I'M NOT SURE I LIKE THIS

Alabama has a new law requiring 'clergy' and churches to report suspected child abuse:

Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor wants clergy and churches to know about the new state law that requires clergy to report suspected child abuse...

Alabama law now requires clergy, as well as other professionals such as doctors, teachers and social workers, to report suspected child abuse.

"In the past, clergy had never been specifically referred to in the statute," Eden said.

The law contains an exception for confidential clergy communications, such as confessions or private counseling with clergy.

Eden will also discuss how churches can implement a child protection program that includes screening and background checks for employees who deal with children.

"We will talk about how do you prevent child sexual abuse in your church," Eden said.

Now I'm all for protecting children and bringing criminals to justice. But as some one who is about to be 'clergy' in Alabama (I don't subscribe to such a designation, but as a full-time evangelist I'm sure that's what the law in Alabama would consider me) this clearly will apply to me. So I will be under the direction of the state, I suppose, to keep an eye on everyone, wondering what they might be doing. What level of suspicion must be reached before I will be forced to report someone? We start to see what the Catholic sex scandals have wrought.