Abuse or Experience of God?

While there have been several cases in the news lately of religious cults sexually abusing minors, one of them is thirty miles from my parents’ house and my high school. In the attached article it describes a scenario where a cult leader, Wayne Bent, also known as Michael Travesser, has been arrested for laying naked with minor girls. Bent and his group of about 60 followers live in encampment in rural northeastern New Mexico, where Bent is their spiritual leader. In fact Bent believes that he is the Messiah, and the second coming of Jesus, and his followers agree on this belief as well. Two young sisters both initially admitted to laying naked with Bent on his bed, and that he touched and kissed their breasts. Later they denied that there was anything illegal in the encounters, and one girl reported that he kissed her clavicle not her breast. In an interview with the girls on National Geographic’s “Inside a Cult,” the girls spoke enthusiastically about the encounter and indicated that they found called to lay with their leader and felt it was a spiritual experience – the will of God. It does not appear that they were forced to do so, but came to him in their own free will. However perhaps because the allegations came to light shortly after the more famous case in Texas where many children were removed from a cult due to other sexual allegations, charges were filed. The charges filed against Bent include, 2 counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor, and contributing to a delinquency of a minor. Several times since the charges were filed Bent has stopped eating food and on occasion has even refused juice or water. He has stated that he will continue this fast barring an intervention from God or a dismissal of charges. Bent and his followers, which are now down to 45 adults, expected to ascend to Heaven the past two Halloweens. The trial was scheduled for November, but now has been moved out of Union County after his attorney argued he would not be able to receive an impartial jury.
Wayne Bent did break the law, and the charges being brought against him are valid. To me criminal sexual conduct does not have a defense. Some might argue that this incident happened in a spiritual manner and should be protected by free exercise. However I feel that these matters definitely cross a line. Cult leaders have a significant amount of power and control in general, but also concerning sexual matters. As a leader he was responsible for the breakup of marriages among some of his believers, taking sexual control over other man’s wives. He even slept with his own daughter in-law, and she did not believe that this was wrong, but was glad that she “consummated with him. While the sexual acts with adults may be legal, they certainly are alarming. However when it deals with sexual control over minors, matters are more serious and become illegal. Yes the girls may have claimed to do so under their own free will, however if it weren’t for his teachings they never would have done so. This is one of those areas where the well-being of minors takes precedence over any manner of free expression. The law is in place to protect minors from sexual acts of any nature from adults, and especially from those who may have undue influence over them – like parents or spiritual leaders – and so it must be taken very seriously, and invoked in any situation. Even if it were a spiritual act, which I highly doubt, the girls should at least be of age before invoking their right of free expression. I am glad the charges have been pressed, and I will be interested in seeing how the case is decided. I also wonder how much of a difference the change of venue will make, considering the new jury will know there were reasons for the trial to be moved, but I definitely agree that the jury would have been biased in Union County.


http://www.abqjournal.com/north/211129306943north10-21-08.htm