Technorati Tags: Christian Right,Politics
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
The sad state of Christianity in Florida
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
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.
Dutch victims of Catholic clergy sexual abuse
I think we will find this pattern repeated in every country that has a Catholic presence.
Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Catholics
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Pastor David Nelson arrested
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.
Youth pastor Jasmine Brown arrested
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
Saturday, December 17, 2011
On the death of Christopher Hitchens
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
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Pastor Tedd Butler pleaded guilty
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
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Would an atheist teacher steal the cash?
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
“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?
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?
We get dumber by degrees
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.
Oh, and nobody asker her to the prom.
Technorati Tags: Politics,Michele Bachmann
Steve Rosch and the Atheist Examiner
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…
Network for Church Monitoring
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
Saturday, December 03, 2011
Don’t let your spare change support hate
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
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:
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