UUA Moderator Jim Key Is A Liar's Liar Whose Pants Have Been On Fire Since At Least June 27th, 2014. . .
On December 12th, UUA Moderator Jim Key aka *Certified* Risk Management Consultant James C. Key posted a Tweet that links to a New York Times evaluation of the honesty of U.S. politicians called Falsehood Face-Off. It evaluates the overall honesty of these U.S. politicians thusly:
"Statements since 2007 by presidential candidates (and some current and former officeholders) ranked from most dishonest over all to least dishonest, as fact-checked by PolitiFact. “Pants on Fire” refers to the most egregious falsehoods."
I have rated the UUA's all but completely worthless second "institutional apology" to victims of UU clergy sexual misconduct that Jim Key delivered in his first Moderator's Report to a General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalsist Association on June 28, 2014. Here are the results. . .
Half False - Half True
Yes, UUA Moderator Jim Key and ALL other Unitarian Universalists aka U*Us must "come out" of the U*U clergy abuse cover-up and denial closet, genuinely live the claimed principles and purposes of U*Uism and other U*U values, and speak THE Truth, because all too often "our truths" aka U*U "truths" are actually FAR from Truthful U*U BS, and sometimes even outright bald faced lies, as this blog post will soon demonstrate beyond ANY reasonable doubt. . . There is NO such thing as "our truths", only *the* Truth.
When it comes to UUA Moderator Jim Key, the only thing that I have been Truly "amazed at" is his utterly shameless willingness to mislead U*Us and the American public about UUA clergy misconduct issues, even going so far as to tell brazen bald faced lies about UU clergy sexual abuse of the worst kind. Specifically "such despicable crimes as pedophilia and rape" committed by "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers." Bald faced lies that are easily proven to be complete and utter falsehoods that Jim Key knew to be falsehoods and lies before uttering them in the UUA's worthless second apology to victims of UU clergy sexual misconduct.
"Now let me move to a subject most would wish to avoid—clergy sexual misconduct."
100% True - Most Unitarian Universalists would indeed wish to avoid hearing about clergy sexual misconduct, let alone discuss clergy sexual abuse issues out in the open at a UUA General Assembly. In fact, most if not ALL UUA leaders will even go to extremely immoral and unethical lengths to censor and suppress free and open discussion of the subject of Unitarian Universalist clergy sexual misconduct, such as by falsely accusing me of the archaic criminal act of blasphemous libel for telling the well-documented Truth about "such despicable crimes as pedophilia and rape" committed by "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers" in Bill Cosby style legal bullying.
"As a candidate for moderator, I signed a petition circulated by Safety Net—a social justice organization of first Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville. This petition called for a national discussion of clergy sexual misconduct."
100% True - UUA Moderator Jim Key did in fact sign this UU Safety Net petition which called for a national conversation on clergy misconduct.
"Let me put this in the proper context. I'm speaking of incidents of UU clergy, albeit a small number, ignoring professional ethics and boundaries who preyed on vulnerable congregants."
Mostly False - A minimum of 400 UUA congregations have been affected by UU clergy sexual misconduct of one kind or another but, by some estimates, 66.6% or more of UUA congregations have been served by a "less-than-perfect" UUA minister who has been found guilty of clergy sexual misconduct at some point in his*her career. Another misleading aspect of this highly misleading assertion is that it limits clergy who are guilty of sexual misconduct to those UUA ministers who "preyed on vulnerable congregants", thus excluding UUA ministers who preyed on vulnerable non-congregants such as the vulnerable teenage Tibetan refugees that Rev. Mack Wallace Mitchell was convicted of raping over a period measured in years. . . It likewise excludes Texas Registered Sex Offender Rev. Douglas Morgan Strong from the UU clergy sexual misconduct equation, since the criminal sexual misconduct that Rev. Strong was convicted of committing did not involve any of his own congregants. Simply put, Jim Key's "proper context"does not include "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers"who are guilty of some VERY improper sexual misconduct.
"There were no incidents of abuse of children or elders in my investigations."
This Jim Key falsehood is “Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire” level false. This is a brazen bald faced lie on the part of UUA Moderator Jim Key that tries to bamboozle DIM Thinking U*Us into believing that NO children have ever been sexually abused by pedophile U*U ministers, or otherwise abused by abusive U*U clergy such as U*U "pastor" Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein aka Peacebang, who is guilty of physical abuse of a congregrant's child. The “Pants on Fire” designation in the New York Times piece refers to "the most egregious falsehoods", and this is a shamefully egregious falsehood which pretends that UUA Moderator Jim Key is completely unaware of ANY abuse of children by ANY UUA minister EVER
Truth be told. . .
Not only have "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers" engaged in what the UUA's Canadian attorney Maitre Marc-André Coulombe describes as "such despicable crimes as pedophilia and rape", but a subset of these U*U pedophiles and rapists have actually been charged, tried, and convicted of committing such despicable crimes and sentenced to prison terms for their child sex abuse. UUA Moderator Jim Key was*is in a position to know VERY well that there most certainly have been "incidents of abuse of children" committed by "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers", even without my own input, but I personally told Jim Key about several cases of UU clergy sexual abuse of children in my emails and my one single phone conversation with Jim Key that were part of my efforts to persuade Jim Key to ensure that the UUA formally withdraws its false blasphemous libel accusation against me, publicly apologizes for misusing Canada's blasphemy law in clergy abuse cover-up legal bullying, and holds UUA President Rev. Dr. Peter "Beyond Belief" Morales fully accountable for his UUA administration's immoral, unethical, borderline criminal, and yes. . . #BatShitCrazy misuse of Canada's blasphemy law in Bill Cosby style legal bullying that was*is obviously intended to cover-up and deny "such despicable crimes as pedophilia and rape" committed by "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers". . .
"Safety Net was formed to support people who had filed complaints and who had not been well served by previous institutional responses and promises."
Mostly, if not 100%, True. Sadly however, UU Safety Net has all but totally betrayed its claimed raison d'être over the last several years, at least with respect to the complaints that I have filed with the UUA in the wake of its false blasphemous libel accusation etc., largely as a result of UU Safety Net members Anna-Belle Leiserson and Rev. Gail Seavey placing FAR too much trust in UUA Moderator Jim Key and the UUA as an institution.
"I have met with victims of clergy sexual misconduct and I've heard their stories."
Most probably 100% True, which only makes Jim Key's "Pants On Fire" level bald faced lies about UU clergy sexual misconduct, and his other highly misleading statements about UU clergy sexual misconduct, that much more egregious and shameful. I expect however that Jim Key has only met with a small number of victims of clergy sexual misconduct and most probably victims of comparatively low-level clergy sexual misconduct such as unwanted sexual advances, not victims of "such despicable crimes as pedophilia and rape" committed by "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers". . .
"I shared those hard to tell, hard to hear stories with our board of trustees."
Most probably True, but I can't help but wonder which of these "hard to tell, hard to hear stories" about UU clergy sexual misconduct Jim Key did not share with the UUA Board of Trustees.
"The board asked Natty Averett, UUA trustee, to convene a working group to examine our current processes, consult with the Ministries and Faith Development Office—headed by Sarah Lammert—and recommend changes."
100% True, and it seems that UUA Trustee Natalia Averett did a reasonably good job of undertaking that task, which once again makes Jim Key's disingenuousness and mendacity, indeed his brazen bald faced lies about UU clergy sexual abuse, all that much more egregious and shameful.
"Natty will update you on those efforts in the trustee report that follows. The staff and Sarah Lammert specifically have been swift and compassionate in their response, as well as proactive in updating and improving our processes for handling complaints. Additionally, the UUMA Minister's Association has been responsive and helpful as we assess how we go forward."
Unrated. It is difficult to determine just how Truthful, or not. . . this Jim Key assertion is but, from what I have seen. . . the UUA, and its ever so aptly named Ministerial *Fellowship* Committee, have pretty much continued in their traditional reluctant foot-dragging when it comes to genuinely improving UUA processes for handling clergy misconduct complaints. Yes, some minor so-called "improvements" have been made to the claimed policies and procedures for the UUA's (mis)handling of clergy misconduct complaints, but these minor improvements are FAR from adequate and I have VERY good reason to believe that they are just another empty facade, just as most if not all previous UUA clergy misconduct policies and procedures have proven to be devoid of any *real* substance time and time again. The fact that the UUA is barely even talking about implementing a viable appeals process for clergy misconduct complainants who are not satisfied by how the UUA and*or the MFC have (mis)handled their clergy misconduct complaints is a very clear indication that little has *really* changed at the UUA. It is pretty much the same old, same old. . .
"On behalf of the UUA board of trustees, I want to express my deepest apologies to those of you who have been victims of UU clergy sexual misconduct, whether you have come forward or not."
In light of the brazen bald faced lie about UU clergy sexual abuse of children that Jim Key told earlier in this so-called "apology", along with other highly misleading half-Truths and whole lies in this second UUA "institutional apology" to victims of UU clergy sexual misconduct, it is difficult to believe that these "deepest apologies" of UUA Moderator Jim Key are worth the breath they were spoken with.
"I want you to know we are sorry for the suffering caused by one of our Unitarian Universalist ministers."
Mostly False - Is this yet another attempt by UUA Moderator Jim Key to Deny, Ignore & Minimize the true extent and seriousness of Unitarian Universalist clergy sexual misconduct? The UUA is sorry for the suffering caused by "one" aka 1 of "our Unitarian Universalist ministers" Jim Key? Try "we are sorry for the suffering caused by hundreds of our Unitarian Universalist ministers." *That* would be MUCH closer to the readily verifiable Truth.
"The board and I grieve with you over this breach of sacred trust and professional ethics."
Mostly False: Once again this is rather difficult to believe in light of how UUA Moderator Jim Key outright lied about both the extent and seriousness of UU clergy sexual misconduct in general, and UU clergy sexual abuse of children in particular, in this so called "institutional apology". Indeed this worthless apology can itself be properly described as a "breach of sacred trust and professional ethics" on the part of UUA Moderator Jim Key, the UUA Board of Trustees as a whole, and other top-level UUA leadership, in light of the outright lies about UU clergy sexual misconduct that it contains.
"It is unacceptable that a minister has taken advantage of you sexually and emotionally."
100% True, which only underlines just how UNACCEPTABLE it was*is for the UUA and MFC and individual UUA congregations to repeatedly "accept" UU ministers who have taken advantage of people sexually and*or emotionally.
"It was not your fault."
This is open to *some* dispute when it comes to UU clergy sexual misconduct victims who willingly had consensual sexual relations with "less than perfect" UUA clergy. I am not convinced that these victims of UU clergy sexual misconduct, especially those who were married, bear zero responsibility whatsoever for their predicament, although this is the "politically correct" take on clergy sexual misconduct these days.
"Exacerbating your pain, some people in your own communities added to your trauma by challenging your need to come forward with your complaint."
100% True, but also quite misleading, in that this statement admitting that clergy sexual misconduct victims are often "challenged" by members of their own UU "churches" when they dare to complain about UU clergy misconduct, FAILs to responsibly acknowledge that UUA leadership, and UUA staff, are also guilty of exacerbating the pain suffered by UU clergy misconduct victims by challenging them when they come forward with a clergy misconduct complaint. In a classic example of DIM Thinking, this assertion by Jim Key acknowledges only that individual members of individual UU congregations are guilty of exacerbating the pain of UU clergy sexual misconduct complainants, while FAILing to acknowledge that the UUA and MFC have done exactly the same thing in their responses to complaints about UU clergy sexual misconduct, to say nothing of my own and other people's complaints about non-sexual forms of clergy misconduct.
"Now, some of you have heard this apology from this stage before, and might justifiably ask, what is different now, and why should you have any confidence that this time there's an institutional will to make the process of filing a complaint more transparent, but most of all, more compassionate?"
100% True. Indeed "survivors" of UU clergy sexual misconduct, and ALL other Unitarian Universalists really DO need to ask, "What IS different now?", especially in light of the brazen bald faced lies and other highly misleading and VERY questionable statements that Jim Key's "official apology" contains. Indeed the "institutional will" of the UUA to genuinely make the filing a clergy misconduct complaint more transparent and compassionate, to say nothing of genuinely just and equitable. . . is by NO means guaranteed. Once again, the glaring lack of a viable appeals process, or the UUA "institutional will" to formulate and initiate ANY appeals process, is a clear indication that the UUA will continue to sweep UU clergy misconduct, sexual misconduct and*or otherwise. . . under the proverbial carpet as much as it thinks it can get away with.
"I pledge, as the chief governance officer—along with your board—to hold all of us, both individually and institutionally, accountable to the values that are at our core."
Another "Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire" level brazen bald faced lie. UUA Moderator Jim Key has NOT held himself, nor UUA President Peter "Beyond Belief" Morales, nor any other top-level UUA leader, nor the UUA as an institution, even remotely accountable to the purported "values" aka principles and purposes that Unitarian Universalists *pretend* are at the core of Unitarian Universalism. UUA Moderator Jim Key and the UUA Board of Trustees have yet hold UUA President Morales, or anyone else, even remotely accountable for the UUA's Bill Cosby style legal bullying prior to delivering this all but completely worthless "institutional apology". UUA Modertor Jim Key and the UUA Board of Trustees have FAILed, indeed they have obstinately refused, to hold President Morales, or any other UUA leader, accountable for the UUA's #BatShitCrazy misuse of blasphemy law in the 540 days since he delivered his all but completely worthless "deepest apologies" to UU clergy sexual misconduct victims and "survivors". This completely and utterly fraudulent "pledge" of UUA Moderator Jim Key has been repeatedly, and quite continually, betrayed every single day since Jim Key uttered it in the first Moderator's Report that he ever deliver to a UUA General Assembly on Thursday June 27th, 2015.
Indeed, not only has UUA Moderator Jim Key FAILed to hold himself accountable for the brazen bald faced lies, and other falsehoods and disingenuousness, this worthless "institutional apology" contains, but neither the UUA Board of Trustees, nor UU Safety, have done anything to ensure that Jim Key's shameful lies are exposed and the record is corrected. This pledge was worthless when it was uttered, and has been disregarded and violated for 540 days now. . .
Par for the course for the UUA as far as I am concerned.
"Finally, I want to acknowledge the courage of those of you who have had this experience but remained faithful to Unitarian Universalism and are helping us to live more fully and truly into our values."
Half True - Half False. This statement shamefully implies that any and all victims and survivors of UU clergy sexual misconduct who left the Unitarian Univeralist "religion" in disillusionment and disgust, or who were ostracized, shunned and even kicked out of their U*U "churches" for complaining about UU clergy sexual misconduct are less courageous than those who remained "faithful" to Unitarian Universalism. It is also open to considerable question to what extent UUA Moderator Jim Key, other UUA leaders, and the Unitarian Universalist "religion" as a whole are genuinely living "more fully and truly" into Unitarian Universalist values. Indeed it is arguable that UUA Moderator Jim Key, UUA President Peter Morales, ALL UUA Board Trustees, other UUA leaders and staff, hundreds of UUA congregrations and tens of thousands of individual U*Us are miserably FAILing, and even outright refusing, to genuinely "live more fully and truly" into Unitarian Universalism's claimed values.
"These are the true, brave souls of our faith that we've been talking about all week."
Whereas victims of UU clergy sexual misconduct who left Unitarian Universalism, or never were Unitarian Universalists to begin with. . . are NOT true, "brave souls".
Well done UUA Moderator Jim Key aka *Certified* Risk Management Consultant James C. Key.
"Statements since 2007 by presidential candidates (and some current and former officeholders) ranked from most dishonest over all to least dishonest, as fact-checked by PolitiFact. “Pants on Fire” refers to the most egregious falsehoods."
I have rated the UUA's all but completely worthless second "institutional apology" to victims of UU clergy sexual misconduct that Jim Key delivered in his first Moderator's Report to a General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalsist Association on June 28, 2014. Here are the results. . .
Clergy Sexual Misconduct
"We must come out, live our values, speak our truths, and be amazed at and changed by those who join us."Half False - Half True
Yes, UUA Moderator Jim Key and ALL other Unitarian Universalists aka U*Us must "come out" of the U*U clergy abuse cover-up and denial closet, genuinely live the claimed principles and purposes of U*Uism and other U*U values, and speak THE Truth, because all too often "our truths" aka U*U "truths" are actually FAR from Truthful U*U BS, and sometimes even outright bald faced lies, as this blog post will soon demonstrate beyond ANY reasonable doubt. . . There is NO such thing as "our truths", only *the* Truth.
When it comes to UUA Moderator Jim Key, the only thing that I have been Truly "amazed at" is his utterly shameless willingness to mislead U*Us and the American public about UUA clergy misconduct issues, even going so far as to tell brazen bald faced lies about UU clergy sexual abuse of the worst kind. Specifically "such despicable crimes as pedophilia and rape" committed by "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers." Bald faced lies that are easily proven to be complete and utter falsehoods that Jim Key knew to be falsehoods and lies before uttering them in the UUA's worthless second apology to victims of UU clergy sexual misconduct.
"Now let me move to a subject most would wish to avoid—clergy sexual misconduct."
100% True - Most Unitarian Universalists would indeed wish to avoid hearing about clergy sexual misconduct, let alone discuss clergy sexual abuse issues out in the open at a UUA General Assembly. In fact, most if not ALL UUA leaders will even go to extremely immoral and unethical lengths to censor and suppress free and open discussion of the subject of Unitarian Universalist clergy sexual misconduct, such as by falsely accusing me of the archaic criminal act of blasphemous libel for telling the well-documented Truth about "such despicable crimes as pedophilia and rape" committed by "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers" in Bill Cosby style legal bullying.
"As a candidate for moderator, I signed a petition circulated by Safety Net—a social justice organization of first Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville. This petition called for a national discussion of clergy sexual misconduct."
100% True - UUA Moderator Jim Key did in fact sign this UU Safety Net petition which called for a national conversation on clergy misconduct.
"Let me put this in the proper context. I'm speaking of incidents of UU clergy, albeit a small number, ignoring professional ethics and boundaries who preyed on vulnerable congregants."
Mostly False - A minimum of 400 UUA congregations have been affected by UU clergy sexual misconduct of one kind or another but, by some estimates, 66.6% or more of UUA congregations have been served by a "less-than-perfect" UUA minister who has been found guilty of clergy sexual misconduct at some point in his*her career. Another misleading aspect of this highly misleading assertion is that it limits clergy who are guilty of sexual misconduct to those UUA ministers who "preyed on vulnerable congregants", thus excluding UUA ministers who preyed on vulnerable non-congregants such as the vulnerable teenage Tibetan refugees that Rev. Mack Wallace Mitchell was convicted of raping over a period measured in years. . . It likewise excludes Texas Registered Sex Offender Rev. Douglas Morgan Strong from the UU clergy sexual misconduct equation, since the criminal sexual misconduct that Rev. Strong was convicted of committing did not involve any of his own congregants. Simply put, Jim Key's "proper context"does not include "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers"who are guilty of some VERY improper sexual misconduct.
"There were no incidents of abuse of children or elders in my investigations."
This Jim Key falsehood is “Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire” level false. This is a brazen bald faced lie on the part of UUA Moderator Jim Key that tries to bamboozle DIM Thinking U*Us into believing that NO children have ever been sexually abused by pedophile U*U ministers, or otherwise abused by abusive U*U clergy such as U*U "pastor" Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein aka Peacebang, who is guilty of physical abuse of a congregrant's child. The “Pants on Fire” designation in the New York Times piece refers to "the most egregious falsehoods", and this is a shamefully egregious falsehood which pretends that UUA Moderator Jim Key is completely unaware of ANY abuse of children by ANY UUA minister EVER
Truth be told. . .
Not only have "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers" engaged in what the UUA's Canadian attorney Maitre Marc-André Coulombe describes as "such despicable crimes as pedophilia and rape", but a subset of these U*U pedophiles and rapists have actually been charged, tried, and convicted of committing such despicable crimes and sentenced to prison terms for their child sex abuse. UUA Moderator Jim Key was*is in a position to know VERY well that there most certainly have been "incidents of abuse of children" committed by "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers", even without my own input, but I personally told Jim Key about several cases of UU clergy sexual abuse of children in my emails and my one single phone conversation with Jim Key that were part of my efforts to persuade Jim Key to ensure that the UUA formally withdraws its false blasphemous libel accusation against me, publicly apologizes for misusing Canada's blasphemy law in clergy abuse cover-up legal bullying, and holds UUA President Rev. Dr. Peter "Beyond Belief" Morales fully accountable for his UUA administration's immoral, unethical, borderline criminal, and yes. . . #BatShitCrazy misuse of Canada's blasphemy law in Bill Cosby style legal bullying that was*is obviously intended to cover-up and deny "such despicable crimes as pedophilia and rape" committed by "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers". . .
"Safety Net was formed to support people who had filed complaints and who had not been well served by previous institutional responses and promises."
Mostly, if not 100%, True. Sadly however, UU Safety Net has all but totally betrayed its claimed raison d'être over the last several years, at least with respect to the complaints that I have filed with the UUA in the wake of its false blasphemous libel accusation etc., largely as a result of UU Safety Net members Anna-Belle Leiserson and Rev. Gail Seavey placing FAR too much trust in UUA Moderator Jim Key and the UUA as an institution.
"I have met with victims of clergy sexual misconduct and I've heard their stories."
Most probably 100% True, which only makes Jim Key's "Pants On Fire" level bald faced lies about UU clergy sexual misconduct, and his other highly misleading statements about UU clergy sexual misconduct, that much more egregious and shameful. I expect however that Jim Key has only met with a small number of victims of clergy sexual misconduct and most probably victims of comparatively low-level clergy sexual misconduct such as unwanted sexual advances, not victims of "such despicable crimes as pedophilia and rape" committed by "certain Unitarian Universalist ministers". . .
"I shared those hard to tell, hard to hear stories with our board of trustees."
Most probably True, but I can't help but wonder which of these "hard to tell, hard to hear stories" about UU clergy sexual misconduct Jim Key did not share with the UUA Board of Trustees.
"The board asked Natty Averett, UUA trustee, to convene a working group to examine our current processes, consult with the Ministries and Faith Development Office—headed by Sarah Lammert—and recommend changes."
100% True, and it seems that UUA Trustee Natalia Averett did a reasonably good job of undertaking that task, which once again makes Jim Key's disingenuousness and mendacity, indeed his brazen bald faced lies about UU clergy sexual abuse, all that much more egregious and shameful.
"Natty will update you on those efforts in the trustee report that follows. The staff and Sarah Lammert specifically have been swift and compassionate in their response, as well as proactive in updating and improving our processes for handling complaints. Additionally, the UUMA Minister's Association has been responsive and helpful as we assess how we go forward."
Unrated. It is difficult to determine just how Truthful, or not. . . this Jim Key assertion is but, from what I have seen. . . the UUA, and its ever so aptly named Ministerial *Fellowship* Committee, have pretty much continued in their traditional reluctant foot-dragging when it comes to genuinely improving UUA processes for handling clergy misconduct complaints. Yes, some minor so-called "improvements" have been made to the claimed policies and procedures for the UUA's (mis)handling of clergy misconduct complaints, but these minor improvements are FAR from adequate and I have VERY good reason to believe that they are just another empty facade, just as most if not all previous UUA clergy misconduct policies and procedures have proven to be devoid of any *real* substance time and time again. The fact that the UUA is barely even talking about implementing a viable appeals process for clergy misconduct complainants who are not satisfied by how the UUA and*or the MFC have (mis)handled their clergy misconduct complaints is a very clear indication that little has *really* changed at the UUA. It is pretty much the same old, same old. . .
"On behalf of the UUA board of trustees, I want to express my deepest apologies to those of you who have been victims of UU clergy sexual misconduct, whether you have come forward or not."
In light of the brazen bald faced lie about UU clergy sexual abuse of children that Jim Key told earlier in this so-called "apology", along with other highly misleading half-Truths and whole lies in this second UUA "institutional apology" to victims of UU clergy sexual misconduct, it is difficult to believe that these "deepest apologies" of UUA Moderator Jim Key are worth the breath they were spoken with.
"I want you to know we are sorry for the suffering caused by one of our Unitarian Universalist ministers."
Mostly False - Is this yet another attempt by UUA Moderator Jim Key to Deny, Ignore & Minimize the true extent and seriousness of Unitarian Universalist clergy sexual misconduct? The UUA is sorry for the suffering caused by "one" aka 1 of "our Unitarian Universalist ministers" Jim Key? Try "we are sorry for the suffering caused by hundreds of our Unitarian Universalist ministers." *That* would be MUCH closer to the readily verifiable Truth.
"The board and I grieve with you over this breach of sacred trust and professional ethics."
Mostly False: Once again this is rather difficult to believe in light of how UUA Moderator Jim Key outright lied about both the extent and seriousness of UU clergy sexual misconduct in general, and UU clergy sexual abuse of children in particular, in this so called "institutional apology". Indeed this worthless apology can itself be properly described as a "breach of sacred trust and professional ethics" on the part of UUA Moderator Jim Key, the UUA Board of Trustees as a whole, and other top-level UUA leadership, in light of the outright lies about UU clergy sexual misconduct that it contains.
"It is unacceptable that a minister has taken advantage of you sexually and emotionally."
100% True, which only underlines just how UNACCEPTABLE it was*is for the UUA and MFC and individual UUA congregations to repeatedly "accept" UU ministers who have taken advantage of people sexually and*or emotionally.
"It was not your fault."
This is open to *some* dispute when it comes to UU clergy sexual misconduct victims who willingly had consensual sexual relations with "less than perfect" UUA clergy. I am not convinced that these victims of UU clergy sexual misconduct, especially those who were married, bear zero responsibility whatsoever for their predicament, although this is the "politically correct" take on clergy sexual misconduct these days.
"Exacerbating your pain, some people in your own communities added to your trauma by challenging your need to come forward with your complaint."
100% True, but also quite misleading, in that this statement admitting that clergy sexual misconduct victims are often "challenged" by members of their own UU "churches" when they dare to complain about UU clergy misconduct, FAILs to responsibly acknowledge that UUA leadership, and UUA staff, are also guilty of exacerbating the pain suffered by UU clergy misconduct victims by challenging them when they come forward with a clergy misconduct complaint. In a classic example of DIM Thinking, this assertion by Jim Key acknowledges only that individual members of individual UU congregations are guilty of exacerbating the pain of UU clergy sexual misconduct complainants, while FAILing to acknowledge that the UUA and MFC have done exactly the same thing in their responses to complaints about UU clergy sexual misconduct, to say nothing of my own and other people's complaints about non-sexual forms of clergy misconduct.
"Now, some of you have heard this apology from this stage before, and might justifiably ask, what is different now, and why should you have any confidence that this time there's an institutional will to make the process of filing a complaint more transparent, but most of all, more compassionate?"
100% True. Indeed "survivors" of UU clergy sexual misconduct, and ALL other Unitarian Universalists really DO need to ask, "What IS different now?", especially in light of the brazen bald faced lies and other highly misleading and VERY questionable statements that Jim Key's "official apology" contains. Indeed the "institutional will" of the UUA to genuinely make the filing a clergy misconduct complaint more transparent and compassionate, to say nothing of genuinely just and equitable. . . is by NO means guaranteed. Once again, the glaring lack of a viable appeals process, or the UUA "institutional will" to formulate and initiate ANY appeals process, is a clear indication that the UUA will continue to sweep UU clergy misconduct, sexual misconduct and*or otherwise. . . under the proverbial carpet as much as it thinks it can get away with.
"I pledge, as the chief governance officer—along with your board—to hold all of us, both individually and institutionally, accountable to the values that are at our core."
Another "Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire" level brazen bald faced lie. UUA Moderator Jim Key has NOT held himself, nor UUA President Peter "Beyond Belief" Morales, nor any other top-level UUA leader, nor the UUA as an institution, even remotely accountable to the purported "values" aka principles and purposes that Unitarian Universalists *pretend* are at the core of Unitarian Universalism. UUA Moderator Jim Key and the UUA Board of Trustees have yet hold UUA President Morales, or anyone else, even remotely accountable for the UUA's Bill Cosby style legal bullying prior to delivering this all but completely worthless "institutional apology". UUA Modertor Jim Key and the UUA Board of Trustees have FAILed, indeed they have obstinately refused, to hold President Morales, or any other UUA leader, accountable for the UUA's #BatShitCrazy misuse of blasphemy law in the 540 days since he delivered his all but completely worthless "deepest apologies" to UU clergy sexual misconduct victims and "survivors". This completely and utterly fraudulent "pledge" of UUA Moderator Jim Key has been repeatedly, and quite continually, betrayed every single day since Jim Key uttered it in the first Moderator's Report that he ever deliver to a UUA General Assembly on Thursday June 27th, 2015.
Indeed, not only has UUA Moderator Jim Key FAILed to hold himself accountable for the brazen bald faced lies, and other falsehoods and disingenuousness, this worthless "institutional apology" contains, but neither the UUA Board of Trustees, nor UU Safety, have done anything to ensure that Jim Key's shameful lies are exposed and the record is corrected. This pledge was worthless when it was uttered, and has been disregarded and violated for 540 days now. . .
Par for the course for the UUA as far as I am concerned.
"Finally, I want to acknowledge the courage of those of you who have had this experience but remained faithful to Unitarian Universalism and are helping us to live more fully and truly into our values."
Half True - Half False. This statement shamefully implies that any and all victims and survivors of UU clergy sexual misconduct who left the Unitarian Univeralist "religion" in disillusionment and disgust, or who were ostracized, shunned and even kicked out of their U*U "churches" for complaining about UU clergy sexual misconduct are less courageous than those who remained "faithful" to Unitarian Universalism. It is also open to considerable question to what extent UUA Moderator Jim Key, other UUA leaders, and the Unitarian Universalist "religion" as a whole are genuinely living "more fully and truly" into Unitarian Universalist values. Indeed it is arguable that UUA Moderator Jim Key, UUA President Peter Morales, ALL UUA Board Trustees, other UUA leaders and staff, hundreds of UUA congregrations and tens of thousands of individual U*Us are miserably FAILing, and even outright refusing, to genuinely "live more fully and truly" into Unitarian Universalism's claimed values.
"These are the true, brave souls of our faith that we've been talking about all week."
Whereas victims of UU clergy sexual misconduct who left Unitarian Universalism, or never were Unitarian Universalists to begin with. . . are NOT true, "brave souls".
Well done UUA Moderator Jim Key aka *Certified* Risk Management Consultant James C. Key.
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https://www.uua.org/ga/past/2014/business/iii/296122.shtml