Pastor Allen Jeffers arrested

Rape is such an ugly word. Yet, I read about pastors who rape every day. Sometimes their crimes standout from the others. Take the case of Pastor Allen Ray Jeffors. He allegedly picked up a 15-year-old mentally challenged girl in his green Ford Aerostar. Drove her to a secluded area, and then raped her. Did I mention Jeffers is a pastor? Did I mention that he has a prior felony conviction?

Investigators were able to match Jeffers DNA from a sample obtained after his arrest in California. DNA to the rescue. It’s doubtful the authorities would have made an arrest without it.

Jeffers is the pastor at Summit Park Full Gospel Church. I had a few questions for the church, but they refused to comment. Like was a background check was done, and if so, why was a convicted felon leading a church? I’m guessing we will never know.

A friend of Jeffers offered the following:

"Completely shocked," says someone close to Allen Jeffers who wants to remain anonymous. "Not the man of God that I personally know."

Source: W. Tulsa pastor arrested for rape

I cringe when I read comments like this one. It’s like Christians where blinders. They don’t understand that being a pastor does not make one moral. Or, that being a man of God is a human construction. A label we give to pastors that means nothing and in no way is an indicator of good behavior.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape

The worm turns on pastor Tom Gates

Bad decisions can come back to haunt you. My first hint that something was wrong with the youth pastor Travis Bransetter case was a comment on my original post.

Via Logan Resident

The rest of the story is that the family of the VICTIM chose NOT to go forward with this 8 months ago. It wasn't to protect the abuser, it was to protect to victim. What from? From precisely this. Doesn't 'the church' have a responsibility to protect the victim, if they request it.

Even though a name wasn't given in the paper, what 'non-identifying' information was given was enough that people in this small town know exactly who the victim was. The family was dealing with it, no one else was in danger. But because someone decided to interfere, this family is going through the nightmare again. The family of the victim didn't want to pursue this, but now they are being forced to do so.

Why should the church make a statement for the benefit of the press? So sites like this can twist it? The legitimate press can't even get the facts straight.

I don’t see this reasoning used very often any more. It reminds me of the old Baptists approach. You know; pass the abusive pastor.

Parents make bad choices. They get to live with the results. I’m pretty sure I would be focused on making sure the monster who raped my daughter did not move on to other children. By choosing to protect the victim, they deny her access to counseling (read Ohio’s mandatory reporter law) and allow a potential child molester loose in their city. The church does its members a disservice too. How many young mothers knew their daughters were exposed to this man? The church has a responsibility, and it’s not to hide the story and protect itself from public scrutiny. Transparency must be at the heart of a healthily church.

The Logan Daily News posted a story called: Church accused of keeping parents in the dark. They make the same point. Members of the church want to know why they were not told.

When asked if the church ever notified parents of Logan Christian students about the allegations, Senior Pastor Tom Gates declined to comment on specifics. “That all has to deal with the case, and I can’t get into that,” he claimed on Wednesday.

But according to one parent, the church did not tell about the allegations when it first became known in February. The parent, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed concern that the church has failed in it’s responsibility to the youth.

Pastor Tom Gates is playing a dangerous game. I hope the authorities call him on it. Ohio’s mandatory reporter law specifically excludes clergy if they find out about he abuse during spiritual counseling. All other bets are off. Let’s hope the authorities file charges against Gates for his irresponsible behavior. His actions place the community and its children at risk.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Child Molestation

Another adopted African girl beaten to death

Fundamentalist Christian parents have allegedly beaten their adopted African daughter to death in an attempt to discipline her. It’s sickening.

Technorati Tags: Fundies,Christians,Murder

Youth pastor Joshua Drucker sentenced to death

I don’t make this stuff up. Ex-youth pastor Joshua Drucker was sentenced to death for the murder of Andrew Robertson and Lora Nikolova. It’s a sordid affair and drugs played a big part of the story. I must ask, would Jesus pop a cap in a defenseless woman?

Prosecutors said Drucker went to Robertson's house near Marietta on April 5, 2004, under the pretense of visiting him. He chatted with Robertson and Nikolova, and then shot Robertson when he stood to fetch some marijuana in the kitchen. Drucker turned the gun on Nikolova after she began hitting him and screaming, "You killed him!"

Source: Former youth pastor found guilty of murdering 2 friends

Drucker was the youth pastor at his father’s Global Outreach Church in Stockbridge.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Misconduct,Murder

Youth pastor Russell Lewis sentenced

Youth pastor Russell Lewis, profiled here & here, was sentenced to 29 years in prison after pleading no contest to charges he raped a 14-year-old girl.

Lewis was the youth pastor at Church of the Glades in Coral Springs.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Child Molestation

Pastor David Radtke found guilty

Pastor David Edwin Radtke, profiled here, was found guilty of having sexual contact with a 16-year-old girl. He admitted to the contact, but did not think he broke the law. The jury’s deliberation lasted 4 hours. 

Radtke essentially felt up the victim during a fully clothed massage session. It was not a very pastor-like thing to do. Radtke was a the pastor of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Lutheran

Oops–Backyard Skeptics blow it with billboard

P.T. Barnum once said, “Any press is good press.” No wait… I’m not sure if P.T. Barnum said that, but it sounds good, right?  The thing is, we owe it to our readers to get these things right. It’s a shame Bruce Gleason does not grasp this concept because it casts a bad light on us. Case in point, reporter John Cassidy of the O.C. Register ran with this story yesterday: Atheists' billboard quote isn't Jefferson's.

A billboard at 1545 Newport Blvd. paid for by Backyard Skeptics features a quote purported to be from Thomas Jefferson against Christianity. Experts at the the Jefferson Library Collection at Monticello say the quotation is spurious.

Gleason’s group used this quote. “I do not find in Christianity one redeeming feature. It is founded on fables and mythology.” They linked the quote to Thomas Jefferson. The problem is, there is no evidence linking the quote to Jefferson. The billboard is Atheist propaganda and it’s an embarrassment. It’s what I’ve come to expect from Gleason and his group of misfits. At least Gleason apologized.

10/17/11  I have an apology to make to the secular community.   Although I placed the “Jefferson” billboard up in good faith that this quote was made by Jefferson, I have now learned that it was not.  It was started in 1906 by an unknown  author.  I have requested the billboard to be replaced with a previous secular billboard we have used.  Although the quote was not known to be of Jefferson, he had plenty to say about religion and Christianity…

Of course, Gleason goes on to defend the point behind his billboard, which makes me yawn and close the browser.

One of the reasons I’m not a fan of Gleason is that he’s sloppy (worse than me), yet leads a large group of non-believers who are publically active. In my interactions with him I’m left feeling that there is more flash than substance. It’s unsettling. Read this:

Why the Billboards? Atheists have no church or social network, although thit is changing quickly due to the internet.  Billboards allow other non-theists, agnostics and atheists know that there is a group of people who share the idea that one can be good and do good without God or without any other supernatural belief systems.   We believe religion shackles the mind to accept ideologies that do not improve humanity, cannot be proven true and often makes others suffer through the behavior of those who believe.  If you feel religion does more harm than good, then this group is for you.

Ouch. My brain hurts.

Technorati Tags: Atheism

Related articles

• The Atheists Should Have Been Better Skeptics (patheos.com)
• Whoops! OC Atheists' Anti-Christian Billboard Misquotes Jefferson (laist.com)

It's All About the Benjamins (and the Cadillacs)

Organized religion is a business. People steal from businesses; even church officers. Church secretary Treva Toshanda Tatum, pastor John Albert Jackson, and deacon John Albert Jackson II, were all arrested in connection with charges the Tatum allegedly defrauded Goodwill Baptist Church. Tatum is alleged to have charged personal items on a credit card taken out by her in name of the church, but without the church’s knowledge. But it’s all good. The church will survive… but without it’s pastor, deacon, and secretary.

Don’t think the pastor is just caught up in the crimes of his secretary either. He’s already been arrested for embezzlement (May 2011). He needed insurance for his 5 personal Cadillacs. Now he faces felony conspiracy charges for credit card payments for car repair work to cover expenses incurred during a collision he caused.

Technorati Tags: Baptists,Crime,Clergy Misconduct

Related articles

• Baptist pastor faces more charges (mojoey.blogspot.com)

Youth pastor Travis Bransetter arrested

Let me paint a picture of abuse for you. Take a man between the age of 21 and 35 and mix him in with girls who are just starting to enter puberty. Allow the man to have unmonitored direct access to the girls and the ability to spend private one-on-one time away from church and other adults. The picture had better be one of air raid klaxons going off with people scurrying for shelter. This scenario is a classic setting for abuse. The Sr. Pastor and church leaders who allowed this to happen should be fired and held accountable for what happened.
.
Youth Pastor Travis Bransetter faces charges that he raped and molested a 13-year-old girl in his youth group. Branstetter allegedly took the victim out for private hunting lessons where they engaged in various sex acts. Did members of the church crack the case? No, it was the rumor mill within the small city of Logan that did it. Where were the preventative and predictive controls Logan Church of the Nazarene? How did you miss this? More importantly, how did you allow this to happen?

I’ve read a separate report where the victim is reported to be 15-years-old.

True to form, Logan Church of the Nazarene does not mention the arrest on their website. Nor does it in anyway acknowledge Bransetter. This too is a bad practice. The church should acknowledge the arrest and make a statement for the benefit of the press, members, and the victim (or victims). I don’t understand why churches choose to bury the story. How does that help anyone? I thought churches were all about healing. I guess not.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Child Molestation

Photo - indifference

Fuck me. I walked right past this sleeping man on the streets of Berkeley without even stopping to see if he was ok. I shot a photo on my way back after doing some shopping. Damn it.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Street Photography. Homelessness

Photo - Girl on iPhone

I’m dangerous when it comes to photography. I shoot whatever I want. Even if it is invasive. Even if I’m driving. Even if my wife yells at me. I shoot and shoot and shoot.  I know one that day somebody will punch me in the nose, but I’m pretty sure my size keeps the majority of people at bay anyway. So I shoot, and shoot, and shoot some more. Like this photo.

I was hanging out on Park street in Alameda while my family hit the shops. I hate shopping. It interferes with shooting. The young lady started to pull from her parking spot but stopped to make a text. She pulled part way out and then stopped again. She did it three more times (to the massive frustration of other drivers) before she finally pulled away. I could not help myself. I shot what I hopped was a not-to-creepy picture of youthful folly. Cause… you know I would never…

Technorati Tags: Photography,iPhones,Texting

Pastor Royden Wood on trail

I sat on this one for a week or so because it’s interesting and it fits my theory of a corrupted pastor leading a deluded flock. The situation is a breeding ground for abuse. Whenever a pastor has absolute control over the church, bad things can happen and as readers of this blog know, they often do. In this case, that is exactly what is alleged. Pastor Royden Wood used his position as pastor to cultivate a harem.

One woman, who testified at the former Ambassador Baptist Church pastor's sexual assault trial, said she tried to go along with it. She knew other women in the church went out with Wood frequently.

Source: London, Ont. church was like a 'cult'

Royden was a Baptist pastor at a small church. He built a culture that allowed women to freely associate with him away from the church in private. He also encouraged members of his church to give each other back rubs. Both of these behaviors are clear warning signs. And then…

The woman, whose identity is protected by court order, was the second to describe Wood's persistent sexual advances and how she believed she couldn't say no to him because of his position in the church and his closeness to God.

"I can't emphasize enough the power he had over us, the control he had," she said. "I don't think the average person could understand what life was like in that church. In hindsight, it was close to being a cult."

This man of god used his position to mollify the fears of his victims. Don’t worry baby… I know god.

After giving her pastor oral sex… 

"I remember sitting up and saying, 'I can't do this, I don't understand how this can be right'."

Wood told her "'don't worry, when you go to heaven, if it's wrong, I'll stand up for you before God'," she said.

Power corrupts. But what I don’t understand is why anybody stayed at Ambassador Baptist Church? What keeps people so locked into Wood’s personality cult that they could not walk out the door to another another church. It’s not like there is a shortage of churches.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Clergy Misconduct,Baptists

Pastor Francisco Antonio Hernandez arrested

The thing about abusing a child is that their memories run deep. You may dimly recall and event from your childhood, for a victim of child sexual abuse, it can be a vivid every day memory. I corresponded with an adult victim recently. She told me of how the smile of a stranger trigger her memories of abuse from 30 years ago when she was 12. It’s frightening. She relives the event with each smile. I can’t remember being 12 or anything that happened at that time without help from my family. Yet she relives it every day. 

Pastor Francisco Antonio Hernandez faced the long memory of his alleged abuse victims recently when a when a woman came forward with a story of abuse from back in the early 90s. Three other women echoed her story.

Austin police say in June four women in their 20s and 30s came into APD headquarters to report they had been victims of sexual abuse as children.

One woman, now 25, claims her former pastor, Francisco Antonio Hernandez, molested her in 1991 in his South Austin home.

The other three women are sisters. They say they too were abused in his home in 1989. KVUE spoke to the oldest sister who is now 31. She asked that we not reveal her identity.

Source: Pastor arrested in child sex assault case by Noelle Newton

Hernandez allegedly apologized to the victims and demanded forgiveness. I don’t understand this behavior. There is no apology for something like this. One must be held to justice. One must pay in time and then ask… or beg, for forgiveness.

I’d like to point out one sad fact in this case. The parents trusted the pastor with their children. The parents gave their children to the pastor… Why do sane people do this? A pastor is just a man (or woman). He is not special. He is not anointed by god. He is performing a job just like a teacher or a janitor. His job does make he a pillar of virtue or an upstanding moral citizen. He’s just a man with all the baggage that implies. Never leave your children with a pastor.

Technorati Tags: Clergy sexual abuse,Child Molestation

Photo - grass at the beach

I saw the most remarkable thing this weekend while walking on a beach in Alameda near San Francisco. A couple of thousand small sea birds took flight near me. Their coloring flashed white and gray in a great undulating wave as they danced over the water. It was like watching a National Geographic nature program, expect that it was breathtakingly real and happening with a few yards of where I was standing. I regret not having a good HDR video recorder.

I shot this on the beach in Alameda with my Nikon D7000, which has a good HDR video camera – only I was using a lens that made it impossible to shoot the flock in flight.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Nature,Birds,Alameda

Pastor James French guilty

Pastor James F. French pleaded guilty to charges he molested a young girl. French is 64. He faces 7 years in prison.

Naperville police began investigating French on Nov. 16, after being contacted by officials of the DuPage County Children’s Advocacy Center. That agency investigates molestation allegations involving children.

French was arrested Dec. 2 at his home, where police confiscated what Sgt. Gregg Bell characterized as “pertinent evidence to the investigation.”

Source: Pastor-professor guilty of Naperville sex abuse by Bill Bird. 

French was the founding pastor at Indian Grove Country Church. Can you imagine the pain this man caused to his young victim, the victim’s family, and the members of his congregation? How is this something a Christian pastor could do? He’s thrown his life’s work away over a perversion that his ilk will tell you Christianity is supposed to deliver us from.

One of the reason’s I make these seemingly endless posts on pedophile pastors is that Christians do not bother to take up the discussion. It’s like the combination of embarrassing the church and dealing with a pastoral sex crime is beyond their ability to voice. There is much to learn here. There is a wasted life to examine. There are behaviors that can lead to better practices. There are church policies that can be use to guard against men tike this. More importantly, French’s decent in to debauchery and hypocrisy can be examined closely. I’m sure the results would be help us understand what went wrong. But no… the only discussion will be here.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation

Pastor Darrel Coffman arrested

Terre Haute youth pastor Darrel Coffman was recently arrested for allegedly molesting a 15-year-old boy. The victim alleges that sexual contact was repeated.

Coffman is alleged to have performed various sexual acts upon the victim in Coffman's car and home between Feb. 1, 2011 and June 4, 2011," said ISP Sgt. Joe Watts.

Source: Youth Pastor Arrested On Child Sex Charge

Coffman is the former youth pastor of the Promised Land Apostolic Church of West Terre Haute. The church has erased him from their website and makes no mention of his arrest.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation

Related articles

• Youth Pastor Watch (slog.thestranger.com)

No rapture in Alameda

I visited Alameda this weekend. I wanted to be near ground zero when Harold Camping's delusional rapture hit. The city was quiet. There was no rolling earthquake. I did not even see any religious nutters out and about; only shoppers and people taking advantage of weather. It was a perfect day.

People like Camping are useful. They highlight the folly of dabbling in the metaphysical and should serve as a warning to potential followers. Camping is an old fool of a man who wants to see his god return before he dies. I think it is because Camping has no faith that he will see god after his death.

Camping's church is a normal looking on the outside. You could not tell that it is chock full of crazy. It looks like every other little community church in America. It's a trap much like a gingerbread house. The witch in this case is Camping and he wants to eat your sanity. Enter if you dare: Christian Reformed Church of Alameda.

Atheist tribe deconverts missionary

Hat tip Free Thinking and Atheism

Pastor Jose Campos arrested

Pastor Jose Tomas Campos of Ministerio Nueva Vida en Cristo Jesus Church was arrested for the sexual battery of an 11-year-old. Campos claims it was an accident.

Police say Campos denied the allegations at first, but later admitted to putting his hand inside the underwear by accident. He also denied touching any other members of his congregation, police said.

Source: Miami Pastor Arrested For Sexual Battery on Minor by Brian Hamacher

How does anyone accidentally put their hands down a child’s underpants? I’m betting this one goes to prison.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Miami,Child Molestation

Youth pastor Demetrius Allen sentenced

This was a quick case. Demetrius Darnell Allen, a Baptist youth pastor from Venice, CA., was arrested in August, pleaded guilty in October, and was sentenced to 4 years and 4 months in prison yesterday. I love it when a plan comes together.

Allen must also register as a sex offender for life, which does not mean a thing in to a Baptist. He’ll be forgiven, redeemed, and cycled back through the system as a pastor in a church near you.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Baptists,Rape

And the beat goes on

Lutheran pastor of Cedar Rapids ended his pastoral career by responding to an sexually orientated advertisement for a call girl. All Offt was looking for was cheap anonymous sex, instead he found the Marion Police Department running a sting operation.

Marion police Sgt. Lance Miller said Offt arrived at the meeting place and was arrested when he offered money in exchange for a sex act. Officers in tactical gear performed the arrests.

“After that, he was pretty sullen,” Miller said.

Source: Cedar Rapids pastor among nine men charged in prostitution sting by Jeff Raasch.

Pretty sullen? No kidding… When you flush your career down the toilet over an impulse control issue, sullen is simply one of the phases you go through after the arrest. It’s right up there with fear over what will he will tell his wife, mother, daughter…

Did I mention Offt is married with a daughter? Can you imagine that phone call? Honey, I was weak… bullshit.

Offt was removed from Trinity Lutheran’s website and replaced by his assistant pastor within hours of the story breaking in the press. The church did acknowledge the arrest by posting a statement. That’s more than most pastor get when they fall. It’s a cold hard world out there. I hope Offt has some job skills.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Misconduct,Lutherans

Pastor Birger Draget arrested

Seventh Day Adventist pastor Birger Draget was arrested on charges that he raped a child. There are 21 sex related counts in the indictment.

I don’t see many crimes from the Adventist community. I often wonder if this is in some way related to how closed the Adventist community is to outsiders? It’s much the same way with the Latter Day Saints (LDS). What few cases that come to the public seem to indicate a pattern where the crimes are dealt with by the local community.  It is not as if the Adventists or Mormons have a magic formula for preventing child abuse. It must be underreported.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Child Molestation

iPhone photo - at the cupcake truck

I visit a group of food trucks each Thursday night. The Lime Truck shows at this spot near Los Alamitos CA, near Long Beach. I must have a their lamb sandwich. I must! The food is so damn good. It’s no wonder the Lime Truck won the Food Network's great food truck race.

This photo is from the cupcake truck. I shot this busty cupcake maid serving the love of my life two cupcakes. What I like about the iPhone and photography is that I can get decent results with it and it’s various photography apps. Of course, I would still rather shoot with my Nikon, but hey, when in a pinch, the iPhone produces good results.

Technorati Tags: Photography,iPHone,Food Trucks

Addiction has mean hooks

And sometimes the hooks snare pastors…

Take the case of Methodist pastor Rickey Alan Reed. The Smyrna Police Department arrested him after a parishioner showed video evidence of the pastor attempting to break into their home in an attempt to steal the painkiller Lortab. The parishioner had noticed somebody was stealing his painkiller prescription and setup video surveillance to catch the thief.

I’ve known addicts who will steal from the wives, mothers, and lifelong friends. I’ve known addicts who will give up their jobs, marriages, and friendships. All of this in service of a quick fix. It makes me sad. Addicts need help.

Of course, I’m guessing that Reed is an addict. The alternatives are scary. Was he stealing drugs to resell them? That does not seem plausible. There are much easier things to steal. I’m lucky. Opioids make me puke.

Hat tip GIGOwiz

Technorati Tags: Clergy Misconduct,Addiction

Pastor Christopher Olague arrested

This case is in from my own back yard… Buena Park, CA. Pastor Christopher Ramon Olague of Refuge Southland Calvary Chapel, was arrested for allegedly molesting an 8-year-old girl. And the story goes…

Olague is accused of molesting a girl he was driving to his house for a playdate with one of his children, according to the report.

Instead, Olague drove to a Huntington Beach park and molested the girl inside his car, police said.

Before driving her home, he gave her $40 and asked her not to tell her parents, police said.

Source: O.C. pastor, soccer coach molested 8-year-old girl, police say

He treated an 8-year-old girl like a cheap hooker? How is that even remotely a Christian act? He Kidnaped a girl, molested her in a park, and then paid her for her services. Kidnapping, molestation, and solicitation… no, not Christian behavior, or I should say, not new testament Christian behavior. The old testament is full of this stuff.

Who gives their daughter to a pastor without supervision? Sorry parents. You own a piece for this for your serious lapse in judgment.

Refuge Southland Calvary Chapel does not acknowledge the Oague’s arrest. There is no public statement. The only visible sign that something is amiss is that the church’s Facebook page was set to private, which is typical for churches in crisis. They hide from public forums. I see it all the time. It’s an attempt to circle the wagons and its one of the reasons I write this blog. It’s my policy to allow church members the freedom to comment without my interference. Post away, but mind the trolls.

Pastor Olague is married with five daughters. I took a look at his family bio on the church website. It paints a happy/sad picture. I know his family is going through hell right now. It’s the dark side of these stories we do not see often. I wonder if his family will survive? I hope so, but it will be hard if Olaque ends up in prison.

One last thing. This story does not make sense to me. Why would anyone do something so dumb? If true, it’s like he was begging to be caught. I’m sure there is more to the story.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation,Buena Park

Related articles

• O.C. pastor, soccer coach molested 8-year-old girl, police say (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
• OC pastor arrested for child molestation (abclocal.go.com)

How does one define fringe?

The Libertarian Party of California released it’s membership information recently via the Secretary’s Report (10/9/11).

• 575 Annual dues-paying members (new and renewed)
• 40 Continuing members (members that donate continually per month)
• 12 Elected officials
• 333 Lifetime members

That’s 960 total members. I can’t think of a better way to define fringe.

Technorati Tags: Libertarians,California

Youth pastor Joe Cheater Jr. arrested

His name should have been a warning. Joe Cheater Jr.… Pastor Joe Cheater was arrested for allegedly molesting several girls. The victims were between the ages of 12 and 14. They were innocent children who trusted pastor Joe because that is what you do, Children trust their youth pastor. Right?

Cheater is a youth pastor for Catoosa area churches.   Several female children between the ages of nine and 14 have come forward about Cheater.  He is charged with two counts of first degree rape, and three counts of lewd and indecent proposals or acts with children under 16

Source: Catoosa area youth pastor charged with sex crimes

Pastor Joe Cheater qualifies as a serial youth pastor. I have to ask, is being a  youth pastor a lifelong profession? Or, is it a step along the way to becoming a pastor? When do we start asking questions about adult males who spend their careers in youth ministry? I don’t have answers here; just a lot of questions. People like Cheater make me question the motives of others. I think that’s the right thing to do. It falls right in line with my motto of trust but verify; especially a lifelong youth pastor named Cheater.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Child Molestation

Photo: Girl at Starbucks

This is a companion photo to Hip and alone, which I posted last week. I did not like my angle, but could not move for a better shot. I took a few shots of her while absorbed in her phone. I struck me as odd that a pretty girl setting across from her boyfriend would spend almost all of her time looking a a phone and zoning out. Is this how relationships work these days?

I shot this with my Nikon D7000 with the ISO set to 2000. It was handheld and extend out on to by table with a fast Nikor 50mm lens. This is my favorite of the series.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Cerritos

Youth pastor Demetrius Allen guilty

Youth pastor Demetrius Darnell Allen apparently did carry on a year long sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl from his church. Since he admitted to the rapes by pleading no contest to 3 counts of lewd acts on a child, we can expect Allen to spend a few long years in prison. How long? Well that depends on the deal he worked out in exchange for his plea. My guess is 6 years. What say you?

Allen was the youth pastor at the Frist Baptist Church in Venice. There was so much love expressed by Allen fans in my original post that I fear the church should be shuttered. They, “don’t get it.”

she was not RAPED , it was her own fault, she had the choice , she made the decision, no one else did There was much love express for the victim in my original post:

And

she was not RAPED, i think we all need to learn facts before we put judment on people , a man is INNOCENT untill PROVEN GUILTY, we need to remember that !

And

there are still 2% that AREN'T guilty, this girl is NOT a child, people are so quick to point fingers without thinking the possible situations through, your right, me personally, i will NEVER apologize, i KNOW she is wrong, and i KNOW she is no type of VICTIM. If that qualifies me as a "sick fuck" than so be it.

You get the picture. It’s the 14-year-old girls fault. I think that’s a Baptist thing.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Child Molesters,Baptist

Cracks opening in the Brijbag case

Youth pastor Brian Brijbag was a accused of having a threesome with two girls. One girl was 17. Now it appears that the 17-year-old victim may have been coerced into making a false accusation by rouge police officer, Marc Davidoff. Among the allegations are that he threatened to release a photo of her in a compromising position with another girl, and that he guided her confession to fit the facts given by another witness. Davidoff was subsequently fired for attempting to kiss a women who was in his custody.

Hyslop said the girl who ultimately made the accusation against Brijbag was "brow beaten" into giving the police the information they wanted.
The prosecutor in the case, Brian Trehy, is still having difficulty "nailing down" the date in which the incident happened, Hyslop said.
Source: Sex crime iffy by Tony Holt

Brijbag may see the charges dropped if this article is even partly true. When you have a bad cop pressuring a witness, revising confessions to fit the facts, and coercing behavior, the facts of the case become questionable. Brijbag will benefit from the confusion.

Original Post: Youth pastor Brian Brijbag arrested for threesome (April 2011)

***Update 5/12/2012 – Brijbag pleads no contest

Pastor Tracy Burleson sentenced to life

Pastor Tracy Burleson had his wife murdered in order to collect a meager life insurance policy. Apparently, his wife’s life was worth all of $60k; less what he paid his son to do the hit. Burleson is a pastor bereft of morals. He had his wife executed by his son while having an affair with his son’s girlfriend. What the hell is up with these miscreants? He was a pastor… But wait, that carries so little wait anymore.

Burleson will serve life in prison. He son is likely to get the deal penalty He’s facing trail in Texas. That’s never good for a murder.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Misconduct,Murder,Texas

Pastor orders gay son beaten

If the story is true, pastor Jerry Pittman order his son, Jerry Pittman Jr. and his son’s boyfriend, beaten in the parking lot at Grace Fellowship Church in Tennessee. Pastor Pittman allegedly set his deacon on his son when they arrived to attend church.

“My uncle and two other deacons came over to the car per my dad’s request. My uncle smash me in the door as the other deacon knocked my boyfriend back so he couldn’t help me, punching him in his face and his chest. The other deacon came and hit me through my car window in my back.”

Source: Pastor, deacons accused of assaulting gay couple by David Edwards.

It’s a family affair, that much is for sure. It also crosses the line. It’s clear from the once sided description that the victims think they were beaten because they are gay. I think that qualifies as a hate crime. It would be here in California.

What bothers me most about cases like this is the violence. How violence consistent with living a life like Christ? Ordering a beating is hypocrisy. I’m pretty sure Jesus did not order  any beatings. That was so Old Testament, yet pastor Pittman allegedly ordered a beating for his own adult son and his son’s boyfriend. How is this a Christian act?

Technorati Tags: Clergy Misconduct,Gay rights,Hate Crimes

Photo: Hip and alone

Cerritos, California has very little nightlife. A few tea and coffee shops serve in place of the normal city bars scene. Most of what is open is dark by midnight. I found myself alone at a Starbucks last week in the late evening waiting for a friend that never showed up. I turned my Nikon D7000 and 50mm lens on the locals while waiting. This was my favorite shot. This young hip teen had all the right gear, yet he was alone. Near the end of my stay his amazingly beautiful date showed up. They ignored each other while concentrating on their various electronic gadgets.

I was approached by 3 lonely men during my hour at Starbucks. Each only wanted to connect for a few minutes. It was an interesting experience. I’m not much of a connecting type, but I played along.

I carry the D7000 with a fast 50mm lens whenever I want to indulge my street photography jones. It’s a reliable camera with two programmable presets that give me a good chance to capture the moment. It’s hard in Cerritos though, as there is no street its all shopping malls and strip malls, all with no heart.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Street Photography,Cerritos

Related articles

• Street Photography (adviceideas.wordpress.com)
• Nikon D7000 on test (oxfordschoolofphotography.wordpress.com)
• HDRI using Nikon D7000, how-to (bryonlape.wordpress.com)

Best bumper sticker ever

My friend David mailed this to me. I don’t have the source yet. I’ll look it up and post it later.

“Abstinence makes the church grow fondlers”

Technorati Tags: Catholics,Clergy Sexual Abuse,Abstinence