Twice Raped: The Church, Sex, The Minor and Abstinence (Sex de fi minor)

As the battle wages in Afghanistan and other sections of the world, so does the battle of sexual control rage on in our churches and more directly in the lives of professed Christians.

The evidence of this ever so often comes to light when news breaks of children who were entrusted to the care of 'trusted' religious figures are sexually molested by these trusted figures. The frequency with which sexual offenses are committed against children by proclaimed devote Christians is no doubt cause for concern within our society.

The church by nature adopts a code of silence where certain behaviour of members of their congregations is concerned. It might even be likely that it can be proved that there has been and continues to be an unbiased support for the less than desirable sexual behaviour committed by the male populace of the church.

Let me establish here that the church referred to in this article is not limited to any one denomination. There are many denominations whose behaviour towards certain sins is a mirror of the behaviour discussed in this article. Throughout Christendom, in spite of the era, women always seem to gain less protection from the church for their 'undesirable' sexual behaviour. These include adultery and fornication.

Could it be that this practice over the years have given fuel to the molestation of a minor by men who proclaim to be of the cloth? If there is protection in the arms of the church and forgiveness waiting to be extolled upon he who slips, then what is the deterrent? Is it the threat of hell fire? That threat does not seem to have stemmed the tide of hurt that sweeps over our children. This is a tide which springs to life at the heart of the church and is vibrantly, yet in a manner of denial, carried to shore by the code of silence exercised by the church. Denial, which manifest itself as heads are turned in another direction while the Christian body await the ebbing of the tide of scandal and shame. Many such tides have over the years arisen and gained momentum with such ferocity it seemed it would finally break the church, only to make its way to shore and die a slow and natural death.

The preaching of abstinence by the church can be seen as a questionable, not wrong but questionable. So many children placed in its care are denied the chance of abstaining as they are sexually abused by religious authorities, a parent or an adult known to them. The church proposes that it will deal with the matter internally but somehow it ends with the abused being told to forgive and keep quiet about the matter as it is God's will that His church not be tarnished. The perpetrator might be reprimanded in some way but the main focus seems to be on restoring that person to faith. This special attention usually entails a bit of spiritual pampering through seemingly incessant prayer and/or confession sessions. The arms of the church is opened wide to receive such a fallen brother while the violated child feels even more guilty and violated. Twice raped.

It is good to see more and more churches owning up to the error of the practice of maintaining a code of silence on certain matters. The innocent ought to be protected and the guilty brought to book. The church ought not to agree with the punishment of a non-Christian for a crime similar to that committed by one of their own, yet they shield their own from receiving the same punishment. Justice is justice.