Immorality in American Christianity

[andydp]

And so it continues....

Youth pastor, 6th grade teacher used church Wi-Fi to download child porn: police

A youth pastor at Palatka Baptist Temple in Florida, who downloaded pornographic images from the church's Wi-Fi and uploaded images of himself and shared them with underage victims on several social media platforms has been arrested and charged with possession of child pornography and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.

The former youth pastor, Edward Wilds III, 44, is also the son of Ed Wilds, Palatka Baptist Temple’s lead pastor. Calls to the church by The Christian Post on Monday went unanswered, but Sheriff H.D. ‘Gator’ DeLoach said during a press conference on Friday that investigators discovered some 54,000 images on accounts and devices associated with Wilds and most of them were pornographic.


www.christianpost.com/news/youth-pastor-used-church-wi-fi-to-download-child-porn-police.html

(No transvestites were found in the church.)

[LFC]

Apr 20, 2023 18:55:18 GMT andydp said:

And so it continues....

I'm following a thread over on TPM's members' site and believe me, it's constant. It's damn near daily. And that doesn't include the Catholic priests.

[LFC]

So many more examples of church perverts keep cropping up on a virtually daily basis but this one seemed particularly hypocritical because he was arrested on his return from a March for Life event.

Lincoln County Man Gets 19 Years for Spying on Catholic Church Bathroom
Church volunteer Jeffery Eisenbath was arrested after returning from the March for Life in Washington, D.C.

A Lincoln County man who admitted to hiding cameras in bathrooms at a St. Charles children's amusement center and a Catholic church in Troy, Missouri, was sentenced to 19 years in prison yesterday.

Jeffery Eisenbath, 33, placed the cameras in the Adrenaline Zone, an indoor facility off First Capitol Drive with laser tag and bumper cars, as well as in Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where Eisenbath was a parishioner and taught religious classes to 8th graders. (Adrenaline Zone has since closed.)

Eisenbath's serial perversion unraveled in January in 2018 when an Adrenaline Zone manager found a recording device in the bathroom with tape hanging off it, as if it had fallen off something, according to a probable cause statement by police.

An unnamed employee identified Eisenbath as the man who likely put the camera there.

According to the probable cause statement, Eisenbath couldn't immediately be arrested because he was at the 2018 anti-abortion March for Life in Washington, D.C. (then-president Donald Trump spoke at the event that year).

Upon his return, Eisenbath was pulled over on his way to work in Wentzville and questioned by police. He initially denied having anything to do with hidden cameras — but his protests stopped after the officer "informed Eisenbath that when he placed the camera he took an image of himself placing the camera."

Eisenbath then admitted to the crimes and soon found himself facing a slew of child pornography and invasion of privacy charges in St. Charles and Lincoln counties, as well as federal charges for also hiding a camera in the bathroom of a private residence in Pennsylvania.

[goldenvalley]

Apr 26, 2023 20:43:12 GMT LFC said:

So many more examples of church perverts keep cropping up on a virtually daily basis but this one seemed particularly hypocritical because he was arrested on his return from a March for Life event.

Need to support a fresh supply of kids to spy on.

[LFC]

Not so much immorality as hypocrisy.

[goldenvalley]

May 3, 2023 15:54:47 GMT LFC said:

Not so much immorality as hypocrisy.

When something is taboo people seek it out.  I learned that in college in the South where religion preached against drinking.  The kids at college drank irresponsibly and then did irresponsible things.  They didn't know how to drink, to manage alcohol intake.  And they were going to hell after that first drink anyway so YOLO!

[Bact PhD]

Effing sicko in my neck of the woods. Heavily excerpted due to paywall.

The founder of a Gainesville church charged with multiple counts of sexually battery used his position as a "man of God" to engage in a "calculated, manipulative, and systematic pattern of abuses" while striking fear into his victims, according to sworn complaints made with the Alachua County Sheriff's Office.

Lorenzo Lee Crawford, 54, founder of the Christian Coalition Family Church, located at 7501 SW 75th St., was arrested during a SWAT raid on Tuesday morning and charged with 11 counts of sexual battery involving three women and one count of aggravated battery. He is being held at the Alachua County Jail on a combined bond of $1.5 million.

Alachua County Sheriff Clovis Watson in a Facebook post called Crawford "one of the most heinous and vial (sic) human beings" he has ever seen in his 20-year career, and that "the acts he committed not only created physical and emotional scars for the victims, but it also created a spiritual void and an immense amount of doubt in people who believed in the church.

The initial investigation was spurred by a "juvenile victim" who notified their mother that "another juvenile church member had confided in them that they had been sexually abused by a member of the church," according to a Sheriff's Office social media post.

[snip]

She quoted Crawford as saying, “I’m the man of God. These are holy hands. The reason why I do what I do to you is because you have evil, hellish junk in you and I have to cleanse you out.”

In January, the woman said Crawford learned she was in a relationship with another member of the church and that he was angered by her "cheating on him."

She said he took her to his office, pulled her pants and underwear down, made her get down on all fours, and then beat her with his belt.

She said she was made to feel like it was her fault.

“For so long he’s told me that I’m the manipulator, that I’m the liar, that I’m the predator, that I play victim," she said.

[snip]

The first victim is also a witness in another victim's sworn complaint against Crawford, and corroborated her story.

In a second sworn complaint, the second victim said Crawford had first sexually assaulted her February in his office. though she was initially “open” to it because she believed it would help her, she began to feel "weird" and "nasty" because Crawford is married. She claimed that Crawford told her, "Don’t let this change us, don’t get addicted to me or fall in love with me.”

He later became upset over a same-sex relationship between the second victim and another female. He told the woman she brought a "homosexual demon" into the church, the complaint said.

The complaint states that Crawford gave the victim two choices: Take a "whooping" in front of the congregation or leave the church. She choose to be beaten in front of the congregation, which Crawford did with a belt.

[snip]

In late 2022, the third victim said Crawford began making comments about her body, which occurred for about two weeks.

Then one night when she went to get dismissed, he grabbed her breast over her clothing, the complaint said. The victim backed away. Crawford apologized and laughed it off, she said. He then asked her if he could touch her breast, to which she replied “no,” and left his office.

One night when the victim went to Crawford's office to tell him goodnight, she said that he commented on her dress and that she wore it for him. He started to touch the victim, and then forcibly digitally penetrated her, the sworn complaint says.

He became angry when she told him to stop.

“I am the man of God," she claims Crawford said. "How are you going to tell the man of god, no? My hands are holy hands. If I touch you it’s to make that what is unholy, holy."

Hey, a helluva way to get laid, huh? Just call the activity, consensual or not, “holy”…

Revolting.

[goldenvalley]

May 27, 2023 5:29:38 GMT Bact PhD said:

Effing sicko in my neck of the woods. Heavily excerpted due to paywall.

The founder of a Gainesville church charged with multiple counts of sexually battery used his position as a "man of God" to engage in a "calculated, manipulative, and systematic pattern of abuses" while striking fear into his victims, according to sworn complaints made with the Alachua County Sheriff's Office.

Lorenzo Lee Crawford, 54, founder of the Christian Coalition Family Church, located at 7501 SW 75th St., was arrested during a SWAT raid on Tuesday morning and charged with 11 counts of sexual battery involving three women and one count of aggravated battery. He is being held at the Alachua County Jail on a combined bond of $1.5 million.

Alachua County Sheriff Clovis Watson in a Facebook post called Crawford "one of the most heinous and vial (sic) human beings" he has ever seen in his 20-year career, and that "the acts he committed not only created physical and emotional scars for the victims, but it also created a spiritual void and an immense amount of doubt in people who believed in the church.

The initial investigation was spurred by a "juvenile victim" who notified their mother that "another juvenile church member had confided in them that they had been sexually abused by a member of the church," according to a Sheriff's Office social media post.

[snip]

She quoted Crawford as saying, “I’m the man of God. These are holy hands. The reason why I do what I do to you is because you have evil, hellish junk in you and I have to cleanse you out.”

In January, the woman said Crawford learned she was in a relationship with another member of the church and that he was angered by her "cheating on him."

She said he took her to his office, pulled her pants and underwear down, made her get down on all fours, and then beat her with his belt.

She said she was made to feel like it was her fault.

“For so long he’s told me that I’m the manipulator, that I’m the liar, that I’m the predator, that I play victim," she said.

[snip]

The first victim is also a witness in another victim's sworn complaint against Crawford, and corroborated her story.

In a second sworn complaint, the second victim said Crawford had first sexually assaulted her February in his office. though she was initially “open” to it because she believed it would help her, she began to feel "weird" and "nasty" because Crawford is married. She claimed that Crawford told her, "Don’t let this change us, don’t get addicted to me or fall in love with me.”

He later became upset over a same-sex relationship between the second victim and another female. He told the woman she brought a "homosexual demon" into the church, the complaint said.

The complaint states that Crawford gave the victim two choices: Take a "whooping" in front of the congregation or leave the church. She choose to be beaten in front of the congregation, which Crawford did with a belt.

[snip]

In late 2022, the third victim said Crawford began making comments about her body, which occurred for about two weeks.

Then one night when she went to get dismissed, he grabbed her breast over her clothing, the complaint said. The victim backed away. Crawford apologized and laughed it off, she said. He then asked her if he could touch her breast, to which she replied “no,” and left his office.

One night when the victim went to Crawford's office to tell him goodnight, she said that he commented on her dress and that she wore it for him. He started to touch the victim, and then forcibly digitally penetrated her, the sworn complaint says.

He became angry when she told him to stop.

“I am the man of God," she claims Crawford said. "How are you going to tell the man of god, no? My hands are holy hands. If I touch you it’s to make that what is unholy, holy."

Hey, a helluva way to get laid, huh? Just call the activity, consensual or not, “holy”…

Revolting.

Did you leave out the part where he's a drag queen reading stories to children? 

[AnBr]

[AnBr]

Just wow.

newrepublic.com/post/174950/christianity-today-editor-evangelicals-call-jesus-liberal-weak

Then again we knew this is what they really think.

[LFC]

Aug 21, 2023 1:03:45 GMT AnBr said:

Just wow.

newrepublic.com/post/174950/christianity-today-editor-evangelicals-call-jesus-liberal-weak

Then again we knew this is what they really think.

It's finally becoming acceptable to call Jesus a pussy to your pastor's face.

[AnBr]

[AnBr]

[AnBr]

[AnBr]

[andydp]

Ran into this quote when I was looking for the daily diatribe.

I have noticed that the Christianity of a certain class of respectable people begins when they open their prayer-books at eleven o'clock on Sunday morning, and ends when they shut them up again at one o'clock on Sunday afternoon. Nothing so astonishes and insults Christians of this sort as reminding them of their Christianity on a week-day.

Wilkie Collins

[Bact PhD]

Dec 10, 2023 13:16:31 GMT andydp said:

Ran into this quote when I was looking for the daily diatribe.

I have noticed that the Christianity of a certain class of respectable people begins when they open their prayer-books at eleven o'clock on Sunday morning, and ends when they shut them up again at one o'clock on Sunday afternoon. Nothing so astonishes and insults Christians of this sort as reminding them of their Christianity on a week-day.

Wilkie Collins

You don’t even have to wait for Monday…as evidenced by the behavior of said Christians trying to get out of the church parking lot…

[goldenvalley]

Dec 10, 2023 17:36:09 GMT Bact PhD said:

Dec 10, 2023 13:16:31 GMT andydp said:

Ran into this quote when I was looking for the daily diatribe.

I have noticed that the Christianity of a certain class of respectable people begins when they open their prayer-books at eleven o'clock on Sunday morning, and ends when they shut them up again at one o'clock on Sunday afternoon. Nothing so astonishes and insults Christians of this sort as reminding them of their Christianity on a week-day.

Wilkie Collins

You don’t even have to wait for Monday…as evidenced by the behavior of said Christians trying to get out of the church parking lot…

Are they starting to sneak out early to beat the traffic like people do at sporting events? 

I have a friend who grew up in a mainstream church in the Midwest who said people would start checking their watches at 11:50 because they were worried that the sermon would run long and they had to get out of there on time to get Sunday lunch on the table.

[andydp]

Dec 10, 2023 17:36:09 GMT Bact PhD said:

Dec 10, 2023 13:16:31 GMT andydp said:

Ran into this quote when I was looking for the daily diatribe.

I have noticed that the Christianity of a certain class of respectable people begins when they open their prayer-books at eleven o'clock on Sunday morning, and ends when they shut them up again at one o'clock on Sunday afternoon. Nothing so astonishes and insults Christians of this sort as reminding them of their Christianity on a week-day.

Wilkie Collins

You don’t even have to wait for Monday…as evidenced by the behavior of said Christians trying to get out of the church parking lot…

Many years ago, a senior Army NCO said to me: "You'll find a lot of hung over Baptists in Church on Sunday."

[andydp]

Doing the Lord's work:

Colorado pastor accused of pocketing $1.3M in crypto scheme says 'Lord told us to'

A Colorado-based pastor for an online church () accused of pocketing $1.3 million through a cryptocurrency fraud scheme told followers in a video statement that the Lord told him to do it.

Eli Regalado and his wife marketed their cryptocurrency, INDXcoin, to Christian communities in Denver, saying God told him people would become wealthy if they invested, the Colorado Division of Securities said in a statement Thursday.

INDXcoin raised nearly $3.2 million, the Securities Division said. At least $1.3 million of that went directly to the Regalados or was "used for their own personal benefit," said a complaint filed Tuesday in Denver County District Court.

news.yahoo.com/colorado-pastor-accused-pocketing-1-044526435.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=fb&tsrc=fb

[goldenvalley]

Jan 24, 2024 2:27:06 GMT andydp said:

Doing the Lord's work:

Colorado pastor accused of pocketing $1.3M in crypto scheme says 'Lord told us to'

A Colorado-based pastor for an online church () accused of pocketing $1.3 million through a cryptocurrency fraud scheme told followers in a video statement that the Lord told him to do it.

Eli Regalado and his wife marketed their cryptocurrency, INDXcoin, to Christian communities in Denver, saying God told him people would become wealthy if they invested, the Colorado Division of Securities said in a statement Thursday.

INDXcoin raised nearly $3.2 million, the Securities Division said. At least $1.3 million of that went directly to the Regalados or was "used for their own personal benefit," said a complaint filed Tuesday in Denver County District Court.

news.yahoo.com/colorado-pastor-accused-pocketing-1-044526435.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=fb&tsrc=fb

Classic scam:  

Regalado also told investors they would "tithe" and "sow" in causes helping widows and orphans, but the funds primarily went into their own pockets, according to the complaint

[indy]

In the words of the late, great Charlie Munger, "digital assets are partly fraud and partly delusion and the delusion may be more extreme than the fraud." Pardon me for saying so, but evangelicals seem like such a ready made target that it looks like a gift from God.

[andydp]

Jan 24, 2024 12:17:01 GMT indy said:

In the words of the late, great Charlie Munger, "digital assets are partly fraud and partly delusion and the delusion may be more extreme than the fraud." Pardon me for saying so, but evangelicals seem like such a ready made target that it looks like a gift from God.

In my limited experience, I've noted if it says "Christian" anything (years ago someone was going around saying they were a Christian lender) it will attract Evangelical money.  Remember the Christian health "insurance" ?  They're hoping since the person says they're Christian, they won't cheat them.

[goldenvalley]

Jan 24, 2024 15:14:30 GMT andydp said:

Jan 24, 2024 12:17:01 GMT indy said:

In the words of the late, great Charlie Munger, "digital assets are partly fraud and partly delusion and the delusion may be more extreme than the fraud." Pardon me for saying so, but evangelicals seem like such a ready made target that it looks like a gift from God.

In my limited experience, I've noted if it says "Christian" anything (years ago someone was going around saying they were a Christian lender) it will attract Evangelical money.  Remember the Christian health "insurance" ?  They're hoping since the person says they're Christian, they won't cheat them.

I guess but it amazes me that people will take the word of an "online" pastor like that dude is. Do people no longer expect a pastor who went to seminary, who was hired by the church, who was part of some organization (Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, etc.)? They are just willing to follow someone who simply creates their own church and then invites people to join? Seems like a situation ripe for being ripped off.

[andydp]

Jan 24, 2024 16:26:54 GMT goldenvalley said:

Jan 24, 2024 15:14:30 GMT andydp said:

In my limited experience, I've noted if it says "Christian" anything (years ago someone was going around saying they were a Christian lender) it will attract Evangelical money.  Remember the Christian health "insurance" ?  They're hoping since the person says they're Christian, they won't cheat them.

I guess but it amazes me that people will take the word of an "online" pastor like that dude is. Do people no longer expect a pastor who went to seminary, who was hired by the church, who was part of some organization (Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, etc.)? They are just willing to follow someone who simply creates their own church and then invites people to join? Seems like a situation ripe for being ripped off.

In many respects this parallels the Bernie Madoff case.  Mr Madoff got his Rabbi to endorse his investment plans.  It’s my understanding, if a Rabbi tells a member to do something it’s almost like the Pope said to a Catholic to "do something".  This may not hold true these days, especially to younger members but still...

I have doubts about the theological bona fides of a lot of these "pastors".  I remember in the early days of the "Daily Show" they were talking about some shyster pastor.  They showed a photo of the institution that granted his doctorate:  "Patriot Bible College".