In the Name of “Mission Work” book about CAM/Mast

[just_thinking]

Hey you can turn this around and try to make it my issue, Gary, and I'd say you've learned well from Ernie. Multiple people on here, beside me, have raised serious issues with Ernie's unfounded accusations. I would again call us to return to the issues. The Ernest you know differs from the realities of the facts which I pointed out. People projected Jeriah on that same logic. I've found that when people can no longer argue with truth which they are unwilling to accept, they target the messenger.

[Ken]

Analysis by my former pastor from FJMC...written publicly online and quoted here.

I ordered it a few days back through another referral. Started reading it late evening and couldn't put it down. It makes me hurt inside to think of what he and others have suffered. And some of the twisting of Scripture that the CAM representatives did after 2019 is deeply troubling. Switch Matthew 18 around and make it sound like the ones who break a "scandal" are the ones who should have the millstone hung around the neck?

I think he exposes some of the underlying systemic problems of cultural superiority that can be present in "mission" settings. Sadly, as I read this book I believe that the main abuser is not the only culpable person in this terrible tragedy. The church in Ohio where he was from knew of past abuse, the ones in CAM administration who knew of the 2011 report and who knows what they did about it, the ones who tried to pay the hush money to the victims at garage sale prices.... Dear Lord, have mercy.

For some reason, I find that there is often an unrealistically high expectation within Conservative Anabaptist communities that, with a prayer and an apology, predators will reform their ways and "the Law" need not get involved. One thing that's so ironic about this case is that when the organization most needed to "go to the foot of the cross" and be broken about the tragedy, they lawyered up and doctored all their statements in an effort to mitigate culpability and try to sanitize any notion of liability.

I believe the author of this book was right to write it. And his call to CAM to practice what they teach in their discipleship program about repentance, brokenness, restitution. Very thought provoking.

It is actually a very well-written book and the author is clearly very bright and thoughtful, and has reflected a long time about the events that affected his life and community. He is clearly still a devout Christian and cites scripture throughout. It is obviously written from a desire to reform and improve the community, not tear it down.

The first half of the book is entirely about his experiences growing up within a conservative Haitian church community, and his experiences and criticisms of his Haitian church upbringing (no missionaries involved).

The short middle section is about the abuse he experienced at the hands of JM and he mostly quotes the CAM reports verbatim. They are not the focus of the book but he does quote enough of the CAM report to establish documentary proof of what happened. And, more importantly, what CAM knew as far back as 2013.

The last half of the book is about CAM's response to the allegations after they surfaced in 2019 as well as the response by the Haitian church leaders working with CAM. He levels as much criticism on Haitian church leaders as he does CAM. His cultural analyses of the organizational traits that led to the coverups both within CAM and within the Haitian churches are quite thoughtful and astute.

He ends with thoughtful personal messages to all the principles in the story. To CAM, to the Haitian church leaders, to JM, and to ordinary readers like us who are not personally connected to the events described.

[GaryK]

Hey you can turn this around and try to make it my issue, Gary, and I'd say you've learned well from Ernie. Multiple people on here, beside me, have raised serious issues with Ernie's unfounded accusations. I would again call us to return to the issues. The Ernest you know differs from the realities of the facts which I pointed out. People projected Jeriah on that same logic. I've found that when people can no longer argue with truth which they are unwilling to accept, they target the messenger.

I just find it a bit off-putting that the same day in which you join MN you are acting like you know Ernie's motives for asking what he did. That's all. I'm pretty sure if you would know him personally, you would have responded differently. I've learned a lot from Ernie, even though he's younger than me, and I think you could too.

[Soloist]

I butt heads quite often with Ernie and while he annoys me when he refuses to reply to something, I would say it’s a wrong characterization of him what you are doing. At least read through the long thread covering this back when he did work for cam. He doesn’t now btw…

[undershepherd]

I have to wonder how much Trudy Metzger advised Cadet in what to write? Just a thought.

I personally think Trudy is too wise to do that. She already knows innuendos such as yours and accusations will fly.

And that is why I figure she is plenty wise enough to distance herself from this work. But don't take my word for it. She's easy to look up, or I can get you her number.

I meant no innuendos, so need to get defensive right away. FWIW, On Facebook she sure knew alot about the book long before it was published, which is why I asked the question. Although I don't always agree with her tactics, she has done a good work in exposing abuse within conservative Anabaptist communities. And that is what is important.

Trudy in no way advised Cadet what to write. She stated such on her blog and facebook. She was asked to review it but declined to suggest any edits or changes.

[just_thinking]

Sorry, Typo ... protect Jeremiah...

[ken_sylvania]

Sorry, Typo ... protect Jeremiah...

Jeremiah?

[Josh]

Hey you can turn this around and try to make it my issue, Gary, and I'd say you've learned well from Ernie. Multiple people on here, beside me, have raised serious issues with Ernie's unfounded accusations. I would again call us to return to the issues. The Ernest you know differs from the realities of the facts which I pointed out. People projected Jeriah on that same logic. I've found that when people can no longer argue with truth which they are unwilling to accept, they target the messenger.

I’ve known Ernie a while, including having some very sharp disagreements with him, and I was highly critical of CAM back in 2019.

With that said, Ernie has been of the utmost character throughout this whole situation, and has proven that to me. I say this despite Ernie’s rather harsh rejection of me such as criticising my church as a false church and banning me from his “seekers’ conference” because of (a) my church affiliation and (b) my reputation for being vocal and outspoken in criticism of conservative Anabaptists, their power structures, and their missions and outreaches.

Sometimes people get hurt really badly and really unfairly. That doesn’t mean that person is automatically correct in every opinion they have, or that their book is automatically a validated source of facts. The person in question may not even realise they’re inherent bias.

[nett]

So far two new people have popped up on this thread, having never posted anywhere else before, and both are unbelievably hostile to Ernie, making claims about his character just based on one post he made, that are in no way reflective of what I now of him.

Something seems very off about this.

[nett]

Hey you can turn this around and try to make it my issue, Gary, and I'd say you've learned well from Ernie. Multiple people on here, beside me, have raised serious issues with Ernie's unfounded accusations. I would again call us to return to the issues. The Ernest you know differs from the realities of the facts which I pointed out. People projected Jeriah on that same logic. I've found that when people can no longer argue with truth which they are unwilling to accept, they target the messenger.

Maybe you should establish your own character here instead of attacking others.