Group Invites Sex Offender To Lead Church Retreat

[deadparrot]

(AP) Collegeville, Minn. A victims' rights group is criticizing an Episcopal retreat center here for inviting a registered sex offender to lead a retreat this weekend.

Lynn Bauman, 64, admitted to molesting an 8-year-old boy on a camping trip in 1996 and was sentenced to 10 years' probation, according to the Texas Department of Corrections. He said Tuesday night that he admitted to wrongdoing and has not reoffended, and that it is "not germane" to his work now.

The retreat set for Thursday through Sunday, sponsored by the Episcopal House of Prayer, is for adults. Bauman was scheduled to lead the $310-per-person "Wisdom School Introduction" retreat, which focuses on fact and fiction about Mary Magdalene and related topics. The center can accommodate 24 people per retreat.

The center, which is associated with the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota, is built on land leased from St. John's Abbey, according to diocese spokesman Joe Bjordal and abbey spokesman the Rev. William Skudlarek.

http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_038113352.html

[boobooday]

1. Darn, I thought for sure it was Bill O'Reilly

Wisdom School Introduction?!

DOH!

:silly: :silly: :silly: :spank: :smoke: :banghead:

[LiberalFighter]

8. He's in disquise

[bananarepublican]

9. Yeah... I thought it was O' phone-sex-guy as well! What will his next outrage be? n/t

[MadMaddie]

2. So because he admitted no wrong doing so it makes him not

a child molester?

What the hell is wrong with these people. If any children are at this retreat the church should be held accountable if anything happesn.

[oldtimecanuk]

3. That's just sick.... I think our Society is in deep, deep shit...

Once again we see what can be done in the name of duh... (We'll call in forgiveness or maybe being cured) It sounds like the Haggard thing today where he claims he is now cured and is a full fledged Heterosexual... I think our society is headed to hell in a big way.... Sorry to say...

[lvx35]

4. Churches have GOT to wake up here.

Its one of the biggest characteristics of predatory offenders, they try to place themselves in positions of trust, and unfortunatly that means churches. Really, the message I think church going folks should be getting here is that they can have WAY too much trust for church leaders...A healthy dose of skepticism would do them a world of good. :)

[tanyev]

5. Fools and their money....

[CoffeeCat]

6. Total insanity--party of one---yer table is ready...

So what you're telling me is that....

We live in a society that punishes child rapists with "probation"---and then deems
them well-qualified to spearhead a religious retreat titled, "Wisdom School Introduction".

I don't know what in the HELL is going on in our society, but it is rotten and twisted.

Who, in their right mind--would want to spend the weekend--being lectured on spiritual
matters by a convicted child predator?

WTF is wrong with our species?

As a SURVIVOR of one of these creeps, I don't know whether to spit nails or cry.

[cliss]

7. This is a weird story..

and it just goes to show you how dysfunctional these churches are.

There's something actually self-annihilating about this situation....

[Porcupine]

10. Well, that should save time........

.