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05 Nov

Gideon Slusher – Connected and Protected?

SlusherGideon Slusher attended Olivet University in Bourbonnais, Illinois. His father is the pastor at Southwest Church of the Nazarene in Gregory, Michigan. Gideon Slusher was married in 2005. He lives in Oakland Township. Slusher was an assistant youth minister at the Rochester First Church of the Nazarene. His wife’s father is the pastor there.

A Rochester Hills father recently brought his teenage daughter to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. The girl related that Gideon Slusher was having a relationship with the girl that far surpassed his pastorly duties –not to mention his marital vows. The girl and Slusher were working together on a church project. Slusher and the girl text messaged each other. They talked to each other on the phone. Gideon is 25 years old. The girl is just 15. That didn’t prevent Gideon from kissing her, right there in the church. One night, Gideon drove the girl home -and gave her another kiss.

Gideon’s wife was getting a little curious. She couldn’t grasp what the phone calls and text messages between her husband and the little girl were all about. Gideon decided it was best not to use the phone that his wife could view records of. That was just too risky to his new found romance. His wife wouldn’t understand his lust for a child.

Slusher is  a member of the faculty  of Waterford Academy. He’s an eighth grade teacher. He started using the phone at the Academy to communicate with the fifteen year-old. To keep up with technology and carry-on in secret, he set up a new email address –one his wife didn’t know about.

Then, in late February, he got down to the nitty-gritty. He wasn’t texting and emailing and calling this girl because he liked the conversation. He wanted more –and he was going to take it. In a room for the church’s youth group, Gideon Slusher sexually assaulted the 15 year-old girl.

Gideon Slusher was charged in Rochester Hills on two charges of third degree criminal sexual conduct and two charges of fourth degree criminal sexual conduct. He has been released on a $75,000 bond. Slusher is to have no contact with children.

Police spoke with the superintendent of the Eastern District of Nazarene churches in Michigan. The superintendent encouraged the church to cooperate with the investigation. The church’s pastor and Gideon’s father-in-law, Larry Crum, initially gave a written statement. Gary Slusher, Gideon’s father is also a pastor within the Eastern District. According to the sheriff’s office, church leaders have closed ranks and are no longer speaking to investigators. If this is true, it’s despicable. The concern should be for the child and getting to the bottom of the situation. Instead, this appears to be the code of silence that is often invoked by religious organizations. If you are a member of this congregation, you should do whatever you can to make sure that leaders cooperate with the law.

Ex-Rochester Hills youth minister charged with sexual assault of girl

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 at 7:17 PM and is filed under Child molestation, Michigan, Sex Offenders, Teacher, Uncategorized, children, churches, clergy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
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  • Clara
    When you state you are "presenting the logic of both sides, the reader may then make their own decision according to their own conscience," you aren't talking about the above article, are you? Because although there is the presentation of some facts in the article, they are very biased and NOT especially logical (e.g. the use of the phrase "its despicable"??? seriously?? Definitely not fact.). This is an article that "provokes emotions" meaning that it must be somewhat provacative in order to produce a public response. A purely factual article (even if its over a contraversial issue) isn't provacative: it simply states the facts. You can't be provacative in writing unless you incorporate some subjectivity of your own into it...thus there is only one side being presented, not both (as also previously stated by you). Present your opinion, but please don't present it as fact. You seem knowledgable, therefore you probably know there is a huge difference between the two.
  • Professor Clara,

    Let me be as clear and concise as I can, since you seem to be having so much trouble:

    When I say presenting the logic of both sides, I mean I'm letting you have your say. Have I censored you in any way?

    A grown man taking advantage of a young girl is despicable. That is a fact, at least as far as I'm concerned.

    This isn't the Six O'Clock News. This blog contains both Facts and Opinion. I thought that would be pretty obvious, especially to someone as observant as yourself.

    Don't tell me how to operate my website. This is my Soap Box. If you don't like it, go somewhere else.
  • Dani
    Oh you are most welcome. I am ever so glad to see that your fervor for such a repugnant topic has not yet died down…. and as I said before, your opinions are your own. I am not attempting to change them; I am simply stating my own. That is the purpose of this forum, after all.
  • The purpose of this forum, and this blog, is to bring public awareness to sex offenders and the apathy and ignorance of their supporters, advocates, and apologetics. At times, it does its job quite well. I like people to see both sides of the issue so that they can decide for themselves. I agree, my opinions are my own and you're not going to change them. Similarly, I have no intention of changing your mind. However, there are those out there who find themselves in situations where they have to deal with these "repugnant" topics. By presenting the logic of both sides, the reader may then make their own decision according to their own conscience. They can choose to forgive and forget, wash their hands of it all, and pretend it's not really as bad as it seems --or they can choose to be vigilant and aware and realize that the victims of these crimes are real people who have really been hurt.

    I write these articles to provoke emotions in order to gain a response. I do not necessarily write for those who already agree with me, though I appreciate their support and encourage them to participate just as well. You see, the majority of people would like to talk about other, less disturbing things. They can throw away their newspapers and pretend that these issues don't really happen. It's much easier for people to deny the ugliness, or to even put the blame on someone outside of their own social circle. It's hard for people to admit that sometimes people have a dark side. It's more convenient to say that they were a victim of circumstance, or even conspiracy. I do have a fervor for these things. Believe me, like any decent person, I find the subject matter most distasteful. But, I've seen the damage done and the people who don't really give a rat's ass about those that have been harmed, so I keep writing about things that nobody likes to talk about in the hope that someday people, especially those that can make a difference, really start caring about these issues and the people affected by them. In that respect, my thanks to you was quite sincere and I'm glad you appreciate my enthusiasm.
  • Dani
    I do not think that Clara is "turning on a child in favor of a lustful man" -- she is simply saying that there is more than one side to this story, just as there is to every story. This girl knew that what she was doing was wrong, as did Gideon. Yes, he should have had the self-control to end the relationship, but he unfortunately did not, therefore they are in this situation. We all fully understand that what Gideon did was wrong, please do not insult our intelligence by assuming otherwise. Also, just to touch on the comment about "protecting the child," we cannot and should not protect our children from the world, or from the consequences of their actions. I am fully aware of the fact that your opinions are set in stone on this matter, and I do not presume to have the power or the desire to change them. I simply hope that you are not this judgmental in all aspects of your life or you will find yourself very alone in this world.
  • If you don't think she is turning on the child, then you have serious problems with comprehension. Gideon Slusher is the criminal here --end of story. Parents should protect their children from people like Slusher and their supporters (and attorneys) who would vilify a child and mark them with their scarlet letters before she's even had a chance to reach adulthood.. You don't require any assistance to insult your intelligence. That is plain to anyone who reads your comments. The child has learned a hard lesson here, no doubt --but the actual crime was perpetrated not by her, but by Slusher. This is not an opinion, but a stone cold fact.

    If disagreeing with your bullshit and those who shovel it means being "very alone in this world," then so be it. Gideon Slusher is a lecherous fiend. You can defend him and try to minimize his guilt all you want to. One of the main reasons I write this blog is to highlight the insolence of the self-deceiving sheep of whom you flock. So, thanks so much for your contribution.
  • Clara
    Well, I'm certainly sorry you feel this way, however I completely disagree with you and your antics. This is your website, however, so say whatever you think and feel. You will never see the situation as it is unless you go to meet these two, and get to know them very well.
    Good thing you are not a judge, as you are too closed minded towards these topics to make right judgements. You from the very beginning would and could not be even moved towards seeing the situation objectively. But of course, you will turn this on me somehow, and it will be MY undoing and faulty thoughts, not yours. So now you don't have to respond to me, as I already stated what you were going to.
  • But I will respond to you, and give you all the credit for your prediction. What is there to see objectively? I guess if you want me to throw decency and the law out the window, I could manage to see things your way. To you, there is nothing wrong with a grown man -- a married man, flirting with and wooing (your words, not mine) a fifteen-year-old girl. But, I am the one with the closed mind who judges men much too harshly when they err at the expense of a child. Why should I turn this on you? Because you would turn on a child in favor of a lustful man? Because people like you are the reason so many predators have gone unpunished and so many victims vilified? I have no desire to meet Gideon Slusher, or any other adult who would "woo" a child, so I presume I will never see things your way. But then, you knew that, didn't you? You know everything much better than anyone else who may just get their knowledge from a mere newspaper. You are embedded, so to speak, with way too much insight for me and my antics. Maybe, that is why you fail to see the terrible truth of the matter --the truth that is too ugly for you to accept.
  • Clara
    What you stated doesn't make any sense, if those who knew about the situation wanted it to be "hush hush" then we wouldn't be defending him over the internet where everyone has unlimited access to and can read this. We are simply shedding light onto what really happened, the facts are stated and things are mentioned that might not have been clear.
    The "victim" in this situation was 15 years old. Teens much younger than her have children by fooling around at parties. The HORMONES are always present in teens. I won't bring her personal sexual history into this, but I will say that she knew exactly what she was doing. She is just as guilty as the other in this crime, however because of her age, she was "protected" by her cop father. As stated in the physical evidence, no penetration or any other physical harm was done to her, indicating no force was used. As far as psychological trauma, read the texts- he did nothing but flirt with her and woo her, which shows no negativity.
    I feel sorry for her, because she is just another lost girl, trying to find her way in this screwed up world. Unfortunately, at this developmental level, she couldn't truly understand the consequences of her actions while this situation was happening. Now that the damage is done, I sincerely hope that she thinks very long and hard about her future and how she acts.
    Because I know each party on an individual level and I'm friends with both people, have heard both sides of the story, and have heard a huge amount about the trial, I have a much better sense of what happened than you I suspect. How did you find out about this? A news article?
  • What I said makes perfect sense. The only reason you are discussing this is because it is on the Internet where everyone has unlimited access. Don't try to tell me that is the way friends of Gideon Slusher want things to be.

    Apparently, you are ignorant of the law. Gideon Slusher is an adult. The victim is a child. It's that simple. For him to take advantage of her in any way, shape, or form is absolutely wrong. It is also illegal. People like you, those that defend people like Slusher, always try to place the blame on the victim. Whether or not the girl was complicit, or not, is completely irrelevant. This situation did not happen without the influence and oversight of an adult who was in a position of responsibility. She should be protected by her "cop" father --she is a child. She should have been protected by those in charge at the church, especially Slusher, who did exactly the opposite. You should be ashamed of yourself.

    I realize that you hate the fact that people "found out about this." You might be closer to those involved, but your logic is obviously faulty. The more you write, the sillier (and more desperate) you sound. But, keep on with your pitiful excuses --they are almost amusing.
  • Dani
    I personally know the Slushers. I would just like to say that it is not our place to judge Gideon. Since all of you seem so quick to jump on this family I am sure there is nothing that can be done to stop the horrible things that are being said (yes that means you, Mr. Crimeshadows). However, before anyone says another thing, take a moment and think about the ramifications of the words we speak, and the words of those who are actually listened to. While we all know that what Gideon did was a terrible sin, we have to remember that God tells us to hate only the sin and to love the sinner. How can anyone heal from the damage that was done if the wounds are constantly being re-opened? I am not saying that what has been done is something that can be undone with a big group hug or a public confession and apology, or something that should be swept under the rug because it isn't -- rather, I am saying that we ought to take it upon ourselves to set an example and give all parties involved the necessary time to muddle through this without pointing fingers and making judgements from skewed accusations. And yes, I did say all parties. Gideon was not the only person involved in this transgression. Yes he was the adult in the situation, but he was not the only person making decisions. All this said, take a good long moment to think about what you will say regarding this topic hereafter.
  • Or you could think about what you are saying. This blog respects the privacy of the victims --we do not re-open their wounds.

    This is the type of incident everyone wants to be "hush hush." That only helps the perpetrators and those who enable them. The shame belongs to the adult, not the child. This is a secular blog, unaffiliated with religion. God can do what He wants to when He gets around to it. For the time being, I, and others who write about the horrible things that have been done will do so to as wide an audience as possible. You see, some would like us to forget --until the next time someone is hurt.

    If "horrible things" are being said, it is because horrible things are being done, everyday, by people like Gideon Slusher. Everyday, someone tries to cover it up --to make it go away. Everyday, someone tries to preach us into silence while the lawyers and the perpetrators "muddle through."

    You can bet that if there was something that could be done to silence us, it would be done. That's the way it's been for much too long. Thankfully, we have a First Amendment right to speak the Truth and the technology to make it heard. So, you go on loving the sinners and hating their sin, and we'll go on telling the world about the dangerous people and the crimes they would like to remain secret.

    -- Sincerely,

    "Mr. Crimeshadows"
  • Clara
    Wow people, please lets just start lynching those accused again instead of giving them a fair trial and seeing the numerous details in this situation. Do you know both parties on a very personal level? While it is true that no one, absolutely NO ONE will know the entire situation (all wholistic aspects) except for the two involved. Those who know both of them hold onto their defense of Gideon for a reason.
  • No one is being "lynched" here. An opinion has been expressed based on the available facts, which speak quite clearly. Knowing someone on a personal level is not necessary to see what is going on. In fact, those who are close to the suspect seem to hold a blind eye to the truth.
  • dkoms
    "I find it utterly ludacris that people are jumping to conclusions and writing things like this before Mr. Slusher even has a heaing and the entire story is out!"

    Do you feel that same way with the Detroit Free Press? Perhaps all news media and information should then be shut down and we could all walk around aimlessly stupid.
  • Sue
    I find it utterly ludacris that people are jumping to conclusions and writing things like this before Mr. Slusher even has a heaing and the entire story is out! What happened to innocent until proven guilty? I would like everyone to stop and look at themselves and exam your own life. When was the last time you did something wrong...probably a few hours ago and just because it was not made public does not make it any less of a sin in the eyes of God. If God can forgive than we need to learn to forgive as well.
  • Which is it? Is he innocent or in need of forgiveness? If he's innocent, why should he be forgiven? I t looks like you really don't care, either way. You want us to be quiet and maybe the whole thing will go away. It's not going to happen here. This is the Anti-Quiet. Maybe God will forgive your lack of empathy for the real victim. I certainly don't have to. Not everyone goes around raping kids --and not everyone defends rapists.

    BTW: Ludacris is a degenerate hip hop singer. Ludicrous, on the other hand, is a word that can be used to describe the attitudes people like you wish to impose on the rest of society.
  • Tom
    To clarify something, this guy was never a paid employee of the church, only a youth volunteer. So he has no actual title at the church except maybe "assistant to the youth pastor," but NOT "assistant youth pastor. Any co-operation "problems" are not the church closing ranks, but rather the accused being told by his lawyer to shut him mouth and that would include his family. Since he is married to the pastor's daughter, that puts his in-laws in a precarious situation.

    Please don't accuse the Church of the Nazarene of any improprieties without knowing the facts of the situation as the church takes many precautions to try to prevent things like this from happening. Obviously, both the adult and minor in this case hid their relationship for quite some time and if anyone had suspicions, they did not come forward to let anyone from the church know (including the wife!).

    Here is a copy of the official press release from the Eastern Michigan District Church of the Nazarene (encompasses the eastern half of Michigan from the thumb on down):

    November 4, 2008

    Press Release

    The Eastern Michigan District Church of the Nazarene is saddened to learn of an alleged incident at the Rochester Church of the Nazarene involving a minor and a layperson who was a volunteer youth worker of the church. When word of this alleged incident became known, immediate steps were taken to protect the children and youth of the church. Yesterday I learned that the former volunteer youth worker, Mr. Gideon Slusher, was arrested and charged in this incident. Mr. Slusher has never been a youth minister or paid employee of the Rochester Church of the Nazarene, but did serve as a volunteer.

    The Eastern Michigan District Church of the Nazarene leadership has cooperated fully with the Oakland County Sheriff investigators and will continue to do so. We have attempted to be fully transparent and have also encouraged the leadership of the Rochester Church of the Nazarene to cooperate completely with the civil authorities.

    The desire of the Church of the Nazarene is to provide a safe environment for the young people that attend our churches and their activities. We will not tolerate any misconduct by individuals that are part of our churches. We deeply regret any harm that may have come to this minor because of this alleged act. Our desire is that the truth will be known and justice will be served.

    Dr. Stephen T. Anthony
    District Superintendent
  • Since this man's father and father-in-law are leaders in the church, I would say they are very much a part of the Church of Nazarene. I didn't accuse the church of anything; the police did. Just because a lawyer tells you to be quiet doesn't make it the moral thing to do. Of course, a pastor should already be aware of what is moral and what is merely covering one's ass. Regardless of the girl's behavior and actions, she is a child. She is a victim. She was never able to consent to the "volunteer assistant." This man was allowed to volunteer in the church. He had access to the church --keys to the church. He held a position of trust and authority. He may not have been remunerated monetarily, but he certainly gained from his position. This by no means seperates him from the church. If the man's father does not cooperate fully with authorities in this matter, as you have implied, how can he be trusted to lead responsibly a church congregation? Whether or not Gideon Slusher was paid or not is irrelevant. He was placed in a position of trust by the church. He was not worthy of that trust.
  • jon
    There are only two people that know the truth and that is Gideon and this girl. I know the pastor very well and I'm sure he's trying to find out everything he can and will help authority the best of his ability. This was only brought to his attention weeks ago; I’m sure that if he finds out anything new he will let them know. Monday Most churches are closed and nobody answer the phone.
  • Concerned
    Where is your shame? How can someone admit to knowing perverts much less stand up for one?
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