Pastor Lawrence Smith Denies Sex Charges

Pastor Smith stands accused of Criminal Sexual Conduct With a Minor in the Second Degree, Lewd Act Upon a Child, and Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature. Yikes! that sounds serious. I wonder what Pastor Smith has to say about the charges?

Pastor Smith: "Oh, I feel betrayed, Jesus was betrayed. He's still being betrayed, so it ain't nothing new...ain't a thing. Now, and it's going to get worse and worse.

Pastor Smith: "He says your trouble starts at home. He says they're going to cast your name out for evil. You're going to be persecuted from city to city. He says they're going to do all amounts of evil against you."

Source: North Augusta Pastor Denies Sex Charges - News - Augusta, GA

So... What the hell does all that mean? Is THE MAN out to get you? What a nutball.

Pastor Smith runs a small storefront church. Make no mistake here, this man exists on the margins and feeds on his own flock.

Technorati tags: Clergy Sexual Misconduct, rape, Lawrence Smith, Atlanta

Southern Baptists hubris

The Southern Baptist convention moved away from tracking sex offenders by killing a proposal to track offenders in a central database. Their new strategy appears to be focused on increasing sales baptisms.

The nation's largest Protestant body also essentially killed a proposed database that would track Baptist clergy who have been convicted or accused of sexual abuse, in part because of the autonomy of local churches

Morris Chapman, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, told delegates that the denomination's role ''is to encourage, empower and educate local churches as to how to best do their local work to protect our precious children.''

After spending the last year investigating whether to create a database, the Executive Committee instead offered new resources to local churches - including an online link to the Department of Justice's national database - and urged them to contact authorities about any sex abuse accusations.

Source: Southern Baptists elect president, dismiss abuse database - Salt Lake Tribune

Their logic is insidious. They claim that because of local autonomy, building a central database would be difficult. When the reason they need a central database is because of local autonomy. The reason Baptist churches have such a large population of sex offenders living in their midst is because sex offenders can maintain their anonymity. Without a registry, sex offenders are free to move from church to church. Only those who have been arrested and convicted will find it difficult to re-establish themselves.

The message is clear. Convert! Convert! Convert! Our children are collateral damage. The greater good is a baptism.

Technorati tags: Baptists, sex offenders, pedophiles. clergy sexual abuse

R.I.P Perla Pono

I attended the funeral of my Auntie Perla yesterday. I drove the 850-mile round trip over two days. We left Thursday. I managed  to return home by 2:00 am Saturday morning.  We listen to Ender's Game during the drive.

The funeral is the first in our parents generation. It made me realize how fragile our elders have become. It was a disquieting thought.

Aunt Perla had been sick for years. They referred to her as the woman with nine lives. She survived seven years of dialysis while in constant pain. Death, when if finally came for her, offered relief from many years of suffering.

Aunt Perla was born in the Philippines in 1938. She came to America with her family as part of a wave of immigration in the 60s. Her husband, Uncle Tito (or Fred), brought his family over via military service. Like my wife's father, Fred served a full career in the Navy before retiring with his family to California.

Since teh Pono's lived in Vallejo, we seldom saw each other. Yet the family bond held true. I've known them for nearly 30 years. My wife has known them for even longer. The funeral  brought us together from all over the world. We spent a day at the memorial service and funeral, and a few hours together at her home. If felt right. It felt like family.

Her funeral mass was attended by over 300 people. It lasted nearly two hours. I sat in the back like I normally do. I do not like to participate in the ritual of belief for obvious reasons, so I try to stay out of the way. I was moved by the beautiful delivery of Amazing Grace by Aunt Perla's 14-year-old granddaughter Jazmin. Her voice was sweet and pure, it nearly brought me to tears.

I spoke with her husband Fred for a few minutes on the drive from the reception to his home. He told me he was most proud of the work his wife had performed for the local Filipino community. Her tireless efforts were event in the 15,000 people who had attended an annual Filipino cultural event the week before. Her funeral had actually been delayed a week so as not to disrupt the event. It said a great deal about her - and her family.

R.I.P Perla Pono

A Bird

I enjoyed a noon walk on the nature trails of El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach today. Noon is a tragically bad time to shoot pictures. There is something about direct overhead light that makes everything look flat and washed out. I have 55 other shots that don't look so good. This one is different.

El Dorado Nature Park is a nice place to visit to re-connect with nature. The park if full of wildlife. I saw three birds that were new to me today. I also missed a nice shot of a hawk. The trails are full of flowers, green meadows, butterflies and birds. You can almost believe you are not in the middle of a large city. Almost...

A short plug: Holly Gray has an open reception planned for her show "Portraits of Local Birds" at the El Dorado Nature Center. From the sample I saw, I have no way of telling if her show is based in photography or painting. I found one reference to Gray's photography work here. It appears she is not promoting herself via the web.

Holly Gray's  reception is June 14, 1-3. The Exhibition is June 14 to July 22. Admission is free, parking is not.

Technorati tags: Photography, birds, nature

Andrew Clapper on the International Society of Atheists

I came across this post from Andrew Clapper during my morning reading. It looks like Clapper is proposing another organization dedicated to Atheism. He has an interesting premise.

The organization (tentatively called the International Society of Atheists) will focus on a set of clear goals: to establish social and support networks for atheists on a local level, to serve both local atheist communities and local communities at large, to reach out to individuals and groups such as public officials, the religious community, and other atheist and service oriented organizations, and to eliminate negative stereotypes about atheism and atheists. The organization will also pursue some not so unique goals that are nevertheless important to atheists, such as the promotion of separation of church and state, reason, and civil rights of atheists.

Source: One Possible International Growth Strategy « Andrew Clapper on Atheism

I like the emphasis on service. I do not see that as a mission in most of the other Atheist oriented organizations.

Technorati tags: Atheism

Blogroll Update: up to 708

We shrink:

• Author of Confusion - Moved to a Wordpress and dropped the link to the Atheist Blogroll.

We change:

• Atheist Revolution has a new domain

We grow:

• Halls of macadamia
• And say we did
• The Phytophactor
• Oracle and Atheism
• The Invisible Pink Unicorn
• Christianity is Bullshit
• The Truth of Islam
• The Great Lie of Islam
• Diaphanitas

Tip:

I have no time for tips this week. I am too busy earning a living.

Please be sure to pass along dead links.

Technorati tags: The Atheist Blogroll, Atheism, Blogging

A fear of finches

I met a woman who has a fear of finches. I thought it odd since I was engaged in the study of an emerald green humming bird when she interrupted me. I thought to myself "but this is a humming bird". My inner voice told me to keep that fact to myself.

I'll talk to anyone. Even a women who fears little harmless birds. I can also be dense at times, But no so dense that I miss the signals from somebody who needs to talk. I figured the finch lady needed to talk. So I bit - "How can you be afraid of such beautiful little birds?"

"It's because of my dreams. A thousand finches chase me. When they catch me, they dive for my eyes. I don't want to go blind."

I could sympathize. My dreams are haunted by trains. Always trains. Trains don't dive for my eyes of course. They just run me down when I least expect it... over and over again.

She went on. " When I see finches I can't breath. They scare me so much I have trouble even focusing on simple tasks. I can't even walk." She gave me a look that made me feel like I should understand. That her irrational fear off finches should in some way resonate with my secret and rational fear of trains.

I made my first mistake.

"Um... I don't think finches can tear your eyes out. They are harmless." I looked down at her with my best know-it-all smile. She seemed pissed.

"You don't know jack buddy. Finches are evil."

I looked at the humming bird for a moment before I spoke. I made my second mistake with my next words. In retrospect, I should have just kept my mouth shut.

"I'm into birds. I even sometimes watch a group of house finches in the morning before I go to work. They nest right outside my bedroom window."

Her hands went to her hips. Her nostrils flared. She gave me that look that can only mean one thing. She thinks I'm a dumb ass.

"Are you crazy? They're fucking finches man!"

She walked away with a look of absolute disgust on her face. I turned back to watching the hummingbird. I was a little confused.

Another women walked by a few moments later. She had overheard the whole thing. With a bemused smile on her face she said quite clearly.

"It's a good thing you're married".

II scratch my scraggly red beard for a moment. "Yep" I said a aloud. I had to agree with her.

Pastor Sergio Alvarizares Sentenced

Pastor Alvarizares admitted to his crime and apologized to the women he abused.

Sergio Alvarizares pleaded guilty in April to five charges that included the attempted sexual abuse of five parishioners and attempted rape. He was sentenced to 42 months in prison for first-degree attempted sexual abuse plus four other counts of third-degree attempted sexual abuse.

Source: Pastor Sentenced To 3 Years In Sex Abuse Case - News Story - KPTV Portland

The fall is hardest when one lives like a king. Alvarizars lives like a king. All paid for by his hard working congregation. He will find out about the fall right about... now.

Technorati tags: Sergio Alvarizares, pastoral misconduct, clergy sexual abuse, Portland, Oregon

Pastor Joe Barron Arrested Again

More charges eh? I wonder how many times Barron actually made contact with a 13-year-old girl and then went home to council adults at his big Texas mega church?

52-year-old Joe Barron was arrested again today by Bryan police officers for an additional six counts of online solicitation. Two of those charges are out of Louisiana.

Source: MyFox Dallas | Former Church Pastor Arrested Again

Technorati tags: Texas, clergy sexual abuse, pedophilia, pedophiles, Joe Barron, hypocrisy

Pastor Timothy Price Pleads Guilty To Rape

Another pastor bites the dust.

"I can say that he's definitely remorseful for what happened," Price's attorney said.

Price was a music pastor at Bethel A.M.E. Zion Church. He admitted in court to having sexual intercourse with the 12-year-old victim at different locations between December 2007 and January 2008, according to the state's attorney's office.

Source: City Music Pastor Pleads Guilty To Rape - Local News Archive Story - WBAL Baltimore

Timothy Price III was the music pastor at "prominent Baltimore church". The article leaves out the name of the church. I found this odd until the last few lines. "The church has a congregation of more than 17,000, including Mayor Sheila Dixon."

Oh duh! Of course the paper would not want to embarrass the Mayor and her Bethel AME church!

Technorati tags: Timothy Price, child molestation, rape, pedophiles, Christians

Jesus comes to the Protesters

Via my son's friend Cianar.

Hey mojoey, this is Cianar--been reading your blog for a while thanks to John. Just wanted to share this video of a Christian (not sure which denomination or group) apparently protesting costumes at an anime convention in San Jose, and infiltrated by a Buddy Jesus cosplayer and some heckling. To everyone's credit, they didn't start a rumble.

This is too funny.

Technorati tags: Cosplay, Jesus, YouTube, Protest

R.I.P Bo Diddley

Oh man... Bo Diddley has passed.

   

Bo Diddley, a founding father of rock 'n' roll whose distinctive "shave and a haircut, two bits" rhythm and innovative guitar effects inspired legions of other musicians, died Monday after months of ill health. He was 79.

Source: Rock Legend Bo Diddley Dies

I saw him at the Carpenter Center late in his career. He was impressive even then. Although, some of his experimental music sounded like static to my unsophisticated years.

Technorati tags: Bo Diddley, obituaries, death, music

Troy Deal gets 4 to 20

This is one of my favorite cases. Troy Deal is a pastor who like to hunt for young girls via the internet. Now he's going to prison.

Deal, 35, was found guilty April 18 of 11 counts of using a computer to solicit a child for sexually abusive material, distributing sexually abusive material and communicating with a child for immoral purposes.

Source: Deal gets 4 to 20 years for online solicitation

I have no sympathy for this man. He is the worst sort of scum. A pastor who hunted children for sexual pleasure. May at least 2 of his four years be in the general population.

You can read more here.

Technorati Tags: clergy sexual abuse, pedophiles, pedophilia, Prison, Troy Deal, Michigan, solicitation

Texarkana youth pastor arrested

Another youth pastor bits the dust.... this time charged with possessing child porn.

Jerry Darian Sawrie, 39, pleaded not guilty Thursday before Miller County Circuit Judge Joe Griffin. Sawrie is represented by Jeff Harrelson of Texarkana and is being prosecuted by Deputy Prosecutor Katie Carter
Source: 39-year-old allegedly confessed to congregation

I could not read the whole story. The Gazette actually wanted me to subscribe to their little newspaper. Get with it Texarkana Gazette. Very few people get away with subscription based news news these days. I mean - who really give a hoot what goes on in your little community. Heck, I'm not ever sure I know where your city is located.

On another note - I fixed my posting problems (kind of "fixed" anyway). At least I've been able to post off a Mac using Ecto.

Technorati Tags: clergy sexual abuse

Blogroll Update: Up to 702

We shrink:

• Suddenly South (Inactive)
  
• Talk Reason (Not a blog)
  
• Tarpan's blog (No content)
  
• Televangelists with Toupees (Inactive)

We change:

• A new url for The Uncredible Haliq

We grow:

• Daily Rant
  
• BSAlert.com
  
• Indoctrination
  
• Deranged Ramblings of an Angry Reptile Keeper
  
• Godless Business
  
• Pink Triangle
  
• Secular Philosophy
  
• Nihilist Future
  
• A Voice Crying in the Metropolis
  
• Godless Sunday
  
• British Atheists
  
• ohm sweet ohm
  
• Blogesque
  
• The Daily Awesome
  
• Ethics Gradient
  
• Humbuggery (Our 700th blog)
  
• Success Lies Within us All
  
• Atheist Okie

Tip:

Del.icio.us is a social bookmarks manager which allows people to share bookmarks. When you bookmark an atheist's blog you are helping to move that blog up in the social network. More importantly, when you accurately bookmark a blog, it helps drive traffic to the blog, increases the the overall Atheist presence on the web, and helps to build our community.

Take a look at the Del.icio.us site for The Atheist Experience. Some entries are linked by as many as 44 other Del.icio.us users. A fine blog like the The Atheist Experience should have thousands of links. Even with it's outstanding podcast, one would think it would garner at least a few hundred links for this alone. If just half the our members bookmarked The Atheist Experience, it would be a top ten search result under atheist blogs and podcasts.

I find Del.icio.us an outstanding research tool. If I'm looking for the latest news on Jesus Sightings, I'm sure to find somebody else has already found the story I'm looking for. I'll bookmark it myself, and then eventually make a post.

Here is a good Del.icio.us tutorial.

Keep sending in those dead links!

Technorati tags: The Atheist Blogroll, Atheism, Blogging, del.icio.us