Category Archives: Abuse of Power

May 31, 2026 · 1:00 am

The OTHER Church Sex Scandals, Part 3

“Cases of Child Sexual Abuse in the Church” by Christian Seebauer, (CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported)

We conclude our examination of the numerous sexual abuse scandals in America’s churches and elsewhere.

A Failure of Faith?

These scandals are not isolated incidents.  They represent thousands upon thousands of lives impacted.  The scale of the betrayal is staggering.

Tragically, children make ideal victims.  They are small, vulnerable, powerless, and easily convinced (or coerced) into keeping their abuse secret. 

And the wounds inflicted on children by sexual abuse are not readily visible, though the scars may last a lifetime.

Everywhere the pattern here was the same.  Sin was carried out under the guise of piety. 

When it was uncovered, the predators were deliberately shielded from punishment by manmade institutions that claim to be Christian.  Steps were taken to protect those manmade institutions, rather than the members of the Body of Christ.

This was not a failure of Christianity as a religion, though it undoubtedly resulted in many victims losing their faith.  It was a monumental failure of the manmade institutions established for the very purpose of honoring and protecting that faith.

The Appropriate Christian Response

“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles…And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you”(1 Cor. 5: 1-2).

As Christians, we are required to submit to the authority of God, and instructed even to submit to others in the interest of harmony (1 Peter 2: 13 – 3: 37) [1]. 

Justice, however, is a biblical mandate (Isa. 1: 17; Micah 6: 8).  That involves advocating for the oppressed, defending the rights of the weak, and working towards a society that reflects God’s own character [2A][3A].

We are not required to remain silent in the face of evil, and simply endure its consequences.  We are to pursue what meager justice this world has to offer, for justice is a reflection of God’s concern for the vulnerable [3B].

We are to root out sin, confront, and expose it, especially in the church (1 Cor. 5: 4-5; Eph. 5: 11-13) [2B][4].  Immorality defiles the church.

As for forgiveness, that is a personal matter between each victim and abuser, as well as between each victim and God. No church of whatever denomination has the right to pressure a victim into forgiveness.

Forgiveness, in any case, does not preclude prosecution under the law.

—

[1]  Bible.org, “Taking a Second Look at Submission 1 Peter 2: 13 – 3: 37); https://bible.org/seriespage/15-taking-second-look-submission-1-peter-213-37.

[2A and 2B]  BibleHub, “The Role of Justice in Christian Life”, https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_role_of_justice_in_christian_life.htm.

[3A and 3B]  Inspiration Portal, “Justice and the Bible:  A Christian Perspective on Pursuing Righteousness”, 3/7/25, https://inspirationportal.org/justice-and-the-bible-a-christian-perspective-on-pursuing-righteousness/.

[4]  Got Questions, “How should sin in the church be handled?”, https://www.gotquestions.org/sin-in-the-church.html.

Parts 1 and 2 in this series were posted 5/17 and 5/24/26, respectively.

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May 24, 2026 · 1:00 am

The OTHER Church Sex Scandals, Part 2

Hunter Street Baptist Church, Hooverville, AL, Author Helmsb, (Public Domain)

We continue with our examination of the sex scandals in America’s churches and elsewhere.

Anglican Church (Church of England)

A. Anglican Church in North America

The Anglican Church in North America, which broke with the Episcopal Church in 2009 over gay clergy and the authority of Scripture, is confronted by scandals involving both Archbishop Stephen Wood (the denomination’s chief official) and Bishop Stewart Ruch III, who leads a Midwestern diocese [1A]. 

Claier Buxton, a former children’s ministry director, has accused Wood (a 62 y.o. married father of four) of sexually harassing her in 2024, shortly before his election [1B].  Buxton, also, alleges Wood gave her thousands of dollars from church funds [1C]. 

After parishioners and clergy accused Ruch of enabling men with histories of violence or sexual misconduct to serve in church roles, he was unanimously acquitted in 2025 by an ecclesiastical court [1D][2].

B. Canada

In 2015, the Anglican Church of Canada finally issued an apology for its failure to report to police a written confession in 1994 by priest and serial predator Gordon Goichi Nakayama who abused over 300 children, primarily boys ages 3-20, over the course of 62 years in ministry [3A].

C. England and Wales

There have been many cases of child sexual abuse in the Church of England and Anglican Church in Wales [3B]. 

In the 1970s, Jeremy Dowling, a lay minister and member of the general synod, was accused of sexual abuse and sadistic behavior at schools [3C].  Peter Halliday, a choirmaster and schoolmaster who had informed the church he had abused children in the 1990s, was allowed to continue working with children [3D].  Halliday was at last convicted in 2007.  In 2008, Colin Pritchard, a vicar, was convicted of sexually abusing two boys [3E]. 

The Church of England issued a rare public apology in response to a damning report about its failure to protect and care for abuse victims [3F][4].  

D. Australia

A 2013 Australian study found that Anglican child sexual abuse cases were 1/10 the number of those in the Roman Catholic child sex abuse scandal [3G]. 

This is far from consoling, particularly since a 2016 investigation centering on the Church of England Boys’ Society prompted Peter Hollingsworth, the former Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane, to acknowledge that his handling of such cases between 1989 and 2001 involved serious errors of judgment [3H].

E. New Zealand

The Anglican Church in New Zealand has historically had instances of sexual abuse of children.  This abuse took place both in churches and church-run schools [3I].  In 2021, as part of a nationwide inquiry, it was determined that many documents regarding such abuse in the 1990s had gone missing [3J].

Southern Baptist Church

In 2022, an investigation by Guidepost Solutions revealed a widespread pattern of sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Church from 2001 to 2021 [5][6].  Approximately 380 clergy, lay leaders, and volunteers faced allegations of sexual misconduct, leaving over 700 victims in their wake [7A].  

The misconduct was abetted by the Southern Baptist Convention’s transfer of sex offenders to other communities, and its reluctance to address the culture of abuse [7B][8].  At least, ten Southern Baptist churches unknowingly welcomed pastors, ministers, and volunteers who had already been charged with sexual misconduct [7C].

Some survivors of sexual assault were asked to get abortions for the children conceived during encounters with clergy [7D].

Methodist Church

The United Methodist Church acknowledges that clergy and staff committed acts of sexual misconduct [9].  Adults were sexually harassed by their pastor.  Children were abused.  Staff members viewed pornographic material on their church computers. 

An apology was issued in 2024 for the way the denomination prevented predators from being held accountable [10].

—

[1A through 1D]  Religion Unplugged, “Archbishop Wood Accused of Misconduct” by Mark Kellner, 10/25/25, https://religionunplugged.com/news/2025/10/25/anglican-church-archbishop-wood-accused-of-misconduct-abuse-of-power.

[2]  American Anglican Council, “Summary of the Final Order in the Trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch”, 12/16/25, https://americananglican.org/summary-of-the-final-order-in-the-trial-of-bishop-stewart-ruch/.

[3A through 3J]  Wikipedia, “Anglican communion sexual abuse cases”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Communion_sexual_abuse_cases.

[4]  Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse, “The Anglican Church Investigation Report” by Prof. Alexis Jay OBE, Prof. Sir Malcolm Evans KCMG OBE, Ivor Frank, and Drusilla Sharpling OBE, October 2020, https://www.iicsa.org.uk/reports-recommendations/publications/investigation/anglican-church.html.

[5]  Helping Survivors, “Southern Baptist Church Sexual Abuse” by Kathryn Kosmides, 5/8/26, https://helpingsurvivors.org/clergy-sex-abuse/southern-baptist/.

[6]  Scribd, “Southern Baptist Sexual Abuse Overview”, https://www.scribd.com/document/576005098/Baptist-church-s-sex-offenders.

[7A through 7D]  Wikipedia, “Sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_abuse_cases_in_Southern_Baptist_churches.

[8]  The Gospel Coalition (TGC), “The FAQs:  Report Reveals Sexual Abuse Cover-Up by Southern Baptist Entity” Joe Carter, 5/23/22, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/faqs-sexual-abuse-southern-baptist/.

[9]  United Methodist Church, “Sexual misconduct at church:  what every member should know”, 6/9/15, https://www.umc.org/en/content/sexual-misconduct-at-church-what-every-member-should-know.

[10]  UM News, “Church apologizes for sexual misconduct” by Jessica Brodie, 5/3/24, https://www.umnews.org/en/news/church-apologizes-for-sexual-misconduct.

This series will conclude next week.

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May 17, 2026 · 1:00 am

The OTHER Church Sex Scandals, Part 1

Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism, photo by Lucian Foster (1843), Source http://comevisit.com/lds/faq-dld.htm, (Public Domain)

The Roman Catholic Church child sex scandal has received a good deal of press – justifiably so.  But it is by no means the only sex scandal in America’s churches and elsewhere.

Mormon Church

We begin with sexual abuse in the Mormon Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). 

The 17 million members of the Mormon Church value marriage and family above all [1A].  The church has a strict moral code which includes abstaining from alcohol (even caffeine) and premarital sex, while fostering a deep sense of community [1B].  Unfortunately, this outward appearance of virtue hides a dark underbelly.

A culture of secrecy has enabled decades of unchecked sexual abuse [1C].  Institutional protection prioritizes the church’s reputation over the safety of its most vulnerable members [1D].  According to Mormon sexual abuse database Floodlit, at least 4195 reports of abuse have been made [2A]. 

One of the earliest publicized cases involved Joseph Bishop, a former president of the LDS Church’s Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.  Although Bishop was accused of having sexually assaulted a missionary sister in the 1980s, he was allowed to continue in ministry. 

Bishop was never criminally charged because the Statute of Limitations had run.  After the legal deadline for filing rape charges was extended, a civil lawsuit was dismissed by agreement between the plaintiff and the LDS church.  Just days after the release of a trove of documents by a whistleblower website, Bishop finally admitted sexual impropriety in 2018 [1E]. 

Mormon church members who have been convicted of child sexual abuse and/or rape include Jacob Bowers, Scott Bowers (his son), Arvid Oakely, and Gerald Salcido [2B].  Salcido, a former police officer, was excommunicated.  However, the church never informed law enforcement.

Unfortunately, those who point to the fact that the Mormon Church is not a genuinely Christian denomination (with the Book of Mormon contradicting the Bible in many key respects) [3][4], and comfort themselves with the thought that evil like this is only prevalent among non-believers are merely deluding themselves.

Amish Church

Sexual abuse is widely regarded as an open secret in many Amish communities [5A]. 

Some communities have begun supporting victims [5B].  However, guided by the principle of “forgive and forget”, many continue to silence survivors, pressuring them to forgive their abusers publicly, while at the same time discouraging police involvement [5C]. 

One survivor, Lizzie Hershberger, has broken her silence, in the hope of encouraging others to come forward [5D].  Her story is told in a recently released documentary film titled “Keep Quiet and Forgive” [5E][6].  Her book “Behind Blue Curtains” is available on Amazon.

—

[1]  Survivors Rights, “The LDS Church Sexual Abuse Scandal:  A History of Cover-Ups, Betrayal, and the Fight for Justice”, 2/7,25, https://survivorsrights.com/lds-church-sexual-abuse-scandal-coverup/.

[2]  FloodLit, “Sexual Abuse in the Mormon Church”, https://floodlit.org/.

[3]  Bible Ask, “Does the Book of Mormon Contradict the Bible?”, 1/20/17 (updated 11/28/25), https://bibleask.org/does-the-book-of-mormon-contradict-the-bible/.

[4]  Institute for Religious Research, “Contradictions Between the Book of Mormon and the Bible” by Luke Wilson and Robert Bowman Jr., 7/6/11 (updated 12/1/25), https://mit.irr.org/contradictions-between-book-of-mormon-and-bible.

[5A through 5E]  KPBS Public Media, “Independent Lens:  Keep Quiet and Forgive” by Jennifer Robinson, 3/10/26, https://www.kpbs.org/news/2026/03/10/independent-lens-keep-quiet-and-forgive.

[6]  Fillmore County Journal, “Amish Sexual Abuse Survivor Shares Story in PBS Documentary” by Charlene Corson Selbee, 3/23/26, https://fillmorecountyjournal.com/amish-sexual-abuse-survivor-shares-story-in-pbs-documentary/.

Part 2 in this series re: the Anglican, Baptist, and Methodist Churches will be posted next week.

Taxpayer funded sexual harassment settlements involving federal lawmakers totaled $550,000 in recent decades, with the largest settlement for $220,000 made on behalf of Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings (now deceased).

For more information, see https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/previously-unaccounted-for-case-shows-taxpayers-bankrolled-more-than-550000-in-congressional-sexual-harassment-settlements/ar-AA238iVv?ocid=BingNewsSerp,

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March 8, 2026 · 1:00 am

Parental Rights

Mother, father, and child, Source https://pxhere.com/tr/photo/1445573, Author @mohamed hassan (CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication)

The US Supreme Court has handed down a significant decision in Mirabelli v. Bonda reaffirming parental rights [1][2].

California law had required that schools effectively mislead parents about their children’s gender presentation, withholding information from parents as to their children’s use of preferred pronouns at school.  California viewed such disclosure as “forced outing” – as if the state had a greater interest in the welfare of children than their own parents [3].

The US Supreme Court ruling upheld the constitutional rights of parents to freely exercise their religion and direct the upbringing and education of their children [4][5].

In a related decision, Regino v. Staley, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last year pointed out that although the right of parents to make decisions for their children is not unbounded, the inquiry in cases of substantive due process is “whether the asserted fundamental right is objectively, deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition, and implicit in the concept of ordered liberty, such that neither liberty nor justice would exist if it was sacrificed [6].”

The existence of the family could hardly be more fundamental, and long predated the existence of the state.

Continue reading →

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February 15, 2026 · 1:00 am

How Tech Giants Delay Child Abuse and Drug Investigations

US police confirm that Meta and Snapchat (parent company Snap Inc.) routinely delay or reject subpoenas and warrants [1A].  These tech giants frequently fail to provide law enforcement with critical information in a timely manner, and fail to take timely action against unlawful activity on their platforms.

This greatly hinders investigations in child abuse, sex trafficking, and drug cases.

Obtaining a response of any kind may require repeated requests and take weeks or months.  Even then the response is often incomplete.  Warrants have been rejected for technical errors as small as the misplacement of a dash or comma.

“Every day of delay puts a child at risk. It can exacerbate damage and even cost lives. We can’t afford to let the delays continue [1B].”

— Shawnna Hoffman, Chief Exec. of International Center for Missing and Exploited Children

While Meta contends that it produced data in 88% of the nearly 75,000 requests it received from authorities between July and December 2024, the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children has called for clearer rules and faster processes. Continue reading →

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January 18, 2026 · 1:00 am

Chocolate

Chocolate fudge cake, Urban Diner, Edmonton, Canada, Author Mack Male (CC BY-SA 2.0 Generic)

Chocolate is a pure delight.  But there is a bitter truth behind the sweet taste.  Child labor is heavily involved in cocoa product [1][2][3].

Multiple human rights organizations confirm that over 1.5 million children in West Africa work under hazardous conditions to produce cocoa.  Many of these children are the victims of forced labor, human trafficking, and modern slavery.  They are deprived of an education, and exposed to dangerous chemicals and equipment.

This exploitation is ongoing despite the public pledges made by major chocolate companies over the past 20 years to eliminate child labor from their supply chains.  Some of the most recognizable chocolate brands still associated with unethical practices include:  Hershey’s Chocolate; Nestle’s Chocolate (Kit Kat, Butterfinger); Mars Chocolate (M&M’s, Snickers, Twix); Ferrero (Nutella, Kinder); and Mondelez (Toblerone, Cadbury). Continue reading →

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December 28, 2025 · 1:00 am

Editing the Human Genome

Double helix of DNA biochemistry, Author brian0918&#153 (PD)

Editing the human genome is no longer beyond the realm of possibility.  To the contrary, it represents the frontier of medicine, promising a golden future without heritable disease or genetic defects.  The question is:  at what cost to human rights?

Human genome editing takes two forms:  somatic genome editing (which modifies non-reproductive cells) and germline genome editing (which modifies reproductive cells, including sperm and egg cells, and can be passed on to future generations) [1A].

Somatic Gene Editing

Somatic gene editing is viewed as less controversial, since it cannot be passed on.  The United States, the United Kingdom, and China have all permitted clinical trials involving somatic editing to treat cancer, sickle cell anemia, and other genetic diseases [1B].

Germline Gene Editing

No country has yet approved germline genetic editing, although twins whose germline had been modified using the genetic cut-copy-paste technology known by the acronym CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) were born in China in 2018 [1C][2A]. 

A majority of the European Union has ratified the Oviedo Convention which prohibits heritable gene editing in humans [1D].  Germany, Canada, and Australia have adopted similar prohibitions [1E].  

There is a strong possibility that these bans will eventually be lifted for therapeutic purposes, though there is no current agreement on what qualifies as “therapeutic”.  There is an equal chance that access to germline genetic editing will at some point be characterized as a legal “right” [6A].

In the United States, law currently prohibits the use of federal funds on human germline gene therapy [2B].  However, there are no protocols or restrictions for human genomic engineering [2C]. 

Recently, a startup named Preventive was identified as attempting to engineer the first genetically modified baby outside China [3].  This is not surprising, since Do-It-Yourself CRISPR kits are actually available online [6B]. Continue reading →

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September 28, 2025 · 1:00 am

Passage to Marseille

“Passage to Marseille” film poster, Copyright believed owned by Warner Bros. which produced and distributed the film, Source=http://www.dvdbeaver.com/FILM/DVDReviews25/passage_to_marseille.htm |Portion=All |Low_resolution=Yes |Purpose=Used i

There is an old Humphrey Bogart movie called Passage to Marseille. Set in WWII, the film was released in 1944, when the outcome of the war was still in doubt.  France, at the time, was still under the Vichy government which had collaborated with the Nazis.

The character Bogie plays – a journalist imprisoned for opposing the Nazis, who later becomes an airman fighting them – dies at the end.  But a moving letter written to his young son is read beside his grave.  This is the letter.

“My dear son, today you are five years old, and your father has never seen you.  But someday, in a better world, he will.  I write you of that day. 

Together we walk, hand in hand.  We walk, and we look.  Some of the things we see are wonderful, and some are terrible.  On a green stretch of ground are 10,000 graves, and you feel hatred welling up in your heart.  This was.  But it will never be again. 

The world has been cured since your father treated that terrible abscess on it with iron and fire.  And there were millions of healers who worked with him to make sure there would be no recurrence.  That deadly conflict was waged to decide your future. 

Your friends did not spare themselves, and were ruthless to your foes.  You are the heir of what your father and your friends won for you with their blood.  From their hands you have received the flag of happiness and freedom. 

My son, be the standard bearer of the great age they have made possible.  It would be too tragic if the men of good will should ever be lax or fail again to build a world where youth may love without fear, and where parents may grow old with their children who are men who will be worthy of each other’s faith. 

Take care of your mother, Jean.  I hold you in my arms.  I kiss you both.  May God keep you and love you, as I do.  Good night and au revoir, til our work is finished.  And until I see you remember this:  France lives.  Vive la France!”

We are supposed to have built that better world.  But the sin nature of mankind never changes.  Darkness is again rising.  And evil takes many forms.

For the sake of our children and grandchildren, we must not give up the fight.  It may not require iron and fire of us.  While we have breath, however, we must strive with all our might to teach them right from wrong, and truth from lies.  Flawed as we all are.

Only when Christ returns will the work be finished.

—

[1]  Wikipedia, “Passage to Marseille”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passage_to_Marseille. 

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August 10, 2025 · 1:00 am

In the Company of the Elite

Jeffrey Epstein mugshot (2013), Source https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/CallImage?imgID=1665905 (PD as work product of the State of Florida)

The scandal involving Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced former financier and convicted sex offender, has broadened to include a large number of powerful and well-known individuals [1].  Epstein (who trafficked young girls with the help of Ghislaine Maxwell) regularly kept company with politicians, filmmakers, journalists, scientists, comedians, intellectuals, and royalty.

We may be shocked to learn these names, and appalled at the behavior exhibited.  We should not be surprised that the so called “elite” suffer from the very same sin nature common to all mankind.  Wealth may disguise that fact; power may effectively keep secrets from the public.  But the stain remains.

Undoubtedly, there are varying degrees of guilt.  Some will claim they never knew what went on.  Others will claim they knew, but did not participate.  Still others will simply deny everything.

God knows the whole story, whether we ever will or not.

—

[1]  The Guardian, “Epstein scandal broadens as trove of letters from famous figures published” by Anna Betts, 8/5/25, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/05/jeffrey-epstein-letters-photos.

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June 29, 2025 · 1:00 am

The Bunny Ranch – Prostitution Exposed

“The Damned” by Luca Signorelli (1499-1502), Chapel of San Brizio, Orvieto, Source Web Gallery of Art (PD)

The A&E Network has been running a series titled “Secrets of the Bunny Ranch”, an expose of legalized prostitution at the infamous Bunny Ranch in Nevada.  Episodes can be viewed online at https://www.aetv.com/shows/secrets-of-the-bunny-ranch.

Marketing v. Reality

Some years ago HBO aired a puff piece on the Bunny Ranch titled “Cathouse:  The Series” [1].  Presented as a documentary, this was essentially a marketing and recruitment device which portrayed brothel life as fun, lucrative, and safe.  Nothing could have been further from the truth.

By contrast, the A&E series examines the sordid underbelly of prostitution:  the grooming, the trafficking, the rape, the drugs, the violence, the financial irregularity, and the law enforcement corruption. 

Virgins are auctioned off to the highest bidder.  Pregnant women are offered for sale by the hour to those with a fetish for them.  Sex workers are regularly abused, and kept in permanent debt bondage.

Many prostitutes already have a history of childhood abuse and/or domestic violence.  They are already wounded, their choices severely limited. Continue reading →

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