Slog - Comments on Youth Pastor Watch http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42 Pennsylvania: Testimony began yesterday for a former youth minister charged with sexually assaulting three boys under his tutelage. [Rev. David Baird] faces more than 20 charges.... Mr. Baird was youth minister at Covenant Church of Pittsburgh in Wilkinsburg in 1999 when an East Hills boy, the first to file a complaint, was recruited to participate in programs. The boy was 9 or 10 years old when the alleged assaults began, according to his testimony at a hearing in June.... The third alleged victim told investigators that he was on juvenile probation in 2002, and had been ordered to perform community... Copyright 2008 Wed, 07 May 2008 10:50:45 -0800 Wed, 07 May 2008 23:50:44 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Dr. Pants "We've got a problem in the Catholic church! How do we get these kids to shut up?"

]]> Dr. Pants http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1017761 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1017761 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 11:09:41 -0800 Comment by JasonC srsly... back in my day--the 90's--we got raped by our pastors all the time. you didn't hear us crying, didja? and i like to think we all love jesus a lot more because of it. grow up, kids!

]]> JasonC http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1017862 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1017862 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 11:28:44 -0800 Comment by CameronC No longer raping children is a start. But what about the rest of us who were raised in the Catholic Church and are now agnostics? That is juts about everyone I know from childhood!

]]> CameronC http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1017888 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1017888 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 11:32:47 -0800 Comment by The Virgin Mary Was a Slut I can understand the guy screwing the 17-year-old girl. Heck, 17-year-old girls are hot. But those sicko queers abusing boys? They should have their dicks cut off.

]]> The Virgin Mary Was a Slut http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1017895 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1017895 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 11:34:01 -0800 Comment by keshmeshi @4,

Eat shit and die.

It might also help for the church to catch up with the 21st century. Why shouldn't young people abandon Catholicism? They want sex, they want birth control, they want the right to choose abortion, and they want acceptance for themselves or their gay friends.

]]> keshmeshi http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1017915 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1017915 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 11:38:32 -0800 Comment by infrequent well, the 27 year old knew better, and likely abused his position of authority (and as a spiritual guidance counselor). i do feel 17 year olds can make this sort of decision for themselves, so i'm a little torn. but perhaps the shorter jail sentence (14 years suspended) reflects that.

]]> infrequent http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1017928 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1017928 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 11:42:13 -0800 Comment by Smade Soon the Catholic Church in the US will look a lot like the Elks or the Moose. There won't be anyone on the sunny side of 50 who claims membership.

]]> Smade http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018057 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018057 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 12:10:36 -0800 Comment by Burgin99 10 POST "PEDOPHILE PRIEST UPDATE"
20 POST "HOMICIDAL HETERO PARENT UPDATE"
30 POST "WHINE ABOUT LAST SUPPER HYPOCRISY"
40 GOTO 10

]]> Burgin99 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018070 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018070 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 12:13:01 -0800 Comment by Bob Because Jesus = Rape!

Look Horny, Jesus is Coming!

God, what another stellar example of idiot logic by Dan Savage. I'm amazed his fan club hasn't figured this shit out yet. But it's becoming more fun for me to read their cheerleading. Stupidville, USA.

]]> Bob http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018089 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018089 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 12:16:52 -0800 Comment by El Seven "i do feel 17 year olds can make this sort of decision for themselves"

Weird, that's exactly what I told my, uh, ex.

]]> El Seven http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018241 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018241 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 12:51:38 -0800 Comment by Gloria He drove the boy to "Friendship Park"? God, that guy's got balls (of irony)!

]]> Gloria http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018266 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018266 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 12:57:48 -0800 Comment by Dan Savage Once it gets out that I plant all these stories about rapey youth pastors myself, these posts are going to be even more infuriating.

Who said Jesus = Rape? Jesus is dead. The dead can't rape. Dance, yes; rape, no.

Thank you for playing Slog.

]]> Dan Savage http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018290 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018290 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 13:05:41 -0800 Comment by Hernandez At first I thought YPW was shocking, then I got kind of bored with it, then I thought it was a little gratuitous, but now I'm absolutely fascinated that you can manage to find a half-dozen new stories of this stuff happening each week! It's almost like Youth Pastors know that you need stories for your posts, so they keep fondling child penises just to help you out. Hmm...that has the makings of a good conspiracy theory.

]]> Hernandez http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018449 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018449 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 13:30:29 -0800 Comment by infrequent just to clarify, the age of consent varies from state to state. from what i understand, 17 is of age in some cases.

what is at more issue in this case is the "pastor" taking advantage of the minor seeking counseling. legally, such a person is held to a higher standard. to allow counselors, teachers, coaches, etc... to do their jobs requires these extra measures.

as i said, the guy knew better.

]]> infrequent http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018745 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1018745 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 14:40:05 -0800 Comment by Jim As of several years ago, in Virginia the age of consent was absurdly low, like 14. To work though you had to be 16. Anyone you saw in a uniform at the mall was fair game!

For all I know, this is still the case. In Texas, where I live, the age of consent is 17.

I also used to think these stories were somewhat gratuitous. The sheer number of them has started to persuade me though. It seems like it is just another of the "contact with young people" jobs that really draws the pedophiles.

]]> Jim http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1019478 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/youth_pastor_watch_42#c1019478 Religion Wed, 07 May 2008 23:50:44 -0800