According to court records, David Vander Meer collected over $567,000 in life insurance, which he allegedly used to live “lavishly.” He allegedly, according to court records, bought vehicles for a girl he had groomed and another member of the youth group, and took the group on several all-expense-paid trips.
David Vander Meer applied for $150,000 life insurance policies for himself and his wife in 2005. He then raised their policies to $550,000 each in November 2005, less than a year before his wife’s death, according to court records.
In August 2006, David Vander Meer and his wife went to Zion National Park in Utah to celebrate their anniversary. The two went on a hike to the summit of Angels Landing starting at 4:20 a.m., according to court documents.
I’m sorry you feel that way. It’s not that I specifically had a good one, there are so many who believe through and through religion is the way, they devote their lives to serving others, to putting others’ needs first, and making a real difference! I’ve seen it first hand and would be some of the best role models imaginable.
Your views are skewed from hearing the bad examples in the media and just build your opinion on all the bad. Certainly there are those who take advantage, but the are so many more who aren’t there to groom, be selfish, cheat, lie, etc. A comment will never do it enough justice, and I don’t think you could possibly understand until you live that life and witness it yourself.
I think you are missing the other commenters point. The abusers are absolute scumbags, and we are all in agreement on that. The point is that these church groups provide the perfect environment for a predator to both abuse and then cover up their crimes. What we see repeatedly when these crimes happen is the church group closing ranks, “punishing” the abuser in their own way in house, always obviously inadequately and without informing law enforcement. These groups then put pressure on the victim and their families to “forgive” the victim as “jesus” or “Mohammad” or “Xenu” would have wanted.
The problem here is how these institutions cover up institutional abuse.