Hostility shown towards local Atheist group

The Seal Beach Atheist Meetup Group held its last meeting at Hennessy’s Tavern in Seal Beach on Sunday. They meet monthly to discuss issues important to the local Atheist community. They’ve never experienced trouble before, but Sunday was different. Tavern patrons asked management to have the Atheist Meetup Group remove a sign the patrons thought offensive. The sign, and A4 sized document with one inch black type, showed this message, “Seal Beach Atheists Meeting” along with a picture from the last meeting. I would not call this offensive and in my experience with meetup groups, it is common to have a sign advertising your event. I think asking for its removal is unfair treatment.

Claire, one of the meetup organizers, had this to say.

The manager came over and told us to take the
sign down. Flabbergasted, we asked why; she said she'd received several complaints (from who, she wouldn't say - though the gray-haired man at the bar who kept giving us evil stares definitely aroused our suspicions), and the signs had to go.

We asked the manager if she'd tell a Christian group to take their signs down, and, although she said she would, we doubt very much that she would ever be faced with that situation.

We did find humor in it, though - the thought that the
easily-offended, anti-free-speech, close-minded intolerants were spending their Sunday morning not in church, but propping up a bar.

Hennessey’s tavern bills itself as “Your Neighborhood Meeting Place”. I don’t think they lived up to their slogan. Please join the Seal Beach Atheist Meetup Group in protesting their treatment. They suggest writing a letter to the local store or sending an email to corporate headquarters at Info@hennesseystavern.com.

• Hennessy's Bar & Grill, 143 Main Street, Seal Beach, CA 90740.

The Seal Beach Atheist Meetup Group plans to find another venue to hold its future meetings. I’d suggest the Irisher a few doors down on the north side of street, but it’s not family friendly.

***update

This story was picked up by the Orange County Register. See Atheist group says it was bullied at Seal Beach tavern by Jaimee Lynn Fletcher.

Technorati Tags: Prejudice,Atheism

What hangs from your mirror?

I started a new photography protect the other day. I shooting through the back widows of cars as I sit in traffic to capture what they have hanging from their mirrors…. Not really, I was just bored.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Icons,Crosses

Youth Pastor Jeff Frodermann guilty

Jeffrey(Jeff) Frodermann, the youth Pastor at Sebeka United Methodist Church in Minnesota, agreed to a plea deal to settle a charge of sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl. Um… sexual contact in this case was having sex with a 13-year-old girl. What’s troubling in this case is the relatively light sentence.

The plea was finalized Thursday evening, and according to the Menahga Chief of Police Scott Koennicke, Frodermann will likely spend six months behind bars and another six on house arrest.

Frodermann will also have a nine year probation period and have to register as a sex offender, but Quentin Ness, who lives across the street from the church and has three daughters of his own, does not believe the punishment was harsh enough.

Six months? That’s a slap on the wrist. What are they thinking?

I’d like to know the real story in this case. There is no press coverage and Frodermann has cleaned his online footprints pretty well. All I really have on the douche  is his booking photo and two articles. Of course, Sebeka has a population of 710, so what was I expecting?

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Pedophiles

Pastor Scott Shaull indicted

Scott Douglas Shaull is the former pastor Bayside Covenant Church in Roseville. He’s one of 12 people accused of political corruption in San Jacinto.

Riverside County prosecutors today announced a 155-count indictment in a large public corruption investigation that includes charges against several elected officials.

The indictments target nine people, including four of the five members of the San Jacinto City Council,

The charges, which include 56 felony counts, allege that the participants, including the mayor of San Jacinto, conspired to launder campaign funds into campaign committees.

"These elected officials were entrusted with power and misused that power to advance their own political ambition and to satisfy their greed," said Riverside County Dist. Atty. Rod Pacheco.

Shaull’s involvement is unclear to me at this point. His profile does not explain his involvement in the scandal.

Technorati Tags: Hypocrisy,Clergy Misconduct,Politics

You can praise him when you…

Oh man. I’m so glad my early Christian years were limited to influence by the intolerable Davy and Goliath. If I had watched Psalty the Singing Songbook like Godless Girl did, I would have ended up going postal.

When I was a teen, one of my first jobs was working in a Christian business that distributed Davy and Goliath movies to churches around Southern California. My job involved shipping and receiving plus the general care of film stock. When a movie was returned, I would rewind it while running it through a monitor to check for damage. I fixed the damaged frames by removal or splicing in replacement footage from film stock. By the time I quit (or was fired), I had watched every Christian film in stock backwards at least a dozen times. It was an odd form of torture. I still dream about it.

Technorati Tags: Christians,Media

My latest music crush: Pomplamoose

I don’t know what they hell has happened to me, but damn I like this band, Pomplamoose. They are adorable.

They do covers. So far I like them all.

Technorati Tags: Music

Pastor Harley Keogh arrested

72 year old pastor Harley Michael Keough, pastor of King James Baptist Church, was arrested for sexual battery. He felt up two women a his church’s food bank. While it is noble to feed the poor it is anything but noble to feel up the poor.

Keough tried to place his hand down a 23-year-old woman’s pants and touched her breast on Oct. 19, according to an arrest warrant. He also placed his hand down a 25-year-old woman’s pants the same day, another warrant states.

On Nov. 18, 2008, the pastor allegedly grabbed a woman’s hand, placed it against his genitals and rubbed it against his hip and buttocks. He put his hand down a 35-year-old woman’s pants on Nov. 13, 2006, according to a warrant affidavit.

I wonder what his excuse will be. The tried and true, I’m old and was off my meds, or the I’m a oversexed Baptist pastor looking for love?

In case you have any doubts, he’s been at it for at least three years without an arrest.

Technorati Tags: Baptists,Clergy Sexual Abuse

I’m tired of bad pastor stories

I write so many stories about pastors neglecting their duties that I think it’s time for a good pastor story. Pastor Joel Miller is trying to feed the homeless. He’s fasting for up to 30 days in an attempt to gather 30,000 cans of food for a local food bank. His goal is to fill up the local food banks before Thanksgiving so needy family can eat.

Miller, a 43-year-old pastor of an independent church, has been doing a water-only fast for almost two weeks to raise awareness of hunger and generate donations for food pantries.

He wants to receive 30,000 cans of non-perishable goods. So far, he has about 8,000.

I stopped by and met him today and asked him a few questions about his effort.

Too bad Miller is in Texas. I would drive over a drop a case of can if I could. I think I’ll donate some cash instead. Miller has a website up called www.mckinneyfooddrive.com. They accept paypal.

He’s faced down temptation better than I could.

He was at Discount Tire having a tire changed when a tray full of free Jimmy John’s sandwiches walked through the door. Miller said there’s never a time when he’d turn down a free sandwich. His hand reached out automatically, and he had to will it back to his side.

Fasting for 30 days is hard work. Feeding the homeless is good work. Hard work, good work, and a good cause make for a decent human being. I think Joel Miller qualifies as a good pastor. 

Technorati Tags: Christians

Catholics use the nuclear option

Washington D.C. is a few weeks away from potentially legalizing gay marriage. In response, the Washington-area Catholic Archdiocese threatened to stop all social services

The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington said Wednesday that it will be unable to continue the social service programs it runs for the District if the city doesn't change a proposed same-sex marriage law, a threat that could affect tens of thousands of people the church helps with adoption, homelessness and health care.

Is there any doubt who the bad guys are in this situations?

Technorati Tags: Catholics,Hypocrisy

Tony Alamo sentenced to 125 years

Pastor and cult leader Tony Alamo was sentenced to 125 years in prison for taking underage girls across state lines for sex. At 75, Alamo will never see freedom again.

A woman Alamo took as a child "bride" at age 8 challenged the evangelist from the witness stand Friday to submit himself to God's judgment. Reading from lined notebook paper, she said Alamo tore her family apart by taking her as a child bride and described how she shook uncontrollably when he first molested her.

"You preyed on innocent children," she said staring down Alamo, who wore yellow prison scrubs and a windbreaker for the hearing.

"You have the audacity to ask for mercy. What mercy did you show us?" she said.

A moment later she asked, "What kind of man of God does what you have done?"

Another religions monster bits the dust. Hooray for small victories.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Pedophiles,Cults,Tony Alamo

Youth leader Brendon McConnell arrested

Brendon McConnell is a catholic youth leader working in the Life Teen Program at Our Lady of Light Parish in Fort Myers.  He stands charged with a sex offense with a child between the 12 and 16 years old.

The victim's mother came across a large number of messages between Brendan McConnell and the victim. The mother said they knew McConnell through church and that he is a core leader in the youth ministries, reports said.

The mother told deputies the messages started out as friendly, but then turned sexual in nature, reports said.

According to reports, the victim told her mother she and McConnell had oral sex twice.

It looks like the church did everything right prior to letting McConnell work with kids. I wonder if they provided adequate monitoring?

As a volunteer around children and vulnerable adults, Mr. McConnell underwent a mandatory criminal background check, which includes fingerprinting, and he was cleared by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Another Catholic. I really should keep track of these people in a separate category.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Pedophiles

Father Edward Maloney suspended

An 80-year-old retired priest has been removed from ministry after the Catholic church found evidence he sexually abused two boys.

The archdiocese learned of the allegation several months ago, according to a letter sent Nov. 7 by the Rev. John R. Manz, the auxiliary bishop of Chicago.

The archdiocese’s Independent Review Board reviewed the allegation and found credible evidence of abuse, and Francis Cardinal George accepted the recommendation that Maloney not engage in any form of ministry, Manz said in the letter.

It’s a little late to stop further abuse. At 80 the best they can hope for is that he will make it to trial.

Rev. Maloney served in many churches.

From 1955 to 1959, St. Simeon in Bellwood; from 1959 through 1966, St. Columbkille, on Chicago's West Side; for about six months in 1966, through November, St. Ambrose, 1012 E. 47th St.; 1966 to 1974, Precious Blood, 2411 W. Congress Parkway; 1974 to 1975, St. David in Bridgeport; 1975 to 1996, St. Mark in Chicago; 1996 to 1997, Santa Maria del Popolo in Mundelein; 1997 to 1999, Mission San Juan Diego in Arlington Heights.

I’ve lost count of the priests accused this year. So many children hurt…

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Catholics

Youth Pastor Byron Alston Arrested

47 year old former convict turned youth pastor Byron Alston was arrested on felony sex charges. Two women claim abuse.

In one of the alleged encounters, a woman told police that Alston, who rose to prominence in Indianapolis in recent years because of his "Save the Youth" organization, indicated to her that she would get a job if she would have sex with him.

Hey… people can change. Pay no attention to his criminal past. He’s a Christian now and helping the children. Go ahead and give he a $90 grant. It’s only our hard earned tax dollars.

According to the Save the Youth Web site, Alston was an acknowledged gang member in his teens and was "sentenced to 40 years at the Michigan State Prison" at age 16.

Court records indicated that Alston was convicted of robbery with a deadly weapon in 1982 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was then released in 1988.

 

What I find interesting about this man is how he tells his own story. He paints himself as a success and a leader even as a young gang member.

Byron’s responsibilities included the control of the drug trafficking into the inner city, the operation of the prostitution business and the discipline of gang members. All of these events occurred at the age of 15. At the age of 16 Byron was sentenced to 40 years at Michigan State Prison for robbery, kidnapping and confinement. While in prison his role did not change. As a general in the prison Byron was responsible for running the gangs.

My guess is that the truth is something entirely different, a common criminal.

Remember that $90K of tax payers money?

On the most recent tax return available, 2007, Mr. Alston reported that his group took in $95,871 in revenue. Salaries and benefits, which almost exclusively went to Alston, amounted to $54,135. $14,435 went to "occupancy, rent, utilities and maintenance." The address though for the organization is 9664 Gulf Lake Drive, which is a residence. One has to ask the obvious question about whether taxpayer money was being used to pay Mr. Alston's living expenses.

Where is Christ in all this? It’s a fiction.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Hypocrisy

Pastor Joseph Ragland indicted

I’ve been waiting for this one since last May. Joseph Kennedy Ragland was indicted for allegedly raping a 16-year-old member of his church.

The Johnston County magistrates' office told ABC11 Eyewitness News Joseph Kennedy Ragland, former pastor of the Church of God in Christ Jesus in Angier, is charged with two counts of second-degree forcible sex offense, two counts of sex offense by a custodian, two counts of crimes against nature, second-degree rape, and rape by a custodian.

Go ahead, defend this creep. I dare you.

Ragland was pastor at Church of God in Christ Jesus in Angier, NC. I often wonder about pastor like Ragland. Did he wake up one day and decide to be a pastor? As far as I can tell he has no formal education or training, yet he is a pastor. Who would follow him, and why?

Brendagsmith07 says this about Ragland…

It does not always mean that you have to have education to preach the word of God. If you are truly called and have the annointed [sic] on your life God will take of you. Sometime people feel that education makes a difference but in these days you need to fast and pray because education is not going to fight the devil that we have now. God never went to sschool [sic] but he got the job done. God is just sick of fake preachers and pulling the cover off.

I don’t even know how to respond to this, except to laugh.

Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Rape,Pedophiles

How to punish a fraud

I’ll admit right up front that I was a failure in the military. For various reasons (mainly colorblindness), I ended up working in a field where I had little aptitude. As my mistakes mounted and my confidence plummeted, I started cutting a lot of grass and doing endless stints in the honor guard. I willingly did whatever was asked of me in an attempt to make up for my inability to do my job. When I mustered out, I was grateful my ordeal ended honorably.

I met a lot of people who I came to respect while in the military. I admired them for their dedication and service… and for their aptitude. These people were fearless examples of the best our country had to offer. Occasionally, I would meet a highly decorated person. It was an honor.

My most memorable day in the military was participating in a memorial service for a highly decorated pilot. Over the course of Memorial service and subsequent reception, I came to understand why people are awarded medals and the relative rarity of awards like the Air Force Cross or the Navy Cross. Dishonoring recipients by fraudulently claiming a to have won a medal is despicable. A real hero like Chesty Puller would roll over in his grave.

Steve Burton was arrested for unauthorized wearing of military medals or decorations.

The Marine dress blue uniform with lieutenant colonel insignia on the epaulets and a chest full of colorful ribbons may have impressed some old classmates, but one person at the reunion was suspicious, according to an FBI agent's affidavit.

Lt. Cmdr. Colleen Salonga, a U.S. Navy supply officer, recognized the Navy Cross and knew how rarely that honor is awarded, the sworn statement said. She posed with Burton for a photo, which she sent to the FBI in June…

I know this in not my normal material. When I heard the story this morning it pissed me off. I decided then to post on this nutball. He deserves the extra attention.

Burton pleaded not guilty. It’s hard to believe since they have pictures of him wearing the medals, but hey, innocent until proven guilty, right?

When they convict him, he faces a year in jail. I don’t think the punishment fits the crime. I have another idea. Have Steve Burton stand in public each weekend for the next year wearing a sandwich board which reads, “I dishonored America by wearing medal and ribbons I did not earn.”  Seems fair to me.

Technorati Tags: Fraud,Military Awards