I have commented a few times about how humans are animals who evolved instincts to gather in groups for safety, and how those instincts are still active today, and people will join churches or remain in churches, because their animal instinct to belong to a group is so strong. They feel a really strong "need" to belong, that rationality does not figure into their actions.

Religion provides a sense of community and belonging which, in many cases, fulfills our instinctual need to belong to a community, and "belonging" makes a persons feel "safe". While that instinct may work well for humans living out in the bush, in modern civilization it creates opportunities for (sexual) predators, because people tend to let their guard down with others who are a part of the group or community.

If you ever wonder what a former atheist was thinking, or what happened to them, because they joined a religion, it is because their animal instinct to belong overcame their sense of reason and logic.

There are no Amish communities in the Pacific Northwest where I currently live, and there weren't any in Los Angeles where I grew up. Most of what I know about the Amish is what I have seen on TV or movies or read in books.

It is my impression that like every other religion there are those who honestly try to follow the teachings and live a righteous life, but there are also those who live a secret or double life, where they hide their true selves from their religious community.

The Amish are hard to pin down, as there is no central church authority, but each local community has a bishop who is the local church authority and it goes no higher. So, each Amish community ends up being slightly unique, even if they are similar in most ways. While some local churches may not do anything, others may cast out or shun members known to violate church doctrine (or to abuse children) hoping they will correct course, repent and return to the fold. I would not expect the Amish to be consistent from one community to the next because they have no central authority.

There is a book series I particularly enjoy by Linda Castillo, about a woman who grew up Amish, but left the fold and became a sheriff enforcing the law in the same Amish community where she grew up. Her upbringing gives her unique access to the reclusive community. Just thought I'd recommend the book series as, at least to a total outsider, it seems to give insight into the Amish, and does deal with the issue of their not wanting to cooperate with the laws of "the English".

Anyway, the problems of sexual abuse in a closed religious community are often a lot worse than in a religion that doesn't so adamantly separate itself from the rest of the world. From what I have read, sexual abuse for some is innate, while for others it is modeled. For those who it is modeled, that means they were abused as children themselves and for some of them, they internalize it as a "normal" sexual outlet, and go on to abuse other children. Of those, not all continue to do so (contrary to popular belief), but if they are in a community where sexuality is suppressed or discouraged, using children for sexual gratification is far more likely to happen and to continue as a cycle for many generations.

Note. When I say not all will continue sexually abusing children, there are many variables involved, and as a general rule is is "safer" to assume that they will, and if their life circumstances change it is possible they might resume after many years or normal or healthy (consensual) sexual behaviors. It all depends on how much psychological damage they experienced. It is possible that the parents reactions to finding out their child was sexually abused does even more psychological damage than the actual sexual abuse itself.

Personally, I do think people should be more honest and open about discussing sex and sex crimes to lift the stigma of shame from the victims and redirect all the vectorial for the predators and abusers.

Religion and churches are mostly responsible for the victims of sexual crimes being blamed for having been victimized in the first place.

Religion and those that practice it are some pretty perverted fuks. And to think that they can stand there and proclaim to be the shining light to the world as our moral compass. What a joke.

In small conservative religious communities, that's where the highest number of sexual molestation and incest happens.

They're hard working and all and some are nice but many are scumbags they don't have to pay taxes either. They control a lot of wealth in Lancaster County but always plead poverty. Fuck the Dutch bastards.

Well now……some of ‘em certainly know how to keep it in the family!!

how biblical

Not only the Amish.

Sounds like a good-old-boys cult and real-life handmaid's tale. What a nightmare.

It's no accident that religions are patriarchal communities that isolate from the public and enforce total submission of women. It's all predator 101 shit. I can't imagine the strength it takes for someone to break free of that indoctrination enough to stand up to it, especially since the abuser will doubtless get a hand-slap sentence. It's so heartbreaking ...

With the help of religion that glorifies the supremacy of men, it is easy for men to protect men.

That's what happens when women are chattel and the OT reigns.