The CAM scandal links and assorted other topics thread

[TruthSeeker]

. . . someone very close to me was sexually abused by a person with ties to power, in the Conservative Anabaptist world. When confronted, the offender was given cover by "powers that be." And real reconciliation and ownership has never occurred to this day and pain remains. ...

Just as the fish has become a symbol for Christianity, I wish I had a symbol or emoticon to share that would convey solidarity and support for the abuse victim and for your vicarious angst as a supporter of the victim. In the absence of such, I'll simply say, "I'm so very sorry about all the needless suffering, pain, and ongoing lack of resolution!"

[Ernie]

And I am concerned that the institutional attitude seems to be "we only will do what's right if it costs us not to."

I'm not sure what you are referring to. The only thing I have heard from CAM leadership is, "We need to what is right."
have said this before that I believe CAM would have done what is right in reporting to authorities and caring for victims, even if it had not hit the public news. I know some of you don't have that confidence and that is ok. I'm not saying you should.
Now if "doing what is right" means giving more public info, more apologies, more information about how they are changing things at CAM, and hiring someone like Grace, then there is an obvious difference in definitions.

[Ernie]

Ernie, I appreciate your patience. I am going to try one more time. The question is, does CAM bear any culpability at all for sending a known sexual offender to the mission field and allowing him to enjoy the lack of supervision that empowered him to do what he did? Do they, as an institution, have any culpability in permitting a culture where it is was "then" considered acceptable for more than one key leader to fail to pursue what they knew? I cannot see how, any reasonable person, would conclude anything but "yes," they bear some culpability. ...

There are a lot of assumptions in this paragraph that I don't think anyone at CAM could agree to.
However, everybody at CAM, including the board and leadership, realize that more inquiries and references should have been done, and more accountability is needed, and because of this, CAM bears some responsibility.

CAM’s Board of Directors was not aware of any sexual conduct between Jeriah and minors until 2019. Paul Weaver and Eli Weaver are two men who have faithfully served the Lord and our ministry for many years in management roles. Unfortunately, they allowed Jeriah to continue to work in the field even after his confession in 2013 of sexual activity with young men that had taken place several years prior. Both men recognize that their failure to properly investigate and inquire into Jeriah’s conduct was a serious failure in judgment and should have severe consequences.

I'm sure the board wishes they had known what Eli and Paul had known. As a mid-level supervisor over about 30 people, I take such matters very seriously when screening prospective employees. Since June of last year, I have even taken this more seriously. Any prospective employees for my department have their names run past about 50 people including the board before we hire them. Had Paul and Eli had such a system in place, the crisis may never have happened. I think that CAM leadership and the board realize this.

... If they have already done this, can you direct me to it?

In my mind, this statement from July 9 indicates that they are taking responsibility. I know that maybe not everyone reading this would conclude that.

Pray for us as we make decisions and take action to care for those who have been affected. Much discernment is needed as we review policies and practices, work to heighten staff awareness of abuse, and create better ways for staff members to communicate questions and concerns. We want to continually improve mechanisms to protect children and other vulnerable people.

[steve-in-kville]

In my mind, this statement from July 9 indicates that they are taking responsibility. I know that maybe not everyone reading this would conclude that.

Pray for us as we make decisions and take action to care for those who have been affected. Much discernment is needed as we review policies and practices, work to heighten staff awareness of abuse, and create better ways for staff members to communicate questions and concerns. We want to continually improve mechanisms to protect children and other vulnerable people.

That was July 9. Ten months ago. That doesn't include the other stuff that came to light since (Harold Herr, etc.)

Can anyone else see why someone like me fails to take them seriously? They say they are making changes.... what?... shifting six-figure executives around, giving them a different office with a different window view with a different job title on the door? Even corporate America does better than that.

"Pray for us as we make decisions and take action to care for those who have been affected."

Don't tell me, show me.

[Josh]

I'm not aware that CAM leadership knew of any behavior that was considered a legal crime. They didn't know that he was a pedophile.

In light of what Ernie has been saying, this reflects our broader plain Anabaptist culture. This is obviously a problem but I don’t see how CAM can do better than our people at large are doing.

For a comparison, this is sort of like if I were in one of your churches and got married to one of your daughters, had a child or two, and maybe even was sent to do some mission work.

Then you find out I was previously married and my former wife is still living.

How would we all feel about your church saying “Well we had no idea this was in his past.”

[Judas Maccabeus]

I'm not aware that CAM leadership knew of any behavior that was considered a legal crime. They didn't know that he was a pedophile.

In light of what Ernie has been saying, this reflects our broader plain Anabaptist culture. This is obviously a problem but I don’t see how CAM can do better than our people at large are doing.

For a comparison, this is sort of like if I were in one of your churches and got married to one of your daughters, had a child or two, and maybe even was sent to do some mission work.

Then you find out I was previously married and my former wife is still living.

How would we all feel about your church saying “Well we had no idea this was in his past.”

The church has limited capability to investigate people. Churches that do not use the internet have even less.

Filling out the application for the marriage license (at least in Maryland) there is a set of boxes, Never married, widow/widower or divorces. For the last two you are asked to provide evidence of death or divorce. One would assume that the preacher and wife would notice this, unless the person lied.

Grandmother used to say "You can lock your door against a thief, but what can you do about a liar."

J.M.

[Ernie]

I'm not aware that CAM leadership knew of any behavior that was considered a legal crime. They didn't know that he was a pedophile.

In light of what Ernie has been saying, this reflects our broader plain Anabaptist culture. This is obviously a problem but I don’t see how CAM can do better than our people at large are doing.
For a comparison, this is sort of like if I were in one of your churches and got married to one of your daughters, had a child or two, and maybe even was sent to do some mission work.
Then you find out I was previously married and my former wife is still living.
How would we all feel about your church saying “Well we had no idea this was in his past.”

If the leaders of my church let someone in without checking into their former marriages, I would be very disappointed and expect them to do more references and ask more questions in the future. I might even want them to resign. Paul and Eli realized the seriousness of their mistake and were willing to take the consequences. Paul and Eli realize now that they sent a pedophile to the mission field, but they didn't know that in 2013. They as well as the rest of us 1200+ associates wish very much they would have done better references and asked more questions. They let us all down. We could continue to kick them for what they did, but that is not the approach I have taken. They feel very badly and I feel very badly and at some point we need to forgive them.
If the leaders of my church knew that someone's former spouse was still living, but tried slipping it through without the rest in the church knowing, I would consider this grounds for excommunication. I would not stay in a church that kept such folks in leadership.

[Ms. Izzie]

Are they still church leaders?

[Aurien]

I'm not aware that CAM leadership knew of any behavior that was considered a legal crime. They didn't know that he was a pedophile.

In light of what Ernie has been saying, this reflects our broader plain Anabaptist culture. This is obviously a problem but I don’t see how CAM can do better than our people at large are doing.
For a comparison, this is sort of like if I were in one of your churches and got married to one of your daughters, had a child or two, and maybe even was sent to do some mission work.
Then you find out I was previously married and my former wife is still living.
How would we all feel about your church saying “Well we had no idea this was in his past.”

If the leaders of my church let someone in without checking into their former marriages, I would be very disappointed and expect them to do more references and ask more questions in the future. I might even want them to resign. Paul and Eli realized the seriousness of their mistake and were willing to take the consequences. Paul and Eli realize now that they sent a pedophile to the mission field, but they didn't know that in 2013. They as well as the rest of us 1200+ associates wish very much they would have done better references and asked more questions. They let us all down. We could continue to kick them for what they did, but that is not the approach I have taken. They feel very badly and I feel very badly and at some point we need to forgive them.
If the leaders of my church knew that someone's former spouse was still living, but tried slipping it through without the rest in the church knowing, I would consider this grounds for excommunication. I would not stay in a church that kept such folks in leadership.

Ernie, did Paul and Eli know in 2013 that the boys Jeriah abused were underage at the time of the abuse?

[Ernie]

Are they still church leaders?

I do not know.

Ernie, did Paul and Eli know in 2013 that the boys Jeriah abused were underage at the time of the abuse?

I can't answer this with certainty as I have not spoken with them for a year. I was told by several people who did speak with them who have reported that they knew very little. Yet in spite of knowing very little, they were still willing to take the full consequences/responsibility for Jeriah being in Haiti, and they did not minimize their role in their apology to fellow Haiti staff personnel. (I understand that some former supporters would like them to apologize to more people then fellow Haiti staff and I have communicated this more than once to CAM leadership.)