rkhutchinson Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 Is there anyone willing to share their opinion on convicted child sex offenders being allowed in the meetinghouse? What is the official policy and/or legal issues? Heisenburg 1
applepansy Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 I have no objection to their being in church. They are not allowed to teach Primary. Aren't we all sinners?
Dravin Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 (edited) Is there anyone willing to share their opinion on convicted child sex offenders being allowed in the meetinghouse?They should be allowed.What is the official policy and/or legal issues? Convicted child sex offenders aren't allowed to work with youth.Edit: Since this isn't an introduction I've moved the thread to a more appropriate forum. Edited January 19, 2013 by Dravin
rkhutchinson Posted January 19, 2013 Author Report Posted January 19, 2013 The man in question molested his three daughters when they were young. Decades later, while serving as Elder Quorum President, he molested his 7-year-old granddaughter. He served 18 months in prison and now is returning to our branch. Personally, I am filled with anxiety and dread- that a predator is in the sanctuary. I question the judgment of our Branch President and his ability to protect the children in our branch. Apparently he knew of this man's history of assaulting his own daughters and still allowed him to serve in callings, including Seminary and EQP. I feel terrible anxiety- as hard as I may try, I can't watch my kids 100% of the time we are at church. There is no other situation where I would knowingly take my kids to a place where there is a sex offender.
pam Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 I can certainly understand your concern. But everyone needs to have the opportunity to repent and be forgiven. There are more and more guidelines for church leaders now regarding these types of things. Truth be known, you'd be surprised at how many people you've come in contact with in your life that has had this same issue or some form of child abuse/molestation. You just happen to be aware of this one.
rkhutchinson Posted January 19, 2013 Author Report Posted January 19, 2013 I guess that is the dilemma. I know that everyone needs the opportunity to repent of their sins. I also know that children should be safe at church. As a parent- how can I take my children to a place where I don't feel they are safe?
beefche Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 One thing you can take note of, as a convicted sex offender, he cannot have a calling with the children or youth. And you are right--you can't protect your kids 100%, whether they are at church, at school, in a public restroom, etc. But, you can teach your children to take precautions. It's always a good idea to teach our children about precautionary actions and reactions.
NeuroTypical Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 He served 18 months in prison ...still allowed him to serve in callings, including SeminaryWait - what? You mean after he got out of prison, for sexual abuse of a child, he served in seminary? As in, seminary around the youth? Are those the facts?Something is very wrong here if those are the facts.
applepansy Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 I guess that is the dilemma. I know that everyone needs the opportunity to repent of their sins. I also know that children should be safe at church. As a parent- how can I take my children to a place where I don't feel they are safe?Beefche is right...as sad as it is. We live in a world where we have to teach our children to protect themselves. Actually we've always lived in that world but I think in days gone by, in an attempt to safeguard children's innocence, we didn't tell them there were bad people out there and that the bad person might be Uncle "Joe" or a family friend.I hope your branch president will do what he needs to do to make sure children are safe.
rkhutchinson Posted January 19, 2013 Author Report Posted January 19, 2013 No, he abused his own daughters twenty years ago- they are grown with children of their own now. He did not go to jail for those crimes. Two years ago he was caught molesting his granddaughter and went to jail. He is returning to our branch this Sunday. He served many callings, including Seminary and EQ after he molested his daughters but before he went to jail. It turns out that Church leadership was aware of his history with his daughters and still allowed he to hold positions of trust within the Church.
pam Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 No, he abused his own daughters twenty years ago- they are grown with children of their own now. He did not go to jail for those crimes. Two years ago he was caught molesting his granddaughter and went to jail. He is returning to our branch this Sunday. He served many callings, including Seminary and EQ after he molested his daughters but before he went to jail. It turns out that Church leadership was aware of his history with his daughters and still allowed he to hold positions of trust within the Church. You mention that he abused his daughters 20 years ago. 20 years ago we didn't have the rigid rules and policies that church leadership must now follow. So don't be too hard on those leaders that allowed him those callings.
MorningStar Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 I don't know the policies, my my mom's ward had a meeting with the adults and made an announcement that Brother ______ was no longer allowed within x amount of feet of their church building, to keep their kids away from him, and that several missionaries were sent home early because of him. I don't know if that applies to all wards or just theirs, but he is in legal trouble and had been in therapy for years to fight his urges.
LilyBelle00 Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 I thought sex offenders weren't allowed to be near places with children? Does that only count for schools? You guys are much, much stronger and more forgiving than I am. I have two small children and I would not be able to knowingly sit near a convicted sex offender every week. My son is four years old and he tells me that he can beat up all bad guys because he's the strongest boy in the world. We've talked about how no one is allowed to touch his private parts and to never go off with a stranger...but he's still four years old. He's a naive, trusting little boy. I could never knowingly let my children associate in any way with a sex offender. If something happened to my children I'd never forgive myself. I'm not sure what my solution would be. Maybe asking to go to another ward... I honestly don't know. If a sex offender is repentant and truly asking for forgiveness.....that's between him (or her) and God. Maybe I'm too sensitive. My step grandfather molested and raped my mother and all of her sisters when they were children. Nothing was ever done about it. He had a little bit of counseling and was "cured". Now he's serving 99 years in prison for doing the same thing to his little grandkids.
MarginOfError Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 You may not be able to be with your children the entire time you're at church, but that doesn't mean this brother has to be left alone the entire time he's at church. I think it would be perfectly reasonable, given his history, to have him in eye sight of another brother while in the building.
Guest DeborahC Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 Ok. This one hit me in the gut. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'll tell you one thing. Pedophiles are NEVER cured. They NEVER change. That's like trying to change someone's sexual preference. Children ARE their sexual preference. My biological father was a pedophile. He ruined my life. I have never had a normal relationship and I've been married several times. That type of abuse scars you forever. I was not safe around him, nor were any of my friends from the age of 7 until almost 19. It's a long, sad and deeply buried story. I'm SHOCKED that the church leaders would allow this person to teach seminary! I'm also shocked that being near children is not violation of his parole. Someone should check into it. And no, I wouldn't let my kids within 20 feet of him. Personally, I think pedophiles should be put out of their misery. It's honestly the way I feel. They cause nothing but heartache. And unfortunately, they're quite good at attracting their prey. !! Beware... you can bet he won't stop.
beefche Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 Let's remember that the Atonement applies to EVERYONE. While it is true that pedophiles may always struggle with the attraction, through the power of Jesus Christ, they can change their behavior. Who are we to deny others divine help and forgiveness?
Guest DeborahC Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 (edited) I'm not saying he is not forgiven. But I AM saying he will never not be a danger to children... ever. You cannot give me one single example of any pedophile who has changed. Not one. Can you? I'd like to hear about it if you can. But you can't... because it is a sexual preference. They are broken. Putting him around children is like giving an alcoholic a job in a bar or a drug addict a job at a pharmacy. It's too much temptation. And I'm not saying don't make him a part of the congregation. He can come to church and be given a calling that will not put children in danger. But people in the congregation have the right to know. I personally would take this issue to the Stake Presidency, who may not be aware of the circumstances. Edited January 19, 2013 by DeborahC
pam Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 Heroin addicts will have the cravings and urgings the rest of their lives too. Yet they learn how to curb those appetites and stay away from it. It's the same for others as well.
pam Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 I'm not saying he is not forgiven.But I AM saying he will not change... ever.And he can come to church and be given a calling that will not put children in danger.He could be a janitor or do yard work or do office work or any number of things.Seminary is NOT a good place for him at ALL!That's just my opinion ::shrug::I personally would take this issue to the Stake Presidency, who may not be aware of the circumstances. You make it sound like he's teaching seminary right now. That was before he went to jail for 18 months. Not recently.
Dravin Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 And I'm not saying don't make him a part of the congregation.No, you're saying he should be killed:Personally, I think pedophiles should be put out of their misery.
Guest DeborahC Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 I changed my post because I misread the thread. I thought they were letting him teach seminary now. But I still think people in the Ward and Stake should know so they can keep an eye on their children.
Guest DeborahC Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 Dravin, you are right. I do think pedophiles should get the death penalty. And I make no apologies for those feelings. You have no idea where I'm coming from. Do you have children?
skippy740 Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 The atonement applies to forgiveness in the eyes of God. I don't believe it is required to TRUST one who has wronged in the past. Trust and forgiveness are not the same thing.
Dravin Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 Dravin, you are right.I do think pedophiles should get the death penalty.And I make no apologies for those feelings.You have no idea where I'm coming from.Do you have children?No. Do you have a cat?
Guest DeborahC Posted January 19, 2013 Report Posted January 19, 2013 Heroin addicts will have the cravings and urgings the rest of their lives too. Yet they learn how to curb those appetites and stay away from it. It's the same for others as well."Stay away from it" are the key words.When you allow a pedophile into church with children you aren't helping him "stay away from it" -- you are putting it under his nose. And all it takes is one trip to the toilet alone...
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