“Youth For Christ” Shut Down After Director Has Sex With 13 Year Old
I think my job is getting too easy. I don’t even have to make arguments anymore. Just take a look at the news, I see these types of articles once a week.
Youth For Christ shuttered
SARASOTA COUNTY — Youth For Christ officials said Saturday the center for teenagers will be closed until further notice following accusations that the director had a sexual relationship with a girl beginning when she was 13 years old.
Martin Moore, 42, handed in his letter of resignation Thursday and was arrested later that day on sexual battery charges. He remained in the Sarasota County jail Saturday on $251,000 bond.
The local chapter of the Christian teen center, located at 2800 Ashton Road, closed Friday and officials said they are unsure when it will reopen.
“The number one concern is the kids and all of the emotions,” said Don Gingerich, chairman of the Youth For Christ board. “We have been in touch with parents and churches that we work with to make sure they have what they need.”
Gingerich declined to comment further on the accusations against Moore.
Moore was arrested after the girl, who is now 17, told a teacher that she had a sexual relationship with him since she was 13.
Sep 24, 2007 @ 11:44:19
I don’t know if this man should be arrested, it’s been going on for four yrs. The girl was old enough to say something, even at 13 yrs. To stop one person does not stop the problem and a million others are doing the same thing. We also watch these problems in the movies and on television, whats the difference. If you ignore it, it may go away. Are these really crimes or do we think they are crimes. Maybe our thinking needs readjusting. Not the so called problem.
Nov 09, 2010 @ 17:33:23
I dislike you on a level you will never understand if you think that way.
Sep 24, 2007 @ 19:44:37
Ya never know. She might just be digging for gold, ya know?
Sep 25, 2007 @ 07:39:19
Seriously funny sarcasm there, Doris & Shane. At least, I hope they were meant as a sarcastic jokes because to think there’s someone out there that would say that in all seriousness is scarier than the christians.
Sep 25, 2007 @ 14:59:47
Posted on TBO.com 9/25/07 for your information
This is a tragic and grievous incident…tragic and grievous for the victim, the perpetrator, their parents, families, friends and the entire community. Although youth workers are required to have background checks and despite the best supervisory efforts of churches, ministries, public schools, YMCA’s, Boy’s and Girl Scout troops, athletic teams, teen clubs, etc. to prevent such behavior, we still live in a world where people of all beliefs (Christian or otherwise) make wrong decisions and their decisions have a harmful impact on others. I am pleased to read the blogs that express outrage at sexual abuse. It reveals that you agree that there is such a thing as truth…right and wrong. It also reveals that you agree that our individual choices and behavior have an impact on others, for good or bad. It also reveals that you agree that the government and others in authority should administer justice…that wrong decisions should have negative consequences (punishment) and that restitution (paying for damages) and reconciliation (forgiveness and restoring the broken trust/relationship) should be fostered. Truth, consideration for others, justice, restitution and reconciliation are Judeo-Christain beliefs (biblical concepts). Biblical standards oppose sexual abuse of all types…extra marital sex (adultery), premarital sex (fornication), polygemy, homosexual sex, sadism, etc. Bloggers…have you ever violated any of these standards. If you have not, then you may cast the first stone. (Reference John 8: 3-11) If you have, then remove the log from your own eye before you remove the spec from someone else’s (Reference Matthew 7:1-5). We need to administer justice…there must be consequences, but we must also foster and facilitate healing and forgiveness. To harbor anger, bitterness, resentment and revenge is to drink poison and expect someone else to die…it doesn’t help. I welcome you to ask Jesus to forgive your sin so that you may forgive others.
Sep 25, 2007 @ 19:18:17
The bible most certainly did not invent morality.
Sep 28, 2007 @ 09:01:39
Truth, consideration for others, justice, restitution and reconciliation are Judeo-Christain beliefs (biblical concepts).
Um, no they’re not. First, we can’t exclude the scientific evidence for the evolutionary basis for morality. I realize religious folk like to think they have a universal monopoly on morality, but your own comment proves that to not be the case. We are atheist, and yet we still possess morality. We refuse to accept the bible as a source of morality considering how little is actually shown within. However, let’s make the argument we can exclude the facts and focus on the hocus pocus. Mankind has existed for almost a million years, and the bible for only a couple of thousand. Where did the morality come from before the bible? Since the bible’s been plagerized from dozens (if not hundreds) of other religions, your argument falls apart again. People are born with their own moral compass. Some people, way back when, decided that THEIR moral compass was the only right one, so they sat down and wrote their manifestos, called it religion and started setting fire to anyone who disagreed. Eventually people learned “pretend listen to the crazy fuck or he’ll set you on fire” and we’re stuck with their insanity millenia later. Fire is a great motivator.
Biblical standards oppose sexual abuse of all types…extra marital sex (adultery), premarital sex (fornication), polygemy, homosexual sex, sadism, etc.
I find it interesting that you specifically avoided saying “rape”, since it’s a common directive in the bible from god to rape your enemy’s women. For example, Numbers 31:7-18 where god instructs his followers “Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves.” Or, Deuteronomy 20:10-14 where he again instructs “But you may keep for yourselves all the women, children, livestock, and other plunder.” Women are plunder. Good to know. Oops, nope, sorry, god contradicts himself just a little while later in Deuteronomy 22:28-29 where he explains the penalty for rape “If a man is caught in the act of raping a young woman who is not engaged, he must pay fifty pieces of silver to her father. Then he must marry the young woman because he violated her, and he will never be allowed to divorce her.” That oughta teach that young hussy for asking for it. The only question I have then is, how does this relate to selling your daughters as slaves? Like the proclimation of Exodus 21:7-11 says “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are. If she does not please the man who bought her, he may allow her to be bought back again.”, so can the father of a sold rape victim buy her back if she doesn’t please the rapist during her forced marriage to him?
But, to address the “morality” issues you specifically mentioned:
Adultery: you’re right, the bible does actually seem to have an issue with it. Here’s the problem…Deuteronomy 22:22 “If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die.” Leviticus 20:10 “If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife–with the wife of his neighbor–both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.” Proverbs 6:32 “But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.” Okay, death sentence for adulterers. What’s the Jesus got to say on this topic? Matthew 19:9 “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” Mark 10:11 “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.” Mark 10:12 “And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” I’m guessing in all of these instances, all of these folks should be put to death. After all, despite what some apologists might say, Jesus himself said he wasn’t there to abolish the old ways. He makes it pretty clear in Matthew 5:17: “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but rather to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until Heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of the pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until all things are accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever keeps the commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. â€My question, then, is: with the divorce rate in the US being over 50% (almost all of them christian marriages, BTW), we should have a lot fuller graveyards, don’t you think? If the bible is the ultimate source of morality, we should be following the laws proscribed within and putting all of these filthy adulterers to death. BTW, I’m one. I’m married to a woman who used to be married, and I was married once myself. Come get some!
Premarital sex: “fornication” in the bible which is often mistranslated as “premarital sex”, but actually refers to things like prostitution. However, let’s assume you’re right and go with that. Then, can you explain to me how Lot could have sex with both of his daughters and then Peter refer to him as a righteous man in II Peter 2:8? And, what about John 8:1-11? I know you’re familiar with it since you quoted it yourself. It’s the most famous verse where the Jesus saves the harlot to be stoned to death for her fornication? He forgave her, he can’t do that! He’s supposed to put her to death! How can he violate god’s law like that? There’s even been a couple of movies about it where he marries the little hussy! Isn’t he committing adultery? Is that why HE was put to death?
Polygamy: Are you serious? How many wives did Moses or Abraham (who conceived that sacrificial son with a prostitute) or King Solomon have? Solomon was said to have 700 wives! I can’t even begin to list the references to polygamy in the bible by all of the “just and holy” men!
Homosexual sex: I’m not even going to touch this one except to ask: if god didn’t want people to have homosexual sex, why did he make homosexuals? Despite your sad, uneducated beliefs, people are BORN homosexual. It’s not a choice. So, did god purposefully create them that way so he could then send them to hell? Pretty sadistic if you ask me. But, then again, you’d have to work really hard to convince me that your “loving god” isn’t a sadistic prick. Speaking of which…
Sadism: prove it. Prove your god is against sadism. For every entry in your book you pull out to prove how “loving” he is, I will give you a hundred proving he’s a sadistic prick. No wonder Hitler loved him so much and the KKK continues to do so.
Bloggers…have you ever violated any of these standards. If you have not, then you may cast the first stone. (Reference John 8: 3-11) If you have, then remove the log from your own eye before you remove the spec from someone else’s (Reference Matthew 7:1-5).
How ’bout you? Have you left a pure and moral life? Have you followed every one of god’s laws? Have you done according to his wishes in all matters? Has your every action or thought been done in accordance with his wishes? Then you’ve put to death how many adulterers? How ’bout those who worked on the Sabbath? How many homosexuals? How much are you planning to sell your daugter for? Are you going to force her to marry the guy if she’s raped? Yeah, I didn’t think so. You christians are too weak and cowardly to follow your own standards, which is why you feel the need to foist them on everyone else. Go back into your hole.
Oct 08, 2007 @ 21:09:10
What’s up with these religious leaders? Always molesting or beating somebody. (Or burning victims at the stake in the Dark Ages).
Reverend Fred Phelps, who thinks he’s got one foot in Heaven, was by all counts a bully and wife-beater. Said Fred “A good left hook makes for a right fine wife.” And from his bully pulpit, Phelps instructed men to force obedience from wives, with fists if necessary.
Tell me – anyone know why this BASTARD has never done jail time? Or had the pants sued off him by family members he beat? Or neighbors he terrorized?
When will people stop living in fear of Phelps and make this guy take some punishment before he croaks? Time is running out.
Nov 19, 2007 @ 04:33:45
Actually, I wasn’t being sarcastic at all. I never discount any probability, no matter how slim it is. Also, do you remember the big pedopriest thing a while ago? First it was one or two cases, then dozens, and got really big, really fast…don’t you think it’s possible that some of them were gold diggers?
Then again, I’m probably the biggest cynic in these parts.*S*
Nov 26, 2007 @ 03:28:45
Bruce, “truth” is not a Judeo-Christian exclusive. Truth comes from many things and is personal as one’s own thoughts and beliefs.
Sep 11, 2008 @ 07:17:23
What do we know…? I am quite shocked that you can judge someone, not knowing anything. We don’t know anything about their relationship,or how it all started. It says she snook out to meet him, guess she found it quite exciting as well to have an older boyfriend. Cause that’s what I’d call him, her boyfriend. They were together more or less for 4 years, guess she wouldn’t be in it for so long if it was against her will… I think you guys are quite harsh when judging like you do, ok, he should get some punsihment, but 15 years??? Way to long in my opinion, for a thing the other part could end whenever she wanted it to.I’d say he is a victim as well in one way… And one more thing – does love count ages? What if she was very mature for her age? Or what if he is young in his mind?
Nov 09, 2010 @ 17:42:17
I’m TOTALLY sure that the priest was DEFINITELY in the relationship because he LOVED her, right? Why else would he be with her for four years? Hmmmmm… That’s a toughy… -.-
Sep 12, 2008 @ 07:38:28
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statutory_rape