It is with almost unspeakable grief that I read the report of how you, like SO many other church leaders, have covered up the abuse of women and children and made excuses for the abusers.
The destructive power of intimidating those who try to tell of what happened to them and how their lives are impacted appears to be beyond your comprehension.
Let me try to help you out on this…
Years ago, I wrote a collection of poems sharing what child abuse looks like from the child’s perspective. While the circumstances/details of each person’s abuse are different, these glimpses into abuse through a child’s eyes have helped some people see a little bit more. The view gets SO clouded and SO dark when it is clergy who abused you. I know, because the youth group leader in my church was a serial molester. He started with his owns sisters as a young man and graduated to the “sheep” he was supposed to “shepherd.” Here is a sample of the poems:
Child of Mind
Look, you child rapist, what did you mean
When you made that saintly sick little scene?
In your nice blue suit, oh SO “righteously”
You sang in “tribute” of your mom’s memory.
The church was full of people you knew,
But oh, you fraud! if they only knew you!!
Instead of your smiling religious face
They’d watch you roast and twist In Hot disgrace.
Perhaps your victims would cut off your….
And nail them up to a handy wall….
We’d get revenge for what you’ve done
In the “name of God” – (May His Kingdom come!).
We’d shout your secrets nice and loud –
Tell what you did and broadcast how
In the name of “love” and a “Shepherd’s concern”
You screwed your sheep, each one by turn.
And those who needed God’s love could find
A pastoral pervert to mess up their minds.
You hypocrite!! I wish you knew
Just what it was you put us through!
We paid a price for believing your lies.
Most of us still live and hope you die
Slowly!
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For more poems “From the Child”. please see fromthechild.wordpress.com
Jewels in the Ashes 