11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
No salvation in Texas
Salvation Army youth pastor Luis Leonel Valdez was arrested for raping a 16-year-old girl. It’s not a pretty picture. It sounds like he gave her a rufie.
According to a police report, the girl told police she felt pain in her vaginal area when she woke up in Luis Leonel Valdez's bedroom without pants or underwear and with her blouse pulled up. She said Valdez was getting dressed and when he walked into the kitchen, she left running and called police. During the 911 call, records show, the girl was crying and "speaking hysterically."
Source: Salvation Army Youth Minister Accused Of Raping 16-Year-Old Girl
The Salvation Army has a policy called “Safe from Harm”. It’s supposed to check for potential abusers via a rigorous screen process. We already know that screening is a policy and not a practice. The issue here was not one of screening. It is one of behavior. Valdez was alone with the girl in an unsupervised situation. This should never happen. The fact they were together doing church business means the church grants tacit approval to the behavior. You cannot simply mind the door, you must mind the store too.
Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,RapeChild porn in a Roman Catholic church
By now, finding child porn in a Catholic church should surprise no one. It should cause anger and a call for a deep and serious investigation. I do not see either sentiment expressed in this article.
WFSB-TV says Norwich Bishop Michael Cote will release a letter to parishioners during masses this weekend announcing that he has received and accepted the resignation of their pastor, Fr. Dennis Carey.
Read more: Police launch child porn investigation at Connecticut church
Pastor Carey served The Catholic faith over a 25-year career.
Carey was ordained a priest in 1998 after a 25-year career as a certified public accountant in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, according to biographical information on the diocese website.
Read more: Pastor resigns; computers seized from Waterford church rectory
The investigation has just started. Pastor Carey has not been charged with a crime. It may take some time until we see any charges come of this investigation, but here is my problem with the case. Where is the outrage? Simply finding child porn on a church computer should cause a uproar among the parishioners and members of the community. Besides a few superficial news stories, there is no outrage. Today is Sunday. I’m willing to bet the pews at St. Paul in Chains Church are full of people listening to a new pastor.
If you are a victim or have information, SNAP can help:
Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child PornographyLet's hope that every person who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes and misdeeds by Father Dennis Carey will find the courage and strength to speak up, call police, expose wrongdoing, protect kids and start healing.
Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Associate Director, USA, 636-433-2511. snapjudy@gmail.com, (SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests,) is the worlds oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims.
SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 12,000 members. Despite the word priest in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers and increasingly, victims who were assaulted in a wide range of institutional settings like summer camps, athletic programs, Boy Scouts, etc.
Mass public resignation from Mormonism
I had a what the fuck moment when reading a story about Mormons who had gathered in Utah to resign from their church. It was this section:
Married in a Mormon temple, Fielding said the couples shared disaffection from their faith is tied in part to their local church leader's response to questions Fielding had about polyandry and polygamy - taking multiple husbands and wives - in the early church.
"I went to him looking for a faithful perspective. He called my wife and told her she needed to find a new husband," Fielding said.
Read more: Mormons quit church in mass resignation ceremony
How dare the church stick its nose into the private family life of its members? Unfortunately, It is normal behavior. It is the price you pay to become a Mormon. You give up your privacy and the ability to manage your own affairs without interference from well meaning but poorly trained religious zealots. Besides Mormon's fairytale theology, this is what bothers me the most the church. The social aspects of Mormonism are insidious.
It takes courage to quit the Mormon church. Once you are a member, the social ties are strong. You face business and personal isolation. Your family will turn their backs to you. Your friends will disappear. You may even lose your job. I’ve helped two people and their families leave the church. In both cases, the people involved suffered horrible social pressure. I’m encouraged to see people leave in mass. It sends the right message.
Technorati Tags: LDS,Mormons,Mormon Resignation
Assault by bible
We are usually verbally assaulted by Christians carrying bibles. It starts with, “Have you heard the good news?” It ends with something about going to hell and eternal damnation. I’ve been verbally assaulted too many times to count. I’m sure you have too. Something different happened in a Baptist church down in Selmer. Ina Garrett threw her bible at pastor Leon Taylor and struck him in the face. The police arrested her.
According to a court complaint, McNairy County Sheriff’s Department deputies were summoned to the church in late-May to deal with a “lady that was unwanted.” Taylor told investigators that Garrett had been voted out of the church.
Source: Woman Arrested In Bible Thumping Of Baptist Pastor
Voted out of the church… It’s one of those things a church can do that I don’t understand. I knew a lady once, she worked for me 20 years ago, who was kicked out of her Baptist church. She had been a member for 12 years. Her crime, besides an acerbic tongue, she had a public argument the the pastor’s wife. Church politics forced her out. How Christ-like is that? I wonder what prompted the congregation of Mt. Zion Baptist Church to kick a 64-year old woman to the curb? Was it because she thinks the pastor is a demon?
Technorati Tags: Bible,Assault,BaptistsRelated articles
- Ina Garrett, Bible-Beater: Church Lady Accused of Hitting Pastor in Head with Bible ("He's Got the Demon in Him") (home.conservativebabylon.com)
- Woman Literally Beats Pastor With Bible (patheos.com)
- Woman Beats Pastor With Bible! (praisecharlotte.com)
Part 24 - 2012 London Olympics - Our Goose Is Cooked!
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| David Rockefeller and the 2012 London Olympic Stadium |
At this point, it is important to ask some necessary questions as we prepare to further investigate, and reveal, the satanic end-game plan in the works. The immediate questions that demand attention include: Who is behind the scenes orchestrating the events in question? What is the end-game plan of those responsible for orchestrating these events? How does the mega-ritual Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games fit into their end-game plan? Finally, what means will those responsible for the mega-ritual potentially use in order to bring about their desired ultimate end?In addressing the first question many will be tempted to point out that there is a conspiracy taking place and then point the conspiratorial finger to one secret society or another, various government agencies, international bankers, etc. While none of those answers are technically wrong in and of themselves, they are lacking in terms of accurately assessing the magnitude of what is currently facing humanity.
In attempting to answer the question of who is behind the scenes and responsible for what is taking place, it is critically important to realize that the conspiracy in play against the vast majority of humanity is of satanic origin. To say it as simply as possible, Satan along with his followers and agents are those responsible for the evil conspiracy afoot.
I could spend the rest of the post singling out those agencies and individuals serving Satan and aiding in the conspiracy in play, but I believe it will suffice to say that when I use the words "they", "them", "their", etc I am referring to anyone engaged in the service of Satan via secret occult society or otherwise.
The answer to the first question goes a long way in answering the second question. Knowing that Satan is atop of the power structure behind the scenes and that his followers and agents are responsible for carrying out his agenda allows us to put what is transpiring in the proper context. In addition, this allows us to view the remainder of these questions in the provided context and answer them accordingly.
Satan's ultimate goal is to substitute himself for the Sovereign God of the universe and sit upon The True God's throne. In order to do this, Satan must destroy God's creation, Adamic-Mankind, and replace it with his own hybridized form of Satanic-mankind that is truly of serpent-seed lineage and no longer human. In essence, Satan is looking to finish what he began in the Garden of Eden with his first son, Cain.
To bring about the destruction of Adamic-Mankind created by God, Satan intends to alter mankind's DNA. The plan is to change mankind's double-helix DNA structure into a non-human, Satanic-hybrid triple-helix DNA that will permanently remove all those who undergo such a change from God's Tree of Life and graft them onto Satan's tree of thorns and thistles ensuring their placed among the damned. The chosen vehicle that will bring about this truly life-altering change is known as "The Mark of The Beast", and will be presented in the form of an implantable microchip.In order for the satanic end-game to come to fruition, the world must be prepared in advance and the stage perfectly set for the arrival of The Lawless One. The entire world must be thrust into a state of complete chaos, panic, and fear as the world we have come to know no longer exists. Through this chaos the False Prophet will emerge and begin preparing the way as the world responds in authoritarian fashion.
September 11th, 2001 was a national model of what is to take place on a global scale in the near future. The chaos of the 9-11 event itself was simply a means to a much bigger end, which was the implementation of a true police state in the United States and the end of whatever perceived liberty we enjoyed. Just as the national 9-11 moment of 2001 brought about significant national changes and police state measures, this global 9-11 moment will bring about significant global changes and police state measures the world over. Those of us remaining will truly be living in a 9-12 world, the world that has come to be "the minute" after the global 9-11 event.
Now that we have identified the behind-the-scenes power structure responsible for these events and their desired end-game plans, we can now be about the business of addressing the final two questions of how the mega-ritual Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games fits into their plans, and what means will be used in the ritual to assist in bringing about that end-game.
With that being said, let us now begin pulling back the curtain and take a look at what is truly taking place during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
A quick Google search turns up article after article that has been written about the extravagant plans of the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games. Of particular interest to me, and the focus of this series, is the intentional signaling being done with three forms of live birds, synthetic clouds, NHS nurses, and the Holy Thorn Tree stationed atop the actual slice of Glastonbury Tor. There is a great deal more going on with, and during, the Opening Ceremony, but it simply falls outside the purview of this particular series. Lord willing we will get to the rest of what is going on with the Opening Ceremony in future posts.According to a recent article from the British publication "The Guardian", Opening Ceremony director Danny Boyle reassured PETA that all of the animals being used in the production would be well treated. The article listed the following animals being used in the ritual...er...ceremony:
"After revealing this month that 12 horses, three cows, two goats, 10 chickens, 10 ducks, nine geese, 70 sheep and three sheepdogs would be part of the opening scene, animal rights campaigners claimed it could breach the Animal Welfare Act by subjecting them to undue distress."
What caught my attention in this list is the fact that they are using ten chickens, ten ducks, and then only nine geese. Is it me, or are they intentionally signaling something by using nine geese? They are using only nine geese because the tenth goose has been "cooked". Brothers and sisters, that tenth goose that is cooked and missing is representative of you and me!Jeff Davis made a brilliant observation in one of his latest posts pointing out that the total number of animals being used is 119, which viewed backwards can be viewed as 911. If we are to account for the tenth, cooked and missing, goose we would have one more live animal in the count. However, that would not necessarily constitute a 120 and subsequent 021, but a 912 signal of the impending "minute after" 9-12 world that will soon be upon us.
On July 2nd, Reuters published an article entitled "Bird flu pandemic in humans could happen any time." According to the article:
"After studying 15 years of data on bird flu viruses in the wild, researchers said some strains were already part way along the road to acquiring a handful of mutations needed to change into a form that could cause a devastating human pandemic.
"The remaining... mutations could evolve in a single human host, making a virus evolving in nature a potentially serious threat," Derek Smith of Britain's University of Cambridge, who led the research, told reporters.
Currently, bird flu, or H5N1 avian flu, can be transmitted from birds to birds and birds to humans, but not from humans to humans. When it does pass from birds to humans, it is usually fatal. Two earlier studies by researchers in the United States and Europe have found that with as few as five mutations, H5N1 flu can become transmissible in the air between mammals, including potentially from person to person. Their work was highly controversial because they manipulated viruses in the lab to produce the new mutated strains.
MUTATIONS ARE ALREADY OUT THERE
Until now, scientists were not sure whether it was possible these same mutations could evolve in nature. But Smith's co-researcher Colin Russell said their study, published on Thursday in the journal Science, showed it was.
"Viruses that have two of these mutations are already common in birds, meaning that there are viruses that might have to acquire only three additional mutations in a human to become airborne transmissible," he told reporters.
So far, the H5N1 virus, which was first detected in Hong Kong in 1997, has infected tens of millions of ducks, geese, chickens and other birds. People who have been infected - so far there have been 606, of whom 357 have died - are mostly those who came into close contact with birds.
Last year, teams led by Ron Fouchier at Erasmus Medical Center and by Yoshihiro Kawaoka at the University of Wisconsin managed to create laboratory-enhanced versions of the virus that spread like ordinary flu between mammals."
Okay, so let’s do a quick rundown of what we are being told in that article. The mutations required to cause this virulent form of Bird Flu are "already out there" and scientists have "managed to create laboratory-enhanced versions of the virus that spread like ordinary flu between mammals." I know you just read that, but I felt it was important enough to type out again. Let that sink in for a moment.
The fact that the Reuter's article specifically named "chickens, ducks, and geese" as the birds linked to the outbreak of this virulent form of flu is extremely significant when comparing the list of live birds being used by Danny Boyle in the Opening Ceremony. Once again we are confronted with the very ominous fact that Danny Boyle is using 10 chickens, 10 ducks, and the variant number nine geese.
I do believe the necessary evidence to my assertion of the 10th goose being "cooked" can be found on page 18 of the "Scenarios for the Future of Technology and International Development" paper put forth by The Rockefeller Foundation in 2010. On page 18 of this document we read the following:
In 2012, the pandemic that the world had been anticipating for years finally hit. Unlike 2009’s H1N1, this new influenza strain — originating from wild geese — was extremely virulent and deadly. Even the most pandemic-prepared nations were quickly overwhelmed when the virus streaked around the world, infecting nearly 20 percent of the global population and killing 8 million in just seven months, the majority of them healthy young adults. The pandemic also had a deadly effect on economies: international mobility of both people and goods screeched to a halt, debilitating industries like tourism and breaking global supply chains. Even locally, normally bustling shops and office buildings sat empty for months, devoid of both employees and customers.
That certainly seems to be a rather compelling and convincing answer to the "why only nine geese?" question, does it not? Folks, I strongly believe they are telling you what they are up to and what they have planned. It seems very likely to me that a global pandemic of a virulent form of weaponized, designer bird flu is set to be unleashed upon the world. It is also no small matter that this just so happens to be on page 18 of the document. For those of you aware of the occult means of numeric signaling, you will recognize this as a "666" reference with the "18" being "6+6+6=18". Their evil nature most definitely does not run short of cleverness.
The nefarious NLP and evil intent of the Rockefeller Foundation paper cannot be over-emphasized. For those of you who believe that I may be reading too much into this document, I would like to shine the light on two particular passages that I believe demonstrate exactly what they are trying to tell us:
Scenarios are a medium through which great change can be not just envisioned but also actualized. The more closely you read them, the more likely it becomes that you will recognize their important but less obvious implications to you, your work, and your community. ~ Scenarios for the Future of Technology and International Development - Page 12
Please keep in mind that the scenarios in this report are stories, not forecasts, and the plausibility of a scenario does not hinge on the occurrence of any particular detail ~ Scenarios for the Future of Technology and International Development - Page 17
I know this post is a long one, but please make sure to read these two quotes very carefully as they are very telling. The folks responsible for authoring this paper are telling us that the scenarios in question are not just for envisioning change, but for actualizing it! In addition, if they are going out of their way to tell us that their work is not a forecast, I believe we can say with a substantial amount of conviction that their work is indeed a forecast.
In addition to the overwhelming evidence presented thus far, there have been several articles published giving those of us with eyes to see a "heads up" as to what is most likely coming our way:
"UK at 'extreme' risk of flu pandemic as millions of foreign visitors expected for Olympics"
"U.K. government security chiefs recently warned that an attack with chemical or biological weapons on the British public transport system remains a major threat to the London Olympics in 2012."
"The London Olympics will greatly increase the risk of a flu pandemic in Britain, according to a new study of more than 200 countries by risk analysts Maplecroft."
"Warning Olympic Germs Heading Here! Why Health Officials will be on high alert."
"Death toll from 2009 H1N1 outbreak was much higher than previous estimates"
"Bird Flu Outbreak Hits Mexico"
Lord willing, in the following posts of this series I will continue to demonstrate that there is a very strong probability of a global pandemic being released during the Olympic Games that will be the catalyst used to bring about the necessary global 9-11 chaos that ushers in the consequent "minute after" 9-12 world, and the tools they will be using during the Opening Ceremony to accomplish that aim.
In closing I would like to say that while all of this may seem greatly troubling and reason for fear, rest assured that everything is going according to the plan of The True Sovereign God of the universe, and although the battle will be intense He is assured to win. Regardless of how chaotic things become, please know that He is in complete control and that everything will work out absolutely perfectly, because He is just so good!
By Aaron Hermann ( Revelation of Babylon blog )
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Author Reading: Worship across the Racial Divide
So, here's the beginning of the book, from Chapter 1.
listen to ‘Worship across the Racial Divide ~ excerpt Ch 1’ on Audioboo
Enjoy!
Law Students Receive On-the-Job Training
On-the-job training is a crucial part of a law school education. While this training can take many forms, for three Regent University students who recently completed their second year in the School of Law, it comes as a summer opportunity to work closely with judges across the United States.
Laura Zuber is interning for the Honorable Bobby R. Baldock of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Roswell, N.M. As an intern, her days are spent conducting research for the judge's pending cases and writing bench memoranda based on the parties' briefs submitted to the court as well as other documents related to cases before the court. Her research covers procedural history, the facts of the case and the legal arguments being used.
But, her days aren't simply spent in research and writing. "Throughout the day, I may be asked to proofread a draft, read an opinion in the circuit, or talk with the judge about good skills to have as a clerk and lawyer," she said. "I [also] spent one week with Judge Baldock and his staff in Denver, Colo., for a term of court. A typical day there is hearing oral arguments in the morning and then working in the office in the afternoon on various cases."
Andy Kartchner is in the middle of an externship for the Honorable Michael W. Mosman of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. Similar to Zuber, his days are filled with a variety of duties for the judge.
"The judge has a lot on his plate, so basically I work as a third clerk for him, researching the cases and making recommendations on motions and other rulings," Kartchner explained. "Every once in a while there is an interesting hearing or oral argument that I attend as well. That is a great experience because I get to sit up front and watch the attorneys' faces while they argue instead of watching them from the gallery. From that vantage point you can really see how some styles are more effective than others."
Thanks to Regent Law's Career & Alumni Services, Rachel Toberty secured an internship with the Honorable Judge Randolph A. Beales of the Virginia Court of Appeals. Similar to Kartchner and Zuber, her workdays involve assisting Judge Beales and his clerks with legal research.
All three students agree that their first two years at Regent Law prepared them for their work.
"This judicial internship is all about writing clearly and concisely," Zuber said. "Knowing how to research effectively is a good tool as well because I am on Westlaw or LexisNexis for hours each day. Being a part of Regent's Law Review has helped refine my editing skills and those are essential in this internship."
"I put my education to work every single day," Kartchner added. "I spend most of my day researching and writing, so those skills I have learned at Regent have served me well .... I take it personally to represent the school out here on the West Coast."
"My training thus far at Regent has prepared me extremely well for this opportunity," Toberty said. "Working on the Journal of Law and Public Policy has taught me great editing skills and how to be detail oriented. Also, working as a graduate assistant for [John Brown McCarty Professor of Family Law] Lynne Marie Kohm has given me research experience that has served me well in this job."
Learn more about Regent Law’s Office of Career & Alumni Services.
By Rachel Judy
3Ls Exceed National Trend for Satisfaction
Regent University third-year law students are indicating high levels of satisfaction with their educational experience, compared to many of their peers nationwide who express discontent with the state of legal education. In a recent national survey, students rated Regent Law very well in several key areas.
The Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE), co-sponsored by the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) and The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, assesses whether an institution's programs and practices are having the desired effect on students' activities, experiences and outcomes.
The 2012 LSSSE found that, in terms of ethical formation, employment services and overall satisfaction, Regent's law students are very pleased to have come to Regent and, in very high numbers, would come back if they had the chance to do it again.
"My personal experience as a recent graduate confirms the phenomenal academic training and environment Regent provides," said Paul Boller '12. "As I prepare this summer to take the Bar Exam, I repeatedly find myself thankful for the high degree of excellent legal instruction that Regent gave me. As the results of this survey and my own experience indicate, Regent is truly in a class of its own."
Overall, the survey found that:
- 88 percent of third-year Regent students indicated "Very much" in response to being asked if their law school environment encourages the ethical practice of law. This is compared to the national average of 38 percent.
- 68 percent of third-year Regent students indicated "Quite a bit" or "Very much" in response to being asked if their law school environment provides support they need to succeed in their employment search. The national average was 33 percent.
- 68.6 percent of third-year Regent students would "definitely" come to Regent again if they could start over, compared to the national average of 32.8 percent.
- 75.4 percent of third-year Regent students evaluated their entire educational experience as "excellent," compared to the national average of 30.4 percent.
Law school Dean Jeffrey Brauch says the LSSSE results reflect Regent's commitment to training both the heads and hearts of future lawyers within a supportive Christian academic community.
"If you come to Regent, you will not only be trained to be an excellent lawyer, you will be trained to be a lawyer of integrity and honor," he said. "You'll also be trained in an environment in which both students and faculty support you, care for you and encourage you."
Recent graduate Ashleigh Chapman '12 agreed. "I was drawn to Regent Law School because of the motto: 'Law is more than a profession. It is a calling,'" she said. "And indeed, having spent three years among our faculty and student body, and immersed in all that is 'law school,' I have been deeply impressed with Regent's commitment to teach law with excellence; to integrate at every opportunity how one 'ought' to practice law, not just how one may do so; to pour their efforts into training us to be lawyers in the classroom, and working diligently to place us in the field and not just any field, but one we feel called to pursue. I can say with all my heart that I was not disappointed in my expectations."
The 2012 LSSSE measured the expectations and satisfaction among 58,208 law students from 81 law schools, including 17,168 third-year law students. Regent's student response rate was 44 percent; for all schools, the response rate was 43 percent.
Learn more about Regent Law's history of national moot court competition success, bar pass rates, and other measures of academic excellence.
Regent Extends Teaching Relationships with Distinguished Professors
Distinguished professors Attorney General John Ashcroft and Admiral Vern Clark—popular faculty members on the Regent University campus for several years—will continue their teaching and leadership roles through 2015.
In announcing this news, Regent president, Dr. Carlos Campo, said, "The real-world experience and leadership lessons that these two men bring to our students is part of what makes Regent's academic environment so enriching. Our students and faculty consider it a real privilege to learn from them."
Ashcroft has teaching appointments in Regent's School of Law and the Robertson School of Government (RSG), covering subjects including national legal policy, human rights, civil liberties and national security.
"Regent welcomes a full discussion of issues including spiritual values and concerns. Many institutions exclude or severely limit discussion of spiritual concepts; the Regent approach of welcoming the whole truth and complete discussion is most rewarding," said Ashcroft, who has taught at Regent since the spring of 2005. "Regent students are serious performers. During my seven years here, our law students have been national champions in moot court competitions and moot negotiation contests. They have also been formally recognized for writing top quality briefs among the nation's very best."
Besides teaching on campus for several weeks each semester, Ashcroft also teaches a course titled Civil Liberties and National Security at Regent Law's summer program with the European Center for Law and Justice at the University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, France. He hosts numerous events during his times at Regent, and over the past eight years, has welcomed more than 2,000 Regent students to his residence for conversations outside of the classroom.
With teaching appointments in both RSG and the School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship, Clark covers topics including national security, public management and leadership development.
"I admire people who understand the call to commitment and their faith. I'm a teacher at heart, and I enjoy teaching in any environment, but teaching at Regent is special. Regent students have been inculcated with the challenge to develop as leaders and in their specialty area," shared Clark, who has been at Regent since the spring of 2006. "That means every student at Regent is going through the growth and development process so they can make a difference. And I like being surrounded by people with a vision of their future and the dedication to follow their calling."
During his time on campus, Clark also presents policy briefings and programs for other schools and departments, including Regent's Professional & Continuing Education division, where he has been teaching in a new Homeland Security Certificate program. He often speaks to prospective students, including members of the military who are considering higher education.
The Regent community benefits from the ample and diverse experiences that both distinguished professors bring to the campus.
Serving as Attorney General in the first George W. Bush administration, Ashcroft led the U.S. law enforcement community through the challenging and transformational period following the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001. His career of public service began in 1973 as Missouri Auditor. He was later elected to two terms as the state's attorney general and went on to serve as Governor of Missouri from 1985 through 1993. Ashcroft was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1994, and in 2001 he was appointed the U.S. Attorney General.
Currently, Ashcroft serves as chairman of The Ashcroft Group, LLC, which provides confidential strategic consulting and crisis counseling to major international corporations. Clark completed a distinguished 37-year Navy career in 2005. His Navy experience spans his early days as a lieutenant in command of a patrol gunboat and concluded in the halls of the Pentagon as the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He has the distinction of being the second-longest serving CNO in history.
He currently serves on the board of directors of Raytheon Company, Rolls Royce North America, and SRI International where he is Chairman of the Board. He serves as a senior advisor with Booz Allen Hamilton, the Defense Business Board, the advisory boards of Fleishman-Hillard, Robertson Fuel Systems LLC (not affiliated with Regent's founding family), Cubic Defense Applications, Inc. and the Executive Committee of Military History.
Learn more about Regent's distinguished faculty.
Regent Law in the News
Clarence Henderson (’04) was recently appointed by Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire to a three-year appointment on the Washington State Human Rights Commission.
Washington’s Human Rights Commission is a state agency responsible for administering and enforcing Washington law’s against discrimination.
Henderson is a criminal defense attorney at Pierce County Department of Assigned Counsel.
Lynne Marie Kohm, the John Brown McCarty Professor of Family Law, was featured as a guest columnist by JURIST. Her op-ed, titled "Marriage and Grassroots Democracy in 2012" was published on Tuesday, June 26.
James Davids, assistant professor in the School of Law and Robertson School of Government, was quoted in this Thursday, June 28, article from urbanfaith.com discussing the implications of the Supreme Court's ruling to uphold the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
Worship across the Racial Divide: An Interview with Gerardo Marti
Between Tuesday and Wednesday, it will be divided into a set of two posts.
The exchange includes a brief reflection on the relationship between the disciplines of history and sociology. Even more, these brief exchanges provide a glimpse into the core arguments of the book.
Author Reading: Worship across the Racial Divide ~ Ch 2
From Part 1 "Confronting Popular Notions of Race and Worship", here's the beginning of Chapter 2.
listen to ‘Worship across the Racial Divide ~ excerpt Ch 2’ on Audioboo
The reading from the beginning of the book, Chapter 1, is here.
Enjoy!
Author Reading: Worship across the Racial Divide ~ Ch 3
From Part 1 "Confronting Popular Notions of Race and Worship", here's the beginning of Chapter 3 on African Americans as the Icon of "True Worship" in diverse churches.
listen to ‘Worship across the Racial Divide ~ excerpt Ch 3’ on Audioboo
The reading from the beginning of the book, Chapter 1, is here. Chapter 2 is here.
The Diverse Church as Musical Production
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| Review of Worship across the Racial Divide by Franklin Golden |
A very special thanks to Franklin Graham, co-pastor of Durham Presbyterian Church who posted a very nice, very concise summary and response to my new book at the Faith and Leadership Blog at Duke Divinity.
Research on Multiracial Congregations that Does Not Yet Exist
Research on Multiracial Congregations that Does Not Yet Exist
First, we should expand more widely the scope of “diversity” examined in diverse congregations to more actively incorporate a broader scope of cultural experiences and ancestral backgrounds.
Second, we should pursue a more inclusive range of diverse congregations and avoid treating “multiracial churches” as a homogenous category; clearly, they are not.
Third, we should focus more attention on non-Christian congregations.
St. Martin's Episcopal Church (Photo credit: joseph a)Fourth, we should isolate significant arenas of diversification and investigate contemporary initiatives for diversification (and rigorous research will likely identify intriguing ironies and contradictions).
Fifth, we should exercise greater caution in our use of racial and ethnic categories as well as become better prepared for working through new and changing “multiracial identities.”
Finally, we should expand the use of multiracial churches as strategic arenas for data collection to address other interesting and important social dynamics.
These suggestions--with expanded discussion and a number of relevant citations from research research--can be found here.
5 Temmuz 2012 Perşembe
Chick-Fil-A's Anti-Gay Donations Totaled Nearly $2 Million In 2010
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| Chick Fil-A = Anti-Gay Bigotry |
Chick-fil-A is quickly becoming more well-known for its alleged anti-gay donations than for its fried chicken.
As reported by Equality Matters and The Advocate -- among other publications -- a newly-released analysis of Chick-fil-A's charitable work has found that the fast found chain donated nearly $2 million to anti-gay groups over the course of 2010.
Among the many groups to receive donations through Chick-fil-A's WinShape Foundation, which was created by Chick-fil-A founder and chairman S. Truett Cathy in 1984, were the Marriage & Family Foundation ($1,188,380), Exodus International ($1,000) and the Family Research Council (also $1,000), Equality Matters reported.
Meanwhile, The New Civil Rights Movement's David Badash presents an even more disturbing figure: that Chick-fil-A has donated an estimated $5 million to anti-gay organizations and hate groups between 2003 and 2010.
Not surprisingly, the revelation has already sparked a number of impassioned responses from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights advocates and media outlets. "Let's face it: despite what the company's president says, Chick-Fil-A is an anti-gay corporation," wrote Tyler Coates for BlackBook. "And, on that note, I'm just going to have to assume that anyone who spends their money there are completely fine with the fact that an anti-gay corporation not only exists, but pushes money to other groups to continue the widespread practice of discriminating against everyone in the LGBT community."
Support JC Penney - Go Shopping!
I've posted a couple of times about the Christiannist onslaught and boycott effort against retailer JC Penney because (1) the company hired Ellen Degeneres as a spokeswoman and (2) because the company included a photo of two gay dads in the Father's Day catalog (see the image above). The haters are apoplectic because JC Penney acknowledges that gays exist and that we have family values too. Our family values, however, are not based on fear, self-inflicted ignorance and hatred of others who are different from ourselves. I have also encouraged LGBT consumers to spend their money at JC Penney as a way of saying "thank you" to the company for not knuckling under to the hate merchants and Christofascists.Today I took my own advice and ran by the local JC Penney store before heading down the street to a 4th of July party at a neighbor's home that looks out across Hampton Roads harbor with a panoramic view of the harbor and the U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet at the Norfolk Naval Base. JC Penney is not a high end designer stre, but I was able to find some nice things and left the store with five items that included some designer names at a great price. In fact, wore the Joseph Abboud shorts I bought to today's party.
We as a community need to support those who don't surrender to the demands of our enemies. I for one will continue to target my spending toward gay friendly companies and businesses.
Singer/Song Writer Frank Ocean Comes Out
Many readers - especially those in my age bracket - may not know who Frank Ocean is, but odds are you've heard one of his songs performed by other artists. But what matters is that he's well known in many circles and particularly with the younger generation. Hence why it is a fairly big deal that he has acknowledged that his first love was another man. Coming on the heels of Anderson Cooper's final public admission of who he is, this coming out helps under score that LGBT individuals are found across all groups of society and that not living a lie or carrying secrets is very liberating. In part of his coming out, Ocean - who is the subject of a lengthy New York Times profile - stated: “I don’t have any secrets I need kept any more.” Having been in the closet for decades myself, I know how soul killing it is living in fear of discovery and never being able to simply be. Here are a few excerpts from the Times profile:“Channel Orange” (Island Def Jam), his beautiful first full-length studio album, will be released this month, and it’s rife with the sting of unrequited love, both on the receiving and inflicting ends. Mr. Ocean, 24, is an extremely unflashy songwriter, avoiding big proclamations and broad brush strokes, instead leaning on conversational gambits and the power of detail. He makes warm, cloudy soul with echoes of Stevie Wonder, Prince and Pharrell Williams that’s almost never about seduction. In Mr. Ocean’s universe, pretty much everyone is broken beyond repair. While clearly part of a robust historical lineage Mr. Ocean is also at the forefront of a larger push-back against the stasis in contemporary R&B, something in evidence in his organic vamps but also in the Weeknd’s narcotized lust and even mainstream dance music hybrids. And Mr. Ocean’s dissents are starting to have wider effect. He’s written for Beyoncé and has collaborated with Jay-Z and Kanye West.Like Anderson Cooper who chose to come out via an e-mail to Andrew Sullivan, Ocean avoided a press conference or People Magazine style interview and instead sent out a tumblr message:
On Tuesday night, Mr. Ocean took to his Tumblr to tell the story of his first love, which was with a man. “I don’t have any secrets I need kept any more,” he wrote. (That was too late to include in the print version of this article, which will appear in the Arts & Leisure section on Sunday.)
As a young songwriter Mr. Ocean was profligate, writing for and with a variety of artists, hoping to establish himself. Songs he wrote were recorded by Brandy and Justin Bieber, among others. “I had to change my circumstance,” he said of the urgency that gripped that part of his life. “The artist in me hates to say that now, but it was about money, it was about access, it was about nice things.”
Whoever you are, wherever you are, I'm starting to think we're a lot alike. Human beings spinning on blackness. All wanting to be seen, touched, heard, paid attention to. My loved ones are everything to me here. In the last year or 3 I've screamed at my creator. Screamed at clouds in the sky. For some explanation. Mercy maybe. For peace of mind to rain like mannaI wish him the best of luck.
somehow. 4 summers ago, I met somebody. I was 19 years old. He was too. We spent that summer, and the summer after, together. Everyday almost. And on the days we were together, time would glide. Most of the day I'd see him, and his smile. I'd hear his conversation and his silence..until it was time to sleep. Sleep I would often share with him. By the time I realized I was in love, it was malignant. It was hopeless. There was no escaping, no negotiating with the feeling. No choice. It was my first love, it changed my life. Back then my mind would wander to the women I had been with, the ones I cared for and though I was in love with. I reminisced about the sentimental songs I enjoyed when I was a teenager..the ones I played when I experienced a girlfriend for the first time. I realized they were written in a language I did not yet speak. I realized too much too quickly. Imagine being thrown from a plane. I wasn't in a plane though. I was in a Nissan Maxima, the same car I packed up with bags and drove to Los Angeles in. I sat there and told my friend how I felt. I wept as the words left my mouth. I grieved for them, knowing I could never take them back for myself. He patted my back. He said kind things. He did his best, but he wouldn't admit the same. He had to go back inside soon. It was late and his girlfriend was waiting for him upstairs. He wouldn't tell me the truth about his feelings for me for another 3 years. I felt like I'd only imagined reciprocity for years. Now imagine being thrown from a cliff. No, I wasn't on a cliff, I was still in my car telling myself it was gonna be fine and to take deep breaths. I took the breaths and carried on. I kept up a peculiar friendship with him because I couldn't imagine keeping up my life without him. I struggled to master myself and my emotions. I wasn't always successful.
The dance went on. I kept the rhythm for several summers after. It's winter now. I'm typing this on a plane back to Los Angeles from New Orleans. I flew home for another marred Christmas. I have a windowseat. It's December 27, 2001. By now I've written two albums, this being the
second. I wrote to keep myself busy and sane. I wanted to create worlds that were rosier than mine. I tried to channel overwhelming emotions. I'm surprised at how far all of it has taken me. Before writing this I'd told some people my story. I'm sure these people kept me alive, kept me safe. Sincerely, these are the folks I wanna thank from the floor of my heart. Everyone of you knows who you are.. great humans, probably angels. I don't know what happens now, and that's alrite. I don't have any secrets I need kept anymore. There's probably some small shit still, but you know what I mean. I was never alone, as much as I felt like it.. as much as I still do sometimes. I never was. I don't think I ever could be. Thanks. To my first love. I'm grateful for you. Grateful that even though it wasn't what I hoped for and even though it was never enough, it was. Some things never are.. and we were. I won't forget you. I won't forget the summer. I'll remember who I was when I met you. I'll remember who you were and how we've both changed and stayed the same. I've never had more respect for life and living than I have right now. Maybe it takes a near death experience to feel alive. Thanks. To my mother, you raised me strong. I know I'm only braved because you were first.. so thank you. All of you. For everything good. I feel like a free man. If I listen closely.. I can hear the sky falling too.
Is Virginia a Microcosm of the 2012 Election?
Things are changing in Virginia albeit at a snails pace in many ways - especially in the area of gay rights. Sadly, the backwards and ignorant rural areas of the state and Kool-Aid drinking Christianist orchestrated by the the theocrats at The Family Foundation still control the puppet strings of the Republican Party of Virginia. The result has been legislative action by the General Assembly that looks like a Christian version of the Talban's agenda. The shifts in population will hopefully change this dynamic over time as the urban areas grow and can simply out vote the reactionary elements in the rural areas of the state. A piece in Politico looks at how this may play out in the 2012 presidential contest. Here are highlights:The University of Virginia's Center for Politics has published a good primer on the electoral geography of Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina, and neatly crystallizes the sense among national operatives that the state has become a bellwether for the country as a whole:Of the state's 13% growth in population between 2000 and 2010, a large portion occurred in Northern Virginia, the diverse suburbs and exurbs of Washington, D.C. Examples of rapid growth abound: Prince William County grew 40% while Loudoun County led the state with a growth rate of 84%, making them the third and fifth-most populous entities* in the state, respectively. Fairfax County crossed the 1 million resident threshold …But Northern Virginia is just one part of the story. The other two important population centers are Greater Richmond, mainly composed of the state’s capital and the counties of Henrico and Chesterfield; and Hampton Roads, dominated by five of the seven biggest independent cities in the state: Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News and Hampton. Together, these three regions form what is known as the “Urban Crescent.” Making up more than two-thirds of the state’s population, the Urban Crescent holds the key to victory in the Commonwealth, particularly for Democrats. As Barack Obama showed in 2008, a candidate who wins all three can make the rest of the state’s vote irrelevant.More and more, Virginia looks and feels like a microcosm of the country as a whole in federal elections. While Democrats look to turn out their supporters in urban areas, Republicans look to run up the vote totals in rural regions. The two parties then battle for the suburbs and exurbs.[T]here are also themes specific to the 2012 race that could manifest themselves acutely there. Any number of national dynamics have particular application to Virginia: white suburban disappointment with Obama, upscale female voters' concerns about the Republican Party, Latino voters' concerns about Mitt Romney, slackening enthusiasm for the president among the young voters and black voters who helped him win in 2008, suspicion of Romney among voters tied to the manufacturing sector and more.
Justice Department Seeking Expedited Supreme Court Review of DPMA Cases
In follow up to the Congressional GOP's request that the U.S. Supreme Court hear an appeal of the First Circuit Court of Appeal's ruling striking down DOMA as unconstitutional, the U. S. Justice Department has upped ante and is seeking a review of of the DOMA cases in both the First and Ninth Circuits. The move will expedite the process in the Ninth Circuit case and potentially secure a prompter resolution of the unconstitutionality of DOMA. Here are highlights from Prop 8 Trial Tracker where copies of the petitions for certiorari can be found:The Department of Justice is asking the Supreme Court to hear two challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act, in an unexpected move. The announcement comes in the form of a letter to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals as part of the DOMA challenge in that circuit, Golinski v. OPM. The Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG), who is representing the Republican-led House in defense of DOMA, had filed for a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court in a different challenge, Gill v. OPM/Massachusetts v. HHS, this past Friday. The letter notes that the Solicitor General has filed petitions for certiorari in both cases.It is time for the Supreme Court to strike down DOMA and end the infusion of religion into the civil laws so as to punish gays for noncompliance with an increasingly toxic and bigotry based form of religion.
The Golinski case is scheduled for oral argument at the Ninth Circuit the week of September 10, but the Justice Department is asking to bypass the Ninth Circuit hearing and ruling entirely and head directly to the Supreme Court where they can review issues such as the level of scrutiny and past precedents that may conflict with a ruling striking down DOMA.
[P]utting the issue squarely before the Justices is a significant step. And in fact, in their certiorari petition, the Justice Department tackles the issue of heightened scrutiny for laws affecting gays and lesbians head on. They write:The district court concluded that Section 3 cannot survive under heightened scrutiny because the denial of federal benefits to same-sex couples who are legally married under their States’ laws bears no substantial relationship to any important governmental purpose that motivated Section 3’s enactment. App., infra , 36a-44a. Alternatively, the district court concluded that Section 3 would fail even rational basis review because Section 3 is not rationally related to any conceivable legitimate interest of the federal government. Id at 44a-59a. This case squarely raises important questions about the Constitution’s equal protection guarantee as it applies to a federal statute that draws distinctions among persons who are legally married under their States’ laws on the basis of their sexual orientation. For the reasons given in the government’s Massachusetts petition, those questions, and the ultimate question of the constitutionality of Section 3 of DOMA, warrant authoritative resolution by this Court.They suggest that because the district court ruling addressed the level of scrutiny, it’s time for the Supreme Court to decide that important issue once and for all. The Supreme Court could accept one petition or both in its October conference.
4 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
Another mind blowing case of clergy sexual abuse
I found out about this story care of my army of faithful tipsters. Thank you.
Youth pastor Seth Green was arrested for the repeated sexual assault of a 14-year old girl. The 22-year old youth pastor allegedly carried out the rapes in his church basement rectory apartment over two years.
Butler worked as a youth minister at the New Jerusalem temple on the far South Side. The church is relatively small with about 100 members. But the girl's parents say they felt comfortable encouraging their children to spend time there rather than the streets. That, they say, turned out to be a mistake, as the 22-year-old youth pastor began taking a special interest in their daughter - an interest they say that turned sexual.
Read more: Youth minister charged with sex assault of teen
Did you read the story? Good. Here is what blows my mind.
The parents of the victim thought their child would be safe in the church because it is a house of God. Why? After numerous stories of clergy sexual abuse, why would her parents think their daughter would be safe at a church. Children still need your care. Do not give up your parental duties simply because believe a church is safe.
Youth pastor Seth Green is 22. Doing the math, that puts him at 20 when the abuse is supposed to have started. How does someone get a youth pastor gig at the age of 20, and one with a church provided rectory apartment too? What are his qualifications? What university degree does he hold? I’m betting he is uneducated and untrained, which means he family, a friend, or somehow connected to the leadership of the church. Who would hire an unqualified youth pastor except for reckless church leadership?
The parents knew of the alleged abuse and went to the church before well in advance of going to the police. The youth pastor was raping their daughter. Instead of going to the police, they went to the church. The sexual assaults continued. What did they think would happen? They gave their daughter to a holy pedophile.
The youth pastor had unsupervised time with the victim. I can point to a hundred cases where this alone lead to abuse. Leading a child alone with a youth pastor is irresponsible and should never happen. It should be common sense by now. Would a reasonable person leave a child alone with a priest? Only a fool would do so now. I’m not just harping on the parents here. The church opened itself up to bankruptcy. It owns the abuse now. The court will side with the victim. They almost always do.
Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,RapePastor Xiuhui Jiang arrested
The Catholic church has a well known problem recruiting priests from within the Untied States. This causes a shortage of priests needed to staff the various open positions. To offset the shortage, they recruit priests from Africa, Central America, South America, India, and increasingly, countries like China. Pastor Xiuhui Jiang is a recruit from China. He’s also under investigation for allegedly molesting a teen girl.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the Rev. Xiuhui "Joseph" Jiang is charged with first-degree child endangerment.
Court documents allege that Jiang repeatedly had sexual contact with a girl younger than 17.
The girl told police he fondled her as a priest and family friend on four different occasions this year in Old Monroe.
Read more: Associate pastor accused of molesting girl
It appears that the priesthood appeals to men with a certain appetite without regard to culture. How disturbing.
Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Catholics,ChinaPastor Ruark produced child porn
Pastor Robert “Silas” Ruark, profiled here, allegedly took nude photos of the boys he allegedly molested. Geez…
Police said Ruark allegedly photographed boys in his acolyte program when they were alone at the church. The alleged incidents occurred as early as 1994. The five alleged victims are now 20- to 24 years old.
Read more: California pastor arrested for molestation
The story gets weirder with each passing day.
Related: Wasting no time with Silas Ruark.
Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Child Molestation
Pastor Oscar Perez’s trial starts
Pastor Oscar D. Perez should have set off alarms in the minds of everyone who attended his “church”. For starters, whenever somebody appoints themselves the bishop of a one-man church, they already have issues. It is like running into a kid who proclaims themselves president and CEO of a business with no assets. No sane person will do business with them. It is common sense to avoid those who claim more than they are worth. A self-appointed bishop and sole pastor of a one-man church should see only empty pews on Sunday. With no oversight an unscrupulous pastor can create the opportunity for abuse. In this case, We know this from case after case of clergy sexual abuse reported here at Deep Thoughts. Oversight is one of effective way to reduce the risk of abuse. A one-man church is the exact opposite of a safe place for kids. It is more like a smorgasbord for pedophiles. Believers beware.
Perez is alleged to have committed lewd acts on several children under the age of 14. He faces 330 years in prison.
He is accused of meeting his five victims through the church and gaining their trust by befriending their families and having the boys assist with church services, according to the Orange County District Attorney's office.Perez was the pastor of Iglesia Antigua Católica in Laguna Hills, The church operated from rented space in St. George's Episcopalian Church. This type of arrangement is potential indicator of a problem. Perez was trying to establish legitimacy by it’s association with an established and trusted church. It seems obvious now, but fall for this without question. I don’t understand.
Between 2007 and 2011, Perez is accused of sexually assaulting the five victims one or more times, starting when the boys were 9 to 15 years old. All of the sexual assaults occurred while the victims were visiting or sleeping over at the defendant's apartment, authorities said.
Source: Oscar D. Perez: A Lake Forest Pastor Accused of Pedophilia
Notes:
I loved this line from Josh Dulaney of the OC Weekly, “If convicted, he could be leading Bible studies for up to 330 years in state prison.”
The parents of some of victims let their children sleep over at Perez’s apartment unsupervised. They share responsibility for the abuse.
Technorati Tags: Clergy Sexual Abuse,Pedophiles
Related articles
- O.C. pastor faces trial in alleged sex abuse of five boys (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
