CAM Molestation Issue

[steve-in-kville]

Trudy Metzger did not go public until the Haitian authorities filed public charges. Once that happened, this was going to be in the public eye. None of us can stop that.

I had intentionally disconnected myself from this over the weekend, so I'm a bit behind. Two questions for those that are following this closely:

1) Is it true that Trudy gave CAM an opportunity to come clean before she released her findings?

2) Have we heard anything else officially from CAM since they posted their statement on their website?

Thank you.

[Grace]

Ernie said:
And one final point, the online publicity and broadcasting has consumed extra resources and energy from CAM staff. If people were really interested in helping CAM and the victims, they could have shared their findings with those who are part of the solution. I assume they felt that airing their thoughts and findings publicly was part of the solution, but I think it was a big mistake. I don't think they realize how much more difficult they made the situation. And I don't think they realize how much additional help they were to the Kingdom of Darkness.
For the record, I'm talking specifically about the publicity. I'm very much in favor of transparency and of exposing the works of darkness to those who need to know.

Thank you Ernie. That is what I have been trying to say in some of my posts, but you said it much better.

[Ernie]

CAM is not the kingdom of heaven. We will not protect it at any cost.

Neither would I.

You know the serious problems I dealt with in the conservative Anabaptist world in the past. I respected requests to keep things “private”. In return, abusers kept abusing and more victims piled up.

Correct.
I am not recommending that these matters only be shared with a few overseers and then forgotten. I believe that these matters need to be shared with folks who will do something about it. If that is the overseers, great. If they will not do something about it, then there are others that they are accountable to, who will do something about it, whether that be in the church or outside of the church.
As I said earlier, I have the confidence that CAM oversight will put policies in place that will keep this from happening in the future.
Should I ever lose that confidence, I would address what made me lose that confidence, without publicizing the details of a man's life that are a "shame to speak of".
The Bible records enough detail of sins for us to know what happened, without going into all the sordid details of how the sinner went about his immoral actions.

For the record, I don't feel like the way conservative Anabaptists have handled these matters is good, but neither do I think that the world's ways of handling these matters is good. There is a third way. I may write about that sometime.

[Bootstrap]

For the record, I don't feel like the way conservative Anabaptists have handled these matters is good, but neither do I think that the world's ways of handling these matters is good. There is a third way. I may write about that sometime.

Please do. I would like to read what you have to say on this.

[Josh]

The problem here is that when one doesn’t share details, one gets told they over-reacting and it’s not a big deal.

When one does share details, one gets told they were wrong for sharing the details.

I don’t think it should be a private fact that Jeriah Mast molested boys in Ohio, and then went on to molest boys in Haiti. I have not seen any sordid details shared by Metzger or anyone else.

There is one detail that is relevant which she did share. It’s important to know this detail, because it shows clearly premeditated intent.

[Josh]

that these matters only be shared with a few overseers and then forgotten. I believe that these matters need to be shared with folks who will do something about it. If that is the overseers, great. If they will not do something about it, then there are others that they are accountable to, who will do something about it, whether that be in the church or outside of the church.

So where did I err 3 years ago? It’s hard for me to know who to even contact at a big institution like CAM. Most of my attempts to contact overseers went unresponded. I talked to people I know in staff positions who mostly advised me to focus on my own life instead and not interfere or stir up trouble in CAM.

This is a serious problem. If I’d been listened to, this wouldn’t be out in public now. Metzger and I both never had any desire for this to end up the way it is now.

Many other people also spoke up and were ignored as well.

As I said earlier, I have the confidence that CAM oversight will put policies in place that will keep this from happening in the future.

You have a lot of confidence in this. I don’t. And so far, most of the reaction to me personally has been to attack me. The same goes for Metzger. Most of the response has been to question her motives or criticise her as being un-Christian.

For the record, I don't feel like the way conservative Anabaptists have handled these matters is good, but neither do I think that the world's ways of handling these matters is good. There is a third way. I may write about that sometime.

Who is handling this the “world’s way”? Metzger is handling this with a heart towards restoration for everyone involved.

I would argue how CAs handled this is actually the world’s way. The world thrives on deceit, cover-ups, institutional lies, and pretending sin isn’t a big deal. Christians should live in the light.

[steve-in-kville]

In a corporate environment, I often use the saying "you can't tell everybody everything all the time."

There needs to be discernment. Like this very subject at the supper table. It would be information overload for little ears.

[Josh]

Trudy Metzger did not go public until the Haitian authorities filed public charges. Once that happened, this was going to be in the public eye. None of us can stop that.

I had intentionally disconnected myself from this over the weekend, so I'm a bit behind. Two questions for those that are following this closely:

1) Is it true that Trudy gave CAM an opportunity to come clean before she released her findings?

Yes it is. She got involved about 2 months ago. This has been going on for a while. I personally gave CAM an opportunity to come clean before she released her findings, but they did not respond to my attempts to reach them.

I also attempted to reach out to people involved with CAM through other channels and was unsuccessful at that as well.

2) Have we heard anything else officially from CAM since they posted their statement on their website?

Thank you.

They have not responded to the press, nor issued any press releases. I am aware of a lot going on behind the scenes but nothing official.

[Judas Maccabeus]

And one final point, the online publicity and broadcasting has consumed extra resources and energy from CAM staff. If people were really interested in helping CAM and the victims, they could have shared their findings with those who are part of the solution. I assume they felt that airing their thoughts and findings publicly was part of the solution, but I think it was a big mistake. I don't think they realize how much more difficult they made the situation. And I don't think they realize how much additional help they were to the Kingdom of Darkness.
For the record, I'm talking specifically about the publicity. I'm very much in favor of transparency and of exposing the works of darkness to those who need to know.

Do you hear what you are saying? I believe in transparency, except when it is really transparent. What caused disgrace for the kingdom of God was not the publicity, but the acts that were publicized, as well as the apparent non-response. The situation is more difficult because they ACTUALLY have to deal with it. So far, the solution appears to have been lawyering up.

Would this have been swept under the rug if it was not for the publicity....I am now convinced absolutely it would have.

What I see here is more emblematic of a shame based culture than one who biblically deals with sin and crime.

This is sad. Some of the responses to it are even sadder.

J.M.

[appleman2006]

Unfortunately money talks and since CAM is apparently saying that they can't act conscientiously because they are being stewards of other peoples' money, I must find another steward. It's God's money, and I expect God's principles to be followed. I fear that short of a massive donor pullout, we will not see change. It grieves me to say that, but I am seeing protectionism in their actions thus far. I undertand there is to be another meeting of the higher ups tomorrow and I am hoping and praying for better things.

I expect something concrete will come out of tomorrow's meeting.

The initial reaction so far, with minimal info, has been a frustration for the supporting community, and was likely due to one or all of the following: 1) ongoing internal investigations that had yet to be completed, 2) requests from law enforcement not to say too much and corrupt their investigations, 3) advice from lawyers concerning protecting CAM and some of its employees from legal and financial jeopardy both in the US and Haiti.

From what I am sensing, I suspect the board and leadership of CAM have heard loud and clear the reaction of their community. Their future as an organization is likely dependent on how quickly, transparently and seriously they handle things from here on forward.

Dan I agree with this and am hoping and praying that it is so. I am glad to hear of todays meeting. If I had any advice for them it would again be this.
1. Anyone that had prior knowledge of this at both the board level and at administration level needs to, ideally, resign and if not, asked to leave.
2. If not an immediate change in top leadership at least plans put in place to work towards that.
3. If they do not already have a clear policy in place regarding board terms and limitations thereof a policy must be set in place going forward.

IMO this would be three things that could be done immediately without jeopardising the investigation and would show that CAM is indeed taking this very seriously.
I really want CAM to survive and I will continue praying that the right things will be done.