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Church hires sex offender because God "forgave" him - he proceeds to rape teenage boy

RollWave35

RollWave35

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Church hires sex offender because God "forgave" him - he proceeds to rape teenage boy

Shocking turn of events.

Officials at a Kentucky church said this week that they knew their pastor was a registered violent sex offender when they hired him, and now he’s facing more charges for repeatedly raping a 14-year-old member of the congregation.

The Gallatin Police Department said in a statement this week that 46-year-old Pastor Roy Neal Yoakem had been arrested Monday on charges of aggravated statutory rape, sexual battery by an authority figure, statutory rape by an authority figure and fugitive from justice, The Tennessean reported.

Yoakem is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy once inside New Gospel Outreach Church in Scottsville, Kentucky, and once at his home in Gallatin, Tennessee.

The pastor had been required to register as a violent sex offender after being found guilty in 2005 of abusing an 8-year-old boy in Kentucky.
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New Gospel Outreach Church Interim Pastor Stephen Bratcher told WZTV that he was “shocked” to hear of the allegations, even though church leaders knew Yoakem was a registered sex offender when they hired him...

“We’re firm believers in the Bible so if God’s forgiven you, then we’re in no position to treat you otherwise,” Bratcher explained to WBKO last month.

Storment said that the Gallatin Police Department was investigating the possibility that more children were victimized.
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http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/...d-because-god-forgave-past-sex-crimes-police/
 
Not to mention his name sounds like that of a Kentucky rapist.

Forgiveness doesn't include putting someone in situations in which they would easily be tempted.
 
RollWave35 said:
“We’re firm believers in the Bible so if God’s forgiven you, then we’re in no position to treat you otherwise,” Bratcher explained to WBKO last month.
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Terrifying.
 
God told me he was high, had his fingers crossed, was scowling and couldn't believe the KY pastor believed him.
 
Whoever hired him - the board of trustees or whatever body that is - should be held responsible.
 
This is a clear cut case of negligent hiring. If the church has any assets they're about to belong to the kid's family.
 
PhDeac said:
Not to mention his name sounds like that of a Kentucky rapist.

Forgiveness doesn't include putting someone in situations in which they would easily be tempted.
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Yep.

There was a big vote at my childhood church a few years back. The pastor wanted to let a sex offender that he had met through a local jail ministry (developed a good friendship after 3-4 years of going once a week (offender claimed to have found Christ during this time)) attend the 10:30am worship service. He clarified that the offender would have to park off campus, be picked up by two deacons, be escorted in by the deacons and must sit with them on a private pew in the back of the church. They would then take him back off campus a few minutes before the service concluded.

Congregation voted it down pretty heavily. I thought it was pretty fair, but I don't have children.
 
Screamindemon3 said:
Yep.

There was a big vote at my childhood church a few years back. The pastor wanted to let a sex offender that he had met through a local jail ministry (developed a good friendship after 3-4 years of going once a week (offender claimed to have found Christ during this time)) attend the 10:30am worship service. He clarified that the offender would have to park off campus, be picked up by two deacons, be escorted in by the deacons and must sit with them on a private pew in the back of the church. They would then take him back off campus a few minutes before the service concluded.

Congregation voted it down pretty heavily. I thought it was pretty fair, but I don't have children.
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:rulz: IMO, that's absolutely terrible and contrary to the Gospel. If the Church can't let sinners (of which we all are) worship, then we've missed the point, especially given the clearly thought out precautions.
 
RevDeac06 said:
:rulz: IMO, that's absolutely terrible and contrary to the Gospel. If the Church can't let sinners (of which we all are) worship, then we've missed the point, especially given the clearly thought out precautions.
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yeah those precautions seem like a good compromise. Leaving him alone with some kids, notsomuch
 
Or a better question: when are sincerely held religious beliefs protected by the court and when aren't they? Is the overriding interest here the safety of children that will overcome these sincerely held beliefs?

Better litigate this to the Supreme Court so we can get some clarity.
 
There's no reason to not expect HL to be expanded before Hillary gets to change the SC from right to left.
 
Didn't the first legal judgment/settlement against the Catholic Church for victims of sexual crimes occur in KY?
 
RevDeac06 said:
:rulz: IMO, that's absolutely terrible and contrary to the Gospel. If the Church can't let sinners (of which we all are) worship, then we've missed the point, especially given the clearly thought out precautions.
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Agreed but at the same time, nobody volunteers at church to be the guy who guards the sex offenders.

You never know what sins people are struggling with when they step into your church. Make sure the sex offenders don't work children's church and the thieves don't count money.
 
PhDeac said:
Agreed but at the same time, nobody volunteers at church to be the guy who guards the sex offenders.

You never know what sins people are struggling with when they step into your church. Make sure the sex offenders don't work children's church and the thieves don't count money.
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Agreed, and I don't think forgiveness or not, that after such a charge that the person should be allowed to work with children. And a lot of churches (but typically not decentralized denominations or non-doms) have good programs to deal with this. For example, it is our policy that no adult ever be alone with a child. Same goes for counting money (always 2 unrelated people). There are some real basic safeguards that were ignored- and that's a shame.
 
It's a shame that church isn't one of the snake handler churches.
 
My pastor never meets with a woman without his wife. Not a church rule. He just knows he doesn't want to be tempted or even give any grounds for someone to believe there is impropriety.
 
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