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Even if she did, so what? A 12-year-old cannot consent. The adult cannot engage. This is not a defense.
The fact that this post has a downvote is legitimately worrying to me. I really hope that's not someone who disagrees with this statement.
MAGA(t)S gonna MAGA
I was thinking Libertarian. Could be both.
libertarianism is also where I went. There are some people who think contrary to whatever appears in front of them, however.
We can see who did but that being said, I've downvoted posts many times before by accident. It's very easy to do when scrolling, it was most likely that.
Whoever downvoted has definitely used the word "ephebophilia" unironically int he past.
The right thing to do if a 12-year-old makes sexual advances on an adult is for the adult to report it because the 12-year-old is probably being abused!! Not to have sex with them!! What the fuck?! (Not that I believe this shit for a second but even if it were true that makes him just as much of an abuser.)
Next will be the "I slipped and fell" defense
"and so what was he to do, Your Honour? Say no to a twelve year old? Report their conduct to their parents?"
And this neatly illustrates the grotesquely destructive delusion that lies at the heart of religious fundamentalism - it's ultimately, and I'm tempted to say without exception, an attempt by overtly evil people to place the blame for their evil on others, or on society as a whole.
The underlying issue is not that other people feel lust, for instance, but that they themselves feel lust, and they consider that to be so shameful that their self-images cannot tolerate the idea that it's a part of their own makeup. It must and can only be, to them, a thing that's been imposed on them by "evil" people or an "evil" society, so the solution, to them, is to stamp out that "evil." Solely in the belief, ultimately, that if that "evil" could somehow be made to not exist, it would no longer plague them.
"Look what you made me do"
"It was her fault for being dressed like that"
Buddy of mine's 12-yo stepdaughter was flirting with him when they watched movies. He was horrified and confused.
"Dude, she's just testing her feminine wiles on you since she sees you as safe, kinda testing her attractiveness. Doesn't even have a clue she's doing it. Just ignore it or gently push back if she goes too far."
And of course all was well. Thought it was a cute and funny story.
And we have lawyers trying to slide this defense?! Not to mention the guy who took it seriously and raped a child! I swear to god they used to threaten disbarment over stupid shit like this.
tl;dr Kids do stupid shit when they start puberty. It's on the adult to see what's happening.
I'm in my late thirties and I have to remind myself when a younger twenty-something girl comes on to me, that is never going to work and I have to be the mature one to shut it down.
interesting-- and where was their all-powerful, all-seeing sky-wizard during all of this? why was it powerless to stop this from happening? where was their "superior morality" to stop them? why it is, with an all-powerful sky-wizard, a superior morality, and an adult - a pastor - present, is it the fault of a 12 year-old?
I'm pretty sure the answer is that sky-daddy sent the little girl to test the pastor, that he might endure this challenge and come out a better man for the lesson. Sky-daddy doesn't give agency to women or children - they serve only as props in the narrative of men's lives.
Well, something that doesn't exist would be powerless to stop them.
i really wish this argument would work in court
Little Girls need to stop being so SEXY!
-Republicans who think Drag Queens are bad for Kids!
In case anyone is not sure, this behavior is completely normal in the Christian circles. The number of times I heard people, preachers, or whoever blame the victim for causing the man of god to stumble is far more than you would want to know, and was every time.
One thing to understand about many Christian groups is that they elevate their preachers to a very high standing and believe that they are "so close to the Lord" that they just don't do bad things. So, in order to preserve this cognitive dissonance, it's the child that tempted them to sin.
Even assuming this isn't a fucking lie,
It is still just as much of a crime to sex assault a child even if the child initiates the inappropriate contact. Stop them and get them some mental help.
Is that at all a controversial opinion? I guess among Trumpanzees there are plenty who condone sex assaulting children (or adults) as long as the perpetrator is part of the in-group.
As the adult, it is your job, responsibility, nay DUTY to say “NO!!!” And run for the hills!
Straight from the abusers handbook: DARVO: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender.
Ex-fucking-excuse me? Not just victim blaming, but victim blaming a child? I fucking hate living on this planet. Just launch me into the sun already.
The child rapist has literally no defense, so his lawyer is trying the "she was asking for it" card.
The sad part is that this is not a ceiminal case, as there was a statue of limitations back when he was raping her. There no longer is, but that doesnt help her. All she can do is sue him civally. Still, "the 12 year old in pajamas was asking for it" is not gonna help here.
When I see the most depraved defense from lawyers like this it just tells me that the person is so fucking guilty that I now suspect them guilty of even more than we know.
How about we just launch maga into the sun and then work on saving humanity and our planet.
Can't buy alcohol. Can't buy cigarettes. Can't be employed in most jobs. Can't get a drivers license. But can initiate sex with an adult?
After this I don't think donald trump can continue his campaign. He should step down and allow another Republican to take his place.
He'll just deny any connection to this guy and his cult members will believe it. Reality, truth, and evidence don't mean anything to them.
I'm just putting it out there in case the media wants to run the common story: "Internet is exploding with demands for some politician to step down." And they quote maybe three tweets from randos.
Here it is media; a demand for trump to step down and stop running. The Internet is exploding and voters are demanding it!!!
Dude
What the FUCK
Okay
The people who are pointing out that he's obviously lying have a pretty compelling argument
The people who are pointing out that even if a 12-year-old DOES try to initiate sexual contact with you, you need to tell them no and tell their parents, are correct
But even THAT isn't the full scope of it
BOTH THIS DUDE AND HIS LAWYER ARE CONVINCED THAT THAT'S A GOOD EXPLANATION THAT WILL HELP HIS CASE
What the FUCK is going on in these megachurches that no one including the guy employed to get this guy a good outcome can just tell him to keep his mouth shut because nothing he says is going to help, let alone THAT. Like they are in a professional capacity standing up in real life reality and with apparently fully functioning adult brains modeling it out and expecting people to say OOOOOHH it was the 12 year old's fault, I get it, these things happen, carry on.
My word, but Christians are truly among the very worst examples of humanity. No wonder churchgoing is plummeting, even the lack of civility in modern society can't pave over the abject awfulness of this cult.
Back to the stone age, where you belong, sky wizard cultists!
This is the best the lawyers could come up with? He very clearly scraped the bottom of the barrel when looking for legal representation
So just "megachurch pastor" headline? No other descriptors you'd like to add?
Objective Morality everyone!
Even Nabokov didn't say Lolita made Humbert Humbert do it.
Well... He did make the character Humbert Humbert say it, though.
"Frigid gentlewomen of the jury! I had thought that months, perhaps years, would elapse before I dared to reveal myself to Dolores haze; but by six she was wide awake, and by six fifteen we were technically lovers. I am going to tell you something very strange: it was she who seduced me."
Yeah, but he made Humbert say it to show what a despicable person he was.
There's a reason molestation insurance for churches is such a big industry
There's no way...
Edit: 
Here are a few examples of insurance companies that offer molestation insurance, specifically tailored for churches and religious organizations:
Church Mutual Insurance Company: This company provides a range of insurance products for religious organizations, including sexual misconduct liability insurance. They offer coverage for legal defense costs, settlements, and other expenses related to allegations of sexual abuse or molestation.
GuideOne Insurance: GuideOne specializes in insurance for churches and nonprofit organizations. They offer sexual misconduct liability coverage as part of their comprehensive church insurance packages, helping protect against claims of sexual abuse.
Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company: Brotherhood Mutual offers insurance products designed for churches and ministries, including coverage for sexual misconduct liability. Their policies can help cover legal expenses, settlements, and other costs associated with sexual abuse allegations.
Philadelphia Insurance Companies: Philadelphia Insurance Companies provides specialized insurance solutions for religious organizations, including coverage for sexual misconduct and molestation. They offer policies that cover legal defense, settlements, and related costs.
ChurchWest Insurance Services: ChurchWest provides insurance solutions for churches and religious institutions, including sexual misconduct liability insurance. Their policies are designed to protect organizations from the financial and reputational damage that can result from such claims.
These companies offer tailored policies that address the unique risks faced by religious organizations, providing financial protection and support in the event of allegations of sexual misconduct. It's important for churches to work with an experienced insurance broker or agent to ensure they have the appropriate coverage in place.
What in the unholy fuck.
I refuse to read anything after the headline to keep my blood below boiling point. Did I miss anything?
“That bank money was begging me to take it, your honor. Sittin’ there, with those tight little bands on; it was askin’ for it!”