An embarrassing apology published by Christianity Today shows that leaders in the faith community still have a lot to learn about child sexual abuse. The readers of Christianity Today have taught the magazine a lesson—they know more about child sexual abuse then its editors do. Last Monday, CT published an article on its Leadership Journal website written by an unnamed pastor who is serving time in prison… Read More
Couple convicted of child abuse
This article was originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal. A couple who spanked their young children on their bare bottoms with wooden dowels in keeping with the teachings of the church they belonged to were convicted Friday night of child abuse, the last of eight people connected to the church… Read More
The Abuse of Forgiveness
According to mental health experts, forgiving someone who has wronged us can improve our emotional well-being. Acts of forgiveness can have even more far-ranging societal benefits. For example, the Rwandan gacaca genocide trials have relied on a system of forgiveness, allowing defendants who confess to receive lighter sentences. Part of the reason for adopting this system… Read More
Press Release: CFFP calls out religious institutions for continuing to fail child victims
AUSTIN, TX– (April 1, 2021) – As National Child Abuse Prevention Month gets underway, the Child-Friendly Faith Project (CFFP), a national nonprofit that educates the public about religiously-enabled child maltreatment, is raising awareness of crimes against children perpetrated in religious institutions. The CFFP is also drawing attention to a dangerous… Read More
Ongoing Campaigns
Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch Advocacy The Child-Friendly Faith Project has worked to advocate for former residents of Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch for the past few years. Many of the child residents at Cal Farley’s suffered ongoing physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. After leaving the ranch, many men lack skills needed… Read More
Faith Healing is Spreading, Not Curing, Coronavirus
As the coronavirus continues its deadly spread across America and around the world, there are some who are less concerned, less mindful of social-distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders, less tied to accurate, evidence-based medical directives. Of course, faith healing isn’t new, but the ongoing crisis has rightfully increased our national… Read More
What is Homeopathy?
Homeopathy is a pseudo-scientific system of faith-based medicine. It was created over 200 years ago by Samuel Hahnemann. Homeopaths believe that an illness can be cured by consuming something that causes similar symptoms in a healthy person. They don’t address the disease directly, their concern is with the symptoms. For… Read More
Sharing knowledge about religious child maltreatment. Building community with those who care about RCM. Advocating for those whose lives are impacted by it. Since it was founded in 2012, the Child-Friendly Faith Project has been raising awareness of an issue that many people have had a hard time talking… Read More
Why I Marched to Protect Every Child
On Saturday, October 5th, I had the honor and privilege of participating in the inaugural Protect Every Child march in Salt Lake City, Utah. This march, organized by child advocate and former LDS bishop Sam Young, aimed to end child abuse by bringing awareness to how common abuse is and… Read More
The homophobic teachings of the Mormon church killed my son
Brian Bresee and his son Samuel When Brian Bresee became a father, he was a sixth-generation Mormon who believed that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a good faith tradition and environment in which to raise children. But when his 14-year-old son took… Read More