Natalie Rose Greenfield informs us that Randy Booth and Rich Lusk from the CREC Inquiry Committee have contacted her. She says they asked if they could interview her. She answered no. However, she did agree to answer their questions on her blog. +1 Natalie.
Here is the CREC’s first question to Natalie; please note the assumed premise:
This question assumes that “they [Christ Church] have wronged you [Natalie] and failed you.” And while it is true — Christ Church and Doug Wilson have wronged Natalie — the question also assumes that the CREC does not agree with Doug Wilson’s public statements on the subject, because Mr. Wilson has stated publicly that he has not wronged anyone. Finally, the question assumes that the CREC sees itself as some kind of unofficial mediator between Natalie and the Kirk, which is an entirely different mission than what Randy Booth has posted to the web.
Ways That Pastor Douglas Wilson of Christ Church, Moscow, Has Wronged Natalie
- Banned Natalie from the Table.
- Accused Natalie of not being a Christian.
- Dismissed Natalie’s sexual abuse as “sexual behavior.”
- Blackmailed Natalie with a sealed court record.
- Denied Natalie’s testimony and that of other eyewitnesses that Mr. Wilson sat beside the man who raped her during sentencing.
- Insisted that the Kirk is a better environment for Natalie than her current environment.
- Abused Natalie and her parents on the worldwide web.
- Blame-shifted Jamin Wight’s guilt on to Natalie’s parents.
I don’t think anyone would dispute these facts and I don’t think anyone would dispute that Mr. Wilson insists he has done no wrong in any of this, which makes the CREC’s question to Natalie irrelevant. If the CREC agrees that Mr. Wilson has “wronged” and “failed” Natalie, and if the CREC agrees that he committed any of the sins listed above, then it behooves them to initiate process against him. Scripture does not require innocent parties to make restitution — it requires guilty parties to pay restitution. And Mr. Wilson insists he is innocent. Therefore, the CREC must establish Mr. Wilson’s guilt. But they won’t, which should make everyone ask, Why won’t the CREC bring charges against Mr. Wilson?
This brings us to the second question the CREC asked Natalie:
This question telegraphs the CREC Inquiry Committee’s objective: They want closure — not justice — closure. The CREC is happy to keep Mr. Wilson and the Kirk in its ranks despite the sins he has committed against Natalie. Mr. Wilson refuses to confess his sins and he will not abandon them. So the CREC ignores him. That is, the CREC ignores a man in its jurisdiction over whom it exercises constitutional authority — Doug Wilson. The CREC ignores its moral and constitutional obligation to prosecute him for his crimes. And the CREC concerns itself with someone outside its jurisdiction — Natalie — asking her how an unrepentant Doug Wilson can make restitution to her, which is not how to conduct an inquiry.
Randy Booth and Rich Lusk should insist that Doug Wilson and Christ Church make restitution to Natalie by repenting in public for his disgraceful behavior. Mr. Wilson should apologize to Natalie and her parents for his treachery. He should also apologize to the community at large that has watched in horror as he has heaped one abuse after another on the victim and her family. Then Randy Booth and Rich Lusk should ask Mr. Wilson to resign from the ministry for scandalizing the gospel. Then, after they have done these things, Randy Booth and Rich Lusk should ask Natalie how the CREC can make restitution to her for its failure. And not until then.
But I repeat what I wrote yesterday. Pastor Doug Wilson of Christ Church, Moscow, founded the CREC to provide a denominational front for his unethical activities. He handpicked these men to conduct this inquiry because he knew he could rely on their honor. Honor among thieves. So expect disappointment, then lower your expectations.
Thank you, Ulysses. You are absolutely correct. While Booth and Lusk seem to be admitting that Wilson and his elders have sinned, they lack the decency and courage to confront Wilson and do what needs to be done: remove a dangerous man from the ministry. Wilson once wrote a book called “Future Men.” If Booth and Lusk become Christian men in the future, they will confront the wolf and not the lamb.
I find it in very poor taste that while the Inquiry is asking Natalie what can be done to bring closure to this situation (I imagine they very much want to stop her gut-wrenching, heartbreaking testimony) that Wilson is able to hold HoH meetings to discuss and divulge information on the very subject he is being investigated for.
If this is truly an honest investigation that he has stepped aside for while they look for the truth, why is he calling a meeting so he can make absolutely sure his congregation knows his version of the events? Wouldn’t the normal thing, in a situation like this where you have called for scrutiny on yourself and your actions, to truly step aside, be quiet for a few weeks or months, let the committee do their work and let your congregation learn from the resulting report?
Everyone who wants to kick Doug Wilson and his minions repeatedly in the balls, raise your hand.
And by “repeatedly,” I mean “for a couple of weeks at least.”
only if i can wear a “Internet Lynch Mob” tee while doing so.
The CREC’s unwillingness to put a gag order on him says a lot about them and a lot about him. None of it good.
Nancy pretended briefly that she and Doug were going to shut up about this. I’ll find the screencap.
Drop a nail bomb on the whole lot of them. These people aren’t fit to breath human air.