Young Men's President arrested for sex crimes

[VideoGameJunkie]

Should the church be more careful with who it puts in positions of authority over children and teenagers? http://www.nonpareilonline.com/news/local/local-lds-leader-accused-of-sex-crimes/article_93d41e24-4adc-53d9-8a63-2f5e7db12128.html

An Oakland man, who holds a key position with a local ward of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, has been charged with six counts of sex-related crimes.

James Raborn, 26, has been charged with two felony counts of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist, two misdemeanor counts of counts of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist as well as single misdemeanor counts of dissemination or exhibition of obscene materials to minors and purchase or possession of a depiction of a minor in a sex act.

The charges stem from alleged sexual relationships with two 16-year-old females.

No-contact orders, which prohibit Raborn from contacting the victims orders were filed on Wednesday.

Raborn was arrested on Feb. 12 and posted $65,000 bond one day later. Raborn’s attorney, Jordan Glaser, said his client plans to plead not guilty.

According to Raborn’s arrest affidavit, he works as a ward young men president for LDS. According to the LDS webpage, the ward young men president serves as a member of the ward priesthood executive committee and the ward council. As a member of this committee and council, he participates in efforts to build faith and strengthen individuals and families. Investigators interviewed a representative with the LDS church who said that Raborn was a member of its clergy.

Investigators with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office said that Raborn met the two 16-year-old girls in his role as ward young men president. In the arrest affidavit, the two victims are listed only as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2.

Jane Doe 1 reportedly met Raborn in July of 2015 and later introduced him to Jane Doe 2.

According to the arrest affidavit, Jane Doe 1 met with authorities on Nov. 12, and Jane Doe 2 was interviewed on Dec. 4. Both reportedly said they performed sexual acts with Raborn and received explicit pictures from the suspect. Jane Doe 1 reportedly told authorities that she was aware that Raborn was married with children.

With a search warrant, investigators searched residences in Oakland and Red Oak and allegedly found explicit pictures of Jane Doe 2 as well as text messages between the two of them describing their relationship. The two victims also turned in gifts of jewelry, clothes and memorabilia, which they allegedly received from Raborn.

If convicted of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist, a Class D felony, Raborn could receive up to five years in prison.

Raborn’s next court date is a preliminary hearing on March 9.

Edited February 18, 2016 by VideoGameJunkie

[Rock_N_Roll]

5 minutes ago, VideoGameJunkie said:

 

Investigators with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office said that Raborn met the two 16-year-old girls in his role as ward young men president.

I'm wondering what part of his role as YM President would necessitate him meeting with two 16-year old girls.  Alone... BSA training specifically forbids that. 

[VideoGameJunkie]

Just now, Rock_N_Roll said:

I'm wondering what part of his role as YM President would necessitate him meeting with two 16-year old girls.  Alone... BSA training specifically forbids that. 

There are combined YM/YW activities all the time.

[Rock_N_Roll]

9 minutes ago, VideoGameJunkie said:

There are combined YM/YW activities all the time.

Exactly.  We had one last night.  But the YM Pres. never met with any of the Young Women.  Especially not alone. 

[JLHPROF]

24 minutes ago, VideoGameJunkie said:

Should the church be more careful

Here is the problem statement.

You assume an absence of care on the part of the Church, as if the actions of this individual are the result of the Church ignoring information.

What care do you think they neglected?

Edited February 18, 2016 by JLHPROF

[VideoGameJunkie]

When I was in the YM Presidency in my family ward 5 years ago at age 25, I got to know many of the Young Women too and during activities where I'd be sitting on the gym stage, some would come up and sit next to me and chat with me about anything. I thought nothing of it at the time, but I didn't realize at the time how sketchy that could have looked. And they became friends with me and friended me on facebook.  The guy who was arrested was 26, only 1 year older than I was at the time. We have to be careful and be aware of our surroundings at all times.

[VideoGameJunkie]

2 minutes ago, JLHPROF said:

Here is the problem statement.

You assume an absence of care on the part of the Church, as if the actions of this individual are the result of the Church ignoring information.

What care do you think they neglected?

I don't know. I guess a better question could be, can the church have a way of preventing things like this from happening?

[JLHPROF]

6 minutes ago, VideoGameJunkie said:

I don't know. I guess a better question could be, can the church have a way of preventing things like this from happening?

Much better.

[Believing]

With a world wide leadership in the millions being realistic (which I know this things should never happen and there will all ways be a critic that the church will never do enough) this will happen, it really is a probability exercise. This is the real question.....does the church have the correct institutional controls in place to keep any incidents at the very minimum. The answer in my observation is yes it does.  Any and all of these types of incidents are a tragedy all due diligence must be exercised. 

[thesometimesaint]

6 minutes ago, Believing said:

With a world wide leadership in the millions being realistic (which I know this things should never happen and there will all ways be a critic that the church will never do enough) this will happen, it really is a probability exercise. This is the real question.....does the church have the correct institutional controls in place to keep any incidents at the very minimum. The answer in my observation is yes it does.  Any and all of these types of incidents are a tragedy all due diligence must be exercised. 

Agreed.

[Jeanne]

Things like this has always made me ask the question..where is that power of discernment?

[VideoGameJunkie]

3 minutes ago, Jeanne said:

Things like this has always made me ask the question..where is that power of discernment?

I'm a strong believer in the church, but I don't believe in the power of discernment very strongly. Everyone has agency and you never know how someone may act or wind up.

[ksfisher]

1 minute ago, Jeanne said:

Things like this has always made me ask the question..where is that power of discernment?

The power of discernment is not a crystal ball, nor does it override the freedom of the individual to make choices. 

[Jeanne]

13 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

The power of discernment is not a crystal ball, nor does it override the freedom of the individual to make choices. 

It seems in my callings, the RS Pres and Bishop would say "The Lord has called you" to this position. 

[ksfisher]

Just now, Jeanne said:

It seems in my callings, the RS Pres and Bishop would say "The Lord has called you" to this position. 

And that is the truth, especially since the RS Pres and Bishop are acting as the Lord's agent.  He isn't here, but he has called them to act in his place until he returns.  Once you are called you have the power to magnify your calling.  It's up to you.  The Lord knows you can do it, but you still have to do it.  He's promised to be with you and guide you, but not do it for you.

[Jim Stiles]

Things like this happen in all churches.  That is why one does not leave a man who is in a position of authority alone with teenage women.  It is impossible to prevent all sexual abuse of minors, but there are commonsense precautions.

[USU78]

2 hours ago, VideoGameJunkie said:

Should the church be more careful with who it puts in positions of authority over children and teenagers?

What do you suggest?  Penile plethysmography for all members before they may be issued a calling?

[cinepro]

1 hour ago, USU78 said:

What do you suggest?  Penile plethysmography for all members before they may be issued a calling?

Well, I think the easiest suggestion would be for God to somehow communicate with the leaders and say "Hey!  Don't call that person to that position!"

I guess there are at least three possible reasons that doesn't happen:

1. God doesn't know the person will do that in the future.

2. God doesn't have a way of conveying the message.

3. The leaders don't have a way to receive or understand the message.

Or, it could be an Alma 14 situation:

 10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.

 11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/14?lang=eng

In other words, God knows what will happen, but allows people to be abused so that he may judge them righteously at the last day.  After all, if Brother Raborn had been prevented from being in that position, then he couldn't be judged as a molester on judgement day.  Based on verse 11, that seems to be what God prefers.

[USU78]

3 minutes ago, cinepro said:

Well, I think the easiest suggestion would be for God to somehow communicate with the leaders and say "Hey!  Don't call that person to that position!"

I guess there are at least three possible reasons that doesn't happen:

1. God doesn't know the person will do that in the future.

2. God doesn't have a way of conveying the message.

3. The leaders don't have a way to receive or understand the message.

Or, it could be an Alma 14 situation:

In other words, God knows what will happen, but allows people to be abused so that he may judge them righteously at the last day.  After all, if Brother Raborn had been prevented from being in that position, then he couldn't be judged as a molester on judgement day.  Based on verse 11, that seems to be what God prefers.

So Adam/Eve, upon Cain's birth, needed to chop off both his hands so he couldn't hold the club/rock he used to assassinate his brother  ...  just in case?

[cinepro]

And as others have noted, this is closely related to the "Gift of Discernment" (perhaps one of the most easily tested of all "gifts"):

One of the gifts of the Gospel which the Lord has promised to those who enter into covenant with Him is the gift of discerning of spirits—a gift which is not much thought of by many and probably seldom prayed for; yet it is a gift that is of exceeding value and one that should be enjoyed by every Latter-day Saint. . . .

Now, the gift of discerning of spirits not only gives men and women who have it the power to discern the spirit with which others may be possessed or influenced, but it gives them the power to discern the spirit which influences themselves. They are able to detect a false spirit and also to know when the Spirit of God reigns within them. In private life this gift is of great importance to the Latter-day Saints. Possessing and exercising this gift they will not allow any evil influence to enter into their hearts or to prompt them in their thoughts, their words or their acts. They will repel it; and if perchance such a spirit should get possession of them, as soon as they witness its effects they will expel it or, in other words, refuse to be led or prompted by it. [Gospel Truth: Discourses and Writings of President George Q. Cannon, comp. Jerreld L. Newquist (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1974), 1:198–99]

 

Elder Stephen L Richards said that “the gift of discernment is essential to the leadership of the Church. I never ordain a bishop or set apart a president of a stake without invoking upon him this divine blessing, that he may read the lives and hearts of his people and call forth the best within them. The gift and power of discernment in this world of contention between the forces of good and the power of evil is essential equipment for every son and daughter of God.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1950, p. 163.)

https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/section-41-49/section-46-seek-ye-earnestly-the-best-gifts?lang=eng

As the kids are taught...

What important spiritual gift is a bishop given? (

D&C 46:27–29

; explain that with the gift of discernment the bishop is given inspiration to know important things about his ward members, such as who might be in need of spiritual help or whom to call to a position.)

https://www.lds.org/manual/primary-5-doctrine-and-covenants-and-church-history/lesson-17-edward-partridge-is-called-as-the-first-bishop?lang=eng

[ksfisher]

4 minutes ago, cinepro said:

Well, I think the easiest suggestion would be for God to somehow communicate with the leaders and say "Hey!  Don't call that person to that position!"

I guess there are at least three possible reasons that doesn't happen:

1. God doesn't know the person will do that in the future.

2. God doesn't have a way of conveying the message.

3. The leaders don't have a way to receive or understand the message.

Or, it could be an Alma 14 situation:

 

 

In other words, God knows what will happen, but allows people to be abused so that he may judge them righteously at the last day.  After all, if Brother Raborn had been prevented from being in that position, then he couldn't be judged as a molester on judgement day.  Based on verse 11, that seems to be what God prefers.

I think God allows us to prove to him what kind of people we are. 

 

Your point number 1 has always interested me.  Does God know what will happen in a moment that hasn't been created yet?  I know that he knows all things, but does he know things that aren't things yet?

[cinepro]

11 minutes ago, USU78 said:

So Adam/Eve, upon Cain's birth, needed to chop off both his hands so he couldn't hold the club/rock he used to assassinate his brother  ...  just in case?

I'm not sure where you're getting that from.  If Adam were the Bishop of his Ward, then I would simply hope that he wouldn't call Cain and Abel to both serve on the Sacrifice Preparation Committee if he had some spiritual prompting that Cain was inclined towards murder, and I would hope that God would give him such a prompting.

 

Maybe that's not the way God works, and that's just not something that is reasonable to expect from the Church.  But dang, it would sure be awesome if it were!

Edited February 18, 2016 by cinepro

[USU78]

4 minutes ago, cinepro said:

I'm not sure where you're getting that from.  If Adam were the Bishop of his Ward, then I would simply hope that he wouldn't call Cain and Abel to both serve on the Sacrifice Preparation Committee if he had some spiritual prompting that Cain was inclined towards murder, and I would hope that God would give him such a prompting.

Maybe that's not the way God works, and that's just not something that is reasonable to expect from the Church.  But dang, it would sure be awesome if it were!

The inevitable consequence of G-d making "all things known," including the criminal acts of a Cain, is that either G-d Himself or those in authority to whom He communicates "all things" must take action to prevent the criminal act:  in this case, Cain's murderous rage.

But let's be honest, shall we?  The whole point of bringing this up in the first place is to infer that no special discernment is granted or grantable, since (a) the Church is false and/or (b) there is no G-d Who can grant discernment.

[Johnnie Cake]

This isn't the fault of the church.  The abuser is 100% responsible for his own actions...its unfortunate that the media uses the churches good reputation to sell papers...but I guess due to so many LDS members having great reputations this outlier does make this news worthy

[ksfisher]

1 minute ago, USU78 said:

The inevitable consequence of G-d making "all things known," including the criminal acts of a Cain, is that either G-d Himself or those in authority to whom He communicates "all things" must take action to prevent the criminal act:  in this case, Cain's murderous rage.

 

This scenario would seem to prejudge Cain for an act that he had not committed yet.  Would he then be held accountable at the judgement bar for acts which he would have committed if God had not prevented them for happening?