Missionaries in our ward baptized a violent sex offender

Not sure, but it appears his victims were young kids. The ward has been extremely welcoming to him, which I applaud. However, I'm uncomfortable that he roams the halls without an escort, and the Primary teachers let the kids out before their parents come to pick them up, etc.



I'm starting to consider going to another ward. I'd hate to do that, but not as much as I'd hate myself for letting something happen to my kids.



Anyone have experience with this, or any advice?



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Yes talk to the Bishop, He is responsible for the children's safety. The state should have some requirements like an escort and the posting of signs. The ward Council should discuss it. Our High Priest group leader was our escort. I think the Bishop should inform the Stake President of what is happening.



What state are you in?

Wait, wait, wait wait wait.....



Wasn't it you that was bragging about how awesome your town in NJ was? You mean, this sort of stuff happens there too???



All joking aside, I'd keep a hawk's eye on my kids and If I was in the primary, no more letting kids go free in the halls. Parents pick up kids in the classroom after 3rd hour.



I hope for your ward and for this guy that he has in life in order now and has really turned the corner.

if it were me, and I had truly repented. I might wonder why the church is assigning me escorts. That would seem like a contradiction of forgiveness.



Then again, if I was in a good place and there was even a chance of something happening, I'd ask for escorts.



Still, I think you expect there to be some ramifications for your choices. And if that includes parents strictly watching over their kids around me, I'd be sad, furious even, but I'd have to understand.

It should be a state requirement. No contact with youth.

Thanks for the suggestions and advice.



The Stake was notified, and in the beginning he did have an escort and most were careful about watching the kids. Aa time has passed though, a lot of that has gone away probably because many have concluded that he has repented and changed.



That may be true (I hope it's true), but I'm just not willing to risk it. Also, I think statistically it's highly unlikely that he has changed.



Finally, our ward boundries are very large and include some sketchy areas. As a result, our town doesn't have any registered sex offenders but our ward does.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

I bet most towns in the country have registered sex offenders. Visiting the online registry is depressing and frightening.



And I'm guessing that what you said is true, people have become complacent with that. I think doing what you did (re-notifying the stake, et al) is proper. That's a risk, I don't think the church should take. He should have an escort.

I bet there are more sex offenders in or wards than what most realize. They are every where.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

It doesn't sound as if you've made any effort to get to know him, that's dissapointing. To you he's less than a person, just a sex offender. To his Heavenly Father he's much more than that



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Actually, I just see him as a threat to my children. As such, I have not got to know him and in fact have tried to avoid him entirely. I don't want my kids, or any other kids in the ward, to assume that he's that anything more than a stranger.



As I see it, my first duty in this situation is to the safety of my kids. If that's dissappoints ABYUFAN and God, so be it.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

ABYUFAN wrote:
It doesn't sound as if you've made any effort to get to know him, that's dissapointing. To you he's less than a person, just a sex offender. To his Heavenly Father he's much more than that



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Even if you "get to know him" and he's a nice guy, it doesn't mean that he's safe to wander church halls alone. Sex offenders are very hard to treat after they've reached adulthood and the recidivism rate is ridiculously high. It's not about whether he's a good guy, nice guy, whatever, it's about being cautious with someone who is likely still sick and unreformed.

Schmoe wrote:

It doesn't sound as if you've made any effort to get to know him, that's dissapointing. To you he's less than a person, just a sex offender. To his Heavenly Father he's much more than that



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Even if you "get to know him" and he's a nice guy, it doesn't mean that he's safe to wander church halls alone. Sex offenders are very hard to treat after they've reached adulthood and the recidivism rate is ridiculously high. It's not about whether he's a good guy, nice guy, whatever, it's about being cautious with someone who is likely still sick and unreformed.

Yep... and if you get to know him you can talk TO him about it rather than talking ABOUT him on a message board... cleraly the former is way way more effective than the latter, especially if you really are woried abaout your kids, and not just wanting to complain about some guy the missionaries broght to church....

Larrycoug wrote:
Actually, I just see him as a threat to my children. As such, I have not got to know him and in fact have tried to avoid him entirely. I don't want my kids, or any other kids in the ward, to assume that he's that anything more than a stranger.



As I see it, my first duty in this situation is to the safety of my kids. If that's dissappoints ABYUFAN and God, so be it.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

That's a great message to teach your kids.... "we actually DON't believe in being in the world, but not of the world, you see we don't associate with certain people... but hey, our streets are walkable!"



I'm certainly not saying that you need to have him watch your kids, but don't you think that the best way to really protect your kids is to be MORE involved and not less. Let's say he is inclined to offend again, wouldn't someone who is associated with him frequently be more inclined to see the signs than someone who shuns him entirely?





I'm not going to say that you're going to hell or judge you for this, if you wanna hate him, go ahead and hate him, heaven knows I hate enough people. But if you really want to protect yoru kids, there are more effective ways to do it than to complain about him on a message board.

Kids should associate with child molestors? That's being in the world?



Also, getting to know him to see the signs seems a horrible idea. If any signs surface, I want my family as far away as possible.



We're teaching our kids nothing of him, thats's the point. If they see us friending him, they may assume he's trustworthy. That's the issue.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

I think I'm with Larrycoug on this one.

Larrycoug wrote:
Kids should associate with child molestors? That's being in the world?



Also, getting to know him to see the signs seems a horrible idea. If any signs surface, I want my family as far away as possible.



We're teaching our kids nothing of him, thats's the point. If they see us friending him, they may assume he's trustworthy. That's the issue.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Hey ...if you want to go to church with someone who may harm your kids, but don't care enough about them to at least watch out for warning signs then that's your right... I'm not sure what good you're doing by bringing it up on a message board though. If you feel best served by staying away, is that enhanced in any way by bringing it up here, or, rather, are you just complaining that yet another imperfect person has been brought into the church....

SpiffCoug wrote:
I think I'm with Larrycoug on this one.

Reasonable people my differ on this. We had a person baptized into our ward who had a violent criminal past. Many could not accept him into the ward, but most did. I'm certainly not advocating encouraging recidivism, but I am saying that more information is better than less. And sticking your head in the sand and turning you back on the guy doesn't protect your kids, and complaining about it on a message board CERTAINLY doesn't

I can understand that.

ABYUFAN wrote:

I think I'm with Larrycoug on this one.

Reasonable people my differ on this. We had a person baptized into our ward who had a violent criminal past. Many could not accept him into the ward, but most did. I'm certainly not advocating encouraging recidivism, but I am saying that more information is better than less. And sticking your head in the sand and turning you back on the guy doesn't protect your kids, and complaining about it on a message board CERTAINLY doesn't

Violence and sex offenses are two completely different animals. I worked with sex offenders for years and getting to know them does not in any way help you know when they will reoffend, and recognizing that does not mean that you are "sticking your head in the sand." Asking for advice from others who may have had similar experiences or have more experience with such a specific population CAN help you protect your kids. It's not about whether or not you accept him as a member of the ward, which you should, it's about recognizing his weaknesses and the potential danger he will forever pose to others (I'm inferring that his offenses were against children) in this mortal state, and helping him to never be in the situation again to harm his own soul and others.

Regardless of there being a registered sex offender in your ward or not, I would want the primary to make sure the children are being supervised until their parents come to pick them up. Ours does a good job of that, and I'm glad they do.