When evil is ignored (or tolerated) to promote”peace” you can be sure that there is no comprehension of the vast grace that our God and Father has extended to His children and, consequently, no impetus to embrace His mercy and let the world’s chips fall where they may. M is, in the last analysis, a pathetic creature unwilling and unworthy of the considerable responsibility which has been given him.

As to your apprentice sexual predator: this MUST be addressed and sooner rather than later. This is an area where I am far better versed than I ever wanted to be and I can share a few facts that may help put things into prospective: 1. the recidivism rate among adult sexual predators is nearly 100%. (Shep’s home state now provides that certain sex offenders can be incarcerated indefinitely even if they have served the prescribed time for any crimes of which they have been convicted.) 2, The predator’s capacity for deceiving himself and (some) others is nearly limitless. (think Michael Jackson and Jerry Sandusky). 3. I am aware of NO evidence, scientific or anecdotal, that would indicate that these criminal tendencies are ever “outgrown” or get better on their own. 4. The kind of serial behavior we are talking about is not some semi-normal testosterone poisoning that teen-aged boys sometimes go through. It is evil behavior intended to hurt and humiliate and establish dominance. 5. Finally, you have heard, I’m sure, that “hurting people hurt people”. I have never known of an instance of sexual abuse such as you describe where the perpetrator was not, at some point in their life, subject to the same sort of abuse. It almost always “runs in the family”.

You have your work cut out for you but you need to be aware that if this is not addressed now there will be many more victims down the road. I am praying for you.