By: Juanmcw@delphi.com
To: Theistwatch-l

THEISTWATCH APRIL 10, 1995

NOTE: This message was originally in conference "Internet E-Mail"
      and was copied here by Robin Murray-o'hair.

From: JUANMCW@delphi.com
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 1995 08:27:43 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: TheistWatch April 10, 1995
To: theistwatch-l@atheist.org

All Members:

The following is a paraphrased article that appeared in the Oregonian,
9 April, 1995.

"Sex ring preys on children, Wenatchee  [Washington] prosecutors say."

Some 50 adults, called "the circle" have allegedly sexually assaulted
as many as 48 children.  Reports claim that a minister and his wife
are the most recent of 13 adults charged with sex abuse of children.
Affidavits filed say that Friday nights at the minister's Pentecostal
Church of God, after singing and listening to the Scriptures, the adults
would order the children to undress and then have sex with them.

Thus far, 5 have pleaded guilty, two others have been convicted.

One woman testified that her husband had sex with two of their sons
and two of their daughters.  Some children involved were as young
as age 4.  The investigation is broadening, authorities think that they
may only have reached the tip of the iceberg.  There are more
adults under scrutiny.  A 10 year old year girl has claimed that several
foster parents sexually  abused her.

Sexual abuse of children is rare, the article states, most often
committed by men rather than women, also incest is rare, but rarer
still are cases in which parents swap children and engage in sexual
abuse.  [End of Article}


Obviously if the evidence proves that the minister and his wife are
involved, that doesn't necessarily imply that all churches are that
depraved, but what struck me was the number of women involved.
Women have been considered, and still are considered,  the nurturers of
society; when their morals and integrity rupture there is not much left.
When they as a group force their offspring to be sexually involved and
participate themselves in nefarious acts of sexual abuse of children,
there is something radically out of sync.

Men, in general, have broken down morally a long time ago, indeed
if we ever have been unbroken.  But to see the amount of women
engaging in that type of sordid activity is quite alarming.

I think, although I do realize the incident is isolated, that this is another
indication of the total break-down of society and civilization as we know
it.

I don't know how many of our members listen to commercial radio, but
I rarely do, and when I do listen, I am struck by the loud, insulting
commercials, becoming lately, more and more frequent and almost
demanding one to buy their products.  And I often wonder how people
can take a steady diet of this kind of blatant commercialism and not get
pissed off?  And, I wonder how people can be totally immune to it?

I also wonder if as a society we are becoming resistant as to what is right
and what is wrong?  Perhaps we are becoming a nation of sybarites, only
concerned with our own pleasures, regardless of whom it may effect.