Friday, December 04, 2009

Pastor Keith Pettis arrested

KeithPettis2 It’s been a long week for me. Work demands my full attention. I’ve neglected to mention a few pastors who have joined the ranks of Hypocrisy Watch. Take Pastor Keith Pettis of New Life Christian Center in Lowell. He was arrested back in August on a slew of child sex charges, including statutory tape of a 12-year-old girl.  Pettis has strong support from his church.

“We do not care what the naysayers say,” Montgomery said. “We are here to do one thing: To support him irregardless of what the outcome is.”

The most disturbing news is that he is still the church pastor and leads worship services.

“This is my brother, not only by nature, but by spirit,” he said. “My spirit tells me innocence, and that’s what I’m fighting for.”

What a crock of shit. My spirit tells me… my spirit tells me nothing, my intellect tells me to follow the evidence. So far, it looks like Pettis needs his day in court followed by 30 years in prison.

Just to be clear, this is what Pastor Pettis stands accused of:

Pettis is accused of sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in his home in August 2006 by performing a sex act on her. He allegedly sexually abused her again on Sept. 1, 2008, and Sept. 20, 2008, then forced her to perform a sex act on him on Feb. 1 of this year.

Pettis also sexually abused the girl on March 15, according to arrest warrants. He was charged with three counts each of sex offense and statutory rape/sex offense and one count each of first-degree sex offense with a child, attempted sex offense and taking indecent liberties with a child.

And yet, his parishioners dare to compare him to OJ.  Does everything come down to race? I think it all comes down to religion.