We received an anonymous message through our website today:
“Floodlit is a group of nasty Anti-mormon people hell bent on trying to destroy the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, by taking those who have done unspeakable things, and smear them, and their families into the ground continually, stirring up contention, or trying to stir up contention among us all, forgetting that all the while they do that, they themselves, are not free of sin either. Think about what you are doing, stop pointing fingers at everyone else, and look at what you are doing by writing about this stuff. You’re just as despicable, maybe more so than the ones who have committed the crimes. Why don’t you write about how disgusting you all are by instigating. He who has contention is not of me, but of the devil himself.”
Here is my reply since no contact information was given.
Dear Sir or Madam….
Though we as an organization don’t respond to hate mail…usually…we decided you are worth a response.
In Floodlit’s efforts to educate and inform the public about sexual abuse in the Mormon church, we have been able to work with – and have received heartfelt support from – many active, faithful Latter Day Saints who are striving to emulate the life of Jesus as they understand it.
So, our mission is to cover this important topic accurately and help survivors to heal and help prevent abuse via education and information. We think that honest, decent people, regardless of their religious affiliation, want that too…and Jesus would be cool with that.
We understand that your allegiance lies with your religion and to protect it. We also see you might be reacting with fear that we are threatening your existence and your way of life. We can only imagine, by your smears of being “just as despicable, maybe more so than the ones who have committed the crimes,” that you have never been affected by this awful plague that continues throughout our society. We hope that you never will be.
We continue to fight the good fight by doing our part to protect you, your children and grandchildren…so that you may be armed with information and continue to live your life how you might see fit, safely. Because we believe knowledge is power; you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
We understand we cannot win everyone with our cause. And that is okay that we have differing beliefs…but please understand, we are here to help by offering support to those survivors who did not have it when they desperately needed it, and support to hopefully prevent more victimization from happening.
To borrow a passage from my patriarchal blessing, “To lift up the hands that hand down and strengthen the feeble knees.”
We hope by being this voice for survivors, they will be empowered, emboldened and gain some semblance of healing. We are saddened your perspective is so narrow that you can’t see our efforts, just what appears to be your hate…rather than good people genuinely trying to improve your corner of the world.
We find the pursuit of protecting children and the vulnerable a noble cause. There isn’t anything hidden that won’t be revealed.
Best of luck in life and your religion.
-Jane, Executive Director, Floodlit
Jane, you are incredible. Let me know how I can help you with computer work or whatever…I’m retired now so I can dedicate my time to healing and truth.
Thank you for all you are and all you do!
Kate Talley
What y’all are doing is so critically important. To hold a candle in the dark is exactly what Jesus would have done, both to be a beacon for those who are lost in the dark and to shine a righteous beam of intolerance on these cruel and wicked acts in that multiply in the shadows.
I think about how different my life would be if those I loved were not destroyed by these disgusting acts by men in power, or how different their lives would be. This is not an uncommon story in the church, and all the work you do is incredible, with a multiplicative effect.
Thank you, Jane for your response. The lack of law enforcement reporting by a bishop has directly affected (ruined) my family. I do not understand why perpetrators are protected, not innocent children. The church, IMO by not reporting, is complicit in these crimes. Every child needs the utmost saftey and protection under the laws, perpetrators deserve the strictest penalties. It is NOT about ‘the church’ it is about CHILDREN.
Thank you for doing this. I’m an active member of the church and as a teenager, I was molested or harassed numerous times in my church building. Not by leaders, but by young men and once by member of a Hawaiian performance group that came to our luau. I’m not sure why, but currently in my ward we have all the doors locked except for two during church meetings.. Each external door is supervised by two priesthood holders. They rotate “security duty.“. I thought it was a church wide thing but talking to others I realized it’s not. They started by sitting “security duty“ outside the primary. For whatever reason, I’m glad that they are being proactive.
Keep up the good work!