Deep Thoughts: Youth pastor Joshua Williams arrested

Sunday, February 06, 2011

Youth pastor Joshua Williams arrested

I hate writing this post. The way Google works, this post will be the top search result for the name Joshua Williams for years to come. I hate it because a little boy in Florida deserves a good name. Yet an older man with the same name stands accused of raping a young man who attended his church.

Joshua Williams, 22, is accused of engaging in sex acts with a young male member of the First Assembly of God church in Lewiston.

An Androscoggin County grand jury indicted him of three charges of gross sexual assault and three counts of unlawful sexual contact. Williams was a former youth minister at the church.

The victim was 15. There were several incidents.

Williams was indicted by an Androscoggin County grand jury last month. One of the felony sexual assault charges stems from an alleged incident in Bar Harbor on Aug. 15, 2009, during a camping trip. Another of the assault charges allegedly occurred Oct. 15, 2009, in Auburn, according to court records. The third assault charge allegedly happened in Lewiston on Feb. 15, 2010. The contact incidents occurred twice in Auburn and once in Lewiston during the spring and summer of 2009, according to the indictment.

I often wonder how a 22 year old man is considered a pastor. How much experience and maturity can a typical 22 year old bring to his or her post? It’s a cop-out. Churches need cheap help and young adults fit the bill. It’s a formula for disaster.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Child Molestation

Comments (14)

Logging you in...

Dashboard | Edit profile | Logout

Logged in as

-3 Vote up Vote down

Erin · 744 weeks ago

Just because someone is young, doesn't mean they shouldn't lead seriously man mind your own business! I am not approving of this, but think about it, the kid was 15! It wasn't a 9 year old. That kid knew what he was doing.

Report

4 replies · active 727 weeks ago

+6 Vote up Vote down

Mojoey 107p · 744 weeks ago

I don't agree. Youth is a disadvantage when leading children. Supervision and oversight is required.

And blaming the victim is unbelievably crass and wrong headed. Are you really a Christian? Because I think you may have missed the core message.

Report

+2 Vote up Vote down

Baconsbud 96p · 743 weeks ago

I also disagree with you claim that a 15 year old should know what he/she is doing. When you begin examining how many christian families avoid the tough subjects like sex and drugs. What you find are teens that aren't ready to face people like this guy. I blame both the person committing the act and figure some of the blame should fall on the parents. Telling a child to not talk to strangers but avoiding telling teens how some people will manipulate them into doing things that aren't in their best interest is a failure of the parents.

Report

0 Vote up Vote down

Mother · 727 weeks ago

A parent can warn their teen or child but that still doesn't stop a perpetrator from manipulating his victim. Until you've been a parent with a child whose been molested, you shouldn't pass such snap judgment to say it's "a failure of the parents." That's an ignorant and arrogant thing to say.

Report

+2 Vote up Vote down

Baconsbud 96p · 727 weeks ago

That can be true but a lot of it depends on how the parent tells the teen or child. I know some parents around here are afraid to bring these types of subjects up with their kids and it makes it easier for those set on taking advantage of teens. I suspect that the parents of this teen failed to provide the kind of teaching that would best help.

Report

-1 Vote up Vote down

LovesGod · 740 weeks ago

Before you start casting stones or even make remarks regarding the Christian Faith, you need to sit back and take a good look around you. The Church DOES NOT hire the young and think of spending less. You don't know nor do you have the facts to make any accusations. Who is not to say that the boy accusing isn't troubled? In the world today, everyone takes to the victim regardless and a lot of the accussed are accussed fasley. So before anyone is so quick to judge, take a good look around you.

Report

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

Mojoey 107p · 740 weeks ago

We call this blame the victim and it is a sick position that causes a poor reflection on Christians. I get this response in 7 our of 10 cases. Tell me, did the boy want it? Is that what your sick mind has come up with to justify the crimes of your youth pastor?

Report

+2 Vote up Vote down

Baconsbud 96p · 740 weeks ago

Lets see the stats on this claim of your that many are falsely accused. I very much doubt you can show any evidence to your claim unless you go to one of those religious sites making the same claim you are with no evidence just like you. It doesn't matter if the minor is troubled or not when it comes to an adult taking advantage of that minor. It is, in my opinion, even worse if a person claiming to be a teacher of morals takes advantage of any minor troubled or not.

You say he hasn't got the facts but it seems you have less facts then he does. Grow up and open your eyes, it might actually make your life better. God is a lie.

Report

+2 Vote up Vote down

deleted8470268 143p · 740 weeks ago

You see how they can justify any abhorred act.This is what they do .A 15 year old boy ? Would they say the same thing if it had been they're child? Or themselves ?

Report

+2 Vote up Vote down

DIANNA · 739 weeks ago

I HATE THIS ARTICLE. I KNEW AND GREW UP WITH THIS GUY AND THERE IS NOOOOO WAY IN HELL HE COULDA REALLY DID WHAT HES BEING ACCUSED OF DOING. BREAKS MY HEART THAT OUTSIDE PPL REALLY NEED TO WASTETHEIR TIME WRITING ARTICLES AND BLOGS. THE NEWSPAPER DOES IT CUZ THEY LEGALLY R SUPPOSE TPO,THATS ALL IM GONNA SAY INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3 -DI

Report

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

Baconsbud 96p · 738 weeks ago

Why do you believe that you know this guy as you claim you do? How many wives/husbands have thought they knew their spouse but didn't know they were being cheated on for years? When someone is doing something that is illegal or wrong in the eyes of most people it can be easily hidden from those around him or her. I figure you hate the message it sends and you don't want to admit someone you trust and believe is above such acts has broken that trust. If you are close to this person I bet you can step back and look at some events or things he said that might have hinted to his wrong doings.

Report

+1 Vote up Vote down

deleted8470268 143p · 738 weeks ago

Very true Beconsbud . It has been said that everyone is Deluded about something . But it is for people to seek out rational explanations for the actions of others . But sometimes their are no rational explanations. Thus is the slide to the irrational. Here Christians must feel quite at home ?

Report

0 Vote up Vote down

Ben G. · 721 weeks ago

I disagree with Mojoey about the age of a youth leader. I don't think it has anything to do with age, but spiritual and mental maturity, which can be really hard to define, but that's why we have pastors who make the decision on who gets to be in that position. And though there may be some disadvantages to being a younger adult leading youth, there are many advantages that older people would not have, such as the ability to relate better in certain areas (musical preference, generational changes, etc) just like there are advantages to being older that younger adults don't have (such as life experience and an easier time commanding authority). It really can't be stereotyped, it's a case-by-case decision. And if pastors make their decision based on money and not faith or God's leading for their church, that's their problem. Don't blame it on the age of the youth leader. And by no means am I making any excuse for anyone, because the actions are still wrong, but someone tell me there haven't been any older church leaders accused of these sorts of actions in the past, and I'll tell you that you're biased and ignorant. Again, it has nothing to do with age.

I also know Josh, and I was surprised to hear of these allegations against him. I still don't see how we have enough evidence to prove anything, either guilty or innocent. I pray the best for him. If he did it, than the best for him is to serve his time and repent of his actions. If he didn't do it, I pray the truth is revealed. That's how justice works, both in our world and in the Bible. Because true justice stems from the Bible.

I also disagree with the people in this post that shoot straight to the victim and say it's on him instead of Josh, cause that is wrong also. We have just as much evidence that the boy condoned the actions as we do that they actually happened in the first place. All we have are allegations. May God root out the truth from the lies, for Josh's sake, the boy's sake, and for God's Kingdom as a whole. But in any case, if they did happen, there are NO justifications for those actions. Period. I just want proof that they did indeed happen before an innocent man is convicted of something he didn't do.

And @Baconsbud: I find it curious that in the same post you condemned someone for not having any evidence, yet you blamed the parents of the victim without any evidence of how the victim was brought up. How do you know the victim even had living parents? If he did have parents, did the victim have free will to choose to follow his parent's advice or not? Or more importantly (if this action occurred at all) did the victim have a choice in the matter regardless of their moral stance? You made a statement that you can't possibly have any evidence for unless you were there. And in your reply to Dianna, you are obviously taking the stance that he is guilty (saying that we could look back and see things that he did that led up to his alleged actions), again without any evidence. If you have such evidence, why isn't this case over? Another statement you made without evidence is that "God is a lie." Have you been everywhere in the universe? Are you all-knowing? Can you give me evidence for this please? A few challenges from me to you.

Report

1 reply · active 704 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

Friend · 704 weeks ago

Dear Ben We too know Josh and thought he was a wonderful youth Pastor. Ben in YOUR statement you said the victim condoned to this have you sat and talked to the victim?Or just assuming?Not sure if your aware but most victims don't scream out right away, with the guilt of some how thinking it's there fault.I will tell you what this has done to alot of teens seeing how Christian people have treated this victim and blaming him. Some have said if that ever happened to them they would never say anything to anyone. .This is a very sad situation that has happened.Ben as we both know a YOUTH Pastor is to help lead our children closer to GOD not push them further away. The victim was 14 when josh started.josh WAS terminated for admitting what he did .As far as evidence it was presented to 24 jurors and that is why he is going to court.As far as the parents of this teen they trusted josh to be a God rolemodel and teach the youth about how great our God is. He failed .I pray for him daily and pray he ask God to forgive him and will some how turn this around for good .As time goes on i'am sure you know josh is getting further and further away from God that is because of Sin.God bless you!Pray for them all !

Report

Post a new comment

Comment as a Guest, or login:

Tweet this comment

Deep Thoughts

Pages

Sunday, February 06, 2011

Youth pastor Joshua Williams arrested

Forgot password?

Comments (14)

Post a new comment