The Truth and Transparency foundation is out with a report exposing high level pedophilia:
While at a sleepover with a friend in 1993, David woke up in the middle of the night to something that would haunt him for the rest of his life. His friend’s dad had his hand down his pants and was rubbing his penis. He jumped up and ran to the bathroom. He was scared and did not know what to do. He spent the rest of the night locked in the bathroom and the next 26 years traumatized by the events of that evening.
The perpetrator was Sterling Van Wagenen, a Mormon film producer and co-founder of the Sundance Film Festival, and, while he made a full confession of the crime to both his religious leader and the police, he never completely faced justice. More importantly, David was never given the resources to properly cope with the trauma and heal.
In an audio recording obtained by the Truth & Transparency Foundation (TTF), Van Wagenen describes a double life he lived for decades. When asked if he is a pedophile, Van Wagenen denies that label, but admits to multiple extramarital affairs with both men and women. He also admits to one single instance of sex abuse perpetrated on a minor. That minor was David.
Local CBS affiliate KUTV 2News report on the claim:
(UPDATE 2/4/19 3:23 p.m.) -- 2News reached out to the Sundance Institute, which issued this statement from a spokesperson:
"Sundance Institute always stands in solidarity with those whose brave truth-telling shines light on abusive behavior. Recent reports in the press have made us aware of an admission of sexual abuse by Sterling Van Wagenen, who played a role in founding both the Festival and the Institute. He has no current connection to either entity, and hasn't since he left our Utah Advisory Board in 1993. We categorically denounce his behavior as described in recent reports."
(UPDATE 2/4/19 1:38 p.m.) -- 2News reached out to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for a comment.
The Church replied saying they would not comment on this story.
(KUTV) -- A story published Monday by The Truth & Transparency Foundation, a website founded by two ex-Mormons who also founded Mormon Leaks, claims a co-founder of the Sundance Film Festival and director of two video used in the secretive LDS temple endowment ceremony, admits to molesting a child in the early 1990s.
The abuse allegations are against Sterling Van Wagenen a BYU grad, co-founder of the Sundance Film Festival with Robert Redford, director of the Academy Award winning film "The Trip to Bountiful" and the man who was hired by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to direct new videos for the LDS temple endowment ceremony in 2013.
Van Wagenen is currently a professor and lecturer at The University of Utah.
The website posted an audio recording, allegedly of Sterling Van Wagenen, admitting to the abuse.
I archived all the pages of this guy's University of Utah bio before it gets scrubbed, in case anyone wants to investigate his associations. You can find them here.
notdivided ago
The temple videos are incredibly important to the mormon church and it's membership. As an executive producer to the mormon church Van Wagenen's "status" is outstandingly important compared to regional leadership (called Seventies) that are considered "high ranking." The endowment ceremony is a secret ritual that all adult mormons in good standing in the church participate in, part of the ceremony is viewing this video. Van Wagenen produced multple temple vidoes that are shown in all of the 100 plus temples around the world. He also served on panels for the national endowment for the humanities and national endowment for the arts. He also continued to work at BYU after the church was aware of his pedophilia.
http://archive.is/Ax2aY
Van Wagenen's son has been head of another church media arm- Excel Entertainment part of Deseret Books. Their family influence on mormon media is extensive. They are considered authorities in the subject as you can see in this mormon matters podcast where they outline and discuss the mormon film entities: http://archive.is/Pli4v
more archived bio with people he knows/worked with: http://archive.is/hSQi1
Yes this church has extensive history covering up abuse: https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/search?q=sex%20abuse&restrict_sr=1
There is a ton to be gleaned from r/exmormon posts about this leak: https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/search?q=van%20wagenen&restrict_sr=1
taped confession audio: https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comments/an2l5v/mormonleaks_releases_audio_of_sterling_van/
I'm not sure what all has been posted in the past about mormon sex abuse coverups. If you feel like going down the rabbit hole Joseph Bishop was also caught on tape confessing to raping female missionaries while he was the president of the missionary training center. The church also covered up these allegations and despite a public uproar he is still a member in good standing as far as I have seen.
It's important to understand in mormon ritual called the second anointing that makes you essentially untouchable on earth, forgiven of all your prior and future sins. Its a tongue in cheek joke that this position might encourage leaders to become rapists, but it might not be far off base. I haven't heard rumors of this on Van Wagenen yet but I also wouldn't be surprised considering his station.
7th generation mormon here.
Angelis_Solaris ago
Also, note the paragraph in the report: "Update February 4, 2019 7:55 am: The TTF apologizes for any implication that Van Wagenen’s sexual orientation is tied to this abusive act. That was not the intent and the sentence has been clarified." I am disappointed to see companies continually bend over backwards for the SJWs.
Vindicator ago
Yeah. There are some things I admire about Mormons, like their emphasis on self-reliance/preparedness and their value of family, but I have a hard time understanding how people can believe some of the stuff they teach. Given the amount of power and wealth they have amassed, though, I doubt they've escaped the infiltration with corrupt players that has plagued all the other big powerful faith organizations. I think there has been a deliberate plan to compromise these organizations since probably the very early 20th century.
Angelis_Solaris ago
This doesn't seem related to Pizzagate, other than the fact that pedophilia is more common than anyone thought. I am still technically a member of this church but don't attend. But I don't suspect the church of a network of pedophilia and I don't agree that "church leaders and police conspired to keep this secret." You are literally making that up, just read the article. If you were a lay pastor who cared about his congregation you would also encourage the man to turn himself in, as would I. I would not immediately jump to the police, because I do not believe that is what God would want me to do. God cares about pedophiles and wants them to heal, and such a minor pedophile as this should not, I repeat, should not be confused with a Satanist or even a child rapist. The temptation of pedophilia afflicts many more people than is obvious. Those who are remorseful and repentant should be given help and kept away from children. Those who are not, and who actively engage in online pedophile conspiracies (there are many blatant pedophiles) should be reported. This man should have reported himself.
Quicktor ago
Robert Redford misses Paul Newman's Kosher cock in his ass more than anything...there's nothing like getting Butched in your Cassidy...
unless it's in ASS SPIN!!!...
shewhomustbeobeyed ago
truthandtransparency - https://archive.is/TeuTc
kutv - https://archive.is/WAVt5
thewebofslime ago
Pace Memorandum
utez ago
Mormon guy here, thanks for sharing. This is a sad story and I can't imagine the life of suffering that "David" has had to go through because of this perverted man. That being said, I don't think it is fair to assume that this is a high level coverup by the LDS church that exposes a systemic problem within the organization.
First, it's important to note the source of the information. This is from their "about us" page:
That isn't to say that what is being presented is not true...but I do think it's important to know as you read this that it's coming from a source that does not have good feelings towards the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Second, this man did not hold a "high office" in the church. Being hired to direct films for the church may give somebody a sense of pride, but it does not have any significance in regard to his church leadership role or authority.
Third, he did confess to the church and received a form of punishment. He also did self-report to local authorities but was ultimately not charged because the "David's" father did not want to press charges.
Finally, like so many of these cases, this happened over 25 years ago. The fact that "David" claims he was 10 while the official reports show he was 13 speaks enough about the potential problems with remembering details of something that happened so long ago.
This is not a defense of Van Wagenen. He should be disciplined by the church for his other extra-marital affairs and should be punished by law enforcement for any and all crimes he has committed.
The LDS church is a large organization with millions of members. Many of those members are bad people. I'm sure the church has been infiltrated by evil men and women (probably from 3 letter agencies) who try their best to tear it apart. Christ himself had his own group of apostles infiltrated. But there are also millions of members trying their best to follow Christ and serve their neighbor.
notdivided ago
Mormon Leaks is a very important whistleblower organization. Mormon apologists don't like them, but why would they? They continue to leak official documents that raise questions about the mormon church. Many of their leaks have made national news as valid information and in the public interest.
It's fair to say the church isn't involved in a cover up exactly in this instance but they have been outed in overt cover up several times. Criticizing these shortcomings isn't an attack on every individual church member, the unknowning members are victims and put in the way of real and lasting harm.
https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comments/9exa7i/mormonleaks_releases_kirton_mcconkie_doc/
If we have to discount mormon leaks because it is negative information published by exmormons we also have to discount your opinion as a mormon offering only positive bent to issues critical of mormonism. Not nice is it? Why don't we judge the information based on the merits, not veiled digs at personal bias.
Vindicator ago
Yep, utez. Thanks for reminding us of all that. I did note the origin of the claim in the OP.
I get what you are saying about the guy not being of an official high rank in the Mormon hierarchy. I used the term because of his status as co-founder of Sundance and as a university faculty member, as well -- "high ranking" meaning well connected in Utah society as opposed to some nobody pedo living in his mother's basement.
utez ago
Gotcha...in that regard I would agree with you that he is high rank. I imagine a lot of evil goes down during Sundance. Thanks for being willing to engage in conversation and for trying to spread the word about this evil that penetrates every nook and cranny of our society.
Vindicator ago
You, too, utez. :-)
Otto- ago
Hey guys, thank you both for just being civil; It's a refreshing observation in my eyes.
WalnutSauceGoat ago
Thanks for posting. Btw, Robert Redford is related by marriage to Sterling Van Wagenen.
Vindicator ago
Really? That is interesting. Before I posted this, I did a SearchVoat and thought it odd we'd never had any mention of Van Wagenen in any previous post.
21yearsofdigging ago
Redford,I heard from various unrelated sources, was a big procurer of call girls. That in it's self is not so bad but apparently he will go to extreme lengths to cover this up. His image is everything to him. I know, worked with him. I liked him fine but yes, his image is very important to him
WalnutSauceGoat ago
I, too, found it odd. I also searched my own (extensive) archives, and the only(!) hit I got was a quote in a book on my hard drive called The Solaris Effect, by Steven Dillon. The quote is on page 53:
*Involved in the festival, almost from the beginning, was local resident Robert Redford, who had purchased land in the Wasatch Mountains as far back as 1969. Redford, related by marriage to Sterling Van Wagenen, the festival’s first director, was chairman of the board of directors and the key figure in eventually having his cultural-minded, multidisciplinary arts organization, the Sundance Institute, take on the festival in 1985, and eventually change the name in 1991. *
But that's all I know.
EricKaliberhall ago
Hey @WalnutSauceGoat,
Have you seen ESOTERICshade? He is sporting a new fabulous blood-red shade... What color would you prefer?
WalnutSauceGoat ago
Jeez, man... what’s wrong with you?
EricKaliberhall ago
I wil brand you. For being an active alt used by ES... I'll let you choose the color all by youself... I am a gentleman. Not some savage.
WalnutSauceGoat ago
Why are you downvoating legit posts, then? I’m not even wasting a downvoate on you, James Alefantis.
EricKaliberhall ago
Are you accusing me, EricKaliberhall of being James Alefantis? Blame your enemy for what you yourself Is guilty of... Now is as good a time as any; WalnutSauceGoat are you in fact James Alefantis?
NosebergShekelman ago
YEAH RIGHT!! He isn't Jewish at all nope
TrustTheTruth ago
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TrustTheTruth ago
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