There's a weird story coming out of AZ. First a prominent LDS woman molested some kid, then later her daughter molested the same kid. The church is taking some heat for it.
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Last edited by The Fourth Nephite; 05-20-2011, 10:31 PM."I'm going to go back to CUF now, where the censorship is less, the average IQ is higher, and we don't have to deal with so much of this nonsense. Goodbye." - SoonerCoug -
Originally posted by The Fourth Nephite View PostThere's a weird story coming out of AZ. First a prominent LDS woman molested some kid, then later her daughter molested the same kid. The church is taking some heat for it.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/loc...cc4c002e0.html
The laws concerning child abuse and clergy seem a little strange in Arizona...
The Mormon church has said from the beginning the bishops acted properly.
"Arizona law is clear that no priest can disclose any confession even when it concerns child abuse," Kim Farrah, church spokeswoman, said in a statement. "Nevertheless, Church leaders worked effectively within the law, and with those involved, to facilitate prompt reporting to the police while protecting the victim."
Clergy are required to report abuse under state law, but they have more discretion than other mandatory reporters such as teachers or doctors, according to the statute.
The Arizona statute on reporting crimes says clergy "may withhold" information, even child abuse, learned during a confession.But apparently only New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, and West Virginia disallow the use of the clergy-penitent privilege as grounds for failing to report suspected child abuse or neglect.Laws requiring the reporting of sex abuse are clear in professions like teachers and doctors but less certain for clergy, McDonald said. In Arizona communications and confessions to clergy by perpetrators of crimes are exempt from reporting requirements but personal observations by clergy are not."If there is one thing I am, it's always right." -Ted Nugent.
"I honestly believe saying someone is a smart lawyer is damning with faint praise. The smartest people become engineers and scientists." -SU.
"Yet I still see wisdom in that which Uncle Ted posts." -creek.
GIVE 'EM HELL, BRIGHAM! -
This story has been going on for some time. Literally, you couldn't make that shit up. The husband/father immediately filed for divorce, but some tapes of his conversations with his wife in jail paint a picture that doesn't exactly scream "ESTRANGED!"Jesus wants me for a sunbeam.
"Cog dis is a bitch." -James PattersonComment
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This is just awfulComment
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There's a big difference between not being required to disclose and not being allowed to disclose. I am not familiar with Arizona law, but a quick search yielded Arizona's Criminal Code Section 13-3620. It says a clergy member may withhold reporting of the abuse if the clergy member determines it is reasonable and necessary within the concepts of the religion (emphasis added).
If this is indeed the statute, then the church spokeswoman's comments disturb me."What are you prepared to do?" - Jimmy Malone
"What choice?" - Abe PetrovskyComment
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In addition to the church taking too long, the boy's parents are the ones who finally contacted authorities after the Church didn't take action for two weeks. Why the hell didn't the parents call the cops as soon as Mrs. Brock confessed?
There was a situation iin a ward I used to be in where priesthood leaders slow-rolled taking action on some questionable contact between a primary teacher and student. I told them I'd tell the parents and authorities if they didn't. I don't understand the hesitation at all (by church or parents).
I was threatened with a church disciplinary council, but luckily it turned out about as well as possible (even though the guy still gives me the creeps).Jesus wants me for a sunbeam.
"Cog dis is a bitch." -James PattersonComment
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