CAM Molestation Issue

[ohio jones]

As I said in the prior post, God is in control. And I sincerely believe God is as fed up as we mere humans are over this horrible situation and He would have dealt with it one way or the other, with or without Trudy's help.

Looks like He's doing it with her help.

[Aurien]

As I said in the prior post, God is in control. And I sincerely believe God is as fed up as we mere humans are over this horrible situation and He would have dealt with it one way or the other, with or without Trudy's help.

Looks like He's doing it with her help.

Should we tell God that's not the way he's supposed to be doing this?

[ohio jones]

As I said in the prior post, God is in control. And I sincerely believe God is as fed up as we mere humans are over this horrible situation and He would have dealt with it one way or the other, with or without Trudy's help.

Looks like He's doing it with her help.

Should we tell God that's not the way he's supposed to be doing this?

Nah, He'll find out about it one way or the other, with or without our help.

[temporal1]

This is true in most crimes.
The criminals get the attention, and now when there is a shooting we often see a concerted effort by the media to remove the attention from the shooter to the victims.
But it seems an uphill battle which goes against our self preservation instincts. We are wired to identify and neutralize the threat first, then deal with the casualties.

I would like to see some discussion on what can and should be done for the victims.

CAM has an opportunity with them to do right that will speak louder about the love of Christ to them and their communities, than more medicine and food will at this point.

They ought to consider treating the victims needs as a crisis.
I know time has passed for some of them, but if they really weren’t aware of what was happening, they ought not twiddle their thumbs now that they know.

Glad you added this.
As i was reading your post, i was wondering, “what would i even want to read about the victims?”
i really don’t know. i think, not knowing what to say or do is part of it, too. we know there are needs, we don’t know what they are .. what is too much? not enough? no one wants to make things worse, but that is a possibility. individual needs will vary, by a lot. there are so many victims!
not just by J Mast, but there are so many of these types of abuse crimes.

one thing, tho. we can realize, just because a child “looks ok,” doesn’t mean they are ok.

one thing i’m immensely thankful for is, people have MOSTLY stopped (accusing) victims for not speaking up in the moment! when children are so harmed (adults, too) their worlds are shattered, they don’t know how to comprehend what happened, to articulate it, they often blame themselves and feel guilty - so many things prevent them from speaking up. thankfully, this is much more widely understood now. in the past, it was a huge problem, AND, it helped abusers continue to get away with crimes. (i think) some laws have changed to allow victims time. we now know, decades can be involved before victims are able to speak up.

before the internet, and i well remember attitudes of the 60’s-70’s, victims were “put through wringers” of questions and accusations. abusers really had the power. now, things sometimes are swinging too far the other way, some false accusers are taking advantage of it. but, that’s human nature.

maybe you could begin a discussion on how to respond to victims?

too frequently, reports show up about young children exposed to violence,
typically, the report will end with, “.. the child was unharmed.”

that means, the child was not physically harmed.
but, to witness or experience violence, even an accident, esp of a parent or sibling, the child IS harmed. they are damaged. they are casualties.

sexual abuse, rape, is violence against the spirit. someone else’s spirit.

[Sienna]

I'm new here so I'm unsure of how to reply to a specific quote. I find the comments by "Grace" wholly disturbing, frankly. To reprimand Trudy for not being "completely clear and wholly truthful," (when Trudy is seeking truth and transparency, and working to protect innocent children), while defending an organization that hid and covered up for an individual employed by them that was living a lie and practicing the systematic rape of children, is unconscionable, and the height of hypocrisy. Moreover, there is then moaning about people having no mercy and grace for CAM, the ones who brought this on themselves by covering things up. I ask where was the mercy and grace for the children who were being raped? There is no defense for this. Even so, I have more compassion for the perpetrator as it seems they were actually making a plea for help back in 2010-12. It's those in positions of responsibility who knew and did nothing that carry the greater responsibility.

[Sienna]

RZehr:
.. We have learned a bit what it takes to overcome drunkenness.
We teach and believe such a person should keep unreserved distance from alcohol forever.

But we’ve tended to categorize sexual abuse to be more like fornication instead of more like drug addiction.

Sexual abuse, esp of minors, is considered VIOLENT CRIME.

It cannot be consensual, it’s not love, it’s rape, it’s violent. No known cure.
Perhaps like addictions, it does require “forever” accountability, and, forever removal from access to potential victims.

Anyone, including me, who seriously attempts to fight sin in their life, knows very well “the fight” is never over. i am not a sexual predator, nor do i drink alcohol, these battles must be epic!
i can empathize. but, to not fight them is not acceptable. for some, prison can help. some admit to it.

life is hard. battles must be fought. Jesus told His to be vigilant, to not rest.
we like to rest. a lot.
The fear of backsliding should be palpable. It should be fearful.

Yes. It is considered aVIOLENT CRIME. The damage it does to a child leaves an impact they will have to live with for a lifetime. Increased rates of suicide, depressive and anxiety disorders, risk of themselves becoming a perpetrator, inability to trust, PTSD-like symptoms....add on top this the poverty already present for a Haitian child and the consequences are staggering.

[Sienna]

Is it the responsibility of an ex Mennonite to inform the world? She would not have had to take on that responsibility if practicing Mennonites had not covered it over. She stated several times that she gave CAM time to do the right thing but when she saw no action being taken she thought it was best that this be exposed and not swept under the rug like so many other cases.
I'm curious. Do you ever go by the username Marigrace?

So Trudy took on the responsibility of exposing this tragedy. This begs the question, didn't she trust the Lord to take care of the situation? Or wasn't God dealing with the problem according to her time line? Is she appointed by God to expose abuse, or is she self appointed? Was she being used of God or playing God? And under whose authority, the Lord's authority or her own self appointed authority?

I think sometimes all of us, myself included, go before the Lord, and take matters into our own hands. We saw that in the Old Testament when Sarai, gave her Egyptian slave, Hagar, to Abraham, to bear a son. Or when Saul didn't wait for the prophet Samuel at Gilgal. Not waiting on the Lord to do His work is something we all need to guard against.

As I said I have no grievances with Trudy as I believe she has helped many women who have suffered from abuse. I wish her the best and hope the motives of her heart are pure and humble. And if her motives aren't the best, God can still use her in a mighty way, as we all are imperfect.

We need to be in prayer for everyone involved, especially the victims in this horrible story.

Marigrace ???[/quote]

From my viewpoint Trudy is a person of faith, deserving of my highest respect. She is doing incredibly difficult things, putting up with people's harsh judgement for the sake of caring for the unprotected, the children. If CAM suffers, if Mast suffers, they suffer for wrongdoing. Trudy is suffering for the sake of helping the helpless, for loving the downcast. Scripture names that as being like Christ.

[Wade]

Is it the responsibility of an ex Mennonite to inform the world? She would not have had to take on that responsibility if practicing Mennonites had not covered it over. She stated several times that she gave CAM time to do the right thing but when she saw no action being taken she thought it was best that this be exposed and not swept under the rug like so many other cases.
I'm curious. Do you ever go by the username Marigrace?

So Trudy took on the responsibility of exposing this tragedy. This begs the question, didn't she trust the Lord to take care of the situation? Or wasn't God dealing with the problem according to her time line? Is she appointed by God to expose abuse, or is she self appointed? Was she being used of God or playing God? And under whose authority, the Lord's authority or her own self appointed authority?

I think sometimes all of us, myself included, go before the Lord, and take matters into our own hands. We saw that in the Old Testament when Sarai, gave her Egyptian slave, Hagar, to Abraham, to bear a son. Or when Saul didn't wait for the prophet Samuel at Gilgal. Not waiting on the Lord to do His work is something we all need to guard against.

As I said I have no grievances with Trudy as I believe she has helped many women who have suffered from abuse. I wish her the best and hope the motives of her heart are pure and humble. And if her motives aren't the best, God can still use her in a mighty way, as we all are imperfect.

We need to be in prayer for everyone involved, especially the victims in this horrible story.

Marigrace ???

From my viewpoint Trudy is a person of faith, deserving of my highest respect. She is doing incredibly difficult things, putting up with people's harsh judgement for the sake of caring for the unprotected, the children. If CAM suffers, if Mast suffers, they suffer for wrongdoing. Trudy is suffering for the sake of helping the helpless, for loving the downcast. Scripture names that as being like Christ.

Sounds like 1 Peter 2:
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

[blackfriar]

This begs the question, didn't she trust the Lord to take care of the situation? Or wasn't God dealing with the problem according to her time line? Is she appointed by God to expose abuse, or is she self appointed? Was she being used of God or playing God? And under whose authority, the Lord's authority or her own self appointed authority?

I think sometimes all of us, myself included, go before the Lord, and take matters into our own hands. We saw that in the Old Testament when Sarai, gave her Egyptian slave, Hagar, to Abraham, to bear a son. Or when Saul didn't wait for the prophet Samuel at Gilgal. Not waiting on the Lord to do His work is something we all need to guard against.

I'm sitting here shaking my head, just truly astounded at your reasoning here. Heaven help us.

[Grace]

I'm sitting here shaking my head, just truly astounded at your reasoning here. Heaven help us.

1 John 4:1A Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.