The CAM scandal links and assorted other topics thread

[steve-in-kville]

Would it be beneficial for CAM to do an employee engagement survey? Hire a third party and start with that. I'm sure employee morale is pretty much shot and employees are more willing to open up about issues in management. For what I can tell, such surveys are 100% anonymous.

[ABC 123]

"This may be as welcome as ants at a picnic, but was JMast’s Church Charity also? Am I noticing a pattern here?"

Yes. It is. JM's church is a Charity type.

I hope nobody takes any of my comments as bashing anybody. I was at Charity type churches for years. I was invested. Looking back, I have many things I am sorting through.

Sorry, I messed the quote up.

[steve-in-kville]

Maybe I'm way off base, but the few churches we attended had a pattern. The churches that preached on sexual/moral sin had the highest rate of such failures among their membership.

So was it because they had a problem that is was preached so much? Or did the constant preaching keep it in everyone's mind and caused temptation?

Thoughts on this? Am I the only one to see this pattern?

[Pelerin]

Maybe I'm way off base, but the few churches we attended had a pattern. The churches that preached on sexual/moral sin had the highest rate of such failures among their membership.

So was it because they had a problem that is was preached so much? Or did the constant preaching keep it in everyone's mind and caused temptation?

Thoughts on this? Am I the only one to see this pattern?

This is probably a new topic, but I’ve noticed that where the focus is on not sinning (I have in mind some particular homeschooling families here) is precisely where sin turns up. Contrast that with preaching something to aspire to—follow Jesus. It’s a topic that’s probably worth discussing if someone wants to start it.

[Time4Truth]

Update on the tactics Harold Herr and his defenders are using to discredit Daniel's sexual abuse allegations:

Daniel stated that he (like other survivors of physical/sexual trauma) struggles to recall all details with certitude and struggles to legitimize his experiences. (my paraphrase) This dedication to honesty has been twisted to mean Daniel has uncertainty about whether the abuse took place or not.

Sadly this misrepresentation weighs in even more strongly on the fact that a third party trained in sexual violence needs to investigate. Anyone with trauma awareness understands the dynamics of dissociation and fragmented memory connected to a situation such as this. Please continue to take a stand re: the need for an appropriate third party investigation! Thank You!

If and when the CAs are ready to stand behind their weak profession of "wanting truth" they will prove it by including a 3rd party investigation! (someone outside this culture) Until then, they make it plainly evident, there are more "elephants in the room"!
Like one man aptly stated "one man aint any smarter than the rest". The public is seeing through the stalemate.

In addition to the existing sex scandals and the recent office upheaval @ CAM's headquarters, I've noted Trudy has repeatedly mentioned there are more situations under investigation regarding CAM's mission personnel. Suffice it to say, I cannot conscientiously support a ministry with such a magnitude of unresolved & suppressed issues. Where is the integrity of those who profess to be 'God's gift to mankind'?

[ragpicker]

I even had a blog back in the day that asked too many of the “wrong” questions. The Charity powers that be were monitoring it and discussing ways to get it shut down, including by force.

How can they force you to shut down a blog? I can see facebook and YouTube censoring, but something that's yours?

Reason I ask, I'm considering a blog of my own. Its still in the research stage.

They were ignorant. They were asking someone (who told me) if they could contact the blog host and have them remove my blog. I rolled my eyes and laughed. If you’ve picked up how I roll, you know how THAT set with me.

[Josh]

Maybe I'm way off base, but the few churches we attended had a pattern. The churches that preached on sexual/moral sin had the highest rate of such failures among their membership.

So was it because they had a problem that is was preached so much? Or did the constant preaching keep it in everyone's mind and caused temptation?

Thoughts on this? Am I the only one to see this pattern?

This is probably a new topic, but I’ve noticed that where the focus is on not sinning (I have in mind some particular homeschooling families here) is precisely where sin turns up. Contrast that with preaching something to aspire to—follow Jesus. It’s a topic that’s probably worth discussing if someone wants to start it.

Rebukes for sin and immorality should be happening on an individual level when they actually happen with attendant church discipline.

Teaching on this needs to be a few times a year.

Admonitions to the congregation are probably better served more regularly in helping create good boundaries and understanding what a life of holiness is.

[Aurien]

Maybe I'm way off base, but the few churches we attended had a pattern. The churches that preached on sexual/moral sin had the highest rate of such failures among their membership.

So was it because they had a problem that is was preached so much? Or did the constant preaching keep it in everyone's mind and caused temptation?

Thoughts on this? Am I the only one to see this pattern?

This is probably a new topic, but I’ve noticed that where the focus is on not sinning (I have in mind some particular homeschooling families here) is precisely where sin turns up. Contrast that with preaching something to aspire to—follow Jesus. It’s a topic that’s probably worth discussing if someone wants to start it.

Pelerin, I think you're definitely on to something here.

I'm also wondering how much sermons focus on making all sex sound like a bad thing and how that kind of focus may affect people. How many people learn to view all sexual relations as something dirty rather than being taught that sex is good and healthy when it's in the context of a loving marriage? I say "loving marriage" because I know that there are marriages where spousal rape occurs and I'm pretty sure that forcing your spouse into sexual contact is not loving.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Maybe I'm way off base, but the few churches we attended had a pattern. The churches that preached on sexual/moral sin had the highest rate of such failures among their membership.

So was it because they had a problem that is was preached so much? Or did the constant preaching keep it in everyone's mind and caused temptation?

Thoughts on this? Am I the only one to see this pattern?

This is probably a new topic, but I’ve noticed that where the focus is on not sinning (I have in mind some particular homeschooling families here) is precisely where sin turns up. Contrast that with preaching something to aspire to—follow Jesus. It’s a topic that’s probably worth discussing if someone wants to start it.

Don't think of pink elephants!!!
Don't think of pink elephants!!!
You must not think of pink elephants1

Now what are you thinking of?

Seriously, my impression of Charity is that it is Bill Gothardism in a church context. Am I right or off base?

J.M.

[MaxPC]

Don't think of pink elephants!!!
Don't think of pink elephants!!!
You must not think of pink elephants1

Now what are you thinking of?

J.M.