MK forum

Dr. David Cloud runs the www.wayoflife.org website. Besides being a Bible teacher, he is a journalist, who regularly covers such things as liberalism and contemporary Christian music. I enjoy his Bible teaching a lot, and find myself in agreement with most of what he publishes. Sometimes I feel that he strays from strictly scriptural issues, and I may or may not find my own preferences the same as his. But, he is a brilliant, humble and careful scholar.

I even get his regular news updates, none of which have so much as mentioned the sexual abuse cases in NTM. So, in May 2010 I wrote to ask him why. I said: "Why is it that the child abuse scandal in New Tribes Mission is getting so little coverage? This should be a concern to all fundamental Christians, since NTM is highly thought of in those circles. NTM collects millions of dollars in donations every year, yet remains unaccountable for their actions. Many people - pastors, former NTM missionaries and former MKs from their schools, and supporters - are still unaware of this issue. And, inexplicably, they are not getting any coverage in the press. The secular humanists find the Catholics a better target, and even you have not so much as mentioned them. Why is that?"

Dr. Cloud wrote back saying he had never heard of this before. I, therefore, sent him links to many of the stories that had been carried in the press regarding the Fanda Eagles, and opined that his ignorance of the subject underscored my concern that this issue be given more press coverage.

Here is his response, in total: "I don't agree that it needs a lot of press. Unlike with the Catholic Church, it is not something that has characterized New Tribes, and they appear to be dealing with it. In Christ, Bro. Cloud"

Meanwhile, Bishop Long (no relation of mine, Raz) was at that time getting national coverage for his alleged liaisons with teenage (17-18 year old) men, allegations which he denied. NTM, on the other hand, does not deny that sexual abuse of children occurred in their organization, that it was covered up for decades, the perpetrators protected, and the victims ignored. "They appear to be dealing with it." Indeed, they do.

Bishop Long has recently settled with his accusers. There are probably many lessons to be learned in this article: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h7BGtaA1KrprNlE7r3m-59x3idmQ?docId=54087f5d5d0f4e848f80a93e6d1cc406

Your statistic made me wonder what the statistics are on NTM children abused on the field. I attended a school that couldn't have had more than maybe 120 students (K-12). Among my friends & family, I know of 10 kids who were sexually abused. That is pretty sad.

Hmm, fundamentalism . . .my husband and i thought we were leaving it when we decided to go to a liberal seminary, Covenant Theological, back in1992. We found out that they were fundamentalists about different stuff! They patronized us for being poor, insulted me for not wanting to be a traditional mother . . .. It taught me a valuable lesson about no church having sanctity without it's patrons following Jesus in word and deed. There is no church that doesn't make judgements. The church I attend now, which has been very non-judgmental, has an off-shoot that is separating from us due to a difference in culture and value from us. Whatever that means . . .so someone must be hurt, upset. As we declare what makes us different from each other churches, we need to remember what God is going to find important, on an individual basis. I've given up trying to fix or find a perfect church. It's not my job.

Shadowspring2: Many of us have stayed " with the faith" as you put it because the Bible never Changed only the people using it to their advantage. Some left and came back to it. A truely, Born again believer Shows it through actions if they used it for other advantages,,,well,,,makes you wonder, doesn't it?

I think another reason is because of the pain, who can we lean on for help? For me it has been a life saver. Widowed at 38 with 3 young girls,,,,, my only Comfort was Him. I lot of others,,,even from the church we were going to, spoke hollow words. I don't know how anyone makes it through tragedy without Christ. The loss of a husband and grandson, brings one to his knees in sorrow and needing comfort like no one else can give. Now, the pain of abuse, I think the greatest comfort offered to us is leaning in His everlasting Arms. He knows the sorrow as we walk into healing. He doesn't question or speculate or butt in as you talk to Him. I have found great comfort in Him and he has pulled me out of some very rough times.

I hope this answers your question of "Why some of us stay in the Faith". Others may add to the "why"

We think of you often. Take care

fundamentalist Christianity is not what I'm talking about. I am talking about the difference in being religious and being a true Christian. There is a big difference,,,one is as deep as the brain and one reaches down to your heart.

National news. Msnbc.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43176858

My name is Aimee. I attended Aritao School from 1977 to 1984. What I was aware of in 1993 was Les Emory’s dismissal from NTM and that it had something to do with sexual misconduct towards a couple of girls in the dorm, but for some reason I believed that he had been prosecuted and was in prison (perhaps a naive assumption that "we will be reporting the crime to the authorities and legal action can be expected" actually meant what it said?) It was only this past week that I learned of this forum, situations of this nature in other NTM boarding schools, the lawsuit against NTM and the extent and duration of these crimes, and saw the interview.

There are no words to express the shock and horror I felt upon realizing that this man has not been held accountable for his repeated assaults on the innocent children placed in his care, not to mention that he still has access to children. The way this atrocity (and all the others) has been handled by the leadership of NTM is beyond comprehension.

To Jane and all of my other little brothers and sisters and your parents who endured this abuse and continue to endure mistreatment due to the pattern of protecting the guilty and blaming the innocent by NTM: I am so sorry. I am sorry this happened to you at all, much less in the name of Jesus, and I am sorry for my ignorance.

Aimee

dbarney,

I loved your last line. Fundamentalism is NOT Christianity. It is a Christian sect that was created in America in the late 1800s early 1900s as an over-reaction to German rationalists who were refuting the existence of miracles at the time.

I knew Jesus long before I ever married into a fundamentalist family. In fact, I am so gullible and so accepting I just assumed they meant the same things I did when we used the same words. It took me years to figure out the real meanings of the words they were using versus the stated meanings or even what I understood words to mean.

I think that is the one thing that turns me off the most- the claim that fundamentalist Christianity IS the true Christianity and everyone else gets it wrong.

Welcome Aimee. Thank you for posting.

Welcome, Journey (Aimee). I am so sorry to learn that you knew nothing of this website and all that has been uncovered and discussed here for over a year. It has been impossible for me to know who knows what, who doesn't know and would like to know, and who knows but doesn't want to talk about it. I am sorry you have been in the dark about this. It is good to know you do understand now, and you are hurting with us.
Sending you my love (yes, of course we do know each other ),
Raz, an Aritao Mom