Dutch fundamentalist preacher who encourages hitting children to stop child abuse faces legal action

 

 

NOTE BY PERRY BULWER - September 10, 2009

This short article below really says a lot about the Christian fundamentalist mind-set. The preacher apparently does not see the obvious contradiction and hypocrisy of his position. What he is really saying is that committing child abuse is a way of stopping child abuse. Furthermore, in his rush to claim that his right to religious freedom is being infringed, he overlooks the obvious fact that he is denying the same right to religious freedom to his children.

In the year and a half that I've been keeping this archive, I've encountered that latter argument many times. Polygamist Mormons in both the U.S. and Canada have made the same arguments and complaints, that their religious freedoms are being denied, even while they deny their children their own religious rights, which include the freedom to change religions or have no religion at all. Tony Alamo has also similarily complained, as have many other cult or fundamentalist leaders. Fundamentalists of all stripes often hold themselves above secular laws, as the preacher in the article above does, claiming that it is "better to obey God than man". But as soon as that secular law attempts to hold them accountable for their crimes, they immediately turn to that secular law to defend their position. They want rights that they deny to others, and you can't get more hypocritical than that.

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DutchNews.com September 9, 2009

Orthodox preacher backs smacking kids


A Christian preacher from Amersfoort is to face legal action for telling parents that smacking children is an important part of raising children, news agency Novum said on Thursday.

Gertjan Goldschmeding believes in a literal translation of the Bible and uses the Old Testament words 'spare the rod and spoil the child' to justify smacking.

On Wednesday he was questioned by police for a second time. There is nothing wrong with a smack on two 'soft cushions', the Telegraaf quoted the preacher as saying. 'There is a reason god created them.' He believes smacking children helps stop child abuse.

Goldschmeding and his wife, who have three children, were arrested in March on child abuse charges and released after questioning. 'They told me I can no longer teach using that passage from the Bible. But it is not a doctrine I made up,' he told the Telegraaf.

Taking legal action against him is against his right to freedom of religion, the preacher was reported as saying.

DVDs of the preacher's sermons have been confiscated.

He preaches for the AAC-Jouw church which operates in Amersfoort and Amsterdam.

A survey of parents in the Hague last year found 50% think giving a child aged one to five a ‘light slap’ is an acceptable form on punishment.

This article was found at:

http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2009/09/orthodox_preacher_backs_smacki.php

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COMMENT BY PERRY BULWER - SEPTEMBER 11, 2009 - As if on cue, Winston Blackmore, a fundamentalist Mormon leader in Canada who is facing multiple criminal charges related to polygamy, appeals to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom to protect his religious rights and freedoms. However, as I have pointed out, he does not acknowledge the religious rights and freedoms of the children he abuses in his totalitarian cult.

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Globe and Mail - Canada September 10

Polygamy charges have no bearing on moral advice, Blackmore says

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives him the right to live his religion, B.C. man says

by Robert Matas

Winston Blackmore says charges of polygamy against him have not undermined his authority to offer advice on moral issues.

“I have been a Minister for 30 years now and am just as qualified as any other Minister of 30 years to answer questions directed to myself,” Mr. Blackmore stated in a new posting on his blog at sharethelight.ca .

The Globe and Mail earlier this week reported that Mr. Blackmore was offering online advice to women in abusive relationships. Limiting his response to physical abuse, he suggested victims of “hitting, hurting, bruising, hair pulling and so on” should contact police and find a counsellor to fix the relationship, help children who may have seen the abuse and help the abuser.

Nancy Mereska, who has campaigned against polygamy, was startled by Mr. Blackmore offering moral advice. All polygamous relationships are abusive, she said in an interview with The Globe and Mail.

Mr. Blackmore in his posting reiterated his response to the outstanding polygamy charges against him. Police allege Mr. Blackmore, who lives in Bountiful. B.C., had 25 wives and 101 children. He is charged with polygamy with 19 wives. He is currently waiting for a court ruling on a procedural challenge to the criminal charges.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives him the right to live his religion, Mr. Blackmore said.

“I read that I have the right to enjoy all those privileges guaranteed by our Charter, and when I am denied those rights, I naturally feel that someone is involved in discrimination and religious persecution,” he said.

“Just suppose for a moment that, if the federal government made a law against any other religion, just as the one made against our faith in 1892, would discrimination and persecution of that religion then become right in Canada?” he also stated.

Mr. Blackmore offered his remarks in respond to a question asking why he is qualified to give moral advice. He has not responded to a request for an interview.

This article was found at:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/polygamy-charges-have-no-bearing-on-moral-advice-blackmore-says/article1282978/