
I know. that’s hard to hear. You’re told that your pastors are to be trusted with everything, and that leaders are good and righteous… And that’s exactly why sex pests seek those positions.
Neither denomination has the problem on the scale of the Roman Catholic Church. I don’t believe any clergy of any faith rapes at a rate outside of the “normal” amount for other professions.
Statements like “I know rational thinking is hard when it goes against everything your taught” suggest a real lack of maturity and thought because you don’t know me. If you did you would know Im not religious.
This is yet another example of you not thinking about what you are saying and looking ignorant as a result. Nice try, though.
Yes, many.
Stop thinking the media, heavily incentivized to be sensational and provocative, shows you the entirety of reality.
At a denominational level, every group has a sex pest problem.
At an individual church, if it doesn’t, then it’s probably not been around long for a long time.
Sex pest pastors/priests/rabbi/imams/whatever-cleric are in fact super common.
Oh but drag queens reading books to children is dangerous
It’s all about projection. They know what they are so they think others are like themselves, only worse.
So… They are pedos in drag?
I wouldn’t be surprised if the rate of cross dressing was higher than average with that demographic.
I wonder how that works given the priestly vestments like cassocks. Do they wear it because they’re comfortable in it like a dress? Do they wear it and then think “oh this is nice actually”? Or is just not statistically significant? Worth a study.
The AG didn’t wear vestments. At most, it’s a suit and tie; and that’s only in the super old school churches or the mega churches like James River Assembly.
They like to pretend it’s because they’re not super judgey, but the reality is if you don’t walk in looking exactly like what ever that particular church does… you clearly have some repenting to do.
(I should know. I grew up in an AG church. They’re allergic to diversity and critical thinking.)
Pornhub stats are always very revealing 🤤😁✝️🤘
As an apostate that used to attend an AG church, this one hits waaay too close to home for me. It also doesn’t surprise me that much. The one I used to go to veery much had an “in-group” mentality.
The only reason why Trump supports the church even though he doesn’t believe in God.
Yep, that’s religion!
The are realizing the true power of religion.
🤮
Churches love to protect predators.
Disgusting demons of Satan
Another drag church, I’m sure, no? 🫣
