Deep Thoughts

Thanks America’s Most Wanted

2012-01-28T11:25:00.001-08:00

I watched the Otis Holland episode of America’s Most Wanted last while on a business trip to Las Vegas. One week later, Otis Holland was captured!

Charismatic and cunning, Las Vegas Pastor Otis Holland is on the run after members of his church between the ages of 13 and 16 accused him of sexual abuse. The revelation of Holland's relationship with his young parishioners has opened a Pandora's box that has left Holland's entire congregation stunned and shamed. Thankfully, an alert AMW tipster gave authorities the information they needed to track Holland down.

Holland, profiled here, was on the run. According to the Union Tribune, he was living out of a suitcase.

Alfredo Arenas, chief liaison officer for the Baja California state police, said Holland was detained outside a house in Tijuana’s Zona Norte, a neighborhood near the U.S. border. Holland had been living there by himself, and had not been there for long, Arenas said: “He had a couple of suitcases, the clothes were still inside.”

I can’t wait for this creep to go to prison.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Hypocrisy,Child Molestation

Atheists will find this sickening

2012-01-28T08:07:00.001-08:00

I read a post on Jonathan Turley about pastor Rick Bartlett killing a neighbor's cat by throwing it off a bridge. It fell 50 feet. Bartlett’s going down for the crime, of that there is little doubt. He was dumb enough to kill the cat after being caught with it in his possession. What I found more disturbing was the comment, “Atheists will find this sickening”. Really?

Let us assume that we do not know that Bartlett is a pastor. Would a reasonable person find his actions sickening? I think so. The fact that he is a pastor served to bring this hateful crime to my attention. His crime offends my sense of decency and my love for animals (even cats). I am sickened by this act of cruelty because it’s wrong; not because he is a pastor. I would hope other people feel the same way.

The cat’s owners posted this at the Digital Texan.

…My sweet Moody was found dying at the bottom of the bridge that runs over Fisherman’s Park, miles away from my neighborhood in Riverside Grove!Moody was taken to the Veterinarian after he was found barely alive under the bridge. He suffered for hours under that bridge, in unspeakable pain. He had collapsed lungs, was struggling to breathe. The pads of his paws were torn from his feet! When Moody saw me he couldn’t sit up but he tried to, he was crying out for me, he wanted his mommy to make it better and I couldn’t! He died a few hours later.My poor Moody suffered at the hands of this man, Rick Bartlett. Moody was such a sweet boy, and when I think about how he died and how scared he must have been to have this strange man hurting him, it breaks my heart!…

A pastor trapped a cat. Neglected in by keeping it in a cage for three days without food or water. Turned it in to animal control, then lied and took the cat back when he realized the it would be returned to its owners. The next time we see the cat, it’s near death. Are these the actions of a Christian? Are these the actions of a pastor? How can anyone listen to this man’s words if his actions are so inconsistent with his faith? Hypocrisy! Lies! Violence!

I bet he’s be preaching tomorrow..

Technorati Tags: Hypocrisy,Clergy Misconduct

Pastor Matthew Clark arrested

2012-01-27T22:07:00.001-08:00

We all face choices. Our choices define us. We can choose to be good and honorable, or can follow a darker path. We can turn our back to family and friends and purse our darkest desires. Ask pastor Matthew Preston Clark. He's a married father and senior pastor at the Blessed Assurance Temple in Bartow. He was arrested for soliciting a lewd act in a public park. Decoding this, we learn that a supposed man of God is living a lie. It's a sad story, and unfortunately, one that is repeated here on Deep Thoughts month after month.

How does a pastor, or anyone for that matter, live a lie so out of sync reality? Hypocrisy is horrible, but not being true to yourself is a greater evil. Truth is lost. The lies touch so many people. It's all so sad, and predictable.

Pastor Tommy Shelton convicted

2012-01-25T21:23:00.001-08:00

Pastor Tommy R. Shelton Jr. submitted an Alford plea in his child molestation case. Shelton was accused of molesting two boys in the 1990s. In exchange for his plea in the first case, charges were dropped in the second case.

One man accused Shelton of fondling, kissing and performing oral sex on him when he was a 14-year-old boy around 1995. The man had gone to Shelton for counseling and piano lessons and two of the alleged assaults occurred inside the church, the man testified at a preliminary hearing in May 2010.
A second man testified that Shelton would direct him into the the woods during bicycle rides and then fondle him. The man said the assaults ocurred in 1997, when he was 11 years old.
Source: Plea deal for Fairfax pastor accused of sex abuse

Pastor Shelton will spend between 4 and 16 years in prison. At 66, he my pay for his crime with his life. Shelton was the pastor at Community Church of God in the Dunn Loring area.

More Baptist strangeness

2012-01-25T20:42:00.001-08:00

There are things I do not understand about organized religion and the people who participate in the shared delusion. I'm using my words carefully here. Delusion fits. Especially with regard to Baptists and their wayward pastors.

In Michigan next Sunday, Rev. Arthur Pearson will give a sermon at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church. Pearson allegedly misappropriated about $237k in church funds. Yet he will preach and and his flock will listen. How does this work?

In the real world, reason would intervene and the decent folks who attend the church would set the pastor down until the allegations are resolved. Pastors are plentiful. Guest pastors can fill in for Pearson without causing too much disruption to the heath and wellbeing of the church. It's a reasonable response to the situation, yet this will not happen. Pearson will preach to the bitter end.

The Bible clearly states that pastors should not lead if they are compromised by controversy. It's better for the church to have the pastor step aside. It's not a recommendation. It is what bible mandates. Yet these Christians will ignore the bible and do as they please. It a delusion fed by hubris and a disregard for the very book they hold dear.

I'll never understand.

Are Catholic priests into indecent exposure?

2012-01-24T20:28:00.001-08:00

I grow tired of reporting on the misdeeds of the clergy, but something inside me keeps pushing me to keep at it. This time it was Father Mark Stewart Bullock, a Baltimore-area Catholic priest who was arrested for indecent exposure. It seems like I've commented on a dozen or so Catholic priests in various compromising positions and indecent positions; be it running naked or hanging out in public restrooms. Bullock was caught in an adult bookstore without his pants. He was visible to customers in the store (I'm pretty sure that was the point.)

Pastor Bullock may be gay and is definatly into high risk sex. I'm thinking that his behavior may be inconstant with the moral direction of the Catholic church. Of course, since the crime involved acts that could be interpreted as gay behavior, the Catholic church will lower the hammer of God on Bullock. He'll be gone in a matter of months. If he had abused a child… it could take years.

Oh, and sitting on a couch in a adult book shop without your pants in gross beyond words. Yucky. Eww.

Oral Roberts' son arrested

2012-01-24T20:05:00.001-08:00

Richard Roberts, Oral Roberts' son, was arrested on suspicion of DUI Tuesday. Roberts was stopped in Oklahoma doing 93 mph in a 65-mph zone on the turnpike in his Mercedes-Benz.

Religion, alcohol, fast cars, speed… yep, that's a Christian.

Roberts milks the Christian gravy train for all it's worth. He's run Oral Roberts University and appears on a national Christian TV show. Instead of calls for his head, the spokesman for ORU, Jeremy Burton, offered this tripe. "May God's grace help them as they work toward healing."

How about some accountability?

Would Jesus charge a speaker’s fee?

2012-01-24T18:44:00.001-08:00

I read that the New Hope Gospel Church is trying to raise $50k so that they can buy Tim Tebow to speak at an event called The Restoration. Raising money to entice a famous Christian to speak seem wrong on so many levels.

Youth Pastor Adam King with New Hope Gospel Church tells the Zanesville Times Recorder that an announcement was made at Sunday services and that thousands of dollars was already donated by Sunday night. A flyer says the goal is to raise $50,000 to have Tebow appear at the event called The Restoration on March 2.
Read more: Ohio Church Works To Lure Tebow

Would Jesus charge a speaking fee? The answer is no of course. The mere thought of Jesus charging a speaking fee is wrong. We know this (even those of us who do not believe). So why pay $50k to a millionaire for an hour of his time? The money should go to feeding and clothing the poor. As for Tebow, if he were a real Christian, he would speak at the event for free. Of course, this assumes that the event is not some self masturbatory prosperity doctrine sermon.You can be a rich Christian just like Tebow… just sent $29.95 for your holy tea towel.

What really grates… youth pastor Adam King is so proud of his effort.

Technorati Tags: Tebow,Christians,Hypocrites

Dinner with atheists

2012-01-22T14:56:00.001-08:00

Times have changed. I can remember when it was uncommon to meet another atheist. It was not long ago; a few years ago at most. I would run into one or two people a year who were comfortable enough to say they were atheists if the topic came up. It was almost never in a business environment. The stakes were too high.

Flash forward to last Wednesday night. I’m in Las Vegas on a business trip. I met four other people at Hugo’s Cellar, my favorite restaurant, for an informal dinner. During the conversation the subject of religion and believe come up. The man to my right, who had been dating an over-the-top fundamentalist Christian for months, declares that he is an atheist. The husband and wife to my left, both cultural Catholics, declare that they too are atheists. The man across the table from me, a Coptic Christian from Egypt who is branded with a cross on his wrist, declares that he too is an atheist. I add that I am an atheist. It’s almost an afterthought.

When we talked about it, I find that most of my guests have been atheists for a long time. We all feel that the ice is melting on this subject. It’s no longer a determent to your career. You can be an atheist at work, as long as you are not that obnoxious atheist who complains about every slight. That makes you no better than the obnoxious Christian who complains that Halloween is satanic and therefore must be called a harvest festival. In fact, as long as you are business oriented you will rarely have a problem. Of course, it helps that we all work for an international giant of a company.

Later in the week the subject comes up again in a different setting, and more atheists step forward. A few Christians comment on the discussion, but the comments are all supportive. It’s weird – I’ll call it healthy progress. Since I’m not the only atheist anymore, it is easy for me to feel comfortable and safe. It is a good feeling.

Technorati Tags: Atheism,Religion

Atheist Blogroll - New year, new blogs

2012-01-07T13:58:00.001-08:00

We are a week into 2012 and a few new bloggers have joined the Atheist Blogroll.

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

Photograph 100 bird species

2012-01-02T18:51:00.001-08:00

I started in on my quest to photograph 100 bird species. I took advantage of an 80 degree January day to walk through my local park with my camera and a 300 mm lens. I managed to shoot 12 different bird species. I was able to identify 11.

Western Kingbird
American Coot (at leas 200)
California Gull
Ring Billed Gull
Band-Tailed Pigeon
Rock Pigeon
Cackling Goose
Mallard
Double-Crested Cormorant
American Wigeon
Bufflehead

My favorite bird was the first. The Western Kingbird caught my eye as I was walking into the park. I managed to get a half dozen shots of it perched on a sign.

So I’ve shot 11 birds – none of the photos are good, which is typical for me. I have almost no practice shooting wildlife, and from the looks of things, I have a lot to learn.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Birds

Photography projects for 2012

2012-01-01T21:07:00.001-08:00

Photography is how I fill my down time. I usually select two or three things to work on every year. This year is no different.

Curate a collection of photographs (see odd bits).

My goal here is to find interesting photos from around the world and display them on my Tumblr blog. I’ll post stories about the photos here throughout the year. I’m off to a good start already.

This project is more for my own education more than anything else. There is much to learn from other photographers.

Do a public 365 (photo a day) project (see Flickr).

I’ve done this already as a private project for three years. I’m a prolific shooter. I’ve started this series off with a shot of my niece (shown below). I’m not aiming for high art here. I want to tell the story of my life in pictures. Trust me. It’s pretty dull.

Revisit the Carson Ugly project with a series of 12 photos and a visit to the run down Carson city library.

I work in the City of Carson. I don’t understand how a city with so much going for it can be so ugly and screwed up. I plan to prowl the city with my camera at lunch to document the conditions. My goal is a modest one photo per month, plus a focused article on the deplorable conditions at the local city Library.

Shoot 100 different bird species

I’ve always been fascinated with lists and naming things. I’ll put some effort into it this year and try to catch and name 100 different bird species. This one will be a challenge.

This litter charmer is my niece Lianna with her dad Don in the background. She’s a favorite for my camera. We get together on January 1st every year for a good meal together. Today was no exception.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Personal Goals

I wonder if Cee Lo thinks ‘all religion’s is true’

2012-01-01T15:55:00.001-08:00

By now we all know that Cee Lo Green butchered John Lennon’s classic song Imagine with the following change to the lyrics.

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And all religion’s true

I wonder if Cee Lo thinks these examples of religion are true?

In India, a seven year old girl was ritually murdered and her liver was sacrificed to the gods for a better harvest.

"A seven-year-old girl was sacrificed by two persons superstitiously believing that the act would give a better harvest," Narayan Das, the police chief of Bijapur district, told AFP by telephone.

In Boliva, a Christian Pentecostal pastor murdered his sister during an exorcism. He claimed the devil entered his body and pushed his sister’s head under water.

"An evil spirit entered me, took control of my hand and began to submerge my little sister," Marca purportedly told police. "Satan was inside the tub."

In Worcester, Massachusetts, a catholic priest, Rev. Lowe Dongor, stands accused of possession of child pornography. He faces defrocking for his misdeeds… and prison.

Following Vatican officials’ “clarification” that child pornography possession is included in the grounds for removal from the priesthood, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester has asked the pope to defrock Dongor.

Islamic religious terrorists bombed a Nigerian Christian church, Killing as many as 43 people. 73 people were wounded.

“I was able to identify 20 parishioners that died in the explosions,” Achi said in an e-mailed statement today. “Yesterday, they brought in a list of 23 others confirmed to have died in the blast.”

In Israel, fundamentalist Jews spit on little girls.

It seems that a sub-group of the ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jews (known in Israel as Haredi) of that village have been stoning, taunting, cursing and spitting at an 8-year-old girl as she walks to school each day. The girl herself is an Orthodox child who, along with her mother, dresses in the "modest" style common among Modern Orthodox and Hasidic women.

And in Ohio, watch out for your beards. A break away Amish sect faces hate crime charges for cutting the beards off of other Amish men, and the hair off of Amish women.

The five attacks between September and November involved cutting women’s hair and men’s beards and hair. That’s considered deeply offensive in Amish culture.

I see nothing ‘true’ here Cee Lo Green. It is just more examples of hate and ignorance, plus a propensity towards violence that I find shocking. But then I…

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too

And I find hope.

Technorati Tags: John Lenno,Cee Lo Green,Imagine,Religion

Jen Davis self-portraits

2012-01-01T12:12:00.001-08:00

I’ve started the new year with a list of projects. One project deals with my Tumblr blog odd bits, where I will attempt to post a photo that I find interesting each day in 2012. The post may be of my own work, or the work of others. I’ve started off with a photo by fine art photographer Jen Davis. She has a self-portrait series I find beautiful, honest, and intriguing.

Jen Davis is a Brooklyn based photographer. For the past 9 years she has been working on a series of Self-Portrait’s dealing with issues regarding beauty, identity, and body image. She has also been exploring men, as a subject and is interested in investigating the idea of relationships, both physical and psychological, with the camera. She received her MFA from Yale University in 2008, and her BA from Columbia College Chicago in 2002.

My plan is too curate a collection of images and artists that I find interesting. Please point me in the direction of work you think might qualify.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Photography Projects

Is Bachmann lying?

2011-12-30T11:54:00.001-08:00

Michele Bachmann made a statement to the press where she accused her Iowa campaign director of jumping to Ron Paul’s team because of a Ron Paul paid bribe.

“Kent Sorenson personally told me he was offered a large sum of money to go to work for the Paul campaign. Kent campaigned with us earlier this afternoon and went immediately afterward to a Ron Paul event and announced he is changing teams. Kent said to me yesterday that ‘everyone sells out in Iowa, why shouldn’t I,’ then he told me he would stay with our campaign. The Ron Paul campaign has to answer for its actions,” Bachmann said in a statement.

Source: Michele Bachmann’s Iowa Chair Defects to Ron Paul

Kent Sorenson denies the charge. He claims his reason for leaving is to defeat Mitt Romney. Sorenson’s reason sounds plausible, especially since Bachmann is on her way to a last place finish. The time is right for a political operative to jump ship and join a campaign that will further his political world view.

Bachmann’s narrative, an unsupported bribery charge, doe not ring true. One need only consider that her campaign leading he charge to the bottom to see how pathetic her story seems. It gets worse. Bachmann’s political director Wes Enos denied that Sorenson accepted a bribe of any kind.

“I can say unequivocally that Kent Sorenson’s decision was, in no way financially motivated,” Enos said in a statement. “While I personally disagree with Kent’s decision, and plan to stay with Michele Bachmann because I truly believe in her, I cannot watch a good man like Kent Sorenson be attacked as a ‘sell-out.’”
Source: Michele Bachmann stands by bribery allegations against Ron Paul

Enos lost his job for speaking up. It looks like Sorenson committed the unpardonable crime of publically jumping ship. Bachmann is simply trying to save face and ruin a former employee’s reputation. I hope he sues.

My real concern here is why would an overt Christian like Bachmann resorts to gossip and lies? The moral voice in her head should warn her that character assassination without proof is unchristian. Why would she do this? Unless… she is not a real Christian,

Hat tip: The Immoral Minority

Technorati Tags: Politics,Michele Bachmann

Atheist Blogroll - noobs for December

2011-12-29T14:03:00.001-08:00

We’ve had a fine new crop of blog join the Atheist Blogroll (And yes, I still maintain a list of atheist blogs). Enjoy!

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

More charges for pastor Hernandez

2011-12-29T12:23:00.001-08:00

Pastor Francisco Antonio Hernandez, profiled here, is facing more charges for crimes allegedly committed 20 years ago. The mother of his latest victim made a terrible mistake in judgment.

The mother of the the latest victim to come forward filed a sworn outcry statement with APD on Sept. 15. She told police that she went out of town for a family emergency one weekend all those years ago, and the child stayed with the pastor and his wife during the weekend when the sexual abuse allegedly occurred.

Source: More sex charges filed against 'pastor'

How does the mother live with the guilt? I hope convicting this guy brings some measure of closure to his many victims.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation,Pedophiles

All in the Christian family

2011-12-29T11:44:00.001-08:00

A pastor’s son is in a lot of trouble. Ruben J. Matuk, just 28, stands charged with molesting a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old girl. The alleged molestations took place on the grounds of the Apostolic Full Gospel Church of Christ, in Hollister, California.

Authorities believe the misdeeds started in September 2003 when they suspect Matuk committed lewd and lascivious acts with a girl who had been 12 years old, Casada said.
Regarding the second suspected victim, prosecutors charged Matuk on suspicion of attempted lewd and lascivious acts in June 2008, along with indecent exposure and sexual battery on Sept. 1 of this year, according to court records. Those dates mean the alleging victim would have been about 15 years old at the time.
Two of the charges are felonies. A conviction for lewd and lascivious acts would carry a maximum penalty of eight years in prison, while attempted lewd and lascivious acts has a maximum penalty of three years in prison, according to the penal code. If convicted, Matuk also would have to register as a sex offender.
Source: Pastor's son accused of lewd acts

I write these posts because five years ago a Christian friend insisted that I could not possibly be a moral person because I was not a Christian. He also insisted that I did not have the moral grounding afforded to those who know the bible, so I was hopelessly resigned to a life of evil. We have a case here that refutes the argument beautifully. A pastor’s son, a man who should know better, allegedly molested two young girls. If a man is raised as a Christian, yet still manages to commit the most heinous of crimes, what benefit comes from being a Christian? How does reading the bible and being a Christian make us moral again? If 28 years of exposure to Christianity, the bible, and weekly sermons does not do the job, what will?

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation

Introducing Always Question Authority

2011-12-29T10:42:00.001-08:00

We’ve had a new blog join the Atheist Blogroll: Always Question Authority.

Welcome to the Always Question Authority blog, established on 07.11.2011.

“Call me Madison.” I am an unapologetic non-accommodationist atheist. The intent of this blog is to inform readers of the vast negative social and political implications to humanity caused by the poison of specifically religious, and generally political, reactionary right-wing dogmatism.
This blog is for the well-informed, and well-read with an independence of mind that place a high value on reason, critical thought, and general intellectualism.

The Always Question Authority blog consists mostly of articles, videos, etc. that I have read, or watched, and choose to share with my readers. Posts penned by me will explicitly read “By Madison S. Hughes (mm.dd.yyyy).” All aphorisms are written by me, and labeled as such. I will re-post Aphorisms when updated. I will also re-post any article, video, etc., that I deem worthy of repetition. All other posts are linked to the source from which they were accessed, or, if able, the root source of their origin. I claim no credit for posts, that do not bear “By Madison S. Hughes (mm.dd.yyyy).” Additionally, epigraphical comments written by me will be indicated by ending with “[MSH].”

Although most of the material contained within will have social and political implications, some art, poetry, and music selections will be posted for aesthetic purposes only.

It is my sincere hope that you find the posts on this blog informative, intellectually stimulating, and rewarding. If you have any suggestions that you feel would make your visits even more profitable, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

In Reason,
Madison

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

Introducing Be the Cog

2011-12-28T19:37:00.001-08:00

We’ve had a new blog join the Atheist blogroll. Be the Cog.

What is a better study subject than myself? I write on my blog thoughts and experiences that relate directly to the individual journey in the context of a larger world. I cover subjects like atheism, goal setting, death, morality and do a little bit of self improvement. This blog is always a work in progress and I am continually looking for new content to cover and interesting things to talk about. I'm not right about everything, but I argue always to the best of my ability.

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

Notes from the culture war

2011-12-28T16:21:00.001-08:00

I spoke with a family member on Christmas about how pervasive Christian culture is in Southern California. He too is an atheist, but not out like me. I told him that I keep track of my contacts, be they in person or via the computer. It’s a hobby of sorts. This post is for him. It’s a list of my interactions from today.

I have breakfast with a co-worker at a nearby greasy spoon (a damn good one too). Korean Christians give me a pamphlet in the parking lot. It shows all the churches in the area I can attend to be saved. The local Catholic church is missing.

Still at breakfast – I’m handed a Watchtower while eating.

Still at breakfast – I tip large, the lady cleaning my table tells me God must have guided me to sit in her section. I tell her no – I sat in the the only available seat large enough for me at the time I ordered breakfast.God had nothing to do with it. She seems miffed but takes the tip anyway.

At the auto garage – manager asks me if I managed to go to church on Christmas. I said no. He’s a Korean – you don’t get invited to their churches, but they will always point you to a church they think you will fell comfortable in. He tells me about a church that meet just a few hundred yards away. I decline and then stick my headphone in my ears and walk outside to wait.

I play nine holes of disc golf at La Mirada – It’s near Biola University. The park is crawling with Christian types. You can tell Christians from the normal disc golfers as they will not offer to smoke a joint with you at the 4th hole. As I warm up, two different groups walk up. One prays before starting their game. They ask me to join them in prayer and then in their game. I pass.

Still at disc golf – the second group asks me if I’m a Christian. It’s the first words out of their mouths. I tell them to fuck off. I play alone, and really slow. When I get to my truck there is a bible track in my window.

I have lunch with the wife. It’s wonderful. We do not talk about anything remotely religious. My faith in humanity is restored.

I stop by Del Taco to get my son some chili fires (I can’t eat this stuff any more). The lady behind the window tells me to have a blessed day.

I figure today is not going to get any better, so I fire up TF2 and start practicing on a sniper server. After 10 minutes, somebody asks me if I am Mojoey the atheist. I say yes. The abuse starts… Only, I am able to retaliate by hunting him for the next half hour. Any time he showed his nose, I shoot him. He finally gives up and rage quits.

I check email. There is no new hate-mail (I get it everyday). But there is a heartfelt letter from some Christian youth telling me that I can be saved and that God loves me. Oh… and do I want to debate the existence of God. Um… No. I mark the sender as spam and move on.

It’s only 4:00 PM as I write this. There are still many hours to go and Twitter is beckoning.

Technorati Tags: Culture War,Atheism

Ripping on Tim Tebow

2011-12-27T11:00:00.001-08:00

Tim Tebow is an active Christian who uses his position in the public-eye to further his religious agenda. As such, he deserves all the sarcasm the media can heap upon him. He is not off limits because he is a Christian quarterback any more than President Obama is off limits for… well, being insufficiently Christian.

I laughed my ass off to Saturday Night Live’s Tebow skit.

Of course, others were offended. Pat Robertson’s crazy response is far worse than the skit.

“If this had been a Muslim country and they had done that and had Muhammad doing that stuff, you would have found bombs being thrown off and bodies on the street,” he said.

It think it reasonable to expect that some Christian nutball will interpret Robertson’s comments the wrong way. Don’t you?

Bill Maher, a man I sometimes struggle to find funny, tweeted his sarcasm.

"Wow, Tebow just f---d #TimTebow bad. And on Xmas Eve! Somewhere in hell Satan is tebowing, saying to Hitler ‘Hey, Buffalo's killing them.’ "

The response was predictable.

"Bill Maher is disgusting vile trash," Fox News host Eric Bolling tweeted. "I can't even repeat what he just tweeted about Tebow … on Christmas Eve. #straighttohellBill."

As long as Tebow paints bible verses on his face and inspires Christian's to engage in tebowing, then we get to slap back with our own wit, sarcasm, and humor. Tebow made himself fair game in the culture war on his own. It’s only fair that we take advantage of the situation. Right?

Technorati Tags: Tim Tebow,Sarcasm,Humor,Christians

More charges for youth pastor Chad Foster

2011-12-27T09:26:00.001-08:00

Baptist youth pastor Chad Foster, profiled here, was charged with online solicitation of a minor, earlier this month. Foster already faces charges that he sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl while he was a youth pastor at Community of Faith Church. He’s latest victim is girl who was 14-years-old at the time of the alleged crime. He knew her from his days at a youth pastor at The Second Baptist Church of Houston.

According to a complaint against Foster filed by the Harris County District Attorney's Office, the girl said she and Foster exchanged phone numbers and began to send text messages. Their communication extended to Facebook, according to the DA's office.
After the girl got a laptop computer in December 2010, she and Foster began to communicate via Skype, the complaint says. She told investigators Foster exposed himself to her on the video service more than a dozen times between January and May.
An investigator with the High Tech Crimes Unit of the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's office said Foster's cell phone records show more than 15,000 text messages between Foster's cell phone and the girl's between Jan. 1 and Nov. 2, according to the complaint.
Source: 15,000 sexts evidence against youth pastor, authorities say by Carol Christian of the Houston Chronicle

There may be more victims. No… I’m pretty sure there will be more victims.

Technorati Tags: Baptists,Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation

A worthy cause

2011-12-27T08:30:00.001-08:00

Help support the LGBT community in Chicago by signing a petition calling for the resignation of Catholic Archbishop Francis George.

Truth Wins Out launched a Change.org petition today calling on Chicago Archbishop Cardinal Francis George to resign after he incomprehensibly compared the LGBT community to the Ku Klux Klan. George's over-the-top remarks were so extreme that they shredded his credibility and permanently damaged his ability to serve as a respected voice of reason. Link to the petition
Source: Petition Drive Calls on Chicago's Archbishop Francis George to Resign For Comparing LGBT Community to Ku Klux Klan

Here is the Archbishop’s quote that got so many people upset. It was delivered on Fox News. "You know, you don't want the Gay Liberation Movement to morph into something like the Ku Klux Klan, demonstrating in the streets against Catholicism."

The Archbishop dug in with this comment:

When the FOX News host tried to give Cardinal George a way out of the statements, he dug in saying “It is, but you take a look at the rhetoric. The rhetoric of the Klu Klux Klan, the rhetoric of some of the gay liberation people. Who is the enemy? Who is the enemy? The Catholic Church.”

Source: Calls Begin For Cardinal Francis George To Resign Over KKK Comment

Now that is hateful comments have hit the press in the worst possible way, the hatemonger is backtracking.

“Obviously, it’s absurd to say the gay and lesbian community are the Ku Klux Klan,” he told ABC 7. “But if you organize a parade that looks like parades that we’ve had in our past because it stops us from worshiping God, well then that’s the comparison. But it’s not with people and people – it’s parade-parade.”

Source: Cardinal George backtracks on KKK comments

Of course, ABC 7 is a regional outlet, while Fox News is a national outlet, so his backpedaling may not reach down to Podunk, Texas.

Technorati Tags: Catholics,Gay Rights,Fox News,Hate

Youth pastor Daniel Robida sentenced

2011-12-26T18:12:00.001-08:00

Youth pastor Daniel Richard Robida, profiled here, was sentenced to 17-years and 10 months in prison. He was convicted of unlawful sexual activity with a minor. His 17 year-old-victim will have a long time to live in peace without the fear that this sex offender will ever bother her again.

Just in case you are wondering, he knew what he was doing.

According to police reports, the victim said she had been involved in a sexual relationship with Robida, who was 33 at the time and a youth pastor at Harvest Community Church in Summerfield. It was not clear if the victim was a member of the church, according to the report.

Robida later told authorities he performed various sexual acts on the girl, but did not have intercourse with her. He said he was aware she girl was 17.

Source: Former youth pastor sentenced to prison

This case brought the age of concept into focus. It also highlighted Christian moral blindness. Many of the comments and most of the emails I received on my original post painted the victim as a willing participant. A few painted her as a Jezebel keen on ruining a pastor’s life or at least separating him from his family for her own purposes. The real issue are the actions of the pastor. He is a man who should know better (as all men do), and he has the supposed moral training that comes from being a God fearing Christian. He chose to act on his impulses. He alone is responsible. I’m happy to see our legal system recognized this.

*edited 12/29/11 to correct error

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Youth Pastors,Sex Offenders

Republican Amy Koch’s epic moral failure

2011-12-23T08:13:00.001-08:00

When you put yourself forward as the representative of Christian moral standards, the fall from the dizzying heights of moral perfection can be lethal. Well… lethal to your career anyway.

Amy Koch was the Minnesota state Senate Majority Leader up until yesterday, when she resigned her leadership position after news of her extramarital affair surfaced among her peers. Koch was a sanctity of marriage campaigner and strong opponent of gay marriage. Of course, when she broke the news of her resignation, she lied.

In a previous explanation for her sudden and unexpected resignation, Koch claimed it was because she had decided not to seek re-election next year and that the MNGOP "cannot afford a lame duck leader in negotiations next session, which is why I am resigning my position as majority leader."

Source: Amy Koch Affair. Sex, lies, and Michael Brodkorb by Gregory Pratt

Amy Koch’s hypocrisy is stunningly brazen. While sleeping with her own employee, she was working against gay rights by co-authoring a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage (S.F. No. 1975). The bill reads in part, “A marriage between a man and a woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in Minnesota.”

Governor Mark Dayton called for the Republican controlled-legislature to kill the proposed ban in light of their obvious hypocrisy. I think it’s the right thing to do. After all, if the Republican leadership cannot live up to their own standards, what right do they have to enforce it on others?

My favorite response to Koch’s hypocrisy was issued by the gay and lesbian community of Minnesota. They apologized for ruining the institution of marriage by causing Koch to stray from her marriage.

"On behalf of all gays and lesbians living in Minnesota, I would like to wholeheartedly apologize for our community's successful efforts to threaten your traditional marriage," reads the letter from John Medeiros. "We apologize that our selfish requests to marry those we love has cheapened and degraded traditional marriage so much that we caused you to stray from your own holy union for something more cheap and tawdry."

Source: Gay community apologizes to Amy Koch for ruining her marriage by Kevin Hoffman

Republicans. It’s only wrong if other people are doing it.

Technorati Tags: Republican Hypocrisy,Minnesota,Gay Rights

Pastor Wilbert Brassfield arrested

2011-12-23T07:20:00.001-08:00

This one is a double whammy. Wilbert Davis Brassfield was a pastor and a police officer. Both positions are supposed to represent the highest standard of trust and authority. In this case, Brassfiled represents neither.

He is accused of withdrawing more than $10,000 from the Courts of Praise Christian Fellowship Church's bank account without the knowledge or approval of church leaders.
Davis served as pastor of the Fluvanna County church from its inception in 2006 until 2010.
Source: Charlottesville police officer accused of embezzling from church where he formerly was pastor

Embezzlement does not rise to the level of a sex crime, but if we consider this offence in terms of the Christian moral standard of the bible, it is equivalent to murder. All sins are equal, which, of course, is utter hogwash. Stealing $10K is lower on the scale of moral failings than child molestation, which itself is lower on the scale than murder. All sins are not equal. And, do not get me started on the concept of sin.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Misconduct,Sin

Pastor Phillip Joubert sentenced

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Pastor Phillip Joubert, profiled here, was sentenced to five years in prison for molesting his 13-year-old daughter. His daughter even testified against her pervert of a father in open court. Joubert is scum, yet his church thinks he is a saint.

There are several problems with this case. The most troubling is that Joubert admitted to touching his daughters breasts and vagina, but he says he did not have sex with her. After an admission like this, who could stand by him? How does this Christian morality thing work then? If a pastor molesting his daughter is not ‘bad’, then what is? How will Joubert be able to preach on the subject of good and evil if he does not know what it is himself?

His church plans to hire an interim pastor so that Joubert can resume his leadership of the church once he serves his sentence. This is completely insane. If you call yourself a Christian, please make an attempt to play by your own rule book. The bible clearly states that men like Joubert should never be allowed to lead a church. Why allow it? Joubert will be a convicted pedophile and registered sex offender. Will you put that on the marque in front of your church?

Stay away from this man and his church. He will offend again. Just wait.

Joubert is the pastor at New Light Missionary Baptist Church.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Baptists,Incest,Child Molestation

More on pastor Arnold Mathis

2011-12-22T22:22:00.001-08:00

Associate pastor Arnold Maurice Mathis, profiled here, should never have been allowed to work as a pastor. Since there are no standards for this profession, anyone can lead a church. One must only profess faith. Every crime or defect is forgiven or overlooked. Arnold Mathis is a registered sex offender. Yet, he was somehow allowed to lead a church. He allegedly used his position to gain the trust of a young girl, and then rape her. He’s a real model of Christian morality.

According to the PCSO, Mathis first met the victim at a local basketball game and offered to "help" the victim financially. Sheriff Judd says, "He approached this young man at a concession stand at a basketball game."
He also offered to buy the victim new shoes. The victim, who had no father figure in his life at the time, believed Mathis was trying to mentor him.
Source: Associate pastor arrested on child sexual battery charges

Mathis allegedly bought the troubled youth with shoes and kindness. Are pastor’s taught this technique in school? It seems pretty damn common.

Mathis is the assistant pastor of. I’m betting they did not do a background check.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Florida

More time for pastor Robert Meredith

2011-12-22T22:08:00.001-08:00

Pastor Robert Meredith, was already convicted of molesting a child under the age of 12, and sentenced to eight years in prison. Now he has been sentenced to an additional four years in prison on three additional charges.

Robert Meredith, 50, pleaded guilty to one-count of first-degree sexual abuse during arraignment on new charges in Calloway Circuit Court. Accepting a plea offer from Commonwealth’s Attorney Mark Blankenship, sexual abuse charges two and three were combined with the first and Meredith pleaded guilty to one-count, first-degree sexual abuse; a Class D felony.
Under terms of the agreement, Meredith was sentenced to another four years in prison; bringing the total to 12 years. He was previously sentenced to eight years. However he will serve the terms consecutively; meaning he will serve his eight year sentence before he begins the additional four years.
Source: Meredith arraigned on new charges

The crimes occurred in Kentucky, so the victim could be his wife…

Meredith was the pastor at Green Plain Church Of Christ.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Pedophiles,Kentucky

Youth pastor Jeremy Fulton sentenced

2011-12-22T21:46:00.001-08:00

Pastor Jeremy Fulton, profiled here, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for sexually abusing 5 young girls from his church. Some of the victims were 10-years-old at the time of the abuse.

Fulton declined to speak at his sentencing Tuesday. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. said in a statement that Fulton "used his position of authority and respect as a member of the clergy to win the trust of parents and gain access to children for the purpose of sexually abusing these girls," who were 10 to 16 when abused.

Source: Ex-NYC youth minister gets 22 years in prison for sexually abusing girls

Fulton was the youth pastor at Mariners’ Temple Baptist Church. They’ve moved on. There is nothing linking Fulton to the church on the website. Move along sheple. There is nothing to see here.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Pedophile,Baptist

Charges dropped against Rev. David Szatkowski

2011-12-22T21:38:00.001-08:00

Rev. David Szatkowski was originally charged with sexual assault for allegedly groping a 15-year-old girl. This was a he said, she said case, so I did not post on this crime when it originally hit the press. The DA decided to drop the charges after further investigation and consultation with the alleged victim.

The victim alleged that the catholic priest grabbed her breast. Szatkowski denied the claim. the whole story seemed pretty thin at the time. I hope this is the end of it.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Catholics

Pastor Matthias Anderson denied bail

2011-12-22T21:24:00.001-08:00

Oceanside youth pastor Matthias Anderson, profiled here, was denied bail by Riverside County Superior Court Judge F. Paul Dickerson. Anderson is facing a 50 year sentence on 34 criminal sex charges. Judge Dickerson thought the Anderson was a flight risk since he’s facing a life sentence.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,California,Child Molestation

Libertarianism attracts nutballs like Jules Manson

2011-12-22T10:51:00.001-08:00

Jules Manson is a nutball. He threatened President Obama with an unbelievable comment on his Facebook page. The comments were racist, hateful, and violent.

Manson's comment that Obama and his "monkey children" should be killed had been removed from Facebook, officials said. But another Web site, Your Black Politics, posted a screenshot.
Read more: Facebook post threatens Obama

Manson backed away from his comments by claiming they were careless and emotionally driven. What? He just outed himself as racist nutball, and he uses he equivalent of a bad hair day as an of excuse. His excuse does not feel authentic, and I’m pretty sure the reason is that it is not authentic.

Manson claims to be a Libertarian. He was the last place finisher in a run for a Carson, California City council seat. City council races are non-partisan, so I am not sure why it was important that he proclaimed himself a Libertarian, unless it was to attach himself to a cause that will drive away voters. I can say this much. He stood out as odd duck during his campaign. I know because I work in Carson and follow the politics there. I even know Jim Dear, the current mayor. The Manson campaign was a joke.

What I find troubling is how often embarrassing political troublemakers are Libertarians. We’ve had too many cases to enumerate, although my personal favorite is the spiting candidate Gary Copeland, a druid, who ran for governor with the backing of the state party. Manson is just the latest in a long line of fringe nutballs to rise from the ranks of registered Libertarians and self-destruct on the national stage.

Unfortunately, the Libertarian Party of California has no effective way of vetting political candidates. In fact, they beg anybody to register to run in any race, be it local, state, or even at the federal level. All one need do is pay the dues and sign the pledge. Say yes to their request, and they will help put anyone on the ballot. They pushed me hard to run in a national election a few years back, and I’m unelectable.

There is no evidence that Manson is endorsed by the Libertarian party. Nor is there evidence that he participated in the Libertarian political process, although, I’m betting that evidence will surface soon. He appears to be a self-proclaimed libertarian, except for the fact that he is registered as a Libertarian under the name Julio Manson.

I call on the Libertarian Party of California to expel member Julio 'Jules" Manson from the state party. I also ask that they issue a statement clearly stating that they do not support Manson’s position. It is the right. In fact, I’m mystified why the Kevin Takenaga has not done so already. Furthermore, I call on the Libertarian Party of California to fix their friggen website. It’s embarrassing.

Technorati Tags: Libertarians,Nutballs,Politics

For the love of a dog

2011-12-22T09:38:00.001-08:00

I got sick this week. A stomach virus put me down on Monday and Tuesday. My dog, a minpin named Thor, slept near my feet the whole time. When I was at my worst, on Tuesday at about noon, my dog nuzzled my beard and tried to comfort me. I woke up to his barking soon after. He wanted me to open the door so that he could exit out to the backyard. I let him out, but the barking did not stop. He kept coming back to the door and barking, and then he would walk into the yard and bark some more. Frustrated now, I moved to the door to see what small animal was annoying my dog. Thor was laying in a patch of sunlight in the grass. He was pawing at the turf and barking at me. He wanted me to come join him in the warmth of the sun. He was trying to take care of me. I love that dog.

The next day I noticed that Thor was sick. He was lethargic and did not respond to my voice. Plus, he had lost control of his bladder and had vomited in all manner of places. My dog was sick. My wife stayed home with him and took him to the vet on Wednesday. My son spend the night wrapped around a dog who just wanted to be warm. I’m continuing the job this morning. Thor is sleeping on my feet right now. I love that dog.

Technorati Tags: Deep Thoughts,Love,Dogs

The creeping Christian right

2011-12-20T20:10:00.001-08:00

Technorati Tags: Christian Right,Politics

The sad state of Christianity in Florida

2011-12-19T16:42:00.001-08:00

I am a big fan of judging people by what they do. The same holds true for organizations, movements, and religions. Judge this: In the past week, four Florida pastors were arrested for sexually abusing minors. I can’t help but come to the conclusion that something is wrong down in Florida. Is this what Christian morality has come to? The wide scale abuse of children by the very men charged with teaching the faith?

The accused:

Pastor Arnold Mathis – charged with sexual battery of a child. Mathis worked at Saint City Power and Praise Ministries in Winterhaven.
Youth pastor Edward Demoreta – charged with lewd battery on a victim between the ages of 12 and 15 years old. Demoreta works at First Assembly of God church
Youth pastor Ricard Navarro - charged with lewd battery on a victim between the ages of 12 and 15 years old. Navarro and Demoreta allegedly shared the same victim. Navarro worked at First Assembly of God church
Youth pastor Darryl Leonard Taylor - charged with a slew of lewd molestation charges. Taylor works at Born Again Church of God in Christ.

It is discussing. I’m waiting for national religious leaders to comment on the story. So far it has been silence.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Florida

We are what we do

2011-12-19T10:26:00.001-08:00

Our acts define us. That is one reason hypocrites piss me off so much. Take conservative Republican Gary Davis. He was a family-values politician until he was outed by his own stupidity. He spent taxpayer money at a gay sex shop. He is no different from the priests and pastors who abuse their power and occupy so much of my attention. Anyone who spends his professional life hurting the gay community through politics, is no different from a pastor who hurts his flock through infidelity, or worse. Wrapping yourself in the conservative movement comes with the whole Christian values mindset attached. Davis fought his own essence. He does not deserve to keep his job as mayor. He does not deserve our trust. What he does next will tell us much more about his character. If he is a principled man, he will resign and devote his life to the service of those he hurt. I’m betting he stays with the paycheck.

Technorati Tags: Hypocrisy,Gay Issues,Politics,Republicans

Dutch victims of Catholic clergy sexual abuse

2011-12-19T07:52:00.001-08:00

I think we will find this pattern repeated in every country that has a Catholic presence.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Catholics

Pastor David Nelson arrested

2011-12-18T10:46:00.001-08:00

Pastor David Nelson was recorded admitting to playing strip poker with a 14-year-old boy, 30 years ago while working as a Jehovah’s Witness pastor at the Madison Park Congregation Church in Phoenix. James King does a good job describing the crime. Give it a read.

According to the report, in September of 1980, when he was 33-years-old, Nelson had the 14-year-old victim -- described as "a close family friend" -- over to his house on at least two occasions to play cards. Nelson's rules are different than, say, Vegas' -- the loser in his game is required to pull out his junk and show it to the winner.

I don’t often get reports of a Jehovah’s Witness pastor committing a sex crime. I consider it a special case whenever it occurs. The church will try to spin this, just watch the comments.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Strip Poker,Jehovah’s Witness

Youth pastor Jasmine Brown arrested

2011-12-18T10:22:00.001-08:00

It’s ok… the 12-year-old boy wanted to be molested. Move along…

Youth pastor Jasmine Brown admitted to molesting a 12-yea-old boy. Brown is employed by the Family of God Christian Fellowship, where it is apparently ok to molest children if they ask for it…. Ok. maybe I’m exaggerating here, but seriously. What kind of adult thinks its ok to molest a child? What kind of youth pastor thinks It’s ok to molest a child? As a youth pastor Brown was supposed to protect his charges and teach them the moral code found in the bible. Did he ever read the bible? Oh wait, I should not go there as there is some crazy stuff in the Old Testament.

Brown is an amoral Christian hypocrite. But the church should shoulder part of the blame.

Brown doesn't deny the incidents occurred. When interviewed by police, Brown told detectives that the boy is the one who initiated the gropings by rubbing his butt against Brown's penis. Brown acknowledges he responded to the alleged advances by rubbing his penis against the boy's butt.
Then he masturbated and went to sleep, he tells cops.
Source: Jasmine Brown, Youth Minister, Admits to Molesting 12-Year-Old Boy at Church Camp

Apparently Brown and the child shared a bed on several nights while at summer camp. That fact that this can happen indicts the church and the summer camp. Parents beware, if the church allows some this egregious, I can only imagine what else can happen. With any luck, the stupidity of the people running the church and youth camp will result in a settlement the puts this church out of business. I hope co-pastor Mike Scott and Rick Furmanek are ready to find a new line of work, one that involves the responsible management of a business and the protection of its employees and customers.

There is no mention of the incident on the church website.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation

On the death of Christopher Hitchens

2011-12-17T10:11:00.001-08:00

I never met Christopher Hitchens, yet I took his death personally. I’ve read all his books and most of his recently published articles. He’s been a intellectual partner for the last 15 years, although, the partnership was all one way. I respected him. He challenged my thinking, and through that pushed me to become a better person. Few other people have influenced me in this way; my wife, a mentor, a few friends, my grandfather, and the author Harlan Ellison, make the short list.

Hitchens fills my library. His words will continue to influence me until I join him in death. I will pass along what I’ve learned to my sons (and soon a grandson), friends, and readers. His ideas and influence will live on through thousands of other people just like me. What I will miss is his intellect, his wit, and his wisdom.

I had lunch with two Christians yesterday. Hitchens’ death came up. Their utter lack of compassion left me feeling empty. I realized later that the emptiness was already in my heart. RIP Christopher Hitchens.

Technorati Tags: Christopher Hitchens

Pastor Tedd Butler pleaded guilty

2011-12-13T20:46:00.001-08:00

Pastor Tedd Butler, profiled here, pleaded guilty to charges that he molested a boy who was under the age of 13. He faces a light sentence on a conviction on a charge of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Butler told the court in Grand Rapids he touched the buttocks of a boy younger than 13 who had been attending Sunday school.

Touch a butt, go to prison.

Butler was the pastor at Gospel Light Baptist Church in Walker, which is near Grand Rapids.

Technorati Tags: Baptists,Clergy Sexual Abuse

Would an atheist teacher steal the cash?

2011-12-11T11:36:00.001-08:00

A recent poll asked the following three questions in response to this scenario. …if a fictional driver damaged a parked car and left the scene, then found a wallet and took the money, was the driver more likely…

a teacher
an atheist teacher
a rapist teacher

The results showed a predictable response. The atheist did it.

“People find atheists very suspect,” Shariff said. “They don’t fear God so we should distrust them; they do not have the same moral obligations of others. This is a common refrain against atheists. People fear them as a group.”

I’m not surprised, although I am disappointed in the possible answers. I would have gone with an obvious comparison.

a Christian
an atheists
A pastor convicted of child rape

I’m betting that atheists would still come in as the people most likely to commit the crime. The reason is simple. We are part of a different tribe. If you asked 100 atheists the same questions, the Christian would lose. Substitute Christian for Muslim and and atheist for Jew and a new class of people will be on the outs. You can’t win if you are not part of the tribe. We are the other team.

We already know that the morality question is baseless. Christians are as amoral as anyone else, and just as likely to commit petty little crimes. The only way I can see to address the situation is to dilute the importance of the Christian population. The more secular we become, the more this question becomes irrelevant. We fight back by spreading the truth.

Technorati Tags: Atheism

Why do people listen to Ann Coulter?

2011-12-11T11:00:00.001-08:00

Ann Coulter’s latest rant is pure nutball craziness. When scientist discover the gay gene, liberals will abort gay babies.

In her upcoming appearance on Logo's "A List: Dallas," the conservative pundit told gay Republican cast member Taylor Garrett that it was in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community's best interests to be pro-life as "liberal yuppies" will start aborting their unborn gay children once scientists discover a gene for homosexuality.

Why do people listen to her screed? It’s pure crap. And when you think about it, Coulter has the story wrong. If we are ever able to determine a baby’s sexual orientation through a genetic test, it won’t be liberals lining up at abortion clinics. That much seems obvious, right?

Technorati Tags: Ann Coulter,Gay Rights,Nutballs

We get dumber by degrees

2011-12-11T10:52:00.001-08:00

Michele Bachmann weighed in recently on the important subject of high school proms. Specifically, she talked about girls asking boys to the prom. And her answer was… Bachmann won’t allow her girls to ask boys. I think I’m justified I’m calling Bachmann anti-feminist… and dumb.

Bachmann believes only boys can ask girls to the prom, which could raise questions in some voters' minds about various diplomatic dances every president is expected to perform.

Source: Bachmann: Girls Don't Ask Boys to Prom

Oh, and nobody asker her to the prom.

Technorati Tags: Politics,Michele Bachmann

Steve Rosch and the Atheist Examiner

2011-12-11T10:41:00.001-08:00

An Atheist friend recently asked who I read in the atheist blogsphere. I had to admit that the list is small. One writer that I hit every weekend is Steve Rosch who writes a column for the Atheist Examiner. He gives me good ideas. His latest post covers a review of Jill McDevitt new book, Fighting the Crusade Against Sex: Being Sex-Positive in a Sex Negative World.

Jill McDevitt recounts her struggles against the Catholic Church, a conservative politician, and the pervasive taboos against sexuality in our society.
The book is in part a documentation of her fight and in part a memoir of her life leading up to that fight. The chapters alternate between McDevitt’s efforts and obstacles in opening up her store, Feminique Boutique, and her early years of love and lost love which compelled her toward that end.

Sounds fascinating, right? I find that Steve brings these types of stories to his readers on a regular basis. Plus he gives me gift ideas…

Technorati Tags: Atheism Resources,Atheism,Books

Network for Church Monitoring

2011-12-11T10:29:00.001-08:00

I’ve become a big fan of the Network for Church Monitoring. If you have not seen their work, I encourage you to visit their website or Facebook page.

Network for Church Monitoring is a progressive non-profit organization that seeks to bring together individuals from across the globe to call for improvements in scientific understanding, support of scientific inquiry and the use of empirical, scientifically supported evidence to shape policies and institutions.

I read it every day. Enjoy.

Technorati Tags: Atheism Resources

Don’t let your spare change support hate

2011-12-03T13:04:00.001-08:00

People look at me odd when I rail against the Salvation Army, but I know them to be anti-gay rights campaigners of a vein similar to the Catholic Church. They do not deserve our spare change. What we give may help feed the poor with one situation, but in another it may be put to work to deny basic human rights to gays and lesbians around the world. Screw the Salvation Army. There are better ways to help the needy.

Read this: The Salvation Army: Ringing anti-gay bells this holiday season by Jamie McGonnigal.

The article chronicles some of the Salvation Army’s overt anti-gay misdeeds. The Salvation Army does not deserve secular support. Do not give to the local storefront Santas. Give elsewhere, like Kiva, Goodwill, Doctors Without Borders, or better yet, donate to a local HIV/AIDS charity, like the Long Beach AIDS Foundation or C.A.R.E. Help people without hatred and bias. Put your spare change to work helping all people in need. Do not support hate. It’s bad for your nonexistent karma.

Technorati Tags: Hypocrisy,The Salvation Army

Know your enemy

2011-12-03T12:35:00.001-08:00

I’m sure you all heard about the Baptist church in Kentucky that barred interracial couples from membership. I was too busy to post when the story broke, but it festered in my head for days. Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church is a stain upon our nation and does not deserve continued patronage. They actually voted to bar interracial couples from becoming members of their church and participating in church services.The city should send a message. Revoke it’s tax exempt status. Re-zone the church out of business. Bulldoze the building and burn the remains. Forever bar the nine members who voted in favor of this travesty from becoming members of any other church. In fact, boycott their businesses, boycott the businesses of the people who employ them. Do whatever it takes to show these hypocrites that their intolerance is unacceptable, and do whatever it takes to make this right. The people are our enemies. Their prejudice is a disgrace to our nation, and their actions are inconsistent with Baptist theology and Christianity. They are frauds and deserve no respect, no consideration, and most importantly, no quarter. Jesus was a black man (or at least brown)… Remember?

Former pastor Melvin Thompson was the instigator. He won’t fess up to his own racism and hypocrisy.

"I am not racist. I will tell you that. I am not prejudiced against any race of people, have never in my lifetime spoke evil" about a race, Thompson said earlier this week in a brief interview. "That's what this is being portrayed as, but it is not."

Source: Gulnare Free Will Baptist Church In Kentucky Revisits Interracial Couple Ban After Uproar

No, pastor Melvin Thompson is no racist. He just introduced a measure that bars interracial couples from joining the church and participating in church services. I don’t see the problem here… Is it still legal to tar and feather liars?

Rage Against the Machine says it best:

Technorati Tags: Prejudice,Baptists,Hate

The pleasure of good company

2011-11-29T19:53:00.001-08:00

I had the pleasure of dining with fellow atheist and blogger Martin Williams. We met at Haven Gastropub in the City of Orange for a long of conversation on their heated patio. It was a warm and wonderful night full of great conversation and mediocre food.

Martin writes No 2 Religion. I consider him a comrade in arms.He reads what I write. I do the same for what he writes. We share similar political views, and I think we have the same laidback California temperament.

But I digress… the food was less than spectacular for such a high rated restaurant. I did not say the beer was bad though. What they offered on tap was refreshing. They should rename the restaurant to House of Salt & Suds.

I ordered their homemade potato chips to start. They were a greasy mess, and so salty I could barley taste the chips. I killed time while waiting for Martin by removing the salt from the chips. They were served with a garlic aioli that was neither garlic nor aioli. Frankly, it tasted like mayo. Oh well. Strike one.

Martin arrived late because of an epic car accident which actually made the local news. I killed time watching the locals and eating salty chips. Things were going well until the hipsters starting arriving. They came in pairs. There were lots of them. I’m not a fan of this inane cultural trend. Hipsters suck. Strike two – A restaurant packed full-o-hipsters will not attract foodies unless they are into watching pretentious kids.

Martin and I discussed all things atheism and almost everything else of shared interest; like photography. What struck me as odd was that the experience was not odd. I’m used to meeting very odd atheists. In almost all my past social interactions, I’ve been thwarted by nutballs. Be it the former Wicca now Goth couple hosting an OC event, the hater rantings of the backyard skeptics, or the sex cult nutball who, while dressed in white robes and walking stick, tried to convince me that he deserved worship and servitude. By contrast, Martin was normal, and a nice guy too. I genuinely enjoyed myself.

Back to the food and strike three. I ordered the lamb burger (onion jam, tzatziki, onion sprouts, rosemary brioche bun) – they forgot to mention salt in the ingredients. Oh my… the meat was a perfect medium-well, but the stuff that surrounded the burger tasted like it was rolled in sea salt. I ate the thing, but it did not satisfy. I prefer the lamb sandwich from the Lime Truck. For those of you in Waco – we have trucks that serve gourmet food here in SoCal… I’m just saying.

What I took away from my experience with Martin is that I need to try stepping out of my protective shell more often. I must open myself to meeting more of my readers, and more of the local community of atheists. It can’t be all bad (it has been up to this point). I’ve even offered to speak at his atheist meetup group the next time I’m up on the central coast.

Where Haven Gastropub really let me down was dessert. I tried their bacon ice cream. I was ready for a foodgasm. Instead I needed water to clear my palate. No bacon. No bacon flavor, and no beer flavor in the brownie it was sitting on. There was no flavor at all really. Just salt. More salt than I’ve ever had on anything. It was horrible.

The final insult was the bill. Haven Gastropub is horribly overpriced. I’m going to call it 30% above what I would be willing to pay elseware. What can I say… I did not like the place. On the other hand, I feel like I’ve made a new friend in Martin. So, the night goes down in my book as a win. Thanks Martin.

Technorati Tags: Reviews,Atheism

The very definition of Christian hypocrisy

2011-11-27T15:11:00.001-08:00

Found via Reddit. Source: gMerrill

What do you call a man who is a Christian, a Mormon Sunday school teacher, and a lawyer? Most people would use a phrase like, ‘pillar of society’, or a ‘good role model’. When you add that he’s opinionated, and finds the OWS movement evil, you might have second thoughts though.

Ryan D. Whitaker via Facebook
Which laws do you occupy people support breaking in support of your cause? Rape? Molestation? Theft? Assault? Vandalism? What?? Why do you think you represent the hope of the future? You represent the most filthy, uncivilized, disorderly, stupid, gullible, and ugly side of society. You are NOT the 99%! You occupy your own separate little 1% somewhere in the hinterlands outside of decent, respectable, and honorable society. We could flush the public toilet, get rid of the lot of you, and the rest of society would not miss a beat.

He’s established himself as a opinionated hater, so his pillar of society image is a little tarnished. But wait, it get better. Whitaker was arrested for the alleged molestation of a young girl in his Sunday school class. The girl, a Mormon, and her parents, went to their Bishop with complaints of abuse. The Bishop did the right thing and brought it to police.

A witness told sheriff’s investigators that he noticed Whitaker paid special attention to the girl. Whitaker declined to make a statement, according to the affidavit.
Source: Vancouver attorney accused of abusing girl in Sunday school by Laura McVicker

Whitaker quickly goes from a pillar of society to a reprobate. He can’t even pay for his own legal defense. We have in Ryan D. Whitaker the perfect example of a Christian hypocrite. He projects a an image consistent with his religious values, but allegedly lives a life a depravity (when he can get away with it). This story repeats itself every week. It’s like a broken record.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Mormons,LDS,Child Molestation

Another example of Christian love

2011-11-27T14:23:00.001-08:00

Found via Reddit

A vocal Atheist had his car vandalized with the words Jesus, God, and a crudely painted penis. Can’t you just feel the Christian love?

Technorati Tags: Christian Extremism,Hate,Vandalism

Are you an angry atheist?

2011-11-27T10:03:00.001-08:00

I don't know any angry atheists. I'm not. I'm normally a pretty mellow guy as are my atheist friends. But I do get angry with religion on occasion. I think it's best summed up for me as I'm tired of having religion and religious people stick a a big nasty finger in my eye. I respond through writing and activism. There are over 5,000 posts on this blog. Most are manifestations of my simple form of anger.

And… I love Gretta Christina. She tops the list of atheists I want to meet.

Technorati Tags: Atheism

Youth pastor Sammy Nuckolls arrested

2011-11-26T14:24:00.001-08:00

I waited before posting this story. It seemed off to me. It looks like I was wrong. Youth pastor and traveling evangelist Sammy Nuckolls was arrested for video voyeurism.

Sammy Nuckolls was first charged in Gosnell, Arkansas. Then he was charged in his hometown of Olive Branch, Mississippi. Thursday, the police department in a second Arkansas town said charges are pending.
Nuckolls was initially charged last week while preaching at a revival at Gosnell Baptist Church. A church member told investigators she was about to take a shower when she spotted the pen camera poking out of a shaving kit Nuckolls had left in the bathroom.

I wonder how the alleged victim felt when she discovered a camera position to watch her take a shower? She trusted Nuckolls enough to bring him into her home. Was it because he was a pastor our preaching the word? I’m sure she’s rethinking the concept of unearned trust. A person is not automatically good because they are a pastor. I’d think Christians would get that by now.

Who can you trust?

Technorati Tags: Clergy Misconduct,Voyeruerism

Two new books I won’t read

2011-11-26T11:26:00.001-08:00

I hate to say it, but I’m becoming more and more discriminating with my non-fiction reading choices. Two Christian new books will not make the cut.

In God I Trust by Brady Shackelford. The press release states that Shackelford came to Jesus via a mystical experience. I call bullshit.

In the memoir, Shackelford recounts God's message: "Night turned suddenly into day, and ... clouds rolled in from both sides of me at lightning speed. ... a booming voice spoke out from the clouds. It said, '...Things will turn out well for you. However, early in your life, things are going to happen to you that are going to hurt you deeply. Learn from them, and they will turn you into the man that you are going to become.
Source: New Memoir 'In God I Trust.' Relates One Man's Special Experiences with the Divine

I think I can safely write this one off as self-important pap. Shackelford also inhabits the nutball fringe of Libertarianism. That’s the people who simultaneously espouse the libertarian principles while at the same time pushing evangelical Christian themes. Kind of like Ron Paul with his stance on evolution, Roe v. Wade, and his bizarre stance on gay marriage.

The Darwinian Delusion by Michael Ebifegha. By first clue that this book is not worth my time is the title. Anyone who reads The God Delusion and counters with an attack on evolution, did not read the book. The next clue is the re-definition of the terms microevolution and macroevolution.

The author extensively researched the subject matter for this book over the course of three years. In particular, Ebifegha is critical about the use of ambiguous terms such as microevolution and macroevolution and proposes new terminologies that lead to correct interpretation of the scientific evidence…
Source: Darwinism Is a Delusion, According to New Book

Oh hell. This is a clear case of another nutball writing a book. Ebifegha is a self-published nutter paying for his own press releases and pushing an overt and crazy agenda. Read Self-Published Genius #13: Vanity Reviewed! for more hilarious information.

Technorati Tags: Book Reviews,Nutballs

Youth pastor Brent Girouex convicted

2011-11-26T10:15:00.001-08:00

Youth pastor Brent Girouex, profiled here, of Victory Fellowship Church of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was convicted to one count of third-degree sexual abuse. He also entered an Alford plea to two counts of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist. He faces 17 years in prison.

Girouex abused several boys from his youth group. When he was originally arrested, the story was tried to molest that gayness out of the boys under his care. He prayed to removed gay temptation while molesting the boys. How screwed up is that?

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation

Anointed with death

2011-11-25T15:12:00.001-08:00

Synagogue Church of All Nations offers a 100% guaranteed cure for AIDS via prayer and the the use of special ‘anointing water’. All you have to do is have faith. You can demonstrate your faith by stopping the use of your AIDS treatment medication. Sounds like a deal, right? Well… not so much really. Bodies are hitting the floor.

Rachel Holmes, one of the pastors, told a reporter that if symptoms persist it is simply HIV leaving the body.
'We have many people that contract HIV. All are healed,' she told Sky News.
'We've had people come back before saying, "Oh I'm not healed. The diarrhoea I had when I had HIV, I've got it again".
'I have to stop them and say, "No, please, you are free".'

Read more: 'We cure HIV with anointing water': Six die after churches tell sufferers they don't need medicine

God answer all prayers. In the case of people with AIDS who show they have faith, God answers their prayers with death. It’s an answer. Right?

A found this story via Reddit (direct url)

Technorati Tags: Abuse of Religion,Religious Fraud,AIDS

A pastor’s daughter speaks

2011-11-25T07:53:00.001-08:00

Pastor Phillip Joubert, profiled here, stands accused of multiple counts of child molestation and related crimes. Including molestation charges stemming from the alleged rape of his own 13 –year-old daughter. She testified against her father in court earlier this week.

Joubert’s daughter said she and her twin brother spent most of that summer away from their Norwalk, Conn., home while they stayed with their father in Bayside to attend Bible camp.
During that time, she said, her father would walk in on her as she showered and touch her inappropriately. One night some time between July 25 and Aug. 2, she testified, Joubert came into her third-floor bedroom as she laid asleep on the bottom bunk of her bed. She said her father climbed on top of her, held her wrists down and struck her several times, then pulled her clothes down and raped her.
Source: Daughter says she was raped by pastor dad

Despite the pointed and angry emails and comments I receive on this case, I am confident that Joubert is heading for prison. His daughter’s testimony was damming. This man of God is going to prison for a long time,

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation

My vote for worst Libertarian website

2011-11-23T13:27:00.001-08:00

It’s been interesting watching a once energetic California Libertarian movement give up and die these last two years. The State level organization is a mess, and local county chapters seem to have all but given up. I’ve started a small project to capture the worst of the worst when it comes to Libertarian party websites that, through bad design, actually drives people away. I think I’ve found the worst.

Region 67, East San Gabriel Valley. Ouch, it makes my eyes hurt.

My guess is that some 70-year-old retiree built this a long time ago and actually thinks it somehow helps to spread the Libertarian message. I can’t get past the Blue on something like blue background (with red highlighted letters no less). It looks like it’s made by a child.

Do you you have an example of an embarrassing Libertarian website? If so, submit it in the comments. An don’t bother submitting the Libertarian Party of California. We all know that sucks.

Technorati Tags: Libertarians,Libertarianism

I get comments

2011-11-23T10:48:00.001-08:00

I get lots of comments on my clergy sexual abuse posts which make me scratch my head, but a few just piss me off. Like this one from an anonymous poster on a post about pastor Matthias Anderson.

Anonymous posted at 9:17 pm on 11/22/11
First and Foremost. Many of those who have left some of the most ignorant comments that alleged civilized people can leave,assume nothing! There are people who are wrong and down right evil. The mother and child were in the womans shelter due to drug and alcohol abuse. We've seen the track marks. We all listened to the stories. We applauded when the certificate of completion from the shelter stating a state of sobriety. We were there when the mother and child were helped so much. We were all there when a line was crossed trying to seduce a husband from a wife. WE ALL KNOW THE TRUTH. For all others know the full story before passing judgement. The mother is wrong, evil, and two faced because she was denied, and put out there.

This anonymous nutball alleges that a spurned and vengeful mother fabricated allegations that pastor Matthias Anderson molested her 12-year-old daughter because she herself was spurned by the pastor. I’ve seen this before; several times in fact. The story goes that an evil woman acting as an agent of Satan tries to subvert the morality of her pastor through the evils of sex. She’s spurned and strikes out with sexual abuse allegations. The pastor is cast out of his church and does prison time for a crime he did not commit. This narrative generates sympathy and support within the church. The problem is that it is a fictionalize narrative. It’s a concoction meant to explain away the abuse by substituting a different version of reality. it’s mean to be confuse and befuddle the idiots who suck at Anderson’s teat.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Nutballs

Photo - what passes for a river

2011-11-22T16:45:00.001-08:00

I shot this HDR black and white photo this morning. It was my self directed photo assignment for the day. Unfortunately, I was hassled by the police for no reason at all, so this photo took a one hour investment instead of the 10 minutes I had budget. I missed another urban ugly shot because the sun had risen too high. I’ll take it early tomorrow.

What matters here (to me anyway), is this shot was on my list. It felt good to finally cross it off. It’s still on my list for a winter sunset photo, and again for a shot standing down in the water in the channel (I’ll figure that out somehow).

Photo Notes: Shot with a Nikon D7300 with a Nikkor 18 to 200mm lens. It’s a handheld three shot bracket. ISO 200. Location: La Mirada near the 5 freeway.

Technorati Tags: Photography,HDR

Youth pastor Daniel Ledford guilty

2011-11-22T16:12:00.001-08:00

Youth pastor Daniel Ladford pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of sexual conduct with a minor. He had been charged with 15 counts. The judge sentenced him to a year in jail. There is no word as to if he will have to register as a sex offender.

Ladford’s victim was a 16-year-old girl. He is 28.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse

The real Christian Trinity

2011-11-22T15:56:00.001-08:00

I shot this while out driving today and did a double-take. I found the real Christian Trinity. A gun, brass knuckles, and a cross. Wow.

I apologize for the poor quality of the photo. I shot through my windshield when the truck drove past me a traffic light. the full image is shown below.

I wonder what message the driver is trying to deliver to those behind him?

Technorati Tags: Christians,Stickers,Religion

Who watches the watchers?

2011-11-22T15:44:00.001-08:00

When it comes to clergy sexual abuse and the Catholic church, I trust nothing. True, I am jaded by my experience. I’ve tracked clergy sexual abuse for 5 years now, and just when I think it can get no worse, a man charged with safeguarding catholic churches from sexual abuse has been convicted on internet pedophile charges.

A Catholic Church child safety co-ordinator who was in charge of investigating sexual abuse allegations was jailed for 12 months today for internet peadophile offences.
Christopher Jarvis, 49, a married father-of-four, investigated historic claims of child abuse, interviewing the victims when they were adults.
Read more: Roman Catholic church's paedophile investigator jailed for possessing thousands of child porn images

When they arrested Jarvis, he had 4,000 pornographic images, some of boys aged 10-12. I had no idea there was any kind of rating scale for child porn. But there must be… yuck.

But there were 120 at Level Four, which includes scenes of child rape, and 12 at Level Five, which can include scenes of torture and sadism.

He is an idea. Perhaps the Catholic church should outsource child molestation investigations to the proper authorities? This guy did company damage control. He protected no one.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Porn,Catholics

Every photo has a story

2011-11-22T09:34:00.001-08:00

I’m on my own this morning. No wife. No kids. It’s just me and my camera out for a quick breakfast. I was walking across the parking lot when I stopped to stare at the light reflecting off of a directional arrow. I pulled out my camera and stalked around a bit trying to find the composition I wanted. I was shooting with a 50mm lens, so my options were limited. I took the shot and moved on as a man called out, I’m ready for my photo.” I looked up to see a bread delivery driver walking towards me with a smile. He joked, “I even fixed my hair.” He was bald. I told him that I like to shoot things more than people. He laughed and told me that things are easier to get along with. I agreed. We parted ways with a handshake.

20 feet later I stopped for a quick photo of a rose. An old lady asked me what I was doing… 10 minutes later I took a photo of my breakfast. It was a beautiful cheesy mess. The old man sitting in the next booth asked me what I was doing… and so it goes.

By the way - I had to send my breakfast back. I ordered no cheese, but it was delivered floating in it. Oh to be 16 again.

Photo Notes: Shot with a Nikon D7000 with a 50mm lens. 1/60 at f16. ISO 200. Location: Paul’s Place in Buena Park.

Technorati Tags: Photography,People

Those girls are liars!

2011-11-21T14:16:00.001-08:00

In an all too common defense, pastor Tommy Gene Daniels used the pedophile classic, ‘those girls are liars’ defense in this molestation case. I’m pretty sure he’s screwed.

Urquiza's testimony attacked the heart of the defense case. In his opening statement, Chastaine told jurors the prosecution of his client is largely based on the untruthful testimony of four of the five alleged victims. He suggested in his questioning of the four that they lied about the abuse and that the notion they had been sexually molested had been planted in their heads by another psychotherapist. He directly accused one of the girls of lying in his cross-examination of her.
Read more: Prosecution rests in pastor's sexual molestation trial

Fortunately, a prosecution expert witness testified that the rate of false accusations is someplace around 1%. The case is with the jury now. I’m betting on a conviction.

I profiled Baptist pastor Tommy Daniels back in February. At the time the story was the Daniels molested girls in his home run daycare center and girls in foster care, also at his home. Daniels is the pastor at First Baptist Church of Rio Linda.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Baptists

Youth pastor John H. Brothers Jr., arrested

2011-11-20T22:22:00.001-08:00

Another Baptist youth pastor has been arrested for the molesting children. In this case, John H. Brothers Jr;. is charged with first-degree sexual abuse involving allegations that he sexually abused two children from his youth group. He’s being held pending a bail hearing.

His former church, Hyland Baptist, is cooperating with authorities and actually encouraged one victim to file a complaint with the police. Of course, the church website does not mention the case.

There is not much more to go on yet. I’ll refresh the case when I can.

It seems I was mistaken about the attitude of Hyland Baptist. They are focused on ‘moving on’, rather than on cooperating and getting to the root of their failure to protect their own kids.

Church members were brief in talking about the alleged abuse saying how shocking the news is but more importantly they say the church must continue to move forward. Via Frank Chandler, Deacon Chairman at Hyland Baptist Church.

Source: Henderson Pastor Accused of Sexual Abuse

This response is typical in clergy sex abuse cases. The church is moving on to do the good work of Jesus without realizing that the alleged crimes of their youth pastor are an indictment of the management of their church. In there eyes it is much better to carry on with the public face of the church unblemished by the controversy. We call it, ‘sweeping it under the rug.’

Update 11/21/2011 – Included photo and last two paragraphs.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Baptists

iPhone photo - rain and a meal

2011-11-20T22:03:00.000-08:00

I shot this with my iPhone 4s while sitting in my truck in the rain. I was the driver... my wife jumped in to pick up some of the best chicken in the O.C. The iPhone has this neat feature that lets you set your exposure by pressing with your finger until a blue square flashes. It takes the exposure reading from that area. You can then move the camera around to frame your shot. It makes for some interesting shots.

The National Geographic Photo Contest 2011

2011-11-20T22:01:00.001-08:00

It’s that time of the year again. The Big Picture is hosting the winners from the annual National Geographic Photo Contest for 2011. My favorite is number #54. Yours?

I also like #31 from the photo essay on the flood in Bangkok, Thailand.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Nat Geo,Photo Contests

Funny the way it is

2011-11-20T20:08:00.001-08:00

I live in my head. We all do. I know this, but it has become clear to me that I do so in ways other people do not. Take music videos. I don’t want to watch them. I prefer the song in my ear and the imagery in my head. I’ve never seen Dave Matthews Band’s video for their outstanding song, ‘funny the way it is’ before tonight. I would not have ever watched it if it had not been for my son Mike. He asked about the meaning of song this morning. He had seen the video. So it got me thinking about the song again. After a few hundred renditions of the lyrics, I was ready to answer his question. But the moment (and the hours) had passed.

Funny the way it is, if you think about it Somebody’s going hungry and someone else is eating out Funny the way it is, not right or wrong Somebody’s heart is broken and it becomes your favorite song
Read more: FUNNY THE WAY IT IS LYRICS

I have the lyrics memorized. When I sing it to myself, what I see in my mind is completely different from the silly video produced for the song. I think my disconnect is that a serious song (I think of this one a serious song) deserves better imagery, not trite pap.

I do the the song though…

Technorati Tags: Music,Music Videos

iPhone photo - industrial sunrise

2011-11-20T19:48:00.000-08:00

What can you shoot now? It was a question posed on a photography podcast that intrigued me. I was listening to a podcast (and music at the same time), while eating a quick breakfast in my car. I was deeply into my own thoughts thinking about how many sunrises I've watched (There was one on the 4th of July in 1980 that was epic), when I realized I had rarely shot one. I tend to watch and think instead of watch and shoot. So at the prompting of the podcast, I pickted up my iPhone 4s and shot the photo above. Then, I pulled out my Nikon and shot the photo below. The photos are a minute or so apart.

I would have watched the sunrise without ever lifting a camera. It's one of those things I do that I don't understand. I did the same thing today at a party. I watched what was going on without lifting my camera. I enjoyed thinking about what was going on so much that it never occurred to me that I should shoot a few photos. I snapped out of it before the end, but I missed a few iconic family moments.

Unhate Campaign. I can’t stop watching this

2011-11-20T19:46:00.001-08:00

I found this via the atheist mafia on Facebook (yes, I love all of you). I can’t stop watching it. There is something about love that is infections. Unfortunately, some of the image used by the Unhate Campaign features the Pope kissing Ahmed Mohamed el Tayeb. The Vatican is pissed and wants to sue. Screw the Vatican. This needs to happen.

The Pope photo is not even my favorite. I love Obama kissing Hugo Chavez. Of course, I would have picked Obama kissing John Boehner. That would have been epic.

The Unhate Campaign is run by the UNHATE Foundation, which was founded by the Bennetton Group. They make clothing. Good for them.

Technorati Tags: Unhate,Bennetton,The Pope,Love

iPhone photo - abstract line pattern

2011-11-20T19:10:00.000-08:00

I found myself wandering in Lowe's recently. I don't shop. I look at colors and shapes and things. I shoot too. I always shoot. I've had this concentration problem since I was a child. I lose myself in my head mind and time slips by like it's counted in hours instead of seconds. I looked down and saw the pattern, then looked up to find that 10 minutes had slipped by. I had even ignored a clerk who was hovering around trying to help me. The conversation was weird. I muttered something about me wife and slipped away. I think I have the opposite of ADD or some such. I'm sure there is some combination of letters that explains how I get lost in my mind. I away come out of it with a photo though. So screw treatment.

A Baptist sex abuse scandal

2011-11-20T19:02:00.001-08:00

A Baptist pastor, a Baptist school principal, the schools athletic director and a teacher have all been arrested in a child sex abuse case. The details are disturbing. Apparently, pastor Franklin “Wayne” Knight was notified on three different occasions that one of his female teachers was having sex with a 15-year-old boy. Knight, who is also the former superintendent of Hilltop Baptist School, failed to report the crime. A grand jury indicted Knight on charges of failure to report child abuse or neglect and accessory to a crime.

Can you guess why nothing happened? The alleged child molester, Terah Allyn Rawlings, in the niece of pastor Knight. Apparently, HIlltop Baptist church and its school are a family run business. Knight even fired two teachers who went to authorities with the abuse allegations. The nepotism is appalling. and so is the hypocrisy.

The abuse was reported to the athletic director Raymond Knight. You guessed it. Raymond is Rawlings father and presumably pastor Knights brother.

The indictment said Knight discouraged witnesses from coming forward. It states he displayed a consistent pattern to manipulate and control the situation. He reportedly told church members who questioned him about the allegations, "If you persist with this, your relationship with the church will be damaged."

Source: Teacher, Pastors, Former Principal Arrested In Sex Assault Case

What surprises me most about this type of story is that I do not hear of more cases. I call these types of operations FBC, ‘Family Business Churches”. If you are outside the family, you cannot win. The family holds all the cards. If you are a teacher, you are fired. If you a congregant, you are expelled. It’s a scam.

The police brought the Grand Jury in to investigate because people, including the victim, were not cooperation. I’m happy to see this move. The church and school did it’s best to sweep this under the rug. It’s time for our secular government to hold these hypocrites to a higher standard because it’s obvious that they cannot hold themselves to their own biblical standard.

For the record

Church involved: Hilltop Baptist Church in Colorado Springs
School involved: Hilltop Baptist School (website down)
Pastor indicted: Franklin “Wayne” Knight - failure to report child abuse or neglect and accessory to a crime
Associate pastor indicted: Raymond Knight – failure to report child abuse or neglect
Principle indicted: Jan Ocvirk - failure to report child abuse or neglect and accessory to a crime
Teacher indicted: Terah Allyn Rawlings – eight counts of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust and obscenity-promotion

I hope the parents of children attending HIlltop Baptist school are doing the right thing and pulling there kids from the school.

Something in my wants to rant... I’m perplexed by the thinking here. It cannot be driven by their faith. Nothing about this crime speaks to life as a Christian. It’s all about money driven self-interest and control. Where is your god in this? What glory do you bring to god by hiding the abuse of a child?

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Baptist,Hypocrisy

Photo tip - diy camera stabilizer

2011-11-20T18:13:00.001-08:00

It’s funny, the things that bring back old memories. They come out of the blue. This video, sent to me by a tipster named Spritegn, reminded me of my very first days with a camera. That was way back in the the mid 70s. My teacher, Mr. Montgomery, taught me to hold a camera steady by taping a pen light to the bottom of lens. I had me keep the light in a circle on the wall about 10 feet away. It would have been easy except for the big piece of glass hanging off the front of the camera. I shook so bad that the circle looked like it was illuminated by a strobe light. To fix my shake, Mr. Montgomery hung a weight off the bottom of the camera. It was exactly like what is shown in the video.

I had not thought about this in years. Mr. Montgomery was an ass. He went on to fail me photography because I would not play football for him. I was not my proudest moment…

Technorati Tags: Photography,Photography hacks,DYI

Photo - we bad

2011-11-19T11:01:00.001-08:00

I’m sure taking photos while I’m driving is a crime, but I can’t resist. People but odd stuff on the vehicles, I must shoot. I’m further compelled when I can capture some of the urban ugliness that makes up most of Los Angeles.

I shot this with my Nikon D7000 and a new AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED. I was testing the ‘active mode’ of the lens’ Vibration Reduction technology. It is supposed to reduce the blur associated with shooting while driving. I shot this at 1/60 while doing about 30mph (with one hand no less). I think the VR technology works just fine.

The lens runs about $585 and is an upgrade over the AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4-5.6G ($179), which I had and beat to death over the last couple of seasons.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Nikon,Nikkor,Lens

Youth worker Christopher Cormack convicted

2011-11-19T10:31:00.001-08:00

Christopher Cormack was a youth ministry at a Lawrence, Kansas church where he molested a 13-year-old girl in his youth group. He was convicted for the crimes in 2008 but was granted a new trial over faulty jury instructions. He pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of indecent liberties with a child.

The down side is that Cormack is essentially a free man. Granted, he will carry the stigma of a being a register sex offender, but he raped a 13-year-old girl. I think a long stretch in prison is a better alternative.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation

The Lens Wipe podcast

2011-11-17T20:24:00.001-08:00

I started listening to a podcast called Lens Wipe a few days ago. If you like photography and are into your kit, trade, and techniques, these guys are for you. Check them out on iTunes. Fair warning: The use the seven dirty on occasion.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Podcasts

Photo - donut ugly

2011-11-17T18:41:00.001-08:00

I picked up AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm lens yesterday. I took this photo of urban ugliness while breaking the lens in. I’m very happy with the Nikon’s vibration reduction technology. I was able to flip it over active and shoot from a moving truck (very slowly moving) and still got some good shots.

The donuts are outstanding. They are served with love by a group of Vietnamese woman who cannot possibly be over five feet tall. They take good care of their customers.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Donuts

April Rain by Langston Hughes

2011-11-12T09:41:00.001-08:00

It’s raining here in Los Angeles today. I normally play disc golf at sunrise on the weekend. Not today. I stayed in bed late and then opened a book of poetry by Langston Hughes. I selected this short poem for my reading today.

Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.

It feels right.

You can read more poetry by Langston Hughes at Poets.org.

Technorati Tags: Poetry

Close encounter of the Christian type

2011-11-12T09:31:00.001-08:00

If I wrote about every overtly Christian encounter I have, there would be no other posts on this blog. Encounters happen everyday in one form or another. It’s the overt encounters that get under my skin.

I had breakfast with my boss yesterday. He ran out at the end of the meal to catch a meeting. I stayed behind to enjoy a last cup of coffee. While sitting alone with my thoughts, two men sat down at a table on my right. They both greeted me and then started talking to me like I was a long lost friend. The conversation turned towards work. One of the men was an out of work quality inspector and could use help finding a job. I agree to give him my business card and help him get in touch with my company’s HR department. It’s a small good deed and something I am willing to do for anybody.

He agrees to follow me to my truck so I can give him my business card. While I’m fishing it out of my briefcase he starts in with his Christian rant.

“I never would have survived this period of unemployment without my church.”

I smile and make non-committal noises.

“They prayed over me. I’m sure it lead me to you.”

I get this bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“Would you mind if we prayed here now?”

My response was typical for these types of situations. “I would rather not.”

He responds as if I hurt him, “Why? I just want to thank Jesus for bringing us together and presenting this opportunity.”

I tell him it would be best if he prayed on his own. He gets tears in his eyes, “But I just want to share my joy.”

Oh boy… I’m in a Denny’s parking lot with a 6’4” man tearing up over his faith. Why does this happen to me?

Another man walks by. He asks, “Is something wrong here?”

The man seeking a job explains what is going on. The new guy offers to pray with him. I take the opportunity to jump in my truck and leave as quietly as possible. Two grown men are standing in a parking lot with their right hands on each other’s shoulders. Both are deep in a public prayer. I don’t get it. I’m in no mood for a debate and my atheism is none of their business. Why is it assumed that we are all Christians?

Technorati Tags: Christians,Prayer,Proselytizing

A poem a day keeps Joe from going insane

2011-11-09T22:17:00.001-08:00

I love poetry. I consume it like all works of beauty. Slowly. I’ll take a day to savor it. To mull over it. To read it aloud and hear it echo off wall of my office. I’ll consume it one delicious word at a time and smile.

Today’s poem: Darkness by Lord Byron

I had a dream, which was not all a dream.
The bright sun was extinguish'd, and the stars
Did wander darkling in the eternal space,
Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth
Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air;
Morn came and went—and came, and brought no day,
And men forgot their passions in the dread
Of this their desolation; and all hearts
Were chill'd into a selfish prayer for light:

Read the rest.

I did not come to poetry until 5 years ago. I don’t know why I excluded it from my reading. Now I cannot go a day without reading one. How odd is that? The people I grew up with would not believe it.

Technorati Tags: Poetry

The monster worshiping among you

2011-11-09T21:53:00.001-08:00

I say “you” because… well, the truth is I’m an Atheist. I don’t worship anyone or anything. That being said, I still detest liars and those who prey on our children. I think Christian poser Louis “Skip” ReVille qualifies as somebody deserving of my scorn and your attention. So, here it goes.

ReVille allegedly used his position as a the leader of a bible study, teacher, and coach to gain access to young boys and allegedly molest them. ReVille’s abuse spanned years. and included many boys. He rapped himself in the morality of Christianity. He used it as a disguise to hide his true intentions. He prey on his fellow Christian’s children. The parents set the table for him.

But just how did he keep his sexual advances secret in a region well-versed in the threat of molestation? The area has seen a string of coaches, teachers, ministers and priests charged with similar crimes, including infamous predator Eddie Fischer, who molested more than 40 students during his teaching career. Charleston also is home to Darkness to Light, a national group that has trained some 300,000 people in ways to prevent child sexual abuse.

Source: Child molester: A community comes to grips with the monster who lurked in its midst

It is behaviors that are the primary indicators of a man’s proclivity for abusing children. Let’s look at ReVille’s behaviors. Are they those of normal adult?

He position himself to be close to children in every aspect of his life.
He chose to spend as much of his time as possible with boys.
He created situations where he can be alone with boys.
He brought boys on overnight trips.
He sponsored lock down sleep overs.
He gave kids rides to and from events.
He acted as a baby sitter.
He acted as a foster parent.
He hosted small group bible studies

Where is the warning sign? If you take his behaviors as a group and add his lack of normal adult interactions, you start to see the problem. When you add in how often he was passed from job to job, the problem comes into focus. Employers were playing pass he trash. They let his oddness slide. What they were actually doing was allowing him to continued access to children.

His arrest was a beautiful thing…

ReVille admitted to the allegations when confronted by police on Oct. 28, affidavits stated. He was arrested the same day, shortly after attending special training to help teachers and administrators prevent child sexual abuse.

Justice is a bitch. Public shaming is part of the process.

Hat Tip: Maximus Aurelius

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molesters,Christians

Clergy Sexual Abuse, Child Molesters, Christians

Serendipity is dark and wonderful

2011-11-09T21:05:00.001-08:00

I found this by accident. It’s titled Blow by Yuki Nakano and It’s housed at the Library of Congress.

I don’t which I like better, poetry or visual arts I guess it depends on my mood. My mood is dark and gloomy today. I spend 5 hours driving the freeways of Los Angeles today. Plus, a disappointing experience at work prompted me to consider finding a new job. So, dark and gloomy means I’m leaning towards the visual arts today. I feel better.

(Does anyone need a kickass technical project manager?)

Technorati Tags: Deep Thoughts,Art

Odd bits from my week and a dive into the past

2011-11-08T21:12:00.001-08:00

I saw police arresting two men holding 10 foot tall wooden cross on a bridge spanning the 91 freeway near my home. The crosses were emblazoned with words REPENT is red letters. The police had these traffic stopping nutballs up against a chain-link fence. I cheered silently.

I was stopped in traffic today. There was a small accident blocking traffic. The car in front of me was honking vigorously. I noticed a large cross hanging from her mirror. A Christian fish on her bumper, and a sticker advertising a Christian festival. She flipped me off when I drove past.

I stopped for gas in an odd spot near Newbury Park. A man tried to talk to me about god. Not the Christian god mind you, but the Muslim version. I happen to walk in on him while he was reading the Koran. He shared a few verses with me. He was old and friendly. We shared a cup of coffee together before I moved on.

I drove by a man walking on the guardrail of a bridge over the same 91 freeway I mentioned above. Once slip and he would die a horrible death on the pavement below. I drove slowly passed while calling 911. The operator asked if I thought the man was going to kill himself and a bunch of other questions. While I was talking another car pulled up and said, ‘Maybe we should pray for him.”

I spoke to he executive pastor of a church going through a sexual abuse scandal. He told me that this crisis was causing him to question his faith. Not in god though, that will never waiver he assured me, but in people. When I told him that trust is something that should be earned and never given freely, he told my attitude was unchristian. I reminded him that people do things and sometimes they do very bad things. God has nothing to do with it. He claimed God guides everything for a purpose, but he could not see the purpose in the rape of young girl. I waited… he has my number.

I spoke to a victim of clergy sexual abuse.She wanted to know my story. What I told her is that as a youth, my church choir toured California and Arizona. On the tour 4 of my friends were molested by the choir director. I was not touched. My theory is that even as a boy of 16, at 6’2”, I was to man-sized to fit the profile for abuse. One of my friends, one of the abused kids, killed himself a few years later. I did not find why until 8 years ago when contacted by lawyers looking into the abuse. It was like light clicked on in my head. I remembered why I quit singing. The victim had been thinking about killing herself, she decided to get counseling instead. She also made the calls necessary to report the crime.

Life is interesting. Religion is pervasive. I’m an out Atheist, so it feels like I’m an island in a sea of believers. I talk to pastors every week. The same goes for victims of sexual abuse. I can’t escape this role I’ve created for myself. It is not what I intended, and it brings me in close contact with religion every week. I’m not sure I like that.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Life,Deep Thoughts

Youth pastor Michael Lenzini arrested

2011-11-08T20:14:00.001-08:00

Youth pastor Michael Brandon Lenzini, 34, was arrested for allegedly molesting a young girl from his youth group at Crossroads Church in Alma.

Investigators say they received a report from the state’s child abuse hotline that Lenzini engaged in sexual acts with a young girl from the youth group.

Source: Crawford County Youth Pastor Arrested for Sexual Assault

The police do not know if there are other victims.

It’s an epidemic. Youth groups are a smorgasbord for unscrupulous pastors.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation

Pastor Matthias Anderson arrested

2011-11-06T13:12:00.001-08:00

41-year-old Matthias Anderson of New Wine Ministries Church in Oceanside, CA., stands accused of molesting a girl under the age of 14 (the victim was 12). There may be other victims.

"The sexual relationship ... occurred multiple times in both Riverside and San Diego counties," Gomez alleged.
Anderson, who lives in Hemet, allegedly would pick the girl up at her home and take her to another location to have sex with her, the sergeant said.
Source: Pastor arrested for alleged sex acts with preteen girl

A comment caught my eye.

by hello!!
I give my sympathies to the family but I must admit, I feel it is partially the parents' fault this (may have) happened. If it were my daughter, I would not let her go off with a pastor alone for any reason. There just aren't any good reasons for it. The only reason I could think of a pastor coming to my home to pick up my child would be for a large church group outing or christian summer camp. In which, parents are most often required to drop the child off at the church where everyone is required to meet to be able to go, not the paster or a church authority member to pick them up from home. I hope for the girl's sake that they are wrong accusations and it is not something she will have to live with for the rest of her life.

Hello!! is correct. Parents beware. There is never a reason to turn you daughters over to a pastor.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Child Molestation

The prosperity gospel corrupts another church

2011-11-06T12:56:00.001-08:00

Pastor Michael Wilkerson was arrested for allegedly bilking his modest church (and its members) out millions of dollars. Wilkerson kept a Escalade and a Lexus in the garage of his 1.7 million dollar home while his parishioners allegedly wrote checks to him as part of a get-rich-quick real estate investment scheme. Apparently Wilkerson mixed the prosperity gospel with calls for collective investment from the pulpit. The only people to make money were Wilkerson, his wife and two cronies.

God wants you to be rich. Just give me your money and I will return it to you 20 fold…. Are people idiots?

I learned a new term from this article: Affinity Fraud.

A 2006 study by the North American Securities Administrators Association estimated that losses from religion-based affinity fraud had reached $2 billion. Those rip-offs have only become more common since, said Ole Anthony, who helms the Dallas-based Trinity Foundation, a watchdog group that investigates the financial misdeeds of religious figures.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Abuse,Prosperity Gospel

Youth pastor Chad Foster arrested

2011-11-06T12:36:00.001-08:00

Youth pastor Chad Foster was arrested for the sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl in his youth group. Foster allegedly had sex with the girl a dozen times.

The girl met Chad Foster, 32, last summer while he was serving as a youth pastor at the Community of Faith Church on Becker Road in Cypress. The relationship turned sexual in July when the girl visited Foster at his home, the girl told a Harris County Sheriff's deputy. Court documents show that the two communicated frequently through texts.
Source: Cypress youth pastor accused of sexual assault of a minor

On the upside, when adults leaned of the abuse, they reported it to the police. On of the people the victim talked to was a pastor. Good for him.
Foster was the youth pastor at Community of Faith Church in Cypress, TX. There is no news of the arrest on the church website.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Child Molestation

Photo - a sad trashcan

2011-11-06T11:24:00.001-08:00

I took my camera on a brief foray into Culver City yesterday and came up dry. I shot this sad trashcan while passing through Cerritos on my way home.

Technorati Tags: Photography,humor

Youth pastor Barry Caudle arrested

2011-11-04T21:50:00.001-07:00

AoG youth pastor Barry Caudle was arrested for trying to hook up with an underage girl for sex via the internet. Of course, it was a sting. What a dumbass.

Barry Caudle, a 39-year-old youth minister at the Marengo First Assembly of God, 22817 W. Grant Highway, was arrested Tuesday morning and is being held in lieu of $150,000 bail.

Prosecutors said Caudle solicited a Rock Island police officer who was posing undercover online as a 14-year-old girl.

Source: Marengo youth minister charged with soliciting a child by Paul Biasco

I hope they caught Caudle before he hurt anyone. Harvest Chapel, his former church, is waiting for the police to start the investigation. Meanwhile, Marengo First Assembly of God, is cooperating with the investigation.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,AoG,Internet Stings,Child Molestation

Youth pastor Michael Lee arrested

2011-11-04T21:36:00.001-07:00

Baptist youth pastor Michael Lee responded to an advertisement that was looking for men who wanted to have private fun with children. He was arrested on the spot. Kind of creepy, right?

When the suspects arrived at the operation site, a home in west Orange County, they were greeted by an undercover officer posing as a mother. Once inside, they were taken down immediately by several deputies staged inside. Cameras caught each arrest on video.

Source: Disney worker, youth pastor and 48 others charged Operation SpiderWeb sex sting by Bianca Prieto

Michael Lee is the youth pastor at Eastland Baptist Church, which is also infamous for the conviction of a child molesting Sunday school teacher name Ed Wilcox back in 2009. Eastland Baptist Church also runs a Christian school. I’d be re-thinking my commitment to the church about now…

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Baptists,Child Molesters

Pastor Royden Wood found guilty

2011-11-04T17:34:00.001-07:00

Pastor Royden Wood, profiled here, was found guilty on charges that he sexually assaulted women from his congregation. Wood was nicknamed the “Dirty Deacon” because of his previous convictions and his odd sexual behavior.

The complainants described a host of sexual activities with their pastor, often under the guise of chiropractic treatments and creative marriage counselling to make them better wives.
Wood testified that he didn't have sex with any of the five complainants and they all had motives to hurt him.
Source: Dirty deacon found guilty by Jane Sims

I hope this means that this means his church will go under for good. The man was a cult leader and his church a cult. I also hope this means Woods spends some serious time in prison. The man is freak.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Baptists

Judge William Adams beats daughter for using the internet

2011-11-02T19:47:00.001-07:00

Wow. This brings back some bad childhood memories… Few things are capable of getting a deep emotional response from me. This did it. My wife warned me not to watch it yesterday. Why didn't I listen?

Judge William Adams. You are a bully and a coward.

Technorati Tags: Texas,Child Abuse

Faith healing couple sent to prison

2011-11-01T21:06:00.001-07:00

The Friendly Atheist reports today that Faith-Healing, Child-Killing Christian Couple Sentenced to Six Years in Prison. I’m happy to see these child murderers will do some serious prison time. I don’t think it will change their mind though. Dale & Shannon Hickman, enjoy your stay in prison.

Technorati Tags: Faith Healers,Christians,Murder

Pastor Lawrence Brown convicted

2011-11-01T20:40:00.001-07:00

Pastor Lawrence Morris Brown, profiled here, was convicted of soliciting for prostitutes. Um… he offered a 15-year-old girl $100 in exchange for a sex act.

In July 2010, Brown was at the teenager's home in Slidell. He asked her if she wanted to make some money, then propositioned her for a sexual act, according to the St. Tammany Parish District Attorney's Office. Assistant District Attorney Mike Montalbano prosecuted the case.

Source: Slidell minister convicted of offering 15-year-old $100 for sex

The prosecutor dropped a charge of indecent behavior with a juvenile. He is not required to register as a sex offender. Brown was a pastor at Starlight Missionary Baptist Church.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Baptists

Review: Bamboozled by Timothy Aldred

2011-11-01T19:16:00.001-07:00

I write this with a heavy heart. I hated the pseudointellectual musing of self-published author Timothy Aldred. Is hate too strong a word? I don’t think so, especially not in this case.

Bamboozled. Besieged by Lies, Man Never a Sinner.
How world leaders use religion to control the populace.
By Timothy Aldred.
Self Published in 2011
ISBN-13 987-1461063599
ISBN-12: 1461063590

Let’s start with the author. He’s stalking me. He sent me his book back in May. I read it and found that I could get not behind it. It took me awhile too. Each chapter was a different trip down the rabbit hole. I had trouble following his reasoning, I often could not even understand the points he attempted to make as he offered no evidence besides his rambling text.

Did I mention stalking? He’s sending me emails and tweets demanding that I “do the right” thing and send his precious book back to him. I normally return books if the author includes a SASE. Otherwise, I read and chuck, or read and post a review. I post reviews for books by Atheist authors that I feel that I can support, or I post reviews for books by Christians that I want to discuss. In this case, it was read and chuck. I did not want this book cluttering my bookshelf. In the back of my mind I thought, “What if an FBI profiler saw this sitting on my shelf?”

Why would an author demand his book back? I’ve had 44 books and videos sent to me this year. I try hard to read them all. Most are unsolicited. Publishers send them along with collateral advertising material. I’m on a list or something. Most books are bad or worse, uninteresting. I either promote the book (usually at the request of the author or publisher), or I review it if the book is worthy. What sets the bulk of these books apart is editing. Most have a good editor, Bamboozled does not. It’s self-published and from what I can tell, self-edited. This is a problem, especially when the book is a bundle of conspiracy theories rapped in religious misdirection.

I looked hard for other reviews. I found two at Amazon. I could not find any other bloggers willing to spend time on this book. I know why too. The book is not worth the time. Don’t buy it. Don’t read it. It’s a waste of time.

And finally, because the author insists that I return his book. I’ve concluded that he does not know how the process works. If he does not know the process, I’m guessing he’s leans toward the nutball crowd or is un-publishable because he occupies a niche on the fringe. So, I’ve added him to my nutball list. I’m sure he will be in good company.

Is this review mean spirited? Look. I try to help. I really do. If I don’t like a book I don’t review it. I’d prefer not to do the negative reviews. If you push me for one. Screw it. I’ll post a negative review.

Technorati Tags: Book Reviews,Nutballs

Pastor Allen Jeffers arrested

2011-10-30T16:01:00.001-07:00

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

2011-10-29T17:24:00.001-07:00

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