Trudy Metzger/Steve Stutzman

[Grace]

I want to preface this post with a comment. I believe children and women need to be protected from abuse including sexual abuse. I think all abuse needs to be reported to the proper authorities.

Over the years Trudy Metzger has been an advocate against child sexual abuse among conservative anabaptist men. She had been off social media for eight months at the advice of her lawyer. I do not know the details why her lawyer advised her to refrain from social media for a period of time.

However, she has returned with a vengeance. In the past she seemed to have a vendetta against Steve Stutzman for various things. Right now, she is targeting him again, making accusations that he protected a Michael Beiler, who allegedly abused a child. I do not know Steve Stutzman, but he feels there isn’t enough evidence to back up the claim of abuse. Trudy thinks that the alleged victim needs to be believed no matter what. To me the whole fiasco appears to be a “he said, she said” case.

Trudy has a way of alluding to accusations of child sexual abuse using carefully chosen words with names attached. From there a whole Trudy following mob descend on social media who appear to have personal agendas and vendettas posting all kinds of stuff, even promoting that abusers deserve death. Many of the posts do not look like they are based on facts or reality, but all emotion. Facts can be taken to court. Evidence of legitimate witnesses can be taken to court, yet so far, the allegations against the alleged perp have not come to that. There is a lot of spewing names and dredging up past mistakes of people which they made 20 or 30 years ago and repented of. Add to that slander and unverifiable accusations.

Any person or entity she can link to child sexual abuse, she will do, the latest being the Way of Jesus Academy in Lancaster, the Lancaster Children’s Church and Bethesda Christian Fellowship. I am not saying these entities didn't make mistakes, but according to Trudy and her followers, there is no grace for mistakes.

Even though over the years Trudy has brought some horrendous abuse cases to light, her tactics seem to be unchristian as she inundates social media with so much unverified information. She stereotypes almost all leaders as child sexual abusers. In my Anabaptist world that simply is not the truth.

I feel her tactics really take away from the cause of preventing child sexual abuse in the plain culture. But that is just my opinion.

[Neto]

I have seen some of these accusations between Steve and another person (Not Trudy), but it's impossible to tell who is right - "he said; She said", as per your post.

I have talked with Steve a few times over the years, but not about this subject. (He was one of the organizers of the Europe river cruise we were just on, but I didn't visit with him much - too many people there, and too many things planned.) Steve & I have differences theologically, but I have also heard good messages from him, and have chosen to interact with him only in areas of agreement. Maybe I'm wrong to do that, but I have a strong dislike for conflict, and so I try to avoid it.

I have seen things from Trudy in the past (years ago) that seemed a bit off, like her own childhood experiences may be causing an inability to carefully evaluate accusations vs claims of innocence. I recently had a conversation with someone, in just general terms, as to whether a former victim is well positioned to be an advocate for other victims.

We had a situation in the Brazil Wycliffe branch where a missionary, a translator actually, had been named by some other missionaries' daughters as a person that was 'not safe to be around'. He had also been on the branch executive committee, and there were times when he cussed out another committee member during a disagreement in a committee discussion. My impression was that confronting this situation was avoided, at the possible expense of young girls. He was later confronted, but never admitted any wrong doing, in spite of considerable evidence.

I mention that case to acknowledge that these things happen, and young (missionary) parents are not prepared to be 'suspicious' (vigilant), thinking that everyone here is safe, because they are Christians, and even missionaries. But at the same time, I have experienced the fear of being falsely accused. I have always loved children, but often feel reluctant to be friendly toward other people's children, for fear of being falsely accused. That's not right, either. So where is the balance? (Sorry - I have probably not added anything beneficial to your discussion.)

[Valerie]

I have met Steve (one time was at Neto’s Church) and I took one of his classes he came to Holmes County. Steve has a gift in ministry & his involvement with counseling people. It is really hard for me to believe he would protect a guilty person. At all. He’s far too experienced in counseling & ministry to protect a person line Trudy is describing if they were guilty.

[ken_sylvania]

Any person or entity she can link to child sexual abuse, she will do, the latest being the Way of Jesus Academy in Lancaster, the Lancaster Children’s Church and Bethesda Christian Fellowship. I am not saying these entities didn't make mistakes, but according to Trudy and her followers, there is no grace for mistakes.

What are you calling a "mistake" where grace should apply in this case? Leroy Miller's actions or Bethesda's failure to do due diligence before allowing him to be Pastor?

[justme]

Many prominent people have skeletons in their closets.
That being said, a wrongful accusation by a female will destroy a man's life.

[Grace]

Nevermind.

[Valerie]

Nevermind.

I think your topic is important.
Was Trudy abused herself?

[temporal1]

Neto:
.. I mention that case to acknowledge that these things happen, and young (missionary) parents are not prepared to be 'suspicious' (vigilant), thinking that everyone here is safe, because they are Christians, and even missionaries.

But at the same time, I have experienced the fear of being falsely accused. I have always loved children, but often feel reluctant to be friendly toward other people's children, for fear of being falsely accused. That's not right, either. So where is the balance? ..

i have no opinion on TM ot SS, i only know their names over years through this forum.

Neto describes a horrible price caused by the ripple effect of sin. There’s always a ripple effect, innocents are affected.
God allows it.

Frankly, i believe this harsh reality is the #1 deterrent of sin. Many sins are PREVENTED by knowng, “if i do this thing, my loved ones, the community, will be hurt”. “i won’t do it.” IT’s TRUE. Social consciousness. Prevention.

My heart broke when our son got to be a teenager.
i noticed, he+his friends became more reluctant around babies+children -
because, by then, they were becoming aware of abusers - they HATED child abuse, and didn’t want to be accused.
WHAT A GREAT LOSS.

As well, our entire culture is affected by the fear of sin. Not just boys-males.

When i was young, there was much more everyday public+open interaction with babies, toddlers, children, even with strangers.
Sin causes loss of mutual respect+trust. It causes fear+suspicion.

Then the advent of “STRANGER DANGER” etc., taught in schools and elsewhere. Fear+suspicion.
https://academic.oup.com/book/33592

i’m a grandmother. i’m reluctant to look at a baby or comment to his mother. Babies+children are taught not to look at or respond to others. They often become silent+remote when they see a stranger. It’s sad to see babies+children “look blank and sober” when they see strangers. It’s now taught+expected!

The price of sin is HIGH. Much of it paid by innocents and bystanders. Sin doesn’t stay isolated.

Neto.
i wish i had no idea what you’re talking about above.

[Grace]

Nevermind.

I think your topic is important.
Was Trudy abused herself?

Yes, she was. She wrote a book about her story, but I am not sure what the title is.

About the "nevermind" post. I was posting something in response to Ken's post but needed more verification behind my comment. For the month of June she posted 85 posts, and her mob followers making hundreds of comments, some being mere slander and gossip, based on emotion. I just didn't have time last night to wade through all her posts and then the comments.

Much of what she says is inflammatory and stereotypes conservative Anabaptist leaders and other men as sexual criminals. An example would be this statement about conservative Anabaptist leaders.

With the vast number of church leaders who have committed heinous sexual crimes, at what point do we say that church leadership has been highjacked by wolves.

In my Anabaptist world, spanning through many years and involving three different conferences, there was no leader that committed sexual crimes.

[temporal1]

A forum search of “Trudy” has 108 matches just now.
i think they’re all about TM. i haven’t read all.