World News Korner

Minnesota minister creates insular community where he is free to rape and sexually abuse young women for years.

Courtesy of the Star Tribune:

Lindsay Tornambe was just 13 years old when she was chosen to be “sacrificed to God,” she remembers.

That announcement in July 2000 came from a minister who led an insular faith community that included her family in central Minnesota. As Tornambe sat in the congregation with her parents, she remembers the minister calling out a list of 10 girls for a position of honor. He would later call them “maidens.”

Soon, her parents dutifully dropped her off at his isolated camp, where what she now calls a nightmare of sexual abuse went on for about nine years.

Pine County authorities announced Tuesday that the minister, 52-year-old Victor A. Barnard, is now facing 59 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving his chosen maidens.

Barnard ruled “like a rock star” over the camp and sexually exploited girls and young women at his whim while they lived apart from their families, according to court papers, which spell out the alleged abuses against two unnamed teens.

Barnard had not been apprehended Tuesday evening but was believed to be in Washington state, where authorities have begun a manhunt for him. He is the subject of a nationwide warrant.

The 59 counts are based only on the two young women who cooperated with the authorities, there are undoubtedly many, many more young girls and women who were also molested by this guy.

You know besides my issues with religion in general, this is really one of the things about faith that concerns me the most.

Just ask yourself how readily you would accept that a 52 year old man was inviting young girls up to his isolated cabin for reasons that were NOT incredibly suspicious, if he were not using religion to camouflage his actions?

One would think that after the Jonestown massacre people would be incredibly wary of charismatic religious leaders who want to spend time with your wives or daughters, and start camps or communes in isolated areas, but some people are just not that sharp.

If you want to learn more click the link at the top, but I warn you it is a pretty upsetting read.

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