If Baptist pastors are not molesting children, then they are attempting to kill ex-girlfriends, or murdering their wife so they can take up with their gay lover, or killing people in shootouts at stoplights. The trend is crazy and it makes me wonder how much Baptist theology is behind all the mayhem.
The victim in the latest crime was Erik Peter Ungerman. The suspect/suicide victim is Jeremy Whitman, who fired into Ungerman’s car at a traffic signal, which killed him. Whitman drove off and eventually killed himself. I’d normal stop here… only one of them was a wantabe baptist youth pastor. No wait… both of them were… crap. Is this a lover’s murder suicide thing?
“Erik was an awesome man who I was in love with for nearly two years, and Jeremy Whitman was our Sunday school teacher from Lancaster Baptist Church,” said Ungerson’s former girlfriend Tiffany Martin. She said Ungerman worked at DirecTV as an installation technician.
Whitman, up until last year, was an employee at Lancaster Baptist Church, and he was also a youth pastor intern at the church many years ago, according to LBC Associate Pastor Tim Christoson.
Source: Victim, suspect ID’d in fatal car-to-car shooting
The motive, according to police, was “some dispute.”
Both men knew each other so a road rage motivated killing is out. That leaves a dispute over what… love gone wrong, affairs, drugs or money, it could be anything. What is troubling though is that two “good Christian men” would choose do resolve their conflict in such an un-Jesus-like way. This is not what we expect and platitudes do not bring us to why at least one of two men opted to settle a score with gun.
Update 1/24/2014
A memorial fund has been established Erik Ungerman via Give Forward.
The Blog Bible Madness posted on the outpouring of support for the shooter, Jeremy Whitman. It is an interesting read and captures my incredulity upon reading the same posts.
Pastor Paul Chappell posted a glowing review of murderer Jeremy Whitman in his post, Remembering a Dear Friend, Jeremy Whitman. And yes, you can count on seeing this murder in heaven. Oh… and not a word about the victim, not a single word.
- I posted on this: Pastor Paul Chappell eulogizes a murderer and it makes me ill
Update 1/25/2014
New post documenting the evidence that support murder Jeremy Whitman as a pastor: Was the murderer Jeremy Whitman a pastor?
New post on possible links to corruption at Lancaster Baptist Church: I smell corruption at Lancaster Baptist Church
Update 1/26/2014
Pastor Pau Chappell posts: An Update on the Homegoing of Jeremy Whitman. No mention of the victim or his family.
There were several unsubstantiated tips that Jeremy Whitman was struggling with his own sexuality.
Logging you in...
Someone · 587 weeks ago
Just a thought · 587 weeks ago
Rex Carpenter · 587 weeks ago
And, yes, he was twice a coward, since he chose not to face the consequences of his murder, but instead ate his gun.
We've all been fooled at one time or another by the worst people acting like good people - until we see who they really are in their actions. The BTK serial torture-murderer in Wichita was a deacon in his church. But no one who knew him was fool enough to defend him once his actions revealed him. I know it is difficult, but you must accept that you were FOOLED by a coward and murderer.
Beth · 587 weeks ago
Yeah · 587 weeks ago
Mojoey 107p · 587 weeks ago
Anonymous said...
First of all, he was not a "wanna be youth pastor" as you called him. He was a youth pastor a while back and non of us are perfect. Every human being is capable of committing the same crime and even worse. You're not going to find a perfect church or perfect religion because they are all made of imperfect people. You dont even know either men to know what kind of people they were. Whitman impacted many lives including mine and he will be remembered for that
Fundy Guy · 587 weeks ago
Mojoey 107p · 587 weeks ago
Anonymous said...
Where do you get that they were both youth pastors? Neither were...at one time...like 15 years ago...Whitman was an intern youth pastor. He was an assistant to the pastor up until recently when he quit.
1/21/2014 - 11:50 pm
Mojoey 107p · 587 weeks ago
Anonymous said...
Bro. Whitman literally gave his shirt off his back when someone needed something. The church itself hounds you and pesters you to do exactly what they say but many of them hide the way they act so as not to be scolded or kicked out. Jeremy was a youth pastor for a very long time and did a good job at it. Took care of my family. Mistakes are made and many people will truly be sad for whatever happened. You can do just the smallest of things to get on their bad side. So sad. Is that a church or a cult?
11/22/2014 - 2:02 AM
Paul · 587 weeks ago
I, too, knew Jeremy Whitman, but not extremely well. I can only speak from my experience, but he was one of the nicest people I ever met in my life. Others have said the same. So that is a fact. Regardless of what he did, which is not excusable or acceptable, he was a great guy in the past. Obviously something went very wrong, and there are no winners here. To use this tragedy to mount your soap-box tirade against independent Baptist churches is extremely immature of you. Why not wait until you know all the facts before passing judgment?
John K · 587 weeks ago
"By accepting that life is only for a finite period, short or long, the atheist is confronted by the matter of how best to spend the available time and therefore, if suitably informed, will most likely spend the time worthy of a human person."
This blog criticizing others is how mojoey spends his time. He finds this worthy. I hope things change for you mojoey.
Holly · 587 weeks ago
But unfortunately, sin lurkes in all of us, no matter our religion or position. Satan likes to attack thsoe in leadership because he knows it will hurt the followers. A two-for-one deal, if you will.
I obviously don't know the true facts, but from what I'm reading from police reports, it seems he was the murderer.
I won't stand up for him and say "It aint so!".. He WAS a good man, but that could have very well just been a facade.
It's heartbreaking when Christian leaders fall. It hurts the Christian testimony. But it isn't fair to the rest of us to assume we are all fake.
We are all human and Satan tempts and distracts us all. Some of us just give in to our fleshly natures, some of us understand the Power over our flesh is in Christ alone.
We will all be tempted to do wrong. That's why we have to pray for our leaders and each other.
I'm sorry for what he did and I pray for his family as they heal.
Baptist, atheist, muslim...what have you.. We are all sinners. We all need Christ. None are perfect and we all will fall when we lose focus.
Holly · 587 weeks ago
The reason we have so many crazy people is because they are focusing on what they are DOING rather than WHO they believe in.
True Christians (baptist denomination or not) who are deeply in love with God and seeking his perfect will DAILY, don't do these things.
The outcomes we see (murder, rape, homosexuality..etc) all stem from the moment they stop seeking and communicating with God. Sin boils and builds until it is exposed. it's like cancer.
All religions, not just Christianity, have the same problems.
Mojoey 107p · 587 weeks ago
Sherry · 587 weeks ago
You have no idea what happened in this case. And you certainly have no right to make these sorts of assertions, especially on the very day he was identified. Are you just waiting around to find something bad about Christians?
So are we to assume that because you posted this insensitive and callous post, with no regard for the feelings of those Brother Jeremy ministered to, nor for the feelings of his wife and children, that you are insensitive and callous because you seem to be an atheist or agnostic?
Is this what atheism creates in people? Is that what we're to take away from your post here? That you have nothing better to do than sit and wait for a Christian to do something against what the Bible says so you can claim hypocrisy?
Tracy · 587 weeks ago
Mayor R Rex Parris: I knew the person who shot the victim. He was a decent man until about a year ago. He developed a serious drug problem after a back injury that spiraled out of control until he became someone no one recognized as the person he once was. He left behind a wife, children and grieving parents and a grieving family of his victim. I have never seen anything good come from drug abuse. I frequently see catastrophic consequences. And, everyday I know that there but for the grace of God go I.
Katherine Morin · 587 weeks ago
He Murdered Him · 587 weeks ago
Guest · 587 weeks ago
rob · 587 weeks ago
Calvin Wright · 587 weeks ago
Bro. Whitman and his family practically adopted me for the two years I spent at WCBC and LBC. Just the other day I was looking at picture of he and I at his home (one of the numerous times he opened his home to me) during a Thanksgiving Break.
A flood of precious memories began to, and still do, fill my mind of this dear friend I was privileged to know.
When I think about dedicated men of God I think of Bro. Whitman and his investment in my life. God used him to instill a strong burden within me to be the best support I can be to the man of God I serve under. For this I am deeply grateful.
I remember going through some of the roughest struggles and trials of my life while I was in Lancaster and this kind man reached out to me offering comfort and consolation.
I will miss his wonderful sense humor and contagious smile. To the entire Whitman family, I want you to know that all my thought’s of this man are filled only with fond memories of a man who loved people and selflessly sought to serve those around him. I love you all dearly and I pray the Lord opens the floodgates of His abundant grace. God bless you all.
Calvin Wright · 587 weeks ago
Deeply Upset · 587 weeks ago
& to mojoey you are entitled to your freedoms of speech but Erik was not involved in that way with Whitman. Even those who were with them in the few short hours before their deaths don't understand why! So just keep that in mind before you make assumptions please.
Deeply Upset · 587 weeks ago
Mojoey 107p · 587 weeks ago