All in the Christian family

A pastor’s son is in a lot of trouble. Ruben J. Matuk, just 28, stands charged with molesting a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old girl. The alleged molestations took place on the grounds of the Apostolic Full Gospel Church of Christ, in Hollister, California.

Authorities believe the misdeeds started in September 2003 when they suspect Matuk committed lewd and lascivious acts with a girl who had been 12 years old, Casada said.

Regarding the second suspected victim, prosecutors charged Matuk on suspicion of attempted lewd and lascivious acts in June 2008, along with indecent exposure and sexual battery on Sept. 1 of this year, according to court records. Those dates mean the alleging victim would have been about 15 years old at the time.

Two of the charges are felonies. A conviction for lewd and lascivious acts would carry a maximum penalty of eight years in prison, while attempted lewd and lascivious acts has a maximum penalty of three years in prison, according to the penal code. If convicted, Matuk also would have to register as a sex offender.

Source: Pastor's son accused of lewd acts

I write these posts because five years ago a Christian friend insisted that I could not possibly be a moral person because I was not a Christian. He also insisted that I did not have the moral grounding afforded to those who know the bible, so I was hopelessly resigned to a life of evil. We have a case here that refutes the argument beautifully. A pastor’s son, a man who should know better, allegedly molested two young girls. If a man is raised as a Christian, yet still manages to commit the most heinous of crimes, what benefit comes from being a Christian? How does reading the bible and being a Christian make us moral again? If 28 years of exposure to Christianity, the bible, and weekly sermons does not do the job, what will?

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation