Christian book store manager sought on charge of having sex with 15-year-old boy

[WI_DEM]

A northern Wisconsin man was charged with sexual assault Wednesday for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old Madison-area boy he met in an Internet chat room.

Ervin S. Witmer, 49, of Owen, was charged with three counts of sexual assault of a child under 16 for an alleged encounter with the boy June 3 at the Super 8 Motel on Madison's East Side.

Witmer is being sought on a warrant, which was filed Wednesday. Witmer is Wisconsin district manager of Choice Books, a distributor of Christian and family-friendly books based in Virginia, according to the company's website.

A church directory published in March in the Stanley Republican newspaper also listed Witmer as pastor of the Church of the Brethren in Stanley.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime_and_courts/article_0070df0a-8737-11e0-9253-001cc4c002e0.html

[Cassandra]

1. Ok, who's surprised?

[Initech]

3. I tend to read sentences in fragments...

I saw "charged with having sex with 15 year old boy" and my first thought - "was religion involved". Now I know - yes - religion was involved! How could I have guessed?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

7. My lack of surprise must mean I am an anti-Christian bigot.

There, I said it already so the usual suspects don't have to.

[get the red out]

11. No

It means you're good at spotting trends.

[damntexdem]

12. Hey, I'm surprised -- they actually charged him.

And especially surprised that they listed his job and workplace.

;-)

[Blue-Jay]

14. Shocked!.... Shocked, I say!

[Botany]

2. as long as it was missionary position

as has been noted on DU since forever .... the more people complain about gay
sex the more likely it is they are into something freaky

[cleanhippie]

4. IOKIYAC

[BR_Parkway]

5. Do atheists molest children? I swear, we're about to hear the whole anti-gay industry

gear up about this as some evidence against homosexuals in general - but they'll never once make note of how many people who claim to be religious are often the one's molesting children.

I realize the news isn't likely to run a story that "John Doe, a confirmed atheist was charged with three counts of sexual assault..." but I honestly can't recall ever reading a story like this that didn't mention that the perp had a church affiliation.

Seems that claiming religion is more of a predictor than being gay that you'll be a child molester under the anti gay industry's standard application of cause & effect.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[polmaven]

9. Well, sure...

It is apparently not just the anti-gay industry that makes unfounded generalizations. It is also the anti-religion industry. As you noted, it seems that only closeted homosexuals, hiding behind religion molest children. .........Unreal.

[BR_Parkway]

18. Wow, didn't actually read that very carefully, did you?

There's actually a group(s) of folks making money off of being against religion the way there is for being anti-gay? Seriously?

What I wrote was that while I've never seen a news report that called out an atheist as a child molester, I also understood that the fact that someone is the youth pastor or works at the christian bookstore or is a priest certainly adds a level of juiciness to the story for it to be pointed out, while a plain old atheist isn't going to be mentioned.

That could lead people, especially if they use the NOM/FOF/anti-gay industry "logic" to conclude that someone claiming to be religious was a predictor of their chances of being a molester

Apparently there was more than just the twinge of sarcasm that intended and I should have tagged in big red to make sure it wasn't missed.

[polmaven]

19. Ummmm...

Maybe I should have used the sarcasm tag too! You and I agree completely :hi:

[BR_Parkway]

20. :)

[Aerows]

6. I'll be honest

If I had kids, the last place they would be anywhere around is a place related in any way to religion.

The pastor who performed my sister's marriage hit on my brother-in-law's sister at the wedding reception - while his wife was there. We all know about the Catholic church. It seems the holier people claim to be, the worse they really are.

[divvy]

10. REPUBLICAN BASTARDS !

Sorry for blurting that out, but I feel much better now thank you.

[deutsey]

13. He is, of course, "anti-gay" (check out letter he wrote)

\ It's irrational, but we need amendment

This letter is an appeal to reason regarding the proposed marriage amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution. Some object to laws based on the Bible. Should we then toss out laws against homicide, theft and lying under oath, too? Each of these laws is based upon principles found in the Bible.

But you don't need a Bible to understand that two men or women spending their lives together like married people certainly isn't "marriage." It never has been and never will be. It may look similar from your immediate perspective, but it's not the same thing.

SNIP

If you're choosing an alternate lifestyle, then expect alternate benefits. It's your choice whether or not to live with someone of the same sex, but don't think it's marriage. Learn to live with your choice.

SNIP

-- Ervin Witmer, Owen

http://host.madison.com/news/opinion/article_202f514d-ef7e-5a23-ad9f-03b755523a96.html

[and-justice-for-all]

16. He is a pedophile, which has nothing to do with being gay..nt.

[deutsey]

17. I only intended to point out his sanctimonious hypocrisy. n/t

[Kaleva]

21. Might not be a pedophile

"The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) defines pedophilia as a "disorder of adult personality and behaviour" in which there is a sexual preference for children of prepubertal or early pubertal age.<8> The term has a range of definitions as found in psychiatry, psychology, the vernacular, and law enforcement."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedophilia

[Angry Dragon]

15. Satan made him do it and his god has forgiven him

CASE CLOSED