* * * * *
So apparently Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM) thinks they get to hide behind First Amendment. NBCNews.com has a new article that just came out. Come on, SGM – it’s time to act like Christians and deal with this appropriately. If you failed to take responsibility of crimes that were committed in your church, quit hiding and act appropriately and responsibly. Knock this nonsense off! Who is going to pay for this legal maneuvering – tithes from church members? SGM members, do you know how to vote? With your feet. Start walking!
* * * * *
Church Seeks Dismissal of Sex Abuse Lawsuit
A small evangelical church group has invoked the First Amendment in asking a Maryland judge to dismiss a lawsuit accusing church leaders of covering up allegations of sexual abuse.
Sovereign Grace Ministries says in a motion to dismiss the lawsuit that Maryland courts can’t get involved in the internal affairs of church business.
The church group’s lawyers also say the case should be thrown out because its allegations are so vague. For instance, they say the lawsuit leaves unclear how old the plaintiffs were at the time they say suffered abuse.
* * * * *
Spiritual Sounding Board 
Are you kidding me???
LikeLike
I know, Ang – a slap in the face to all of those victims and their, yet again. We do not see humility, acceptance of responsibility, remorse, nothing, but defense.
LikeLike
How disappointing again. So they think they are above the law? So basically they are admitting to these allegations or they wouldn’t be trying to find a way out.
LikeLike
What age are you suppose to be for abuse to be acceptable??
For instance, they say the lawsuit leaves unclear how old the plaintiffs were at the time they say suffered abuse.
LikeLike
I guess it’s standard procedure to try to have it dismissed, but I’m still completely disgusted. If you had told me years ago that it would come to this, I never would’ve believed you. They’re flying their true colors now. Hard to imagine that I used to respect those guys.
LikeLike
Shameful.
LikeLike
SGM doesn’t look much different than the Catholic Church from this angle.
LikeLike
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord.”
I am probably taking this out of context… but a gal can dream that what is kept hidden will one day be shouted from the rooftops. That alone would make me shake in my boots if I was a shepherd who didn’t attend to my flock…
What is wrong with these men? Shameful for sure.
LikeLike
Certainly this is another level of disgusting, that they should invoke this as an excuse. However, God may be working all this together for good.
This case may end up setting a precedent that defines the roles of church and state better than they have been defined so far. If it sets a principle that the church is not above the law and victims of corrupt church leaders can indeed get the state to punish the corrupt clergy, then that will be wonderful.
All the other corrupt and compromised clergy and denominational structures will then be even more scared than they are already. They may not look like they are scared at the moment, but I think they are probably quaking in their boots knowing what might come out.
LikeLike
OMG I nearly had a heart attack skimming this headline. Oh the difference one letter makes. I initially read it as SEEMS to have lawsuit dismissed. Whew!
I am sad and embarrassed for the leaders of the organization I used to be a part of. For a group of men who insist on members not only attending small groups (no joke, it really was mandatory) but also on them being transparent and confessing sin, they appear more hypocritical than ever now suddenly wanting to hide behind their rights to remain quiet.
LikeLike
Ok, I have more to say 😉 One of the things that really got to me after awhile being so deeply indoctrinated in SG and in the fundamentalist evangelical culture was the constant rhetoric about politics. I grew up in a liberal household and became a Christian as an adult, so even though obviously some of my political views changed once Jesus was in my life, something always sat wrong in me when people would equate being a Christian with having to vote a certain way, and when people were vocal about conservative social issues and yet didn’t put money or time toward addressing the root of those issues. It seems on certain issues, Christians have no problem using a megaphone in the public arena.
Yet when they are called to task on their own sin, they suddenly want to say church and state should be very separate.
Cue Alanis Morisette…
LikeLike
Hey all: my friend, Pastor Ken Garrett did an excellent article on this situation here: http://goo.gl/8EEkX Please be sure to check it out!
LikeLike
I’m new to the SGM issues, but from what I’ve been able to gather at this point, I’m so sorry for all you’ve had to go through! Like someone said, “Whenever an organization gets confronted about sex abuse in their midst, they squeal like a stuck pig!” i.e. Catholics, IFB’s, SGM’s, CC’s, ABWE, New Tribes Mission, etc… I have yet to understand how the leadership of so many seemingly reputable groups can be so compromised that they protect the brand over the abused? May God help us all!
LikeLike
Excellent observation, Grateful! Yes, we can all hear those squealing pigs, can’t we?! BTW Do you have a source for that quote?
Yes, and your question about ‘reputable groups’–is certainly a worthy one!
LikeLike
LOL! Ok, folks will start avoiding “church affairs” all together! People don’t go where there is no recourse for stuff that happens.
LikeLike
Hi Julie Anne,
You may want to check out Rachel Held Evan’s post on this subject…
http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/sovereign-grace-ministries-abuse-allegations
LikeLike