Apparently sex abuse is still happening in Laestadian circles in the United States as well, as attested to in this article regarding a case that hit the news last July involving a volunteer at the Old Apostolic Lutheran Church on Rowland Road in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
Minnetonka church volunteer gets a year in jail for having sex with teen
As the parents grew increasingly suspicious, they contacted authorities. Foley told a sheriff's deputy that he was acting as a "counselor" to the girl and other members of the church, Old Apostolic Lutheran Church on Rowland Road.
5 comments:
I didn't know there is an OALC in Minnetonka. The surname Foley is familiar to me. Can someone enlighten me? Thanks. SISU
Sometimes I think we've only hit the tip of the iceberg with these cases.
I applaud the parents of this 14-year old girl who obviously were brave enough to stand up for their young daughter. If that's what occured. I don't know the extenuating circumstances, but I do hope this is the case.
My grandmother was 14 years old when she started dating my grandfather, who was 23 years old. That was a different time. She did say that they were not allowed really to be alone together and most of their courtship involved visiting her home after services. Today, in nearly all Laestadian communities, I do think most such relationships would be discouraged if seen the light of day. That was then, and this is now.
This summer I attended Finn Grand Fest in Canada. I went with a non-Laestadian friend and we met two rather chatty and conservative-looking women in the hotel hottub from Arizona. I don't know how the conversation took this turn, perhaps because of the increased border security in Canada that many experienced, but she started telling me a story about a man from her church who could no longer go home to Michigan for fear of arrest. Despite that all his family were living there. It had been 20 years since he was able to go home. I inquired why. Her tones got hushed. There was an "awful, crazy young girl" who made "awful accusations against him" and because of that, he had to Arizona (where consequently, there are Laestadians from at least three different branches.) Apparently the girl is now on drugs, drinking, etc. so she completely could not have been telling the truth.
Later, when these nice church ladies left, I shook my head, and noted to my friend--these ladies had to have been Laestadian. I knew entirely through the context of the story. It seems so repeated in nearly all if not all the branches in the movement.
A distant cousin of mine has been mentally troubled for many years. At about 30 years of age, she revealed that her favorite uncle had molested her. The same uncle's wife had divorced her later, and everyone had said she was simply crazy. The truth came out later--he had begun molesting her their only daughter, their youngest girl. Unfortunately, it was probably caught too late, and this daughter has had many drug issues resulting in the loss of her minor chidren. I remember telling my mother about this story, and she was very upset. "How can anyone accuse "Bobby" of such a thing--this niece and daughter were crazy--look at their lives! But if you read any of the latest research, sexual molestation is devastating abuse to a young person. In many Laestadian churches, the male-dominated culture and attitudes make it difficult for females--especially young girls--to speak out their truths without being further victimized by the court of public opinion, in my opinion, made up of gossiping women.
--Stranger
The drinking and drug abuse are simply ways to try to self-medicate away the pain and shame inflicted by the abuser and then the community who failed to protect or believe. If they would bother to educate themselves it is scientifically documented! Such an expected and normal reaction to being molested and tormented.
Ijumped
I can tell you this, the abuser was most certainly not a counselor no was he a volunteer but rather someone who wished to tarnish the church. I say this with the knowledge of knowing both parties very well.
So you see .. we are born into a very big powerful world inside a world that "noone" seems to ever heard of. Kinda scary on it's face. HMU ...I personally know the accused and yes he could sell shoelaces to barefoot people but hey I'll leave it alone. .. I actually am friends with his older brother EVEN though I was S. mol. (man-man) as a child by that brother.
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