Dear Dad,
Lets go for a walk. Lets step out of our respective shoes and into the shoes of someone looking at this whole issue dispassionately. Someone who has a professional interest in child abuse, an officer of the law.
Someone with no experience of NTM and other similar missions, but an interest in the law would start by asking how much abuse was going on. Then they would ask why so much abuse was going on and then why and how it was covered up.
Then lets imagine that officer of the law wants to talk to you and I. When they say did I know?, I'll say "yes". When they say did I tell anyone as a child?, I'll say "yes". When they say "who?", I'll say you. When they ask for evidence I will tell them the neighbour went to jail for sex crimes, that the men you invited into our house and called friends molested little girls and I will be able to prove it. And I will show them how it was covered up at the highest level, by one of your closest friends. Finally I will show them this http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/former-missionary-admits-sexual-abuse
Now lets imagine this officer of the law has a talk with you. When they say did you know? Will you still say "no, I was a servent of the Lord"? When they say, so your son never told you, like he claimed, will you deny it? How will you explain that the neighbour went to jail, for crimes he committed in very close proximity, that were then deliberately covered up by your "friends" and his victim punished for speaking out? And finally how will you defend being a fervent supporter of an organisation that this video clip came out of? http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/former-missionary-admits-sexual-abuse
You see Dad, an officer of the law is not going to be interested in the religous side of all this, only the criminal side. Who was doing what and why. For me it is simple, I was just a kid when it happened and I did the right thing and spoke out, then as an adult I have done my best to get justice for others. For you it is far more complicated, because you were a willing participant and staunch defender in an organisation that alas has some terrible attrocities on it's hands. You can gamble I am bluffing, that I have no hard evidence, but that would be a foolish move. You could trust your god to get you out of this mess, but then was it really God who got you into it in the first place, or just other men who used their god as an excuse to do what they did?
Thanks for the walk, just before we put back on our respective shoes back on, I'll answer two questions for you, that I know you would like clarified.
1) Do I believe in God? Not the same god you do, that is impossible for me.
2) Do I love you? I am sorry, I have to be honest and say no. To love someone I have to respect them and their integrity and believe that their motives are honourable.
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