$13 Million Settlement Reached in Sex Abuse Lawsuit
In Nova Scotia, the Roman Catholic diocese reached a historic $13 million settlement with known and alleged victims of sexual abuse by its priests for claims that date back decades. Some of the alleged victims were as young as 8 years old. The diocese was named in a class-action lawsuit last year, along with the Roman Catholic Church, saying they kept the assaults secret and failed to warn or protect children. The lawsuit was brought about by a man whose brother wrote a suicide note in 2002 that led to charges of sex crimes against a priest. The former priest, Hugh Vincent MacDonald, was charged with rape, buggery and indecent assault involving 18 children between the ages of eight and 15.
Pittsburgh Gunman: "Maybe soon, I will see God and Jesus"
In Pittsburgh, the crazed gunman who opened fire in a gym and murdered three women before killing himself on Tuesday believed in Jesus and read the Bible. In the final entry of his online journal the day before the shootings, George Sodini, 48, wrote that "maybe soon, I will see God and Jesus". He also possibly rationalized his killing spree with this bit of twisted logic: "Christ paid for EVERY sin, so how can I or you be judged BY GOD for a sin when the penalty was ALREADY paid."
Below is Sodini's final journal entry in its entirety. For more excerpts, visit here.
"August 3, 2009: I took off today, Monday, and tomorrow to practice my routine and make sure it is well polished. I need to work out every detail, there is only one shot. Also I need to be completely immersed into something before I can be successful. I haven't had a drink since Friday at about 2:30. Total effort needed. Tomorrow is the big day.
Unfortunately I talked to my neighbor today, who is very positive and upbeat. I need to remain focused and absorbed COMPLETELY. Last time I tried this, in January, I chickened out. Lets see how this new approach works.
Maybe soon, I will see God and Jesus. At least that is what I was told. Eternal life does NOT depend on works. If it did, we will all be in hell. Christ paid for EVERY sin, so how can I or you be judged BY GOD for a sin when the penalty was ALREADY paid. People judge but that does not matter. I was reading the Bible and The Integrity of God beginning yesterday, because soon I will see them."
While I'm certainly not implying that Sodini was motivated by his religious beliefs, his actions debunk the commonly-held notion that faith and religion is always a positive force that keeps people in line and provides a source of great comfort. After reading some of Sodini's journal entries, it's clear he was a disturbed and lonely man in need of serious psychological help. It's a shame he didn't have a friend or loved one to turn to instead of a Bible.
Kiddie-Porn Pastor aka The Oldest Emma Watson Fan In the World
In Waco, TX, the 65-year-old former pastor who is on trial for nine counts of possession of child pornographyinsists it was all research for his 10-month personal crusade to cleanse the Internet of child pornography. Investigators found 63 images of kiddie-porn on Henry Elbert Edgington’s work computer and more than 100 images of Emma Watson (!) in a padlocked black box in his bathroom and car. According to Edgington, his ingenious plan involved gathering a bunch of illegal images depicting children in sex acts and then handing them over to his local congressman. Unfortunately, Edgington had a harder time explaining e-mail messages he sent to young girls depicted on some of the Web sites, including one that said: “You are so beautiful. It makes me smile to see your face.” The unflappable Edgington said he sent those to be “sneaky” so they would send him more photos (for his research). And what about those Emma Watson photos? They were for his granddaughter...duh!
Arrests In Murder of Teacher Accused of Proselytizing In Nouakchott, Mauritania, three men have been charged with murder in the slaying of an American teacher and aiding al-Qaida. The men were arrested last month and could face the death penalty if convicted. The teacher, Christopher Ervin Leggett (l.), 39, was accused by the North Africa branch of al-Qaida of trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.
Seattle Archdiocese, Man Settle for $350,000 Over Sex Abuse Claims
No wonder the church is always broke! In Seattle, a man reached a $350,000 settlement with the Seattle Roman Catholic Archdiocese over claims he was abused decades ago by former priest James Knelleken. The man said he was abused as a 16-year-old in 1959 by Knelleken, who was serving as pastor at a local church. Another man who had said he also was abused by Knelleken settled his case in October 2007. The amount of that settlement was not known. Knelleken was removed from ministry in 1988 and defrocked before his well-timed death in 2003.
2 Die While Conducting Muslim Ritual In Mumbai, two young men (ages 22 and 20) who were conducting a Muslim ritual on a beach on Sunday are presumed dead after they were swept into the sea by powerful tidal waves. The ritual that the young men were engaging in involved immersing flowers and food in the water. Police and rescuers are still searching the bodies.
And finally...Goat Sacrifice Now Legal In Texas It's a shitty day to be a goat in Dallas as a federal appeals court ruled in favor of allowing a Santeria priest to sacrifice the animals in his home, saying a city's decision to prohibit the ritual violated the man's religious rights. Jose Merced, 46, accuses the city of Euless, Texas, of trampling on his constitutional right to religious exercise. The city claims the sacrifices jeopardize public health and violate its slaughterhouse and animal cruelty ordinances. Fortunately, the Euless city attorney said he plans to file a motion for a rehearing. Santeria, by the way, is an Afro-Cuban religion where members get to chat with dead relatives and deities, kill animals and play a drum.
Dropping Babies From Rooftops = Health and Prosperity, Apparently In New Delhi, activists lashed out at local officials who allowed hundreds of infants to be dropped from the roof of a mosque in the belief that the fall — which ends when the babies are caught in a bedsheet — would ensure good health and prosperity for their families. This bizarre and dangerous ritual has been practiced for nearly 700 years at a local Muslim shrine, with both Hindus and Muslims engaging in this nutty behavior. At a ritual on Thursday, infants were dangled from the roof of the shrine before being dropped about 50 feet onto a bedsheet held by parents and other believers. Fortunately there were no reports of injuries.
Former Police Chaplain Arrested For Sexual Assault In St. Cloud, Minn., an 82-year-old former police chaplain was arrested for sexually assaulting a minor. Police say Pastor Arthur Ree, sexually assaulted a female minor over an 18-month period from 2000 to 2001. Responding to the arrest, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, of which Ree was a member, released the following statement:
“The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Southwestern Minnesota Synod is shocked and deeply saddened by the arrest of art ree on charges of criminal sexual behavior involveing a female victim. Ree is a retired pastor of the ELCA. Charges of this nature are very serious and even more disturbing when they involve the life of the church. The Southwestern Minnesota Synod does not tolerate sexual exploitation or abuse in any way. Our synod and congregation are and should remain always safe places for all people. We offer prayers for the victim of the abuse and her family and friends. We also offer our prayers for Mr. Ree and his family. Situations like these bring deep pain and sadness to many people. Our comfort rests with God who is with us At all times we pray that God’s care, concern, healing and wisdom may be experienced by all who have been affected.”
This statement is much longer than it needs to be. "Offering" prayers and making throwaway statements about God's love ring very empty when an innocent child has been violated by a disgusting old pervert. Where was God's "care, concern, healing and wisdom" when Ree was having his filthy ways with his victim? I just can't believe the audacity of the religious mind sometimes.
Pastor Accused of Sexual Abuse In Louisville, a pastor has been placed on leave after a man alleged that the priest sexually abused him in 1985. In quite an unprecedented move, The Record, a Catholic newspaper, listed Schook's previous parish assignments and asked that any alleged victims of abuse from those parishes contact the archdiocese. The Archdiocese of Louisville was at the center of a massive sexual abuse scandal in 2002 and 2003. Nearly $30 million was paid out in settlements by the archdiocese after more than 250 people made abuse allegations. More then three dozen priests and other church workers were accused of abusing children as far back as the late 1940s.
Priest Busted in Sex Sting In St. Louis, a Catholic priest was arrested in an FBI sex sting targeting men who wanted to rent young girl for sex. According to the police, James Patrick Grady (r.), 57, showed up at the home of what he thought to be a 16-year-old girl, who he offered to pay for sex. On Wednesday, Grady had responded to an online ad offering young females and started exchanging emails with an undercover officer. Eventually, Grady asked the "girl" for a massage but was refused so he then inexplicably propositioned her for kissing and oral sex. (Perhaps he thought that would be less degrading for the girl.) After he was arrested, Grady said he came to the house because he was "curious". Where the hell is Chris Hansen when you need him?
And finally...Pantless Sex Cult Leader Jailed For Blasphemy A kinky sex cult leader in Jakarta who performed sermons in his underwear was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for blasphemy against Islam. Agus Noro (l.) aka Agus Imam Solihin, meaning "leader of the faithful," would demand his Muslim followers to perform group sex in front of him and banned them from praying and fasting -- I'm gonna guess it was the latter two injunctions that got Noro into the real trouble. While prosecutors demanded a four year sentence for the pantless preacher, the judge cut him some slack because Noro withdrew an earlier statement where he claimed to be God. So at least he's not crazy.
"Devil" Mom Ate Parts of Baby In San Antonio, more grisly details are emerging from the violent murder of an infant by her mother who claims the devil told her to do it. In addition to decapitating and tearing off 3 1/2 week old Wesley Buchholz-Sanchez's (l.) face and chewing off three of his toes, it is also being reported that Otty Sanchez (l.), 33, ate parts of her son's brain. She is believed to have killed him with a steak knife and two swords.
Pastor with a Past Charged With Sexual Assault In Charleston, South Carolina, a pastor with an existing rap sheet has been charged with a sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy. The incident is believed to have taken place last year while the boy was attending a baby shower (!) at the home of the accused, Ronald Jones, 53. Jones, an associate pastor at the New Jerusalem AME Church, has a shady past that includes multiple convictions for breach of trust and writing fraudulent checks. Jones' was the second pastor arrested this week with a prior criminal history.
Predatory Pastor Sentenced to 30 Years For Molesting Two Boys Meanwhile, elsewhere in Charleston, South Carolina, another pastor was sentenced to 30 years in prison for fondling two boys. Tyrone Moore, 42, was found guilty of molesting the 12 and 13-year-old boys multiple times between 2004 and 2006. But the troubles don't end there for the pedophilic pastor, authorities say Moore is also under investigation for eight other cases between 2002 and 2006. Additionally, Moore is on the state's sex offender registry for a 1991 conviction on two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a child between ages 11 and 14. He also was convicted in 1989 of committing a lewd act on a child under 16. When he wasn't busy fondling young children, Moore was a pastor at the Full Word Ministries. And Finally... And Sarah Palin Thought She Had It Rough! In Afghanistan, female political hopefuls risk danger to themselves and their families by simply running for office. In the August 20 election, two women are running for president and 328 female candidates are vying for seats on the country's 34 provincial councils. Thanks to Afghanistan's devout Islamic society, female candidates often face death threats, various forms of humiliation (i.e. being called prostitutes) and violent intimidation. One former candidate recalls militants kidnapping, beating and threatening to kill her husband in order to dissuade her from running for a second term.
Schmuck Rabbi Accused of Illegally Selling Human Body Parts In New Jersey, following the wake of last week's FBI take-down of a multi-million dollar money laundering operation that included the arrests of five rabbis comes the shocking news that one of the rabbis, Levy Izhak Rosenbaum (left), brokered the illegal (and lucrative) sales of human organs. Prosecutors say that Rosenbaum was trying to sell a kidney to an undercover federal agent for $160,000 and has been involved in the international black market for kidneys for 10 years.
Randy Reverend Gets Suspension After Sexual Allegations In Boston, the Archdiocese has suspended Rev. Pedro Jose Damázio from performing any public ministry after receiving allegations against him of adult sexual misconduct. (Great, more time for the priest to be alone and doing God-knows-what!) Meanwhile, Damázio's congregation is in predictable "disbelief" and praying for him. So supportive is this bunch that one follower is prepared to excuse Damázio's --and perhaps other randy reverends' -- transgressions by saying, "They are fathers, but they are men, too...I am OK if they are going to be married." Of course! What victim doesn't wanna marry their victimizer? This is yet another reason why I'm a Yankees fan. Perv Priest Denied Appeal for Child Sex Convictions In Australia, a Catholic priest jailed for more than seven years for raping and sexually abusing four boys has been refused a chance for an appeal. Terrence Melville Pidoto was ordained in 1971 and began his child rape-spree a year later. To give you a sense of the depravity and brazenness of Pidoto's libido, one of his victims was a 12-year-old boy who he raped after officiating at the boy's sister's wedding.
That's Hot: Female Lawyers Must Now Wear Headscarves in Gaza In the Gaza Strip, the top judge has ordered female lawyers to wear Muslim headscarves when they appear in court. The move is being perceived as the latest sign that Gaza's Islamic militant rulers are increasingly imposing their strict interpretation of Islamic law. I just hope there's air conditioning in the courtrooms over there. Four Arrested in Village Honor Killing In India, police arrested four people in connection with the honor killing of a 21-year-old man who married a fellow clan-member despite the disapproval of her family. While venturing into his wife's village --under police escort-- to take her back with him, Ved Pal Mor was allegedly attacked by an angry mob and lynched. The four men who were arrested are believed to have "egged on" the mob.
Another Reason to Accept Jesus: 10% off at Denny's! In Texas, if you dine at a particular Denny's and bring a copy of your church bulletin, the restaurant will donate 10% of your bill to your local churchand, as an added bonus, they'll also take 10% off your bill (see right). Although I'd rather eat tumbleweed marinated in vulture excrement than dine at Denny's, this promotion is clearly discriminatory. Fortunately, the good people at the James Randi Educational Foundation are investigating.
Pastor: Obey the Voices in Your Head -- No Matter What And finally...I came across this very disturbing column in Kentucky's Richmond Register where a local pastor, John Settles, encourages his readers to obey God when He "speaks" to them (instead of, say, seeing a shrink) and admonishes those who balk at carrying out the orders of their imaginary friend. Here is an excerpt:
"Some folks believe they would respond to God if God spoke to them in a vision. I’m not sure if they would. There are so many instances where God has made his will clear in his word, but we hesitate to follow his commands. Maybe we are waiting for a vision.
I suspect we do not follow God’s commandments for other reasons. Where God’s will is clear to us, there is no acceptable reason for us not to follow his will. We may refuse to follow out of fear. We may refuse to follow simply out of willful disobedience. Whether God reveals his will through a vision or through other means, he wants us to be guided by his will. Amen."
Now I don't expect any semblance of wisdom or profound insight from pastors but this is absolutely irresponsible and potentially harmful demagoguery. I would love to hear what Mr. Settles thinks of Jesus lovin' citizens like Jim Jones and Scott Roeder, who claim they did what they did because they were following the commands of the Almighty. Oh, that's right, that would be an unfair comparison because those motherfuckers were crazy!
In London, a married Muslim woman is in danger of an honor killing after her lover (also a Muslim) was stabbed and beaten with bricks and had sulfuric acid poured down his throat by a gang of men. The 24-year-old victim, who supposedly "insulted" her strictly religious relatives, suffered burns on 90% of his body, which has left him blind and without a tongue. He is not expected to survive. Police have arrested 7 men in connection with the attack. But remember kids, Islam is a religion of peace.
Man Lynched For Marrying Fellow Clan Member In India, a 21-year-old man was lynched for marrying against the wishes of his tribe-- er, I mean "community". Deemed an honor killing, the man was attacked by residents of his wife's village while on his way to get her. The marriage was opposed by the wife's family and villagers because the couple belonged to the same clan and, therefore, considered brother and sister.
Televangelist Charged with Fraud In New York, a local televangelist is charged with fraud for ripping off investors out of $2 million for a non-existent gemstone business. Pastor Samuel (Samee) Solanky, 61, broadcasts an Asian Indian Christian program called "Vandana" (which, according to its official website, means "worship"). The site says the show's main purpose "is to communicate the love of God toward human beings and to reveal the ultimate plan for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God." Whatever.
New Jersey Diocese Named in Civil Complaint In New Jersey, the Diocese of Trenton has been named in a civil complaint alleging sexual abuse by a local priest more than 35 years ago. Wanna Stop Being Gay? Try Yoga! And finally, religious leaders in India have passed a resolution opposing the Delhi High Court judgment decriminalizing gay sex, maintaining that homosexuality is against Indian culture. Here are some nuggets of wisdom from these dopey demagogues:
"Homosexuality is not allowed by Indian culture."
"A homosexual person needs a psychiatrist and they should be cured of the disease. They should follow yoga and should do pranayam.”
“Homosexuals cannot donate blood or organs, whereas a normal person can.”
Imagine idiots like this running ourcountry? Oh, wait...
In Chicago, the archdiocese has agreed to pay $3.9 million to settle six sexual abuse cases. Making matters even worse, on Tuesday the church released a bishop's deposition that detailed the its failure to report the crimes and attempts to keep them secret. The upside to all this? At least parishioners will know their donations are going.
In Southern California, a former priest who was accused of molesting a teenager more than 30 years ago has been charged with abusing another boy in themid-1990s. Prosecutors say Denis Lyons, 75, abused the boy from 1992 to 1995, starting when the child was 7.
In Malaysia, a Sharia court has sentenced a Singaporean Muslim woman to be caned after she was caught drinking beer in a nightclub. For her "crime", Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, a 32-year-old model, will receive six lashes and be fined $1,400. This is absolutely disgusting and inevitably brings to mind disturbing images of Spanish Inquisition priests torturing naked women while having raging hard-ons underneath their robes.
And finally, in Wisconsin, a cult leader accused of helping a follower hide a corpse on her toilet will be sentenced today. Prosecutors say Alan Bushey (left), 59, and Tammy Lewis kept the decaying body of 90-year-old woman (also a follower of Bushey's) on Lewis' toilet, in order to continue collecting her Social Security.
In Ireland, a new report has identified hundreds of victims of child sex abuse by Irish Catholic priests. Church authorities had identified between 400 and 450 people that allege they were abused by one of 152 Dublin priests since 1940. Unfortunately, this may just be the tip of the iceberg according to the archdiocese spokesperson, "I would like to stress that that is a very conservative estimate and is likely to rise."
In Utah, 21 felony charges have been filed against a former Mormon seminary principal accused of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old female student. Michael Jay Pratt, 37, was the principal of Lone Peak High School's Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seminary. The church terminated him as soon as the allegations surfaced. Oh, the irony.
In Thailand, local police are blaming Muslim insurgents for drive-by shootings that killed three civilians. Last month, at least 36 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in violence in predominantly Buddhist Thailand's only Muslim-dominated region.
In England, a married Arabian princess who had a baby with her British lover has been granted asylum because she fears she will be stoned to death if she goes home. As we all know, the punishment for adultery in Sharia law-abiding Saudi Arabia is being stoned to death. Last year, Sharia courts sentenced 102 people to this inhumane punishment.
In New York, a 41-year-old man pretending to be a priest has been jailed on accusations of performing a sex act on a teenage male parishioner.
Also in New York, yet another priest was charged with the sexual abuse of six males, aged 11 to 19. The Rev. James McDevitt,63, is alleged to have told the six males to lie bottomless across his lap while he spanked them. Devitt is also facing other misdemeanor sexual abuse charges.
In Canada, a retired priest is facing 22 charges of sexual assault involving boys aged 8 to 16. These incidents are believed to have occurred between 1958 and 1978 when Levi Noel, 83, was a priest in the Diocese of Bathurst in New Brunswick.
In Arkansas, a victim/wife of evangelist Tony Alamo told a federal court that the preacher had so many partners that he needed to schedule how often he would have sex with them. Alamo, now 74, is accused of sexually abusing girls as young as eight. When Alamo's wife (who he married when she was 15) began to scrutinize his behavior, he told her not to question what "the Lord told me to do."
In Maryland, a Roman Catholic priest was convicted of sexually abusing an altar boy in Maryland more than seven years ago. The 57-year-old Reverend Aaron Cote is expected to be sentenced to 10 years of probation and must register as a sex offender.
In Baltimore, two members of a religious cult want to represent themselves at their upcoming trail for the starvation death of a one-year-old child. The members are accused of denying food and water to the toddler after he refused to say "Amen" after meals.
The petting padre, Richard Ordonez, 37, is accused of grabbing and attempting to sexually assault a woman he was giving marriage counseling to in January 2004. Unfortunately, it wasn't until 2008 --after speaking with a friend-- that she reported him. If convicted, Ordonez faces up to seven years in state prison.
Once again, I'm puzzled why religious followers would assume a priest --who don't have wives, children or deal with the day-to-day strife of a "normal" life-- would have any real insight into domestic issues. Now I'm not attacking the victim -- no one, regardless of their credulity deserves to be taken advantage of. Instead, I'm simply perplexed why such a paradigm --priest as family counselor-- is so blindly and widely accepted. What's next, Santa Claus as an addiction specialist??
For the record, I'm an unbeliever when it comes to God -- in any form. The purpose of this site is to document (and occasionally mock) the senseless acts carried out in the name of God/religion/superstition and the misdeeds of the so-called faithful.
$13 Million Settlement Reached in Sex Abuse Lawsuit
