It must be something in the water. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had so much to write about my home State. Seems a minister at a St. Clair County church has been arrested on charges of “attempted child sexually abusive activity” after having a teenage boy strip while answering questions about premarital sex. The minister claims this was all part of his attempts to come up with an abstinence education program for use in the church.
MICHIGAN NEWS BRIEFS: Port Huron Township—Minister to be charged, cites antisex program
The minister told investigators he was designing a program to discourage teens from having premarital sex when he brought the teenager to the church July 22, Barr said.
After each question the minister asked the boy about premarital sex, he allegedly asked him to remove an item of clothing, Barr said. The boy eventually stripped to his underwear but refused to take that off and also refused the minister’s request to take pictures of him, the trooper said.
Two other accusers have come forward, Barr said.
The clergyman told police he intended to embarrass the teens while they were naked, so they would remember that embarrassment and refrain from sex if they were naked with a girl.
“After he looked back to it now, he realizes it wasn’t a smart thing to do,” Barr said.
No, really? Even if I were inclined to accept the idea that this was an attempt to discourage premarital sex I’d still be outraged about it. Too many people already have a screwed-up self-image about their bodies and their sexuality without some minister adding more fuel to that fire. How could he even being to imagine this would be a good way to discourage premarital sex? My natural cynicism, however, is telling me this wasn’t about teaching kids not to have sex before marriage.
So he states that his goal was to embarrass the teen so he would remember the embarrassment when naked with a girl? Why not show him pictures of naked girls and then give him an electrical shock when he became aroused? Will this become part of the new school curiculum shortly after creationism starts being taught in science class? I hope so, the last thing anyone ever needs is a positive image about sexual relations.