WELS-ELS-LCMS Are Still in Cover-Up, Deny, and Slander the Victims Mode

As of today, child-porn file swapper Hochmuth
had this up on LinkedIn.
Here is a link I obtained - listing other Lutheran offenders.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Collusion is Devastating

"It is very tempting to take the side of the perpetrator. All the perpetrator asks is that the bystander do nothing. He appeals to the universal desire to see, hear and speak no evil. The victim, on the contrary, asks the bystander to share the burden of pain. The victim demands action, engagement and remembering.”--  Judith Herman, Trauma and Recovery (1992) 

“Collusion is usually far more devastating to victims than the primary abuse.” -- Dee Miller 

What message do leaders send to clergy abuse victims by this conduct?
Answer: "What happened to you doesn't matter. Go away. Shut up."

What message do leaders send to clergy perpetrators by this conduct?
Answer: "You're safe with us. We'll cover for you." 

When people collude, they are making themselves complicit in the cover-up of some sort of unethical conduct or in the protection of others who engage in unethical conduct.  

We see the manifestations of collusion with clergy sex abuse through minimization, denial, rationalizing, victim-silencing, victim-blaming, and keep-it-quiet tactics. Collusion can be accomplished both consciously and unconsciously, intentionally and unintentionally. Even if someone says they didn’t intend to collude, their conduct may still be collusive. Many collude through silence and inaction. You won’t see collusion in what they do; you’ll see it in what they don’t do. Collusion often occurs behind closed doors. It’s a secretive sort of thing.

Here is an example: 
I'm sure that everyone involved would say clergy sex abuse itself is a terrible thing. But look at the message it sends to a victim when something is done even unintentionally:

True case of a WELS pastor which happened a few years ago; local news media reported: 
A Lutheran pastor was sentenced to two years in prison for possessing child pornography on his home computer. _________ pleaded guilty. The felony charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The prosecutor told the judge _____ had more than 70,000 images of young boys and other homosexual photographs on his computer. _____ is a pastor at ________.

As a victim, I struggle with the fact that he pleaded guilty; is a registered sex offender; had possible additional charges in a neighboring state; BUT, despite all that, is in the WELS Synod yearbook as being “retired”. He was an active pastor when this happened and instead of resigning he “retired” and, as of today, is still listed in the yearbook as retired. I struggle tremendously that the Synod knowingly lists a registered sex offender in their directory as if nothing happened; thus giving the appearance that he retired normally and there was no wrong-doing. I left God because I thought the church condoned what happened, so when I see this still in the yearbook, I continue to wonder. When you are struggling to come back to God, faith, and church, things like this (even if done unintentionally) are stumbling blocks. It puts doubts in your mind as to what is acceptable to the church. 

Since the church considers itself to be “the family of God,” the parallels in how families deal with the shame of alcohol and other abuse are strikingly visible when we compare how families of “faith” justify such pervasive collusion with abuse.

It is generally recognized that enabling behaviors of the family members of a drug addict help to keep the patient in denial and out of treatment. By constantly "lowering the bottom" through rationalizing and covering for the addict, close relatives become a part of the problem. Generally, they are as resistant to seeing this as addicts are to facing their own addictions. 

Family members do not collude intentionally. It's just that addicts are experienced con artists. They know how to play on the emotions of everyone. They are excellent actors, often even fooling themselves. By diverting attention, often to other issues, the addict keeps people from staying on course to clearly focus on the addiction as the root cause of their suffering. 

The same is true for clergy perpetrators. A clergy perpetrator, usually with years of being in the public eye, is skilled at convincing almost everyone, including victims, that he is really innocent or just “made a mistake.” He uses his charisma and status to enhance this skill. Even if he breaks down and "confesses," he finds ways to minimize the problems and the harm already done. It takes an enormous amount of energy to find one’s way to reality through the fog of deception which has been created by the offender and the many colluders who have already been misled.

Certainly there has already been a lot of effort, on the part of most denominations, to consult attorneys and instruct clergy about the "new rules." Unfortunately, just like many spouses of alcoholics, the concerns seem much more about protecting the image of the "family" than protecting its most vulnerable congregation members. 

When a patient enters treatment, everyone in the family minimizes. "It must be a chemical imbalance." Or "He'll be fine in a few weeks. After all she's only been drinking heavily for five years." The same dynamics are evident with clergy perpetrators and their colluders. "It's just the stress of the ministry. Treatment will be tough, but we are all going to expect total rehabilitation. With all the prayers going up for him, he'll be back in the pulpit in no time, being the great guy that he has always been.” Other common characteristics which colluding church leaders share with family members of substance abusers: distrust, high anxiety, conflict among formerly close colleagues, inconsistency, unpredictability, constant manipulation of the rules, and aggressive tendencies. 

When an addict is finally forced into treatment, he seems to "clean up" quickly, but often does not stay sober for long, once he is released. It is common for him to look at the wife and children he has harmed and expect them to forget what he has done, welcome him home, and restore him to all the blessings of marriage and fatherhood while leaving behind their memories of neglect and/or abuse. Colluding family members have the same attitudes, thereby naively giving his denial support more than his sobriety. All of this is usually true, as well, of the clergy perpetrator and his colluders, as he tries to manipulate his way back into a trusting relationship with his congregation and profession. 
“The world is too dangerous to live in -- not because of the people who do evil but because of the people who sit and let it happen.”  --  Einstein

 

References:
http://stopbaptistpredators.org/whats_collusion.html
http://www.takecourage.org/parallels.htm

The Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, 2014. Mark 7:31-37

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2013/04/norma-boecklers-new-book-treasury-of.html

The Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, 2014

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time

The Hymn #462               I Love Thy Kingdom             4:21

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual       

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed             p. 22

The Sermon Hymn #123                O God Our Help            4:3 

Faith and Love

The Communion Hymn # 304 An Awful Mystery            4:6 

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #  376     Rock of Ages                                   4:47

KJV 2 Corinthians 3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

KJV Mark 7:31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. 32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. 33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. 36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Twelfth Sunday After Trinity

Almighty and everlasting God, who hast created all things: We thank Thee that Thou hast given us sound bodies, and hast graciously preserved our tongues and other members from the power of the adversary: We beseech Thee, grant us Thy grace, that we may rightly use our ears and tongues; help us to hear Thy word diligently and devoutly, and with our tongues so to praise and magnify Thy grace, that no one shall be offended by our words, but that all may be edified thereby, through Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Luther’s Sermons on this text - Here:

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2013/08/luthers-sermons-on-twelfth-sunday-after.html

Faith and Love

KJV Mark 7:31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

Jesus only traveled a short distance in His public ministry, but He went into various places, sowing the seed by preaching the Word of God. By moving around, teaching and healing, instructing the apostles, He established believers in these locations. Their faith spread because they communicated His teaching and miracles to others.

I experience the modern form of this spread of the Gospel. In my local classes I have someone from Africa, several from Korea, and an aborigine from Papua. When I was teaching the American students to use LinkedIn on the Net, the African native already had his profile up.

32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

This is an example of what happened because of the fame of Jesus. Everyone was talking about His teaching and miracles. These men either witnessed it themselves or knew enough to trust their deaf-mute friend could be healed. The Gospel planted faith in Jesus in their hearts. Someone would be tempted to say, "We could but we are only a few among many." This is especially true in a group, the most negative person tends to affect the rest in being negative. Human reason argues against such a miracle taking place and even against gaining a hearing from the Savior.

But faith is a confidence in the mercy, compassion, and power of Jesus. Faith is not a decision that comes about from study, but a trust that the Word of God creates. The New Creation is grafted onto the Old Adam and they grow together. The believer continues in study of the Word and worship, because human reason and our sinful flesh always intrude. 

I can say from many church meetings that one would be shocked at the claim of believers being present when the budget is discussed. Human reason, facts and figures predominate. Likewise, this man was probably the subject of many medical efforts in his life. My father stuttered, so they took out his tonsils. That only made him more self-conscious, and we live in a so-called scientific age.

After so many efforts, herbs, magical potions, and superstitious cures, anyone would have been sceptical, but faith in Jesus moved the friends to an act of love - bringing him to Jesus for a cure. They could see how limited he was by his inability to hear and to talk.

33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 

We know most deaf people are not completely deaf, so it makes sense that Jesus would take the man away from the roar of the crowd, demonstrate His healing of the ears and tongue, to comfort and give peace to the man. I know from having special daughters that their weakness and the presence of medical equipment were not good combinations. They were easily frightened by new experiences and needed to be distracted by a different perspective - such as an ambulance ride being fun, or an oxygen tent equated with camping and adventure.

Luther dealt with the current theories about why Jesus would sigh and look up to heaven. He was not eager to multiply theories. One answer is that it would show where the healing was coming from. The sighing could also be allegorical, similar to Jesus crying over Jerusalem. Here was one man with believing friends. If only the rest had the same faith. So many marvels would come from that. Or - sighing about the misuse of the voice. Here was something that we must have for almost all tasks, and speech is a great gift from God. But it is terribly misused and abused by so many.

We know that Jesus had compassion on individuals but also upon the multitudes, as shown when He fed them before they thought to ask, when He wept over Jerusalem, and when He prayed from the cross - Father, forgive them...

35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

God's miracles can take a long time to arrive, but they are immediate when they happen. Because of this, we should discern the miraculous and wait patiently for the miracles to take place. Thus Paul always prayed for his congregations, and those congregations became the foundation of the Christian faith, which spread across the world from those key trading cities.

36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Why would Jesus tell them to keep this to themselves? The primary reason is the way in which people saw miracles, as the coming of a political Messiah who would lead them to war. This was not Jesus' mission, and He spent years preparing people for what faith in Him would mean - bearing the cross rather than unsheathing the sword.

And yet nothing could keep them from telling others about it. The miracles testified about His divine power, and they felt His love and great compassion. Others were binding them with rules while He was releasing them from guilt and sin, so that love and faith would flourish together and benefit many others.

In a law religion, good works are a tax to be paid. The tax is necessary or the salvation is repossessed. But Christianity  gives grace and forgiveness without works, so the acts of love are pleasing and enjoyable to the believer. 

The Old Adam does not like messes and repetitive labor. But ask a mother, who misses taking care of the little ones, making them clean and happy, feeding them and giving them comfort. Luther said, "Dame reason despises this," but believing hearts treasure those opportunities.

Just as revenge promotes revenge and never stops, so do acts of love, which multiply beyond measure because they are divine in origin.

I am trying to grasp the new research in soil life. Since I am not involved in the physical sciences directly, I have to re-read many passages to understand how soil chemistry works. One fascinating aspect is the way unthinking but living creations work to benefit each others. Plant roots give fungi the one thing they cannot make for themselves, and the fungi form enormous feeding tubes to break down down and deliver nutrition to the roots. And yet these unthinking plants control the fungi by the way they offer and accept benefits. All this happens without our knowledge or control, and all we can do is stand back and nurture it to some extent. 

This mutuality is what the Gospel creates among believers, one helping the other, but without obligation or force. The extent is impossible to measure and yet the origin is clear - Christ's forgiveness, His righteousness received in faith.

Caleb Sings Katy Perry

Caleb Schmiege - WELS CoWo clone.

He recorded and posted his version of Katy Perry's Firework - a song too nauseatingly dull to reproduce. Here are the Firework lyrics, so you can sing along with Caleb.

Wikipedia -  Slant Magazine stated that the song is "not an actively painful listen. Sure, the would-be inspirational lyrics ('Baby you're a firework/Come on show them what you're worth') are nonsensical, and the vocal lines, which sound like they were written for someone like Leona Lewis, are well beyond Perry's capabilities, but the chorus gains some momentum and the song would work well enough in a club setting that you could forgive its otherwise glaring weaknesses."^[11] 

https://soundcloud.com/caleb-schmiege/firework

Caleb Schmiege @calebschmiege · Aug 10

Just worshiped at @IllumineChurch this morning. Nice to play piano with some fun musicians.

Caleb Schmiege @calebschmiege · Jul 2

There's something about using a port-a-potty while hearing "Fanfare for the Common Man" that feels so right. #america #ConcertsOnTheSquare

Katy Perry sets Tim Glende's bronzer ablaze
and inspires Ski to greatness.

Topic More Avoided Than Justification by Faith - Abusive Clergy. Covering Up and Moving the Louse Is Not the Answer

Patterson provided an insta-call.

Zank was Engelbrecht's Amen Corner,
so he was elected DP to replace Deputy Doug Engelbrecht.

http://shatteredpulpit.blogspot.com

Friday, September 5, 2014

How Should the Church Respond?

Taken from The Hope of Survivors (see below for their web site):
 
When a pastor has violated his sacred trust by taking advantage of a congregant, the church often wonders what to do and how to respond. Unfortunately, all too often, the church does not respond in a manner that is helpful to either the victim or the pastor. Below are some suggested guidelines to be adopted in order to help facilitate healing for all.

1. Recognize that the pastor has violated his sacred authority and trust. This must be understood in order to prevent blaming the victim and re-victimizing her. Women who have been sexually abused by their pastors feel betrayed, not only by the pastor and the church, but by God. The pastor is the one she looked to for spiritual guidance and direction. If he led her in the wrong direction, claiming that it was God’s will for them to be together (or whatever else he may be trying to get her to do), she may have perceived it as God leading her in a wrong direction (or a direction she hitherto believed to be wrong) and become very confused. If she cannot trust God, what can she do?

2. Take responsibility for the situation. A pastor who has sinned in this regard has proven that he is no longer capable of performing the sacred duties pertaining to a minister of the Gospel. Adultery is a violation of the 7th Commandment. It must never be permitted in a pastor—a man who stands in the pulpit as a representative of Christ. It is shameful!

3. Talk to the victim and her family. Have compassion for her and her family. Listen to her; find out how to bring about spiritual, emotional and physical healing. What are her emotional and financial needs? Does she need counseling? Does her family need counseling? Setting up a once weekly counseling session for a period of one year (at no cost to her) should help the victim to see that her needs are being addressed. We mention financial needs as most victims, at some point during or after the abuse, incur financial loss and sometimes a total devastation. This type of abuse is so emotionally devastatingthat some women (and even their husbands) may be unable to perform in their jobs for quite some time during and after the abuse. The church has a responsibility to assist the victim in getting back on her feet financially, if this is the case.

4. One of the most important things to a victim is to be heard, understood, comforted and believed. She did not make this up. She feels horrible about it and most likely feels she, alone, is to blame.

5. The church, as a whole, cannot afford to go into denial about this crisis. Covering it up, moving the pastor to another church, turning against the victim are all improper and detrimental ways to handle this situation. The church should not be concerned about avoiding liability and financial loss. This hurts everyone and only prolongs the healing process for all. Most victims would never think to file a suit against the church if they were treated with respect and dignity, listened to and comforted. Most women in these situations do not wish to bring harm to the church, their pastor, his family or anyone else. The main reason lawsuits are filed is because no one within the church hierarchy or congregation would listen or take appropriate action. Lawsuits are virtually always a victim’s last resort in order to be heard and helped to heal. As a church, as children of God, we are to be concerned about souls, not financial loss.

In some states, it is a criminal offense for a pastor to have a “relationship” with a congregant. It is usually possible for a civil suit to be filed against the pastor and/or the church, even if a criminal suit is not an available option. (The Hope of Survivors is aware of several women at this time who are in civil suits with their former abusive pastors, and it has been very hard on them emotionally, physically, financially and spiritually. At the same time, we recognize and empathize with the individual’s need to see her pastor stop abusing herself and others. Whether a lawsuit is filed or not, it is always right for the pastor to be held accountable for his actions.)

6. Recognize the responsibility to the victim, the congregation, the pastor, the pastor’s wife (and family) and the community. (Responsibility to the victim has been addressed above.)

        A. The church’s responsibility to the congregation:

            i. Inform the congregation of what really happened. This can be done tactfully and without intimate details. Full disclosure is important. The congregation should be educated to the fact that this was NOT an “affair” or a “consensual relationship” but, rather, it was an abuse of power. The pastor is not “just a man.” The pastor is responsible in ALL cases for maintaining appropriate boundaries and behaviors toward a congregant/counselee.

            ii. In the confusion of this “relationship,” the marriage vows (both of the pastor and the victim, if married) were violated and overlooked. The pastor took a solemn vow before God to be faithful to his wife, to God and to the church, and to help those in his flock to uphold their own marriage vows. As a shepherd of God’s flock, his responsibility to remain faithful in his commitments is much higher.

            iii. Don’t just practice “damage control” and try to think of “the least we can get away with and move on.” This will never be helpful to anyone. Try to foster an environment of acceptance (not tolerance!), compassion, love and understanding.

        B. The church’s responsibility to the pastor and his family:

            i. The church has the responsibility to relieve the offending pastor of his sacred office immediately. If he is not repentant, steps should be taken to disfellowship him. Some may ask why the victim is allowed to remain in the church while the pastor is not. The answer is this: the church needs to understand that this is abuse; each member needs to recognize their responsibility and their accountability to God and to their spouse (10 Commandments, Phil 4:13); acknowledge that God requires fidelity to His commandments at all times; the victim was never in the position of authority, as was the pastor; the victim did not come to church thinking, “I’m going to destroy this pastor.” On the other hand, the pastor is the one who often speculates and fantasizes about different scenarios with different congregants.

            ii. The church should make provision to assist the pastor and his family in getting proper counseling, and provide the opportunity for them to heal spiritually and emotionally. Does the wife have someone she can talk to regarding her husband’s behavior? If he is struggling with pornography or masturbation, he will most likely act out this sexual behavior eventually, given the right opportunity. At all times, the pastor and his family need to be addressed tactfully, in love and with compassion. Efforts should be made to restore an offending pastor to the church (not his position) when the genuine fruits of repentance are manifested in his life.

        C. The church’s responsibility to the community:

            i. If the actions were public or made public, it should be addressed publicly, with the church offering its regrets and informing the community of the steps it has taken to correct the problem. 

            ii. If the situation is not known publicly (meaning outside of the church), then don’t “air the church’s dirty laundry” and bring shame and reproach on the cause of God. Handle the situation truthfully and tactfully within the proper organizational structure.

If someone within the church (local congregation, conference, any governing body) is aware of the pastor’s struggle with pornography or masturbation (or any other sexual sin), they should monitor his behavior very closely. Again, given the right circumstances, he will most likely act out sexually with another. If the pastor has a history of abuse and has been moved from church to church, the church (the governing body that was aware of the abuse) is responsible.

What the church members at large, or the community (if the community was already aware of the problem), do not know is left to speculation, rumors and gossip. This only creates division within the church and does further damage to the victim. Clarification kills gossip!

To summarize what Marie M. Fortune wrote in her book, Is Nothing Sacred?, the proper steps to take when implementing justice and mercy (based on Micah 6:8) include:

    1. Truth-telling (breaking the silence of the abuse)

    2. Acknowledging the violation (in hearing the truth, the church acknowledges the violation)

    3. Compassion (means to “suffer with,” to be present, acknowledge and listen, even when you can’t solve the problem)

    4. Protecting the vulnerable (prevent further harm)

    5. Accountability (based on Luke 17:1-4, it begins with confrontation and should end in repentance)

    6. Restitution (making payment for damages is a concrete means of renewing right-relation)

    7. Vindication (for the victim, it most often means exoneration and justification)

The bottom line: TAKE RESPONSIBILITY–DON’T HIDE!

The Hope of Survivors
http://www.thehopeofsurvivors.com/how_should_church_respond.php

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Seven Unhealthy Congregational Responses

Seven Unhealthy Congregational Responses toward Victims of Clergy Sexual Assault or Abuse - by Carolyn Waterstradt, ma, msw 

Because congregants are often unfamiliar with what clergy sexual assault or abuse is, the majority do not know how to respond when someone is victimized in their congregation. Sadly, congregant’s most common responses are unhealthy and re-traumatize or re-injure the victim. In addition, these unhealthy responses make it impossible for the congregation to truly acknowledge, work through, and heal from the clergyperson’s betrayal of the congregation. When denominational or congregational leaders do not speak outregarding the damage of unhealthy responses to the victim their silence allow these unhealthy behaviors to perpetuate creating an environment in which dysfunction is the norm, thereby increasing the likelihood of calling another abusive clergyperson to the congregation.

What are these unhealthy responses towards a victim?

1. Blaming – Congregants blame victims for the assault or abuse because they erroneously believe it must be the victims’ fault because a man or woman of the cloth could never be a sexual predator. However, anytime a clergy person has a sexual relationship with a congregant it is an abuse of power. Congregants or church leaders often misplace blame by asking victims to leave the congregation or limit participation in the congregation. Victims who work in the church usually lose their jobs.

2. Shaming – Congregants shame victims by accosting or sending hate mail. “How could you?” “You need to repent.” “I forgive you for your sinfulness.” “What kind of person are you?”  Victims are not responsible for the abuse or the assault.

3. Shunning – When congregants intentionally avoid victims such as blatantly turning around and walking away when they see a victim in the store, they practice shunning. Shunning may take the form of no longer speaking to, socializing with or inviting victims to participate in activities. Shunning is also deleting or blocking victims from social media pages, ignoring victims’ phone messages, or failing to acknowledge their emails, messages, or letters.

4. Gossip – Gossip is when congregants spread rumors about victims. Eventually victims hear the gossip from a third party. Of course, gossip is skewed and rarely contains facts.

5. Degrading – Congregants degrade victims when talking ill of them. Imagine the impact degradation has on someone striving to heal from sexual trauma and posttraumatic stress. Then imagine the impact such degradation has that person’s children when congregants say, “I’m sorry your Mom is crazy….a whore….a witch.”

6. Dismissing – Congregants may dismiss victims’ families from congregational life. Being dismissed like yesterday’s trash is especially damaging to underage children who are spiritually impressionable. Such congregational behavior often stunts or blocks children’s spiritual growth. Friends who support the victim may also be dismissed from the congregation.

7. Colluding – Congregational and denominational leaders collude by not naming what happened as assault or abuse, allowing victims to be removed or expelled from congregational life, working with or covering for the perpetrator, and remaining silent on the dynamics of clergy sexual abuse and assault. Victims and their families must be a primary concern of the congregation and denomination for communal healing to occur.

If you have found yourself, acting in one of the above mentioned manners, please realize that it is a common reaction to want to protect the clergyperson especially considering most congregants are not familiar with what clergy sexual abuse is.  The good news is that once you learn about what about clergy sexual abuse is you can change your response to victims in light of your new found knowledge.  It is best to respond to victims of sexual assault or sexual abuse with same respect and dignity as congregants who have a terminal illness or recently lost a loved one.

Copyright © 2013 Inner Quest Healing – All Rights Reserved.
http://carolynwaterstradt.com/seven-unhealthy-congregational-responses-toward-victims-of-clergy-sexual-assault-or-abuse/

Immobilize and Mineralize - The Soil Food Web of the Creator

This photo of fungus decomposing grass illustrates how nutrients are liberated and moved.

"Fungi are the primary decay agents in the soil food web. The enzymes they release allow fungi to penetrate not only the lignin and cellulose in plants (dead or alive) but also the hard, chitin
shells of insects, the bones of animals, and— as many gardeners have learned— even the protein of strong toenails and fingernails. Bacteria can hold their own, but they require simpler-to-digest foods, often the by-products of fungal decay, and often only after such food has been broken or opened up by fungi and others. Compared to fungi, bacteria are in the Minor Leagues of decaying ability." 
Lewis, Wayne; Lewis, Wayne; Lowenfels, Jeff; Lowenfels, Jeff (2010-09-10). Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web, Revised Edition (Kindle Locations 888-891). Timber Press. Kindle Edition.

I now have Teaming with Microbes on Kindle. Previously I bought the print edition and just found out I could get the Kindle version for $3. Amazon never forgets. Now I have both Kindle versions on my computer with the big screen. Teaming with Nutrients is second book in the series. I never caught on to the little Kindle book reader, so this method is ideal for reading and writing, since I can mark and copy book quotations and use them for blogging. One student already warned me against buying too many Kindle books. 

My goal in this endless string of gardening posts is to show how easy this hobby can be with the application of Creation principles. The closer we look at the microscopic world, the more we understand the complex dependencies that could not exist without design. 

Immobilize
Two ideas are easy to grasp but complicated in their execution. The first involves immobilizing plant nutrients. The chemical gardener puts amendments on the soil, assuming that the NPK will pass through but leave some beneficial results. Liebig, in Germany--who discovered the use of inorganic nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium--found this inorganic method did not work very well on his own garden and later argued for manure.

The Creation gardener adds organic matter and accomplishes an important step in keeping nutrition where plants can use it. The application of mulch, newsprint, compost, manure, and plant remains will build up the bacteria, fungi, and soil creatures. The ocean of life in the soil captures the basic elements and keeps them around by eating and being eaten.

If the total soil population doubles, then the available NPK also goes up, along with the other basic elements in soil chemistry.

Mineralize
Feeding the plant roots involves breaking the elements down so the roots can swap carbon for those minerals. The decomposers (fungi, bacteria, protozoa) break the chemical bonds and free the elements for soil use. 

Earthworms are shredders that help pull apart leaves and grass for the decomposers to attack at another level. Waste matter is the byproduct that becomes plant-food while the creatures serve as food for others, which also generate useful waste - especially nitrogen compounds.

Complex Dependencies
I often see Internet posts mocking Creation. I wonder how these people account for protozoa and bacteria balancing their populations, pathogens being destroyed in the soil by mold and bacteria (penicillin and streptomycin), lengthy fungus hyphae attacking soil surface litter to feed the roots below.

Mutualists – the mycorrhizal fungi – colonize plant roots. In exchange for carbon from the plant, mycorrhizal fungi help solubolize phosphorus and bring soil nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen, micronutrients, and perhaps water) to the plant.
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/soil/SoilBiology/fungi.htm

One can isolate three-way dependencies, but they are far more involved than that. Each individual component relies on all the others for life, and each component gives life to others. Ants farm  fungus, and they drag dead earthworms away to be eaten and recycled. Earthworms graze on bacteria, moving them and concentrating them while multiplying the values of the soil they circulate through their bodies. Darwin suggested that all soil has passed through the bodies of earthworms at one time - a singular accomplishment by itself.

Poisonous fly agaric fungus

No one should be surprised that false teachers specialize in isolating one part of God's Word to make a case for their peculiar dogma. They refuse to see the whole and angrily impose their partial view on everyone, ignoring the vast number of contradictions that defeat their notions.

Many are allergic to reading Luther because he always treated the Bible as a unit. When people denied infant faith because they lacked the reasoning powers of adults, he countered, "You have reason but you still have no faith."

Bugs Never Bugged Me, Because I Was Raised Right

Ladybugs are named after the Virgin Mary.
They are voracious pest eaters in all stages of life,
but vulnerable to sprays and "safe" oils.

I was trying to figure out how long it would take to catch up with my mother's knowledge of insects and wildflowers. She published articles on butterflies and moths, with expert photos included. When I read a gardening book about beneficial insects, I recalled her constant advice - "Leave the bugs alone. The beneficial insects will take care of the bad ones." We would be outdoors and she would find an interesting one, hold it in her hand, and demonstrate how safe it was.

One of the biggest mistakes in gardening is to resort to insecticides and oils to take care of a pest. That will work temporarily, but those measures are even more effective against beneficial insects and spiders. Almost all bugs are beneficial, so a bugspray will wipe out the whole population in one area and allow the worst pests to come back before the beneficial insects recover.

An edible oil is not toxic by itself, but when used to get rid of pests, the oil will also suffocate the eggs of good insects, like the ladybug.

People seem content to view weeds, bugs, and certain birds as bad, but God created them all for specific purposes. Our helper continues to worry about the crabgrass in the sunny garden, where tomatoes are forming and ripening. I see the tangle of crabgrass and vines as green manure. They will provide the carbohydrates for the soil creatures below, where the richness of their chemistry will be locked into the top layer of soil for next year's garden. If a tomato is damaged and not good to bring indoors, I smash it into the soil so it the seeds will volunteer new plants next year.

I also want trashy areas for bugs and birds. The lawn is in great shape, simply from the mulching mower, but a grassy area limits life above ground. There is nothing like a wild patch for spiders and birds to find their food. Across the street is a maple filled with one type of bird each night. I am not sure which species, but they want to eat in the morning and evening. I want our yard to be a spa for birds, so they stop by to bathe, to drink, and to feed on pests.

The invention of labor in gardening continues to fascinate me. Every time I mention roses, someone responds "Work! All the work! The spraying, the pruning..." The gardening books are no help. They outline big projects that make me tired when I read about them. Why build condos for compost when a little chicken wire works?

Asparagus is a good example. As farm boys know, it is often found along fences, where birds rested and deposited the seed - with fertilizer.

Now read a gardening book. Dig a big trench and fill it with compost hauled from the three-stage compost condominium complex that you built with your carpenter friend. Put the mature plants in deep. Cover with soil, then wait, and cover with more soil or compost. And again. And again. But I ask, "The birds just sit on a fence. Why?"

The key to asparagus is time and rich soil. I have chosen an area where I will plant asparagus in mushroom compost and cover with organic material, including newspaper, mulch, and compost. Earthworms will distribute the organic matter and fungi will feed the roots. The overhead soaker hose will keep them watered. The thick spears will be harvested and the rest will fern out to feed the enormous roots. I will buy praying mantis eggs cases to populate the area with the nemesis of the asparagus beetle.

Alcoholism in WELS

The atmosphere is familiar but not exactly inviting.

The latest post in The Shattered Pulpit blog concerns the pastor, his wife, and the blogger all drinking in excess together.

The post explains why WELS is so accommodating for pastors like Ski and Glende, who sacrificially began a bar ministry, calling it a coffee house ministry, and got themselves into a pile of trouble - even by WELS standards.

Alcoholism is an addiction carefully nurtured by alcoholic WELS leaders, beginning in college. Although one argument for closing NWC was the student alcoholism there, Martin Luther College is no different. The best way to become student body president and GA pope is becoming a falling down drunk before graduation and after.

Alcoholic addiction is legal and well supported by a giant legal apparatus in Wisconsin. No other state is more tolerant of drunk drivers. No other synod is so understanding - with DPs and seminary professors and missionaries running to the bar association after getting loaded and wrecked by another type of bar.

Alcoholism is a physical addiction. Drunks get withdrawal symptoms when they go without liquor, and withdrawal is considered a medical emergency.

Alcoholism develops slowly, over the years. The person who can drink the most without showing it will be a good candidate for total addiction in 20 years. When the habits are developed and encouraged in college, the ministry is bound to continue the pattern - since clergy socials are often lubricated with liquor.

Non-drinking denominations are likely to have plenty of alcoholics, but the ones openly welcoming the cash bar at all events are going to be the best places for a drunk to hide. "George had a little bit too much to drink last night." I witnessed one LCA pastor offer to pay for everyone's drinks if his new pals stayed at the bar with him. They didn't. In another case, a younger woman offered to stay with the older drunk pastor and drive him back to the hotel. Everyone was leaving, but those were staying for another round. That reminded me of Roman Catholic events - like the conferences that began with a cash bar.

An Episcopalian priest told our group that the first thing on the grocery store list each week was liquor, both for him and his wife. Their children suffered terribly until both of them sobered up. He became an effective counselor because he had been there.

The WELS leaders are willfully blind because it is not cool for them to frown on their fellow drunks. "Let him who is without DTs cast the first detox center assignment." When one DP was arrested for a DUI, the synod transferred him to another place. Many know but officially know nothing and see nothing. It is best not to even think about it, as one WELS minder said in the discussion group.

Nick Brander Having been through a negative situation with a previous pastor of the WELS, I don't believe it is our job to have thoughts on this at all. I believe this should have stayed within the affected people, the church leadership and the district leadership. Let me stress that we do not know the full story and we cannot know the full story. For us to form any thoughts would be counter-intuitive and serve no beneficial purpose.

Many tragedies have already happened because of alcoholism, but the attitude remains. DP Buchholz knew about all of Ski's problems long before everything erupted in the Fox Valley WELS circuit and the Anything Goes District. Buchholz laughed about it. That reminded me of another official, Paul Kuske, laughing in the same way about Floyd Stolzenburg.

How long will everyone remain in the Great Cloaca of WELS, simply because it is home to them?