'They Aren't Who You Think They Are'

[Nevilledog]

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David French
@DavidAFrench
This is the product of months of work with @NancyAFrench. The inside story of the worst sex abuse scandal you’ve never heard of. How a super-predator was able to operate in an immense Christian camp for a decade-plus despite red flag after red flag:

‘They Aren’t Who You Think They Are’
The inside story of how Kanakuk—one of America’s largest Christian camps—enabled horrific abuse.
frenchpress.thedispatch.com

https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/they-arent-who-you-think-they-are

The first thing you need to know about Pete Newman is that people loved him. He has olive skin, dark hair, and thick eyebrows that generated good-natured “unibrow” teasing. Girls wanted to date him, guys wanted to be him, and children wanted to follow him.

He was a camp director at Kanakuk Kamps, one of the largest Christian camps in the world. Kanakuk is an immense operation. Since its founding in 1926, it claims to have served more than 450,000 campers. Its main campus is located outside of Branson, Missouri, but it has international reach. Every summer approximately 20,000 kids pass through its gates, and the institution is particularly prominent with the Evangelical elite.

Newman was the camp’s rock star. A person who went to Auburn University with Newman said, memorably, “If Jesus and Pete walked into a room, I’m not sure who the kids would have worshiped.” “Pete Newman is the most thorough relationship builder with kids in Kanakuk history,” Kanakuk chief executive officer Joe White once said. “This guy has a raging love for God and it spills over constantly to the kids at kamp.”

White himself has long been a popular, charismatic figure in American Evangelicalism. (We reached out to White, and he declined to comment.) He has inspired intense devotion from campers, employees, and parents. Outside of camp, he’s known for a particular and vivid public presentation where he builds and carries a cross on stage to illustrate the crucifixion of Christ. The example below comes from a 2015 convocation at Liberty University:

*snip*

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. This makes me want to

[SammyWinstonJack]

11. Likewise.🤮

[KPN]

2. But of course mainstream media pays no attention to this.

And the QAnon -- what are they, 20% of voters?! -- have their heads exploding over "liberal pedophiles are trying to take over the world"

[dalton99a]

3. A must-read

More people should go to jail

[tulipsandroses]

4. Sickening. I couldn't finish reading the article. I was too disgusted

Those poor children. The victims should be allowed to come forward.

[keithbvadu2]

5. It's not just the Catholic Church protecting their institutions over the molested children.

It's not just the Catholic Church protecting their institutions over the molested children.

[OnDoutside]

12. Scouts, Girl Guides, anywhere adults have unsupervised access and power over kids.

[Wild blueberry]

6. Read the article, awful and sounds like nothing's changed

Also looked at the Kamp's webite, slick and glossy.
No one should send their child there. So much damage done in the name of religion.
Thank you for posting this.

[Evolve Dammit]

7. Special place in hell...

[niyad]

8. Sickened, heartbroken for the young victims, but not in the least surprised.

[SharonAnn]

13. "Insular groups of men often do bad things." When there's no outside oversight/accountability.

[aocommunalpunch]

9. That was gross to read.

It's just another form of deregulation. With no consequences, they keep taking the path of least resistance that keeps the money rolling in.

[dlk]

10. There was a group of wealthy, white Christians that were avid supporters

Of Kanakuk where I used to live. It was a very popular summer camp for the country club Christians. One of my son’s counselors enthusiastically encouraged sending my son to summer camp there. Thank God I didn’t! This is sickening!