Christians, usually members of the accused pastor's church, write me with two arguments. 1. Innocent until proven guilty, or 2. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. They have a point. So do I. When I find somebody like pastor William Procanick, who is charged with first-degree sexual abuse and misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child, I report the facts and then I get snarky. It is a First Amendment thing, facts, then snarky. It's in there. I'm sure of it.
Procanick is alleged to have touched the buttocks and inner thigh of a 7-year-old girl. The girl talked about the incident to another adult, who informed police. Procanick resigned his position prior to his arrest, which was the right thing to do. I am disturbed by comments made by Jim Dever, chairman of the church council.
Rev. Procanick has had serious charges unfairly brought against him," Dever said in a statement issued by the church. "Because of the nature of these charges, he voluntarily submitted his resignation to the church in April.
It looks like another case of stand by your pastor. Why do they do this?
Procanick was pastor of the Resurrection Assembly of God.
14 comments:
Concerning Pator charged with sex abuse:
What is 'snarky'?
Do you know all the facts? I don't think you do. The little girl's mother is an ex-con that the pastor has taken to parole and gone to court with on more occasions than you have fingers. Her kids are more street-savvy than you and I put together.
What is the problem you have with what Jim Dever said?
And you asked, "Why do they do this?" Isn't that what families do? Or don't atheists believe in them either?
Snarky =sarcastic comments
I think it is fair to say that you might not have a very full knowledge of the situation. You've probably never met Bill or the girls/mother. The world is complicated. Sometimes pastors really are good people. Sometimes they're lying hypocrites and abusers or power. It's hard to predict. Don't be too quick to judge. Pedophiles aren't born overnight. I have never been remotely threatened by Bill even though he's had more chances than I can count. I don't know if you care, but it's hard seeing people write like this about a person that you love and have known your whole life. I'm not defending him because he's a pastor or you're not a christian. I just want some justice in our semi-fascist, patriot act, lawsuit happy society.
I DO have full knowledge of the situation, I was there the Sunday Bill resigned from his pastorate as I had been for the many years I attended the church. I have known Bill and his family for years. And I HAVE met the mother and her children. We took her in, bought the kids clothes and school supplies and were told not to give her the reciepts b/c she would return the merchandise and use the money for her drug habit. When Bill and his family found her a place to live and got her out of her native drug haven, we contributed household items. I even took her to her parole meetings when the Procanicks were out of town.
No, pedofiles aren't born overnight, but they don't develop a career in pedofilia at aged 54 either. This person has NO criminal history and has been working in a field in which he's had ample opportunity for over 30 years. Detectives were unable to uncover ANYTHING in his past that suggested any misconduct. Yes, the world is complicated, but people develop a sense for hypocritical, power abusers, especially when their walk is inconsistent with their talk, and Bill's never was.
I DO care and I AM a Christian, that's why I am defending him when somebody I love and have known for many years is talked about like this. I wouldn't say this of everyone, but there are people who will or are serving time whose intent was never sexual in nature.
I find much of what you say to be very contradictory seeing that you've "known and loved" Bill and you want to see justice in our "semi-facist, patriot act, lawsuit-happy society. By the way, not intended to be "snarky".
to the other anonymous, I was directing my comment at mojoey. Just because I am not politically conservative doesn't mean I am not a Christian. I also don't think that God is the only reason why I should stand up for some one in my family. I have known him all my life. I don't think Bill is guilty and that's why i said that pedophiles aren't born over night. Because he's never done anything like this, clearly, there's something askew in the accusation. This is a hard time for everyone who knows Bill and his family so I empathize with you right now. It's difficult for me too. I'm sorry that you misunderstood my comment and I hope that this clears things up. We're on the same side here, part of the same family in Christ. At least you're lucky enough to be able to see him before the sentencing. I'm halfway across the country and can't afford to buy a plan ticket home. He's a good man I hope that in the end, somehow, the truth wins out in spite of the mess things are right now. Again, I apologize for the misunderstanding.
btw, sorry mojoey, didn't mean to take over your comment section.
I don't mind - post as much as you like. I intend to follow this case until the end. I think there is much more to the story.
You know what guys? So sorry for my previous edge, I was truly hurt by the outcome, saddened and hurt, as though it had happened to me. I truly did not mean to be offensive. I tried to leave my name last post but my computer here at work wouldn't let me, I am
Johari. Please again, consider my apology. I do not know how this will all turn out, I've heard people at church comment, "If I didn't know him and I'd heard the evidence presented against him, I too, would consider him guilty." This is a tough time....I want to stick to my Christian values and believe somehow good will come out of all of this, but I know we're looking at a lawsuit later down the road, and I'm thinking,
"what will A's (little girl) mother
N have to show for it in 5 years, except a few more drug convictions? But a better life for her kids? I doubt it.
What bothers me is that this whole thing was seen as being a lucrative prospect with a little bit of coaching, and not the fact that a person's life and well being are and will be ruined, but his family's as well.
My best to all of you, will keep in touch.......Johari.
I have read a lot about this case being a former resident of the Utica area. If he did this he doesn't fit the profile at all. He isn't sex starved, he has 3 kids, no one else has come forward to accuse him, and he has worked with children for more than 20 years. In all the other cases were a clergyman was accused of sexual crimes, tons of people jumped on the bandwagon hoping to get some money. This is a very unusual case - and now conviction.
Well there we have it. He is sentenced to 3 years, and its like losing a member of the family. Simply from having watched life thus far, I know what goes around comes around. I will be interested in seeing what evolves in the lives of this mother and her youngster. I think had the information been available to the judge and jury that it was counted she'd been in jail 10 times, it might have made a difference. People wondered why he incriminated himself in the phone conversation that she helped set up where he was being taped, hoping he'd confess. I think we all say things that we think a person needs to hear to entreat or placate them when we know they are experiencing something difficult. Ummmm, I think people consider that a sign compassion. I've done it a million times. Helpful? Perhaps not. Misguided? Surely. Human? Absolutely. Dear Lord, watch over us all. Johari
The allegation that Clinton's pastor was convicted of child molestation is a lie. The original newspaper article datelined Utica, NY said: "UTICA — When the Rev. William Procanick put his hand on the Bible during his sex-abuse trial in Oneida County Court earlier this year, he swore to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But as the former Clinton pastor was sentenced Friday to three years in prison for inappropriately touching a 7-year-old girl at his home last March, Judge Michael L. Dwyer said Procanick sacrificed his honesty the day he testified."
Procanick was the former pastor of a church in village of Clinton, Oneida County, NY. He was NOT the pastor of Hillary and Bill Clinton.
Harold - do you really think that anyone posting here thinks Procanick was the Clinton's pastor? At least have the courtesy to read my post before launching into your screed.
What does her kids so called street savvy have to do with being molested? The mother is a dope fiend so she and her kids are lying? Most perverts who molest children don't get caught and when they do they are usually older men. This means that the pastor is just about the right age to have almost perfected getting away with it. I am glad he was caught and stopped. I also do not think that people with nothing to hid resign from their post. If you are innocent then GOD would have cleared him and he could have stood up without cowaring and resigning. One person mentioned that the mom is an x-con and tries to make her seem untrustworthy but then they say how much they have helped this person. Who is in a better position to take advantage of someone? Not the con. Your pastor is a child molestor deal with it! He should take responsibility and make ammends. If he is found not guilty then he deserves an apology and more but the odds are not in his favor if the DA had enough evidence to charge him in the first place. I wonder is he slept with the mother...he sure did do a lot for her.....
Guilty filthy dirty rat scum.....he got what he deserved and now you can call the mother what ever you want maybe she can go with him to the parole board now and return the favor one con to another since he is now and will forever be a convict i wonder will anonymous talk down about him now that he is a guilty convict soon to be x-con and parolee....you don't need to touch a childs inner thighs to teach them and to pray for them aomeone said that they wonder what the outcome of the mother and her kinds lives will be i wonder what prison time is doing to the molester and if he is being molested right now.....pray for him and his family he must have been white because that's the only time people have simpathy for the attacker instead of the victim who by the way is a CHILD incase we forgot that....have some sympathy for the child and stop crying a river for a grown man with live a live in sex partner. I will not speak to this matter anymore
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