Perhaps, a look at the other side might be instructive.

When my daughter entered seventh grade, her biology class outline included a week-long “abstinence-only” component. Off I went to see the principal to find out what this was all about. Suffice to say, things got ugly, before they got better.

The abstinence-only program was taught by a woman from a local church. She taught three classes a day, free of charge. School districts can choose to make a special program opt-in or opt-out. If it’s an opt-in program, parents have to return a form requesting their child attend the class, while their classmates remain in their classroom, receiving standard curriculum instruction. As you might expect very few parents request their child be removed from their classroom.

To compensate for low attendance in these programs, school districts use an opt-out form. Unless parents return the opt-out form, their children will automatically be sent to the “abstinence-only” program. Since so few parents realize this is a choice, the children whose parents opt-out, stick out like sore thumbs among their classmates. Worse yet, with so many students out of the classroom, regular instruction stops. Talk about social pressure, that takes the cake.

I asked around and found that very few parents had any idea what the abstinence program was all about. Five of us agreed to attend the week-long abstinence class as observers and report back to other parents.

Suffice to say, I was shocked to discover, the entire class was a week-long white evangelical Christian service. For a solid week, children were required to sit through these sermons. On the third day of class, I raised my hand and said I would like to hear what the students thought about their lessons, did they discuss them with their parents, how did the information make them feel, etc. The instructor thought it was a good idea and asked students to raise their hands if they wanted to speak. Just about half the class were waving their arms in the air.

These 12 and 13 year old children’s remarks included: “I will never get married… sex is disgusting… I can’t even look at my parents … two girls burst out crying “I don’t want to die”… why don’t boy’s parents have to support their son’s children… my parents said everything you said was a lie…” As the kids spoke it was clear they were frightened, upset and confused.

Next thing we know, the district had scheduled a meeting about abstinence-only instruction and just about 120 people showed up. Someone brought literature from the church that sent the free abstinence instructor and read it out loud. Suffice to say, we soon discovered that white evangelical Christianity was scary, angry, hate-filled stuff. Things like…”parents must teach their children to protect themselves from the wicked, evil, witches, and demons at school. Passages about how sick and evil people were outside their church. How sex was for procreation only. People must have as many children as they can. Gay children belong in camps where they can be cured. Girls made purity promises, and their fathers gave them purity rings. On and on it went.

People were furious. You’re calling my daughter evil? You are calling my son sick. You told my children that their mother and I are dirty, evil, wicked and sick? The evangelicals tried but could not overcome their own printed literature and abstinence-only instruction at our junior high came to an abrupt end.

I tried, I really tried, but I could not evoke any concern about the evangelical’s children who were being taught that the only people they could trust, belonged to their church.

Ten years later, we now know, that pedophilia is rampant in white evangelical Christian churches, and institutions including the Boy Scouts of America. Tens of thousands of girls and boys, who are being molested and raped are afraid to reach outside their own churches for help. These children are isolated, cut off from society and powerless to stop the abuse.

Today, hundreds of thousands of children are still trapped inside white evangelical churches without an exit. These children have no advocates and no protectors, even their own parents put their church first. White evangelicals are so deeply embedded in politics now, their practices and beliefs are spreading fast – including the license to sexually abuse little children in the name of Christ. These churches are protecting pedophiles – not children. Thanks to the internet and social media, pedophiles are organizing themselves inside evangelical churches where they are safe – and protected.

Those of us outside these churches, have no idea how to help these children. The law is on the side of churches – not children. Parents have a right NOT to protect their children from abuse within their church. As long as churches are above the law, pedophiles within these churches will also be above the law.

I would like to hear some white evangelicals explain how their church has handled pedophiles in their midst.