{"id":1879,"date":"2011-05-05T23:40:30","date_gmt":"2011-05-06T07:40:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/2011\/05\/05\/who-is-systemic-now\/"},"modified":"2011-05-05T23:40:30","modified_gmt":"2011-05-06T07:40:30","slug":"who-is-systemic-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/2011\/05\/05\/who-is-systemic-now\/","title":{"rendered":"who is systemic now?"},"content":{"rendered":"
As a follow-up to the \u2018systemic?\u2019 post, I ran across another site discussing a church and abuse. I was researching a different topic and hit on this site due to one of the search terms I was using. The current top post is one that addresses a very similar story to those we have been faced with in the recent controversies involving \u2018IFB\u2019 churches. Here is a sample paragraph:<\/p>\n
\nHere is a brief description of how _______________ has in the past typically handled sex abuse issues in their church. This depiction can be affirmed by numerous former members who have had similar experiences. The perpetrator of a sex crime and his family were brought under the care of a pastor. This would involve counseling, accountability sessions and possible minor restrictions regarding movement in the church during services. People \u201cat risk\u201d were not notified. The victim and victim\u2019s family however were usually confronted with opposition from leadership by minimizing and\/or invalidating particular aspects of the victim\u2019s story.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Sound familiar? Sound systemic?<\/p>\n
Now\u2026 before you click on the \u2018more\u2019 tag and see the links, a few caveats.<\/p>\n
\n
- This is just one side of the story \u2013 the side of the victims. I can\u2019t say everything in this side of the story is true.<\/li>\n
- This story appears on a \u2018____ survivors\u2019 site: in other words, the people who write here have an axe to grind against _____. Everything posted here is from a disgruntled perspective.<\/li>\n
- I don\u2019t think the basic facts in this post are just invented or made up by someone who is merely<\/em> disgruntled. According to the post, someone confessed to a felony in the case. However, clearly there is a lot of bad blood between those telling the story and the ones they are telling the story against. A lot of facts are left out and there is no independent verification. It is possible that some of the things complained about are the sins of the complainant, not the sins of the ones being complained against. However, some facts in this story appear to be true.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
I should note that this is a fairly current story as you will see from some of the links I post below the jump.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Here is the link to the post on SGM Survivors: Wallace\u2019s Story<\/a>.<\/p>\n
SGM = Sovereign Grace Ministries<\/p>\n
At the moment there are 558 comments on this April 8, 2011 post.<\/p>\n
Comment #11<\/a> is the first mention of the infamous ABC program on \u2018IFB cults\u2019. It is also mentioned in several ensuing comments: #12<\/a>, #14<\/a>, #39<\/a>, and #238<\/a>. Comment #14 is from someone who once was involved in an IFB church:<\/p>\n
\nI just finished watching the 20\/20 documentary on IFB churches which I was apart of before I joined my current SGM church. And I have to say that It sounds just like what everyone has been saying on this site. I\u2019ve been reading this blog for a few months and I even commented. But I\u2019m still torn, on one hand my heart goes out to everyone who has experienced abuse and control, and on the other hand when I go to church, I\u2019m convinced that God is moving there. Like I said I went to a loving IFB church and I dont think they would have handled those situations in that way. I guess I\u2019m hoping that my church would act differently. Even if they don\u2019t I wouldn\u2019t agree not to press charges with any case of abuse. I guess what I\u2019m saying is that I have to see it for myself. I think things should be weighed on an individual basis. I feel that God has placed my family in certain churches for a certain season under certain leadership. I wouldn\u2019t attend just any IFB church or any SGM or whatever denomination\/Non-denomination. But I will start keeping my eyes open.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n