AstroAg17 said:
Can you elaborate? Have you experienced or had reason to expect sex abuse in a Baptist Church?
It seems difficult to interpret the information in the article without a control group. What's the background rate? Is that a lot of sex abuse? I don't see evidence for their claim that this is systemic or specifically a Baptist problem. It seems like a bad study.
Astro,
Now that I'm at a computer, I wanted to address your questions. First, let me be clear about something. The Independent Fundamental Baptist Church (IFBC) world shouldn't be confused with the Baptist church in general, especially the Jack Hyles strain of the IFBC. I don't think people truly understand what it is like in that world. The one man in the article who had escaped it described that Jack Hyles strain correctly. It is a cult. In that cult, even the Southern Baptists are godless liberals. The problem is the way they view the pastor. He is to never be questioned. He is to be consulted in almost all matters, often including buying of a house or taking of a job. There really is the mindset that the pastor is one rung below God, and that all things that come from the pastor come from God. If you read the article, you'll see just how this power dynamic plays out when it comes to how sexual abuse is handled. In one account, Jack Hyles' son, Dave, had a 14 year old girl in his office. He went over to her and put her hand on his groin. She stated that she felt it was wrong, but since he was the pastor, then clearly this is what God wanted. He even compared himself to King David and told her that it was her job to meet his needs. This is not just the case of one sick family (Jack Hyles' son-in-law is currently serving a 16 year federal prison sentence for sexual abuse of a minor).
If you read the article, you'll see how pervasive this is among that strain of the IFBC. You'll see just how often the offending minister is often sent to Hammond, IN (home of Jack Hyles' church - First Baptist Hammond, and the church's college - Hyles-Anderson College). They'll do time there then be sent elsewhere. Since there is no central governing structure in the IFBC world, many ministerial hires are based on recommendations that come from Hyles' disciples or those within the Hyles strain.
But, to get back to your questions about my experience, I did not personally experience sexual abuse but was at a church that was tightly linked with First Baptist Hammond and we had at least 2 ministers "go away" after sexual abuse allegations were made. Since, in that world, the pastor's word is above reproach, the victims are often made to publicly apologize to the church for their sin, and the actual sin of the minister is either downplayed as an "indiscretion" or covered up completely. The victims often go along with this because the pastor told them to and the pastor's word comes straight from God, or so we were brainwashed to believe. In the article (may be in part 2), a girl was sexual abused when she was 16. Her abuser was sent to work at First Baptist Hammond WITH THE TEENAGERS. The victim then attended Hyles-Anderson College (one of the few approved colleges to attend) and saw her abuser working there. Jack Hyles' daughter then recommended to the girl that she write a formal apology to her abusers' wife. This is the same daughter whose husband is now serving a 16 year prison sentence.
Like I said, our church was closely linked to FBH and Hyles-Anderson College. Most of our church school graduates ended up going to college there. We had a friend who was a couple years older who attended HAC. He was at their Sunday morning service in the front row w/ his girlfriend. Jack Hyles had somehow found out that she listened to country music. This isn't surprising because people were often reported for such behavior (my brother was suspended from the basketball team because he was seen going to a movie). During the sermon, Jack Hyles looked at her and called her a "*****". Again, I don't think most realize just how scary that world is. And I do differentiate between IFBC and the IFBC of the Jack Hyles strain. Every IFBC church I attended was part of the Hyles strain, but I do know that those who are not of that were not nearly as bad. I believe TampaBayAg is part of the IFBC movement and has also commented on the sick nature of the Hyles strain.
So, when I say I'm not surprised by anything I read in the article it's because I know how the power dynamic plays out in that world. I don't use the word 'cult' lightly, but that is a descriptor that applies perfectly for this strain of the IFBC. Like I said, this is a power problem. At the top is the pastor. He is above reproach. Then come the other ministers, also above reproach. Then come men. Then come young men (especially if you were a "preacher boy"). Then come women. And at the bottom are young women. It's not surprising when you have a system with zero accountability and such a power structure, that those at the very top prey on those at the bottom.