International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 8, 2017 29
that even with these risks, the aggrieved
parties involved must consider the potential
harms of not having their allegations aired in
a public court.
Preparing for the Most Extreme Position:
Assertions That Adult-Sanctioned
Sexuality Involving Children Is Protected
if Not Divinely Ordained
Prosecutors—and for that matter, defense
counsel—in criminal, civil, or family trials may
find themselves involved in cases in which the
accused parties defend, in varying degrees,
either adult sexual contact with children or
adult-sanctioned child-upon-child sex.
83F
84 A small
number of cult members and leaders will believe
that adult-sanctioned sexual activity involving
minors is acceptable, but at least a few of the
offending parties will realize that an attempted
public defense of their beliefs would be fatally
harmful for their cases.
84F
85 Whatever variation
starvation, and denial of proper education. By August 2014, some
of his 27 owned or controlled properties in Fouke, Arkansas sold at
auction, and federal officials already had announced their likely
intention to go after properties in Los Angeles. See “US Evangelist
Tony Alamo Gets 175 Years for Sex Crimes” (2009, November
14), Telegraph [UK]. Available from
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/656
5830/US-evangelist-Tony-Alamo-gets-175-years-for-sex-
crimes.html Paresh, Dave, 2004 (March 1), “Tony Alamo Victims
Awarded $525 Million L.A. Properties May Be Sold,” Los
Angeles Times. Available from
http://articles.latimes.com/2014/mar/01/nation/la-na-nn-tony-
alamo-arkansas-victims-20140228 Julie Parr, 2014 (Updated July
23), “Tony Alamo Properties Sold at Auction,” KTBS [Shreveport,
LA]. Available from http://www.ktbs.com/story/25764986/tony-
alamo-properties-sold-at-auction Julie Parr, 2014 (Updated
August 23), “Tony Alamo Church Empire Dismantled,” KTBS
[Shreveport, LA]. Downloaded from
http://www.ktbs.com/story/26274422/tony-alamo-church-empire-
dismantled
84 For a sociological analysis of this phenomenon, see Kent, 2012,
p. 49.
85 A dramatic example of a group that had sanctioned adult/child
sex but realized that society disapproved and criminalized such
activities was the Children of God/The Family. In an internal
publication for members only, written in late 1992 or early 1993,
The Family’s leader, Karen Zerby/Mama Maria, wrote a long
document to her followers, which contained a section entitled
“CONCERN ABOUT CA [child abuse] QUESTIONS:
PRESENTING IT TO THE PUBLIC &EXPLAINING IT TO
THE FAMILY.” In the section that followed, she shared with
followers: “129. I’m sorry that we couldn’t come out a little more
forthrightly in the Child Abuse Statement, bringing out the point
that all sex between adults &minors in not bad, sinful, harmful or
abusive. However, the problem was that we didn’t know how
there may be among criminal, civil, or family
court cases, these defenses never work and even
sincerely held beliefs in the sanctity of sex with
or between minors never trumps child sexual-
abuse statutes. For purposes of illustration, we
provide three examples of unsuccessful
defenses.
In New Mexico, Wayne Bent of the Lord Our
Righteousness Church faced charges that
accused him of touching a female teen’s breasts.
Throughout the process, Dent insisted that he
only had touched a teen girl’s sternum, and done
so for nonsexual, religiously healing purposes.
Convicted in mid-December 2008 “of one count
of criminal sexual contact of a minor and two
counts of contributing to the delinquency of a
minor,”
85F
86 Bent received an 18-year sentence,
with 8 years suspended.
86F
87 He petitioned the
New Mexico Court of Appeals on several points,
and he received a reversal on the grounds that
the term of service had expired for the grand
jury that had indicted him. The New Mexico
Supreme Court, however, upheld the authority
of the initial conviction.
87F
88
In a Canadian case, pastor Daniel Cormier of the
Church of Downtown Montreal claimed
unsuccessfully to a court that he had married his
10-year-old victim. Charged in 2004 with sexual
interference, invitation to sexual touching,
sexual assault, and two counts of sexual
much we could say without putting the Family at legal risk. We
wouldn’t have been afraid to admit more if we had known we
could do it legally, but we had to be careful &try to protect the
Family, &since at the time we were unable to get any expert
advice on that subject, we had to do the best we could” [Maria],
Summit ’93 Mama Jewels!—No. 2 (1992/1993?), 18–19
(underlining in original).
86 Deborah Baker, 2008 (December 15), “Leader of NM Sect
Guilty in Child Sex Case,” Huffington Post. Available from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires.20081215/sect-leader-
trial/ State of New Mexico v. Wayne Bent, Docket No. 33,136 (N
Mex Sup Ct 2012).
87 Tim Maestas, 2008 (December 30), “Bent Sentenced to 18
Years.” KRQE News [NM]. Available from
http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/crime_krqe_clayton_cult_leader_c
all verdict_cruxifixion_200812291835
88 State of New Mexico v. Wayne Bent, Docket No. 33,136 (N Mex
Sup Ct 2012).
that even with these risks, the aggrieved
parties involved must consider the potential
harms of not having their allegations aired in
a public court.
Preparing for the Most Extreme Position:
Assertions That Adult-Sanctioned
Sexuality Involving Children Is Protected
if Not Divinely Ordained
Prosecutors—and for that matter, defense
counsel—in criminal, civil, or family trials may
find themselves involved in cases in which the
accused parties defend, in varying degrees,
either adult sexual contact with children or
adult-sanctioned child-upon-child sex.
83F
84 A small
number of cult members and leaders will believe
that adult-sanctioned sexual activity involving
minors is acceptable, but at least a few of the
offending parties will realize that an attempted
public defense of their beliefs would be fatally
harmful for their cases.
84F
85 Whatever variation
starvation, and denial of proper education. By August 2014, some
of his 27 owned or controlled properties in Fouke, Arkansas sold at
auction, and federal officials already had announced their likely
intention to go after properties in Los Angeles. See “US Evangelist
Tony Alamo Gets 175 Years for Sex Crimes” (2009, November
14), Telegraph [UK]. Available from
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/656
5830/US-evangelist-Tony-Alamo-gets-175-years-for-sex-
crimes.html Paresh, Dave, 2004 (March 1), “Tony Alamo Victims
Awarded $525 Million L.A. Properties May Be Sold,” Los
Angeles Times. Available from
http://articles.latimes.com/2014/mar/01/nation/la-na-nn-tony-
alamo-arkansas-victims-20140228 Julie Parr, 2014 (Updated July
23), “Tony Alamo Properties Sold at Auction,” KTBS [Shreveport,
LA]. Available from http://www.ktbs.com/story/25764986/tony-
alamo-properties-sold-at-auction Julie Parr, 2014 (Updated
August 23), “Tony Alamo Church Empire Dismantled,” KTBS
[Shreveport, LA]. Downloaded from
http://www.ktbs.com/story/26274422/tony-alamo-church-empire-
dismantled
84 For a sociological analysis of this phenomenon, see Kent, 2012,
p. 49.
85 A dramatic example of a group that had sanctioned adult/child
sex but realized that society disapproved and criminalized such
activities was the Children of God/The Family. In an internal
publication for members only, written in late 1992 or early 1993,
The Family’s leader, Karen Zerby/Mama Maria, wrote a long
document to her followers, which contained a section entitled
“CONCERN ABOUT CA [child abuse] QUESTIONS:
PRESENTING IT TO THE PUBLIC &EXPLAINING IT TO
THE FAMILY.” In the section that followed, she shared with
followers: “129. I’m sorry that we couldn’t come out a little more
forthrightly in the Child Abuse Statement, bringing out the point
that all sex between adults &minors in not bad, sinful, harmful or
abusive. However, the problem was that we didn’t know how
there may be among criminal, civil, or family
court cases, these defenses never work and even
sincerely held beliefs in the sanctity of sex with
or between minors never trumps child sexual-
abuse statutes. For purposes of illustration, we
provide three examples of unsuccessful
defenses.
In New Mexico, Wayne Bent of the Lord Our
Righteousness Church faced charges that
accused him of touching a female teen’s breasts.
Throughout the process, Dent insisted that he
only had touched a teen girl’s sternum, and done
so for nonsexual, religiously healing purposes.
Convicted in mid-December 2008 “of one count
of criminal sexual contact of a minor and two
counts of contributing to the delinquency of a
minor,”
85F
86 Bent received an 18-year sentence,
with 8 years suspended.
86F
87 He petitioned the
New Mexico Court of Appeals on several points,
and he received a reversal on the grounds that
the term of service had expired for the grand
jury that had indicted him. The New Mexico
Supreme Court, however, upheld the authority
of the initial conviction.
87F
88
In a Canadian case, pastor Daniel Cormier of the
Church of Downtown Montreal claimed
unsuccessfully to a court that he had married his
10-year-old victim. Charged in 2004 with sexual
interference, invitation to sexual touching,
sexual assault, and two counts of sexual
much we could say without putting the Family at legal risk. We
wouldn’t have been afraid to admit more if we had known we
could do it legally, but we had to be careful &try to protect the
Family, &since at the time we were unable to get any expert
advice on that subject, we had to do the best we could” [Maria],
Summit ’93 Mama Jewels!—No. 2 (1992/1993?), 18–19
(underlining in original).
86 Deborah Baker, 2008 (December 15), “Leader of NM Sect
Guilty in Child Sex Case,” Huffington Post. Available from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires.20081215/sect-leader-
trial/ State of New Mexico v. Wayne Bent, Docket No. 33,136 (N
Mex Sup Ct 2012).
87 Tim Maestas, 2008 (December 30), “Bent Sentenced to 18
Years.” KRQE News [NM]. Available from
http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/crime_krqe_clayton_cult_leader_c
all verdict_cruxifixion_200812291835
88 State of New Mexico v. Wayne Bent, Docket No. 33,136 (N Mex
Sup Ct 2012).
