Youth pastor Stacy Everett arrested

Youth pastor Stacy Everett was arrested on child molestation charges for the abuse of a 12-year-old boy.

Everett, a former youth football coach, youth pastor and leader in the area, is facing charges of three counts each of child molestation, felony sexual battery, cruelty to children and false imprisonment.

LPD officials are not releasing many details of the incident, only that the victim was 12 years old at the time of the abuse and was known to Everett but was not a player. The investigation was initiated outside of Georgia because that was where the victim first disclosed the incident weeks ago. Once the incident was determined to have taken place in Loganville, the case was turned over the local law enforcement agency. The victim is now 14 years old. 

Read more: Former rec. coach charged with molestation

Pastor Everett sounds like a peach.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Youth Pastors,Child Molestation

Youth pastor Joey Chapa arrested

Youth pastor Joey David Chapa looks like he’s trying out for a spot on Jersey Shore. Pluss, he’s got punk written over him. That and something else. Something unsavory. He’s been charged with multiple thefts.

Chapa allegedly broke into the Brand New Church on July 29, where he was formerly a youth pastor, and allegedly stole two flat-screen televisions and a laptop computer, according to Mountain Home Police Lt. Nevin Barnes.

Source: Former youth pastor arrested for theft

Step 1: Get a job as youth pastor. Step 2: Steal. Step 3: Ask Jesus for forgiveness. Step 4: Repeat. oops – forgot smoke meth. That’s a Christian thing too…They teach that in youth pastor U, right?

Technorati Tags: Clergy Misconduct,Christians

Atheist registry my ass

I read the story of dimwitted pastor Mike the other day. He proposed an Atheist registry so that Christians can keep track of us dangerous atheists. He’s taken his blog private. I’m not surprised either. Bad ideas do not survive public scrutiny. What he proposed is ludicrous. It makes Christians look like idiots. We are legion. You cannot list us. We’ve done nothing wrong. Silly pastor Mike. We list you.


Animodi, Emmanuel, 2011/06, Nondenominational, Sexual Assault
Anthony, Michael Louis, 2010/04, Nondenominational, Convicted of rape
Ashwell, Barry, 2010/09, Catholic, Child molestation
Ates, Jimmy, 2011/03, Baptist, Murder
Baldwin, Irvin “Pete”, 2010/08, Unknown, Solicitation of a minor
Bendert, William, 2010/09, Lutheran, Solicitation of a minor
Black, Robert Michael , 2009/04, Baptist, Solicitation
Bolton, John, 2010/08, Baptist, Rape of a teen girl
Brennan, Jennifer, 2009/09, Methodist, Child molestation
Brown, Lawrence, 2010/07, Baptist, Solicitation of an underage girl
Brown, Matthew, 2010/09, Baptist, Lewd messaging
Bullock, Dwight, 2010/03, CME, Child molestation
Burkhalter, Damian, 2011/06, Lutheran, Child molestation
Cabe, William, 2010/08, Baptist, Child molestation
Calhoun, Nathaniel, 2010/09, Nondenominational, Child molestation
Campaner, Renato, 2011/06, CoC, Attempted murder
Cardelli, Dino, 2010/09, Nondenominational, Child molestation
Casey, Jerry, 2010/09, Nondenominational, Sexual assault
Casey, William, 2010/09, Catholic, Child molestation
Castillo, Alex, 2010/08, Catholic, Child molestation
Conder, Jacob, 2010/10, Baptist, Child Molestation
Corapi, John, 2011/06, Catholic, Sexual Misconduct
Cordova, Jorge, 2011/06, Catholic, Sexual Abuse
Curran, Thomas, 2010/09, Catholic, Child molestationn
Read lots more….

Technorati Tags: Atheism,Nutballs

Bachmann is a Christian nutball

We cannot have this nutball as a president. We cannot. We cannot. We cannot.


Alternate Link: http://www.metatube.com/en/videos/72180/NEW-Michele-Bachmann-Preaching/

Technorati Tags: Politics,Religion,Nutballs

I break for cupcakes

I flew to Denver over the weekend to see the finish of the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Denver. It’s my second big cycling race. I saw several stages of the Tour de France a few years ago. I’m slowly becoming a fan. My wife beat me there.

On Saturday we visited Boulder. I had always wanted to visit because that’s where Mindy of Mork & Mindy fame resided (I’m showing my age, right?). We arrived at the downtown mall and went for a walk among the newly arrived university students. I can tell you this much, Boulder is full of young white kids. I don’t normally notice race when I’m out and about, except when there is only one race. Living in LA makes one appreciate the differences because every other person you meet is different. You learn early that different is normal. I did not see different in Boulder. I saw staggering sameness. I’m not exaggerating when I say this, I saw no more than 15 non-white people in my two hours on the mall. It was like visiting Brigham City, Utah in the 80s. Of course, I’m not counting the dozen or so dirty kids I saw who were begging for money to buy more weed. They just needed a bath.

Boulder is clean and beautiful. It’s also full of good food. Like cupcakes. I break for cupcakes (and pretty girls holding signs). Boulder is also full of churches. I lost count of how many I saw. They were everyplace.

The trend toward whiteness continued in Denver. The difference being that there were huge numbers of people attending the race and the vast majority of these where white. When I say vast majority, I mean like 95%. I sat in a Starbucks and counted 170 people walk by before I saw someone different. She was pretty. I saw a few minorities enjoying a day of leisure with the rest of the city. Most were working the service sector. It gave the city an odd vibe.

I enjoyed downtown Denver, but damn it was hot. My friend Richard and I share a story from a visit to Paris on a hot August day. After a day walking the streets, we stank so badly that nobody would stand near us on the subway. At the hotel, we both said we would burn our clothing rather than try to have them cleaned. Well… I had one of those days in Denver. It was in the high 90s and muggy. I ruined my clothing while exploring the city (read pub crawl) and then got on a plane and flew home. I felt so sorry for the poor people setting near me. I was rank.

I took a few photos, but mostly I just tried to stay cool. The highlight of the trip was an unexpected free concert by the Flobots. I had one of those surreal moments when I realized something cool was happening while nobody else around me noticed. But then I realized people were not as into the Flobots as I am. Oh well, it’s their loss. The Flobots rock.

I shot a few good photos. I ate some good food. I spent way too much money on beer at the Yard House. I kicked around with my wife and explored an interesting new place. I watched a sport that I know nothing about and met a bunch of interesting people. I even met a couple I knew from China. I felt safe and welcomed by a friendly city. Heck, I even had a homeless guy offer my his water. I think I looked like I was about to have heatstroke. I liked Denver, but I’m not going back in August.

A word on the Yard House

I’m claiming hipster rights. I’ve been eating and drinking at the Yard House since it first opened in Long Beach. I’ve tried every beer on tap and spend thousands on good dinners with friends. In fact, the highlight of my year comes in December when I host a party on the Yard House patio. We watch the sun go down and drink a lot of beer together. I had my first dinner there in 1996. I love the place. If you’ll be in LA this December, drop me a note. I’ll send along an invite.

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• Levi Leipheimer wins USA Pro Cycling Challenge and is impressed by event (denverpost.com)
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Photo - a young smoker

I try not to judge. I’m a former smoker myself. When I see a scene like this I automatically thinks, “don’t do it.” I know there is no hope though. the odds that this young beautiful woman will turn into this old desiccated smoker are pretty high. When and how she quits is up to her.

I carry a camera where ever I go. I prefer urban ugly. In this case, I’m calling it ugly and adding it to my not so buena project.

This is an HDR black and white photo. I used the 3 shot handheld bracketed sequence on my Nikon D300.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Smokers,HDR

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Atheists on Google+

Helen of Toomanytribbles put together a list called atheists on Google+. Helen curates a list of atheists with Google+ profiles and their posts. I’m on the list. You can join too Visit the list and submit your name.

Technorati Tags: Atheism,Google+

Rage Against The Machine - First Public Performance

Wow. I totally needed this today. Thanks to whoever posted it.

Technorati Tags: Music

Political Link dump

 

I’ve decided to start blogging politics since all of the Republican front runners in the 2012 election cycle are fundie nutballs. I’ll start with a link dump. Any one of these links is enough for a full rant.

Ann Coulter asks, “Can we get the ad to find Obama’s cocaine dealer?” (Huffpo)

Rick Perry was against Social Security before he was for it. (Time)

Standard & Poor’s president Deven Sharama steps down (BBC)

Christine O’Donnell, Newt Gingrich attack media over gotcha questions.(Daily Beast)

Glenn Beck’s Holy Land Crusade: A Jerusalem rally, anti-Semitism controversy. (Daily Beast)

Waters: Tea part can go to hell. (Politico)

Rick Perry can’t stop shooting from the hip. (Atlantic)

Poll: Obama crushes Palin among woman voters (Atlantic)

Our handy guide to the best coverage on Gov. Rick Perry and his record. (Propublica)

Romney to new Libya government: Hand of the Lockerbie bomber (Foreign Policy)

Rick Perry talks about sexxx (Gawker)

Rick Perry: Global warming is a hoax concocted by data-manipulating scientists (Treehugger)

Technorati Tags: Politics,2012 Elections

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• Rick Perry's book not intended to reflect Rick Perry's views (dailykos.com)

I like random

The thing about the internet is, well – it’s so random. I post about Long Beach (LBC) all the time. I love the city. I shoot a lot of photos down in the gritty areas, and spend a lot of social time in the upscale areas. Both result in some serious Twitter traffic which in turn drives a lot of random connections. Like this one. Al Rocc One sent me a tweet.

@mojoey Check out this video Mo. I co-produced the beat. Blak Laz: My City --- #LBC --- vimeo.com/27886638

I checked out the video – it’s good (And this is an old white dude talking).

Blak Laz - My City from Anomalous Sightings on Vimeo.

Of course, I’m listening to Method Man as I write this, so I’m not dead yet.

Technorati Tags: Twitter,Connections,LBC,Music

iPhone photo - Meaning

I shot the photo today while waiting in a parking lot at the Target in Cerritos. I was waiting because I hate to shop, even at 9:00 am on a Sunday morning. After catching up on a short podcast I got out of my truck to shoot 2 things that had caught my eye. The pattern on this tree was the second item of interest. After I shot it, a security guard asked me what I was doing. When I told him I was shooting photos he scratched his head and asked to see my photo. I showed him this shot. He asked me, “What does it mean?” I was honest and said, “Hell if I know.”

 

Technorati Tags: iPhone,iPhone photos,Photography

A Baptist calls for reform

The Rev. Wade Burleson has called on the Southern Baptist Convention to start a clergy sex abuse database. Burleson is senior pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Enid. He fears abusive pastor moving from church to church without being detected. Based on what I know, I think his fears are well grounded.

Burleson sees the problem clearly.

Burleson's comments stem from a recent controversy involving a ministry leader at Morrison Heights Baptist Church in Clinton, Miss. The Clarion Ledger newspaper in Jackson, Miss., reported Aug. 9 that Morrison Heights music minister John Langworthy had confessed to inappropriate behavior with young males at a church where he formerly worked, Prestonwood Baptist, a prominent church in Plano, Texas.

Source: Enid pastor renews call for clergy sex abuse database

I’m all for an offenders registry, but I do not think it should be administered by SBC. Experience tells me that they will act in the best interest of their organization if it is politically risky or if public release of the information may damage their ministry. A neutral registry is required. Perhaps the SBC could help fund it? Or perhaps a philanthropist could be tapped to help in this effort. Bill Gates, are you listening? I’d be happy to run the registry. I’ve already got 6 years experience.

Heck, I’d offer my own blog to start. I’ve got a list going, but it is limited to public cases.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Baptists

iPhone Photo - A window

I shot this a few weeks ago with my iPhone. It captures a moment where three very important woman in my life are enjoying the view from a café window. My wife, daughter-in-law, and mother were all tired after a long day exploring. I take shot like this to help me remember how I felt. I was happy and soon to be content after an outstanding meal.

 

Technorati Tags: Photography,iPhone

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A 60 day slap on the wrist

If you or I had stolen $300k from our employer, we would be looking at 10 years in prison. That’s not the case if you are a Catholic priest and are granted the gift of Christian privilege. Rev. John Regan stole $300k and was sentenced to 60 days in jail, plus community service. He also has to make restitution to the church, which we all know will never happen, even though a diocese spokesman says Regan had reimbursed the parish for the full loss. How much does a priest make these days?  Answer – as much as he can lift from the collection plate.

Technorati Tags: Catholics,Christian Privilege,Justice

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More Baptist love

I judge people by what they do. In this case I judge the leadership of the The Daviess-McLean Baptist Association (DMBA) to be hateful. They ousted a church for sharing their church with a gay-friendly group.

The Daviess-McLean Baptist Association (DMBA) voted 242-24 in favor of dropping Journey Fellowship Church in Owensboro, Ky. from its credentials committee due to members of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) being allowed to hold meetings at the church.

Source: Church Ousted From Baptist Association for Sharing Worship Venue With Gay-Friendly Group

I applaud the actions of Bob Coons, pastor of Journey Fellowship Church in Owensboro, Ky. The stood up for the right thing.

The pastor explained that Journey Fellowship is "welcoming and affirming" of homosexuals and that his ministry will "continue to reach out to those who have been alienated, shunned, and rejected by the church."

It’s sad really. Good actions met head on with religious orthodoxy. I’m sure the DMBA sees the situation as a win. The rest of us see the situation as… really sad.

Technorati Tags: Baptists,Gay Rights

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Pastor Joe Flowers sentenced

Pastor Joe Flowers was sentenced to 7 years in prison and 10 years post-release supervision. Flowers was convicted of the repeated sexual abuse of a young boy. Flower never acknowledged his abuse. He still maintains his innocence. He will soon find that prison is full of innocent men.

Flowers today apologized to his family, friends and parishioners, but maintained his innocence. He claimed all of his explanations had been “twisted.”

“You used the church and position of authority…for your own sexual gratification,” Piampiano said to Flowers. “How selfish and how destructive.”

Source: Joe Flowers gets maximum sentence for molesting boy

Flowers also continues to blame the victim for his troubles. The victims mother is more forgiving.

“I expected him to blame us,” the boy’s mother said. “He’s sorry it had to come through the courts, not for what he did…. I pray that he finds repentance and deliverance in his new journey.”

Flowers faces charges in two other cases. He will never see freedom again.

Additional charges are pending against Flowers for allegedly having sexual contact with two other boys. He will appear in Monroe County Court on those charges for a Sept. 6. pretrial hearing.

I wonder if he is bound for protective custody?

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation,Hypocrisy

Pastor Charles Rawlins arrested

It’s these stories that baffle me. A 63 year old life-long pastor flushes his career away because of his inability to control his libido. In this case, people who know Charles Rawlins will swear he was the best of the best. That the good works he performed with his wife for the community show the quality of his character. Yet on four separate occasions pastor Charles Rawlins is alleged to have engaged in sexual acts with a female inmate. Why would a pastor do that? I know the answer. Men are pigs. Being a Christian or a pastor does not change this basic fact. Men can choose a better path. We don’t have to be pigs. We control what we do. What happened the the moral grounding the bible offered pastor Rawlins?

According the affidavit, it is true. Charles Rawlins admitted to having sex with a female inmate on four different occasions this year at the Sequatchie County Food Bank which he started years ago.

Rawlins who pastors the Covenant Fellowship Center with his wife, works with the Sequatchie County Jail Ministry Program.

Source: Preacher arrested on sex charges

I wonder what he offered her?

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Immorality,Hypocrisy

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Youth Pastor Dirk Jackson Sentenced

I like closing these cases. Former youth pastor Dirk Jackson was sentenced to 41 months in prison for the sexual abuse of a 6th grade student. The victim, who is now 21, said, “I don’t want him doing the tings he did to me to an child.” Jackson is a Baptist.

When Jackson, a 32-year-old father of two young children, got his turn to address the court, he told Mills, “I want you to know that I am very sorry. I understand the profound gravity of what I’ve done.”

In the years since his abuse of the victim when she attended Manchester Christian Academy — which included having her perform oral sex on him — Jackson said he has “tried to live a life that is right and honorable.”

Several people, including Jackson’s wife, Ashley, spoke in support of him and asked for leniency in sentencing. They said he is remorseful over what he did, and they sought to assure Mills that Jackson would not reoffend after he serves his time.

Source: Former youth pastor gets 41-month sentence for abuse of student

Jackson was the youth pastor at First Baptist Church in Port Orchard. He was popular and supported by his family and community. Jamie Greening, writing at the Pastor Greenbean blog, had this to say.

It is important that we pray for the victim.  She was a young, impressionable, and vulnerable girl when these things happened and I cannot fathom her emotional and spiritual trauma from this event.  As I have spoken and written about before; I hurt for her very much.  We must pray that the Lord will provide a way for healing in her life.

It refreshing to see a pastor talk about abuse, the victim, and his church. I scoff at the idea of prayer helping the victim. Prayer is easy. It’s doing the right thing that is hard.

Pastor Greenbean’s blog is all about the future. It’s a healthily approach to this situation. I’d like to know what they will do to prevent abuse in the future.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual abuse,Baptists

Related articles

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Pastor Jimmie Blake arrested

High School teacher and church pastor Jimmie Blake was arrested on charges he sexually assaulted a teenager. Blake is the pastor at Morning Glory Missionary Baptist Church.

Police said the incidents occurred between 1998 and 2003, but the victim didn't come forward until February 2011. According to police reports, the boy was either living in Blake’s home, or at least staying there, and the sexual acts happened when Blake would come into the boy's bedroom at night.

In the report, the victim said he was told that "men keep secrets," and that Blake threatened to kill him if he told anyone. The report also states Blake molested the boy in a bathroom at Lyman High School, where he was a teacher's assistant.

Source: Pastor Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Teen

Men keep secrets until they are outed by their victims. What goes through the heads of these pastors? I’ll just have my way and nobody will ever know? Molesting a child screws them up for life. Of course their will be repercussions. Of course you will be outed. 

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation,Baptists

Youth pastor Thomas Fortenberry has an odd fetish

Youth pastor Thomas Jason Fortenberry liked to coat teen girls in honey and them film them disrobing and showering. I don’t make this stuff up.

The girls, two of whom were 15 and two were 17, were then told to wash the honey off their bodies – during which they were allegedly filmed by a camera Fortenberry had hidden in the bathroom at the Greater Harvest Community Church in Pasadena, Texas.

The matter only came to light after Fortenberry, then 26, began a relationship with one of the girls and confessed to her after they became engaged, The Smoking Gun reported.

Source: Church minister 'got four teenage girls to coat themselves in honey… and then videotaped them showering clean'

Fortenberry was the youth pastor at Harvest Community Church in Pasadena, Texas. He apparently cultivated a relationship with one of the girls he filmed and was engaged to be married when he told his fiancée about the video tape. She turned him in. I imagine her creep factor is running on high. She’s lucky she found out about the pervert now.

Fortenberry will not be charged because of the statute of limitations. Damn you Texas!

There is no press release covering the story on the church website. Pastor James Crum did not make a statement on his blog. My guess is that they are sweeping the whole thing under the carpet, which is typical.

One of the reasons I write these posts is to check the response of the church. Silence is not what I expect from a Christian, yet it is often what I get. All it takes is a statement to start the healing process. Why don’t they see that?

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Voyeurism

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Youth pastor Steven Bowers arrested

Steven M. Bowers was a high school girls soccer coach by day and a youth pastor by night. Yet nobody saw his arrest coming. He allegedly raped to young girls. At least the victims were not his student athletes. That would have been horrible. He allegedly raped two other girls.

In addition to the rape charges, Steven M. Bowers Jr., 32, who lives in the town of Orange, was indicted on six counts of taking indecent liberties and two counts of sexual object penetration.

According to Orange County Commonwealth’s Attorney Diana Wheeler, the victims live in Spotsylvania County. They are now teenagers and were never students at Orange High School, where Bowers had a part-time job coaching the girls soccer team.

The church, Salem Fields Community Church, was quick to add that the rapes occurred before Bowers was hired by the church. There is no comment on the church website.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Child Molestation

Photo - Carson ugly # 31

I’ve had a long running photography project of over 30 photos documenting the urban decay and ugliness in the city of Carson. It’s called the Carson Ugly Project. I’ve been shooting this type of photo since I started by blog nearly eight years ago. I wander around on my lunch hour and shoot urban ugly. It’s what I do. This photo is a great example. Two layers of barbered wire protect a black river and then on to an ugly refinery. It’s ugly and I love it, but others do not see it with my eyes.

My peaceful and meaningless hobby is threatened by the jackbooted thugs known affectionately as the Long Beach Police department. Police Chief Jim McDonnell is detaining street photographers for taking photos “with no apparent esthetic value.”

McDonnell spoke for a follow-up story on a June 30 incident in which Sander Roscoe Wolff, a Long Beach resident and regular contributor to Long Beach Post, was detained by Officer Asif Kahn for taking pictures of a North Long Beach refinery.

"If an officer sees someone taking pictures of something like a refinery," says McDonnell, "it is incumbent upon the officer to make contact with the individual." McDonnell went on to say that whether said contact becomes detainment depends on the circumstances the officer encounters.

Source: Police Chief Confirms Detaining Photographers Within Departmental Policy

I’ve been stopped twice by Los Angles County Sheriffs for taking photos. Once for shooting a flag draped oil refinery and another time for shooting a nasty black river. Both times I was questioned about my activities and allowed to continue without much pain. They were just doing their job in a post 911 high risk area. I’m ok with that, but I’m not so sure I would be happy with a cop looking at my photos and judging their ascetic value. Take a look at the photo above. I shot it because I love the way it looks. I love the ugly. I’m not so sure a cop or anybody else would understand.

This is my turf. I’m going to continue shooting.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Urban Ugly,Carson Ugly

Photography, Urban Ugly, Carson Ugly

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Photo - A California poppy

I took 20 photos today. Each one sucked. That’s the way it is sometimes.

I shot this two weeks ago but had not had a chance to process it yet. It’s a flower I shot at the OC fair. It was a single point of beauty on an otherwise hot and muggy day.

I shot this with my Nikon D300 at f/4.5 and 1/1000. It was 2:00 in the afternoon on a hot sunny day. I was frustrated and hating life because of the throng of people sucking down beer and deep fried butter. I just wanted a moment of peace. I found it in the cactus garden with it sparse application of golden flowers.

Technorati Tags: Photography,D300

Vatican releases pedophile priest files

The Vatican is trying to get in front of a federal judge from Portland, Ore., who wants full disclosure. Instead, the Vatican doled out a few crumbs.

The files published represent a small, selective part of the documentation that a federal judge in Portland, Ore., ordered the Holy See to turn over to U.S. lawyers representing a man who says he was abused by the Rev. Andrew Ronan in Portland. The man, known in court papers as John V. Doe, is seeking to hold the Vatican liable for the abuse.

It is the first time the Holy See, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, has been forced to turn over documentation in a sex-abuse case.

The partial documentation released Wednesday includes the 1966 case file with Ronan's request to be laicized, or removed from the clerical state, after his superiors learned of accusations that he had molested minors in Ireland.

Source: Vatican releases internal files on alleged child abuser

It’s interesting to note that the files are an attempt to establish when the Vatican knew of Ronan’s abuse, but by releasing only a small portion of the files, they appear to be concocting a favorable narrative instead of being truthful. Their actions are laughable. I hope the judge pushes for full disclosure.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,The Vatican,Catholics

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Pastor's Voyeurism Video Released

Sometimes these stories just write themselves.

FLEMING ISLAND, Fla. -- Portions of a secretly recorded videotape of women changing clothes in the office at a Fleming Island church pastor were released Wednesday.

This is the video that members of Berean Baptist Church were told for years did not exist.

Co-pastor Greg Neal was accused of hiding a camcorder behind a plant in his office in the spring of 2001 while female church members changed clothes. Investigators said the tape shows Neal handling the camera before and after the women used his office to change into clothes for a music program.

Source: Pastor's Voyeurism Video Released

Pastor Greg Neal is busted. Yet nothing will happen to the man because of the statute of limitations. Greg Neal and his father, pastor Tom Neal, should both be fired. I doubt it will happen though. These Baptists will circle the wagons to protect their pastors, despite the damage they inflict on the church. It’s predictable and said. I ask that the members of Berean Baptist Church do the right thing and fire their pastors. Set an example. Show us how its done.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Video Voyeurism

iPhone Photo - lamps

I game myself a challenge this month. I’m trying hard to see the beauty around me. I read story after story of depravity. It’s hard to write. I can’t take it anymore. I’m in a down cycle right now in fact. There are no fewer that 12 new stories waiting for me and I can’t do it. Especially after researching this horrible example. One or two stories a night is all I can manage. But beauty… that I can do every day.

Yesterday it was a lamp fixture shaped like flowers in the Irvine Hilton’s conference center. I was attending a Manager Tools conference and took a few good shots on the short breaks allotted to us during the day. This was the best.

Let me say this about the Manager Tools conference. It was the best experience I’ve ever had at a professional developer conference. And I’ve attended conferences with Peter Drucker, Tom Peters, and the legendary Dr. Edwards Deming. Mark Horstman and Mike Auzenne have a good product and they know how to teach it. I hung on every word. Attend one if you can.

I’m writing a review for my real blog…

Technorati Tags: Photography,Management

Rev. Michael Miller arrested

Rev. Michael Miller, a Franciscan friar associated with the Archdioceses of St. Paul church, was arrested and charged with five counts of risk of injury to a child and attempted obscenity. Miller allegedly attempted to induce a 13-year-old boy to have sex with him. He use Facebook and text messages in his pursuit of the child.

The Archdiocese of Hartford is adopting a wait and see attitude.

Church officials who viewed the warrant for the first time Tuesday said they didn’t condone the acts described in the document and Miller would never return to the ministry if found guilty of the charges.

“Once again, we extend our sincere sympathies to the alleged victim and offer our prayers for them and all who have suffered the effects of sexual abuse in our society, the parish community of St. Paul and for Father Miller ...” said Maria Zone, spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Hartford.

Source: Warrant: Berlin priest offered sex to 13-year-old

What will they do with Miller until the trial? What about credible evidence of wrongdoing?He admitted his crime. That credible evidence. Defrock the man.

Miller was found by investigators on the evening of July 3 coming out of the Days Inn on the Berlin Turnpike around 10 p.m. and willingly submitted to an interview. He admitted to police when confronted about the allegations that he had sent sexually oriented messages to the teen but never had any physical contact with the child. Miller said he realized his behavior was inappropriate and that he was sorry, police said.

My guess is that the press report left out a few facts. I’m sure Catholics would not do something like protect a pedophile priest, or pass him on to another parish. That’s unthinkable.

I’ll make a prediction in this case. I think we will see more victims. If Miller was in pursuit of one, he was in pursuit of a dozen.

Technorati Tags: Catholics,Clergy Sexual Abuse,Pedophiles

Nutball Christians spank a little girl to death

When I came home from work today, my inbox was full of tips linked to this story. I watched the whole video and then started cussing. Kevin and Elizabeth Shatz beat their adopted 7-year-old black daughter to death, and nearly killed her sister too. The beatings lasted 7 hours and only ended when she died. They tortured a little girl to death because they think that’s what God wanted them to do. How is this love? They beat the poor girl so hard that doctors said her condition looked like something they normally see in a building collapse or an earthquake. There people are sick, and so is anyone who follows the advice offered in To Train Up a Child, by Michael and Debi Pearl.

My gut tells me these fundamentalist nutballs adopted black children so that they could beat the crap out of them without hurting their own kids. I’m adding racist to my description of Kevin and Elizabeth Shatz. They adopted needy black children only to abuse them in the name of their sick and twisted religion. The rat bastards. May they rot in prison.

Hat tip: No Godz and many others.

Technorati Tags: Christians,Fundamentalists,Nutballs

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• Spare the rod, save the child [Greg Laden's Blog] (scienceblogs.com)

iPhone photo - Things Organized Neatly

This is was taken with my iPhone and is a nod to my new obsession, Things Organized Neatly. Check it out.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Blogging,iPhone

Youth pastor Bill McLaughlin sentenced

Youth pastor William “Bill” Thomas McLaughlin liked the children at his church so much that he raped several of them. Now he a convicted felon and bound for 6 years to life of hard time in prison. Poor pastor Bill. There are no children to rape in prison. What ever will he do?

McLaughlin was arrested in June 2009, accused of sexually assaulting one teenage member of the Denver Church of Christ. Over the next year, three additional victims came forward, prosecutors said.

All of the victims were teenagers at the time of the abuse and two of the four were sexually abused more than 10 years before, prosecutors said.

McLaughlin was a youth group volunteer and had been associated with the Denver Church of Christ for up to 20 years. During that time, he had contact with hundreds of children, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said.

Source: Former Youth Pastor Sentenced For Sex Assault

He was such a good man… He worked as a volunteer for 20 years… We did not see this coming… He was a good Christian… blah, blah, blah.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Church of Christ,Denver

Prayer circle bullshit

Perhaps I should say that a prayer circle was linked to the death of 5 innocent people?

Last week a stage collapsed at the Indiana State fair right before a performance by Sugarland. The band was saved from death by a prayer circle. I’m not kidding. These performers think that prayer saved their lives.

Whatever it was, members of Sugarland can thank stage manager Hellen Rollens for saving their lives by making a spur-of-the-moment decision to hold a prayer circle just before the stage collapsed last Saturday at the Indiana State Fair.

Looks like God was listening. Here's what happened.

And the 5 people who died in the accident… perhaps if Sugarland had died in the accident God would have been satisfied and allowed the others to live? Or maybe the 5 people who died were not saying the right prayers or not praying at all. I guess God wanted their prayers and killed them for not giving them up. I’m so confused. Is this how religion works? What about free will? God’s not supposed to play favorites.

Here is it though. We cannot thank God for saving people without also blaming him for the death of others.

Update: 8/18/11 corrections

Technorati Tags: Religion,Death,God

Related articles

• Prayer circle saved Sugarland from fair collapse (today.msnbc.msn.com)
• Sugarland's Manager: Last-Minute Prayer Circle Saved the Band From Stage Collapse (eonline.com)
• Sugarland: Saved by prayer? (scienceblogs.com)

Introducing Ojo Taylor

Please join me in welcoming one of the newest members of the Atheist Blogroll, Ojo Taylor

I have a long, successful and colorful history as the founder, main songwriter, spokesperson and keyboardist for the seminal Christian rock band Undercover.  I also owned Brainstorm Artists International, a Christian Music record label distributed by Word Records and Sony Music.  My faith began unraveling bit by bit over the years and it was only about 3 years ago after a period of intense study that I woke up and realized I just don't believe any of it anymore. 

I had my coming out in an interview with a Christian Music magazine and used that as my first blog post.  Needless to say that interview and many animated discussions on Facebook have generated quite a buzz in the Christian Music community and our fans. Since then I have been interviewed by Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor at the Freedom From Religion Foundation's radio show and on a number of christian radio shows as well.

My blog at www.ojotaylor.com is about "Music, Lovism, Freethought." The topics often all run together. I get a number of comments and questions, often nasty or thoughtless, that become the source for my posts and I have more ideas-in-waiting than time to write.  My aim is to advance the cause of love in the world and to show people that belief in any god or religion is not only unnecessary but counterproductive towards that end.  Religion is rarely harmless.

I am also an assistant professor of music at James Madison University teaching courses in Music Industry Studies. I would appreciate the support of a skeptical freethinking community and the opportunity to support in return.  Thank you!

You can learn more about me here:

• Ojo Taylor - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ojo_Taylor
• Undercover - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undercover_%28band%29
• My Record Label - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainstorm_Artists_International
• At James Madison University - http://www.jmu.edu/music/faculty_areas/music_industry/index.html#taylor

Are you interested in becoming a member? Visit the Atheist Blogroll for more information. or visit the the full Atheist Blogroll membership list.

Technorati Tags: Atheism,The Atheist Blogroll

Youth Pastor Erik Olson arrested

Rape by instrumentation sounds horrible. Youth pastor Erik Shane Olson will find out how horrible it is once his case makes its way to court. Olson was a teacher at Mingo Valley Christian School. He is alleged to have raped a 16-year-old student.

Olson is screwed. They have him on tape. He never denied the rape.

Update: 8/16/11 corrected typos. 

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape

Is Jimmy King a Christian?

I liked watching Jimmy King play professional basketball. He was a gifted, but mediocre talent. He made the news recently when he was arrested while conducting a basketball clinic at St. Mark Baptist Church in Detroit. He apparently has a business working the church circuit teaching kids to play basketball. His offense is base and amoral. He allegedly did not pay his child support. King owes $17,209. Would a Christian do that? Would a Christian leave his child without support? How does that fit with the message of Christ?

I always ask the question because it needs to be asked. If you claim to be a Christian, it follows that you should act the part. It’s behaviors that are important, and not what you believe. If you owe child support, you must pay it. Doing so makes you a responsible member of society. Failing to do so can make you a criminal (and a hypocrite). A Christian should know this. If they don’t, what is the point of the Christianity? What is the social utility of being a Christian when it does not produce people who walk the walk?

Is Jimmy King a Christian? He claims to be a Christian, so must be one, but he’s not a good person. Can you be a bad person and a Christian at the same time? I don’t think so. Good people pay child support.

Technorati Tags: Christians,Jimmy King

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Introducing Godless Freedom

Please join me in welcoming one of the newest members of the Atheist Blogroll, Godless Freedom.

After 37 years of being a Christian I came to the conclusion that god can't possibly exist. For me it didn't make sense. My husband is agnostic and my two children are both baptized in the Catholic church. My oldest goes to Catholic school and has received all her sacraments. My son is too young for school yet but he will definitely NOT be following in his sister's footsteps. I am nervous about coming out to my extended family and some of my friends. For the time being I am for the most part a closet atheist looking for an outlet to share my journey into secularism. Hence the reason for my blog. I welcome feedback and comments and look forward to sharing in a community of like-minded thinkers.

On twitter @gdlessfreedom

Are you interested in becoming a member? Visit the Atheist Blogroll for more information. or visit the the full Atheist Blogroll membership list.

Technorati Tags: Atheism,The Atheist Blogroll

Photo - A ghost

One of the reasons I carry my camera is to capture that million dollar photo of a ghost. I came close with the Bay Area subject I found on the back of a sign.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Ghosts

He's put a black mark against Christianity

The mother of a kidnap victim said this in reference to Pastor Dale Richardson. He allegedly kidnapped a woman at gunpoint with the intention of raping her. She escaped and alerted authorities. The victim’s mother is a study in contradictions. On one hand she gives credit to God for her daughter’s escape, on the other she does not realize that if God helped her daughter get away, well then God out her into the situation in the first place.

Martin says she still lives in disbelief knowing that a pastor is accused of kidnapping her daughter, Autumn Good, 39, and trying to rape her.

"He has made a mockery of the church of Jesus Christ, our savior, because the Lord is not lot that," stated Martin.

A devout Christian, Martin says her daughter met Richardson at a Hess gas station in North Charleston on June 21.

Source: Mother of alleged kidnapping victim lashes out against ex-pastor

Christians sometimes make my head spin. Jesus is not like what? A serial rapist? Well no shit. Most of the people alive today are not like scumbag pastor Dale Richardson.

What really blew me away was this statement, "God moved in a supernatural way from having to go through what the other girls went through." So God saved your daughter but let his pastor rape the others? What kind of a god do you worship Julia Martin? Because, if he had the power to save your daughter and did not help the others, your god is evil or indifferent, or both. Why bend a knew to that?

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Kidnapping

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• Pastor Dale Richardson arrested (mojoey.blogspot.com)

Pastor Richard Rogers arrested

Methodist pastor Richard C. Rogers of Jarrettown United Methodist Church in Dresher, was arrested on charges that he exposed himself to two women.

The 46-year-old pastor posted $10,000 bail after being charged with indencent exposure, open lewdness, disorderly conduct and harassment, according to court documents.

Source: Flashing Pastor Collared for Indecent Exposure: DA

Move along folks. Nothing to see here.

Both incidents involved women with the Dresher School of Music, which rents space at the church on North Limekiln Pike. In February, one of the women passed Rogers in a hall as she went to heat coffee in a microwave. As she returned, she saw Rogers "standing in a doorway ... completely naked from the waist down," according to the criminal complaint. He was "completely exposed" and "posing," the woman said.

Source: UPDATED: Upper Dublin pastor charged

No, seriously. There is nothing to see here.

This is a crime I do not understand. Was he expecting the victims to reciprocate? Does he get off from seeing their reaction?

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Flashing

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More victims feared in Allen molestation case

Demetrius Allen, the youth pastor at Venice Baptist Church, is already facing 10 counts of child molestation for his alleged ongoing rape of a 15-year-old girl. Police think they have a identified a predator who abused his position of trust. They fear that there are more victims.

Police said they have confirmed one victim, a 15-year-old girl with whom Demetrius Allen allegedly had a sexual relationship for over a year. But police said they have reason to believe that there may be additional victims due to Allen's "access to different youths," Detective Teresa Pikor of the Los Angeles Police Department told ABCNews.com.

Source: California Youth Pastor Arrested for Sex Crimes, More Victims Suspected

People have attempted to shift blame for Demetrius Allen’s alleged abuse in the comments of my first post.

she was not RAPED , it was her own fault, she had the choice , she made the decision, no one else did

I don’t get why Baptists are the first to blame the girl and claim tht the devil tempted their poor innocent pastor. It must be cultural blindness.

If you have information about Demetrius Allen, call the Los Angeles Police Department.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Child Molestation

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• Youth Pastor Watch (slog.thestranger.com)

Photo – Jeans

I shot this photo while walking around the Orange County Fair. The theme this year was, “Let’s eat.” I passed on all of the fried food, like deep fried butter on a stick and bacon infused churros. Instead I went straight for the roast turkey legs. I love them so…

If had shot this using a real woman my wife would have killed me. It all falls under the heading, “try not to be creepy when you have your camera."

I should add that the photo display was impressive. I was particularly impress with the young photographers section.

Technorati Tags: Photography,County Fairs

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