Calvary Gospel Church in Madison, Wisconsin Revealed as Apocalyptic Cult Assaulting Children

Pentecostal Calvary Gospel Church in Madison, Wisconsin
is the subject of allegations of widespread sexual assault
occurring over 30 years, (Ferral, The Capital Times).

Madison, Wisconsin — We all have encountered youth obscured in high school, who later become police, court services investigators, for example, or a member of the Republican Party and a fundamentalist church.

But nowhere have we seen the partners-in-violence work of authoritarian institutions become so codified as the white fundamentalist churches and the Republican Party.

Not many saw it coming four years ago, but the triumph of the white supremacist Trump taking over the Republican Party seems natural in retrospect.

The same dynamics are to be found in Wisconsin.

Spiteful, petty and pathetic, the Republican Party has become a repository for the bullied and dull, now seeking revenge.

But no institution is as woefully destructive as the white Christian fundamentalist.

Protected by the Republican Party's stopping the Wisconsin Child Victims Act bill, a 1,000-member Pentecostal church on Madison's east side has been revealed to be an apocalyptic child sexual abuse cult this morning.

Writes Katelyn Ferral in The Capital Times:

A Pentecostal church, [Calvary Gospel Church], on Madison’s east side has concealed allegations of sexual assault among its congregants for over 30 years, and continues to perpetuate a culture of fear and control that fosters abuse, former members say. ...

Children were told the end of the world was always near — that Jesus would soon return and choose who to send to heaven and hell. They were taught that they would go to hell and send others there, too, for dishonoring the church and its leaders — which some believe are divinely appointed by God — by reporting abuse outside the church.

The fascist, the abuser, the cult member, the Republican — all find refuge in authoritarian institutions requiring obedience in exchange for minor authority and the chance to seek revenge. The innocent suffer the most.

Spotlight Shines Light on Child Abuse Scandal, Wisconsin GOP Remains Complicit

Spotlight

Update: See Sarah Larson's new piece in The New Yorker.

The systemic obscenity of priests' abuse and rape of children is featured in the powerful Academy Award nominee for best picture, Spotlight.

A brilliant chronicling by American journalism against the Church that lost Christ (Free Press, 2004) as Jimmy Breslin put it, the Archdiocese of Boston is exposed by old-school journalism against the astonishing narcissism and indifference of perpetrators praying on children on a massive scale.

Gripping, powerful and the most important film in decades, Spotlight has this home's hopes for best picture for the Oscar this weekend.

With respect to Wisconsin citizens in heavily Catholic Wisconsin, Spotlight ought to serve as a reminder to the collaborators and the particular viciousness of the Milwaukee Archdiocese that you are not forgotten, forgiven and cannot hide.

No spoilers here for Spotlight.

The scope and moral depravity of the Catholic Church became arguably the leading investigative story of the last 20 years.

A look at The Boston Globe's coverage of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and the
movie "Spotlight," which is based on the stories and the reporters behind the investigation.

Almost every state was implicated.

And the Republican Party protected child abuse in collusion with the Cardinal (former Archbishop) Timothy Dolan, including current Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R) who worked to protect pedophile priests and against victims, (Talking Points Memo, One Wisconsin Now and Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel), U.S. District Judge Rudolph Randa and Wisconsin legislative Republicans who blocked a child victims' rights bill numerous times in service to rightwing cabals then holding sway in the Catholic Church, (Frontline).

No matter how often Wisconsin State Sen. Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) introduces or sponsors a new Child Victims Act every session, Wisconsin legislative Republicans block it. Don't look for simple decency from Wisconsin Republicans and Scot Walker anytime soon.

In 2014 Pope Francis met with six victims of abuse, comparing the abuse of children at the hands of Catholic priests to the performing of a satanic black mass:

'Before God and his people, I express my sorrow for the sins and grave crimes of clerical sexual abuse committed against you,' Francis said during his homily, according to a text released by the Vatican. 'And I humbly ask forgiveness I beg your forgiveness, too, for the sins of omission on the part of church leaders who did not respond adequately to reports of abuse made by family members, as well as by abuse victims themselves.'(Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests]

A leading advocate for survivors of Catholic priests, Patrick J. Wall of Jeff Anderson and Associates of St. Paul, Minnesota, expressed a show-me attitude towards the Pope's stated commitment to holding bishops accountable for covering up crimes against 1,000s of children worldwide.

"If the Holy Father does not fire the Bishops and Abbots who have been complicit in covering up child sexual abuse by the Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, Deacons and Religious, then he simply is a Jesuit using roman tactics of smoke and mirrors," said Wall in an email.

I think Pope Francis is for real, and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), and every lousy bastard in the Milwaukee Archdiocese will face justice.

See below, in service to history, Ron Johnson testifying against the Wisconsin Child Abuse victims bill, Ron Johnson opposing Child Victims Act in Wisconsin just 10 months before being elected to the office of U.S. senator: