Banning sex offenders

[estradling75]

So what do you suggest?

 

 

That we all (I include myself) remember that God's command is to love all his children. (Even the ones we don't like) So when we read stories like this that touch some hot button issue of ours that we remember that a child of God sits not only as a victim, but also as the criminal.  So when we respond, we respond as we would want someone to respond to us if we were the ones in that place,   This is otherwise known as the Golden Rule.  Understandably applying to those we don't like is hard (for all of us) it is Christ's way and it would solve a lot of problems

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

That we all (I include myself) remember that God's command is to love all his children. (Even the ones we don't like) So when we read stories like this that touch some hot button issue of ours that we remember that a child of God sits not only as a victim, but also as the criminal. So when we respond, we respond as we would want someone to respond to us if we were the ones in that place, This is otherwise known as the Golden Rule. Understandably applying to those we don't like is hard (for all of us) it is Christ's way and it would solve a lot of problems

I can't argue with that, though heaven knows I want too. :)

[estradling75]

I can't argue with that, though heaven knows I want too. :)

 

I know that feeling... :)  I have a hard time with my own advice in the case of the Trooper...  If only he would have acted different then there would have been something...  But in saying that I fail my own advice.

[Heisenburg]

QUESTION: What if you know of someone in your ward, now in his 50's, that had sexual intercourse (rape) with a 15 year old girl in the ward 10 years ago? The man confessed the act to his church leaders. No one reported this to the authorities. The man was given some sort of discipline short of excommunication. This man currently serves in a PEC calling. No one knows this happened. I have 3 teenage daughters. What do you do? Parents have a right to know.

[unixknight]

You do nothing.

 

What sort of answer do you want?  The Church knows, handled it, and it's over.  The parties involved chose not to escalate it to the authorities for their own reasons.  It's been over for 10 years.  It apparently hasn't happened again.

 

So what value do you see in stirring that back up?  I have a teenage daughter too and I wouldn't feel the need to drag that sort of thing back out.  The only reason to start a crusade against this person is for drama.  If he were a threat to anybody it would have come out long before now.

Edited December 10, 2015 by unixknight

[Guest]

The Church is not a Church for perfect people.  It is a Church where imperfect people can find a path to repentance.  You can either block his path, or help the Church support his path.  It's up to you.

 

Hopefully by now, you have taught your teenagers how to protect themselves from sexual predators.

[Guest]

Assuming this is certainty and not rumor:

1) Be very careful around him, especially with young women, even adult women.

2) Consider if any action would emotionally or spiritually help the victim now 25 y.o.  Consider statute of limitations, the victims current state of forgiveness of the offender, level of reform/repentance of the offender, etc.

 

But how are you certain about this?  Why did the victim/parents not report it to the police?  Is it the Church's responsibility to do so?  This is not a "blame the victim" line of questioning.  It is a fact finding course of action.  

 

Doing anything publicly is a bell you can't un-ring. 

 

If you are indeed certain, I certainly wouldn't agree to sustain him to the bishopric.  The other offices in a ward may be more acceptable without objection if I felt through research, pondering, and prayer that he had truly repented.  But I personally find it difficult to accept even a repentant rapist as a judge in Israel.

Edited December 10, 2015 by Guest

[Just_A_Guy]

QUESTION: What if you know of someone in your ward, now in his 50's, that had sexual intercourse (rape) with a 15 year old girl in the ward 10 years ago? The man confessed the act to his church leaders. No one reported this to the authorities. The man was given some sort of discipline short of excommunication. This man currently serves in a PEC calling. No one knows this happened. I have 3 teenage daughters. What do you do? Parents have a right to know.

 

I appreciate the gravity of an allegation like this as expressed by Carborendum, but I take a much harder line:  If you have personal firsthand knowledge of this (not just rumor)--yes, you definitely report it.  Depending on your jurisdiction, it may be a crime not to.  IMHO it's not my role, as a citizen, to decide whether a sex offense against a minor should be prosecuted--and it's certainly not my role to make a legal call like whether whether any statute of limitations has elapsed.

 

He had sex with a minor.  If I know this, then it's all I need to know.

[unixknight]

Yes, by all means stir it right back up.  I'm sure the victim and her family will appreciate you bringing that painful episode back up for them, even though they've apparently put it behind them and moved on.  I mean, obviously the poor fools were somehow deluded back in the day 10 years ago when they chose not to bring charges, and need a valiant warrior to come in and get retribution justice for them.  Can you imagine the look of joy on their face when they get the phone call from the Prosecutor letting them know their daughter is needed to come be interviewed so she can relive that all over again?  Yes, I'm sure that's just what they'd want.  I bet they'll be so grateful they'll even invite you over for Thanksgiving dinner next year! 

 

And they totally wouldn't blame the members of your ward for keeping the gossip mill going.

 

And the guy who did it... Yes let's snap his spiritual progress back by reminding him that even in Church there will always be people looking to keep the torches and pitchforks at the ready.  Clearly, the Church authorities who handled the situation were in the wrong, and should have excommunicated him forever and ever lest he come back to start stalking the corridors of the meetinghouse once more.  I mean, we can't be sure he hasn't done it again, can we?  Better put a GPS on his car and see where he goes.  Think of the children!

 

And you know, I was thinking... why stop there?  There's planty of mob justice to be had if we know where to look.  Maybe the Ward Clerk should keep a copy of everybody's disciplinary history in the office for all the members to come look at!  That way, vigilantes concerned members can make informed decisions.  What if someone in the Ward once stole a car and never got arrested for it?  We can post guards in the parking lot in case he decides to revert back to his old ways.  Can never be too careful, can we?

 

/sarcasm

 

If this was something that happened recently, then maybe it would be something to pursue.  As it stands, with it being 10 years ago, it seems more to me like somebody just wanting to play superhero.

[Vort]

QUESTION: What if you know of someone in your ward, now in his 50's, that had sexual intercourse (rape) with a 15 year old girl in the ward 10 years ago?

 

Let's mention the elephant in the room. There's rape, and then there's "rape". When a sexually mature but underage girl willingly gives herself to an adult man, that is rape by statute. But it is an entirely different thing from rape by force. When we hear "rape", most of us think "forcible rape", but that is not the case here (or with many so-called "rapes").

 

So what? Does that change the magnitude of what the man did?

You bet it does.

 

I tend to take a very dim view of endowed men and women who fornicate. By your description, I would not normally have much sympathy for the man involved. But involving the word "rape" in the description is unnecessary. If you feel you just absolutely must call it "rape", then call it what it really is: Statutory rape. It makes the guy a scumbag, and perhaps even a predator to some degree. But it does not make him a "rapist" in the common understanding of the word.

 

Beyond that, I think that we are prone to string up (literally or figuratively) those who have committed certain transgressions that we see as "awful" while letting others off easy, even if their transgressions have caused a great deal more suffering. This is hypocrisy, with every ugly connotation that word carries. For example, the emotionally immature, insecure, unpopular 40-year-old man who allows himself to be seduced by a sexually experienced and perhaps even predatory 15-year-old woman has damaged both himself and the young woman. But I would argue that he has done far less damage than the Ponzi scheme runner who has bilked three dozen retirement-aged couples out of their life savings, even if the latter's crime was "just" money.

Edited December 11, 2015 by Vort