A sermon by Rev. Bobby Leonard, a pastor from North Carolina, has sparked outrage for his controversial statements regarding women wearing shorts and the justification of rape.
Leonard, speaking at the Bible Baptist Tabernacle church, was recorded telling the congregation: "if you dress like that and you get raped, and I’m on the jury, he’s going to go free... because a man’s a man."
“You find more women going to those places with shorts than you will women with pants and dresses put together,” he says.
“Try it, if you got time, try it. Have your boy go ahead and try it and watch for it, have your girl go out and watch for it,” Leonard continues.
Criticism Grows
The video, now widely circulated and viewed millions of times, has drawn severe criticism across social media, with users condemning Leonard's remarks as "disgraceful," "disgusting," and "dangerous."
Julie Roys, a Christian investigative journalist, amplified the controversy to highlight the problematic nature of such statements. Roys emphasized, "Yes, a man is a man — not an animal. And HE is responsible for controlling himself," calling for Leonard's resignation.
“I mean, I just couldn’t believe that any pastor would actually think these things, let alone say them out loud in a sermon,” Roys said.
“There have been so many victims of messages like this. And they’ve seen the danger that it can have in the community. And so I wanted to put it out there to say, ‘hey, this is not you know, 50 years ago, this is now. Pastors are saying this now, and it needs to be confronted,” she added.
The backlash extended to the local community as well, where protests were organized outside the church. Former church member Ben Rudy and protest organizer Jason King voiced their disappointment and concern. “It broke my heart that he would say something like that,” Rudy told a local news outlet.
”You can’t stand there and teach the word of god and claim that you believe it’s ok for people to go around raping people for what they wear,” King added.
Apology Appears
In response to the uproar, a message of apology from Leonard appeared outside the church, stating, "I am sorry for any hurt. I was wrong."
This gesture was seen as a step in the right direction by some. “I think the congregation, if they love him like they say they do, let him repent and let him go in the pulpit and apologize to the congregation and to the community,” Rudy said.
However, others aren't feeling so forgiving, saying the hurt he caused will take more than a simple apology to repair. Some critics have even called for his immediate resignation.
What is your reaction?
170 comments
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Jake Reynolds
Rev. Bobby needs to be fired, there was mention of “not being 50 years ago” doesn’t matter, rape isn’t a sexual release, it’s an attack, anyone thinking this is normal does not belong anywhere that he/she can broadcast these views.
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Robert Hauck, MD, FAAP
Not only discharged from his congregation but also de-frocked. He has no credibility as "a man of God."
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Pamela Vonbacho Ploof
First, check if he was ordained. Second, Have that institution defrock him. Third, He should have to publish in State and National papers a public apology. This is outrageous that in this century Anyone, condones this heinous crime!
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Ealdormon Piparskeggr Robinson
I've read that some Baptist Preachers self proclaim that they were Ordained by their God, not any human agency.
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Scott MacArthur
These comments are dangerous.
“A man is a man” should mean he can control himself, and make good decisions..
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Reverend Andrew
I have so much to say but do not know how or where to begin. This is a despicable display, he needs to de-frocked
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Marilyn
He is not a pastor nor a Christian.
This is a despicable display. Not only poor behavior of a grown man choosing to speak this out loud and actually believe it.
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SueW
I have nothing to add except another voice saying this toxic subhuman needs to resign. There is no apology that can walk back what he said, because it’s what he believes.
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Cynthia Mandello
THIS, unfortunately, is precisely what the Evangelicals believe, and why Sharia Law totally covers women so MEN aren't "tempted". It's what the Trump Cult will bring back.
Here's what I'd say: if you can't exercise self-control & rape MY daughter, I won't exercise self-control in my vengeance. If HE expects to be forgiven then I'll expect to be forgiven for my retribution. Men have gotten away with this for far too long. Enough.
I watched the movie, "Women Speak"; women are always expected to forgive.
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
That's issue though. Men rarely get more then a soft slap on wrist for raping anything. We need to follow in the footsteps of : Bangladesh, Iran, India, Pakistan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and China. Rapists need to be put down like a rabid dog. Petrify the Patriarchy!
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Danny D. Maynard
If they cut off a hand for stealing, what should they cutoff for rape? #biggrin
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ServantOfJudgement
Both heads in any order.
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Colleen McAllister
Put him in the pulpit to formally apologize, and then resign. If my pastor said something like that I would guarantee that I would immediately ask for his resignation. Very objectionable and dangerous.
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Bridget Kielas-Fecyk
Resignation isn't enough, he needs to be defrocked. Or he can just go to another church and keep preaching.
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Robert J Rook
I find this disgusting from a 'Man of the Cloth'. Does not sound like he was brought up in a decent family.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
You mean as a religiously delusional, misogynistic racist? Yeah, that particular flavor is extremely common in North Carolina.
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Danny D. Maynard
It seems he is a "man of the dirty cloth"!
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Joy
Nothing here hasn’t been said that I can offer except eff that guy and his fake righteousness. Countless women (and men) have been horrifically raped over time, and this excuse of his is pathetic. It is not up to the woman (or man in some cases) to keep themselves from being raped! People are sick in the head and this fake preacher is on top of the list. Also he needs to be watched by LEO. He is a danger to all women in his community.
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Theresa C. Marquess
The Reverend's comments were uncalled for, and putting an apology on the church's sign is lame. The man needs professional help if his thoughts go in the direction of his sermon. Women in his community may not be as safe as they thought they were...
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Marion Alma Nelson
No rape is justified. He needs to be looked into and fired for such outlandish ideas
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Christopher Lee Campbell
His views are an insult to the 99.9% of men (and women) who control their worst impulses because we are civilized. Saying that it's acceptable to rape women who excite you is the equivalent of saying that it's acceptable to murder someone who makes you angry or steal from those who make you jealous because they have more possessions. As social animals we don't do those things and punish the few who do. It's a bizarre religious understanding that condones rape.
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Rev. Michael Gerraghty II
Its in the bible, Abrahams own daughters +aped their own father and several other stories lining with that are also in there. So no wonder people like this fool would think saying something like this abhorrent mentality is "ok"
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ServantOfJudgement
Rev Michael
That was Lot of Sodom. Not Abraham. Lot's daughters were raised in a morally bankrupt culture much like USA is today. All sorts of moral no-nos were encouraged in that city as our nation does today. Lot's daughters learned this from their peers as our children do today. Lot became drunk then his daughters raped him to continue the name, which it did.
Fear not, the wicked civilization that sprung from Lot was of the same cloth as Sodom and Gomorrah which caused God to destroy them completely and totally.
I agree with God when he said execute rapists. Seems to be a wise and logical action to protect the innocent.
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John W
Unbelievable in this day and age that a so-called "man of God" would make such a remark. It is as if his mentality is rooted in the 16th Century rather than the 21st Century. The whole "she asked for it" or "she deserved it" attitude towards sexual assault regardless of what a person chooses to wear or not to wear screams in the face of what rape actually is. And that "apology", isn't anything. He needs to broadcast his apology and why he has been educated as to the nature of his error with the same conviction that his original remark was. And churches wonder why attendance is diminishing amongst young people. Well, there's one of the examples why.
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Rev. BH
No, its not unbelievable. And not uncommon.
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Danny D. Maynard
Only the good and kind are shocked!
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Elizabeth Jane Erbe Wilcox
And they wonder why religion is on its death bed.
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Merlin
Must be a Taliban preacher.
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James Mounts
You got my vote.
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Robert Rohr
Yes, an example of how opposite poles converge.
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Bridget Kielas-Fecyk
This also cuts to the core of rape in churches in general. Look at how MANY pastors have been caught raping young children, boys and girls, that the Churches protect. They go and cover up all of these crimes, and hide the documents. They fight ALL attempts to get the documentation into the hands of law enforcement, and simply go and "reassign" the pastors to new churches.
The pastors keep doing these crimes in the NEW churches, it gets found out, documented, and the pastor gets reassigned again, but NEVER punished.
So what kind of culture does a person expect for this kind of behavior if the churches don't step in and SEVERELY punish the pastors doing this?
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Russel A. Kester
Bridget, did you know that kids are far more likely to be raped by a teacher than a priest?
The physical sexual abuse of students in schools is likely more than 100 times the abuse by priests."Aug 24, 2006 https://www.cbsnews.com › news Has Media Ignored Sex Abuse In School? - CBS News
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Rev. Michael Gerraghty II
There's 3k PAGES of child SA in the church documented you're coming off as defending the behavior.
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Russel A. Kester
I stated a fact and provided a reference in support of it. Doing so doesn't condone anyone's misconduct, but it does put Bridget's comments in perspective. Bridget attributed the sexual abuse of children to comments like that of the pastor in the article. But then to what does she attribute the much larger threat posed by teachers? If the issue with teachers is not a dumb statement by some teacher but some other factor(s), then those might also be the factor(s) that contribute to priest misconduct.
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Father Frederick
There is really no debate on this subject as it falls into the category of wrong thoughts, inappropriate justification, and then stupidity for doubling down. Being a minister does not exempt one from saying wrong things. But it is troubling when after they say something wrong that they double down. One as to ask if the defiance to amend their words is to save face within their church, or an honest belief of the statement.
This is not too surprising as in the past decade more and more people are releasing incredulous statements which they would have never stated. But now with an entitled, and offended society there is the need to say things like that out of ignorance or stupidity.
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Donald G Magel
Could this be why the Evangelicals continue to follow trump, an adjudicated sexual assaulter? “He is just being a man”?
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James Mounts
Beats sniffing young girls' hair. I guess
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Michael Hunt
Sexually assaulting a woman is better than smelling hair? Is that seriously the argument you are trying to make here?
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James Mounts
- President Trump was never adjudicated a sexual assaulter.
- President Biden abused a little girl. In public. Both are sick, sick, sick.
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Tom
In what universe is smelling hair and sexually assaulting a woman in a department store, as Trump has been adjudicated as civilly liable for doing, equivocal actions? Is smelling hair creepy? Sure. Is it the same as sexual assault? Nope, not even close.
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James Mounts
President Trump was not convicted of sexual assault. He was convicted of abuse. And yes, sniffing a preteen's hair in a suggestive manner is abuse.
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Michael Anton Goedeker
Donald Trump (he aint the president)... was charged for battery and defamation, civil cases prove liability. But battery can be the following: [rape, sexual abuse, forcible touching] are forms of battery. A jury found him liable.
Biden does not have any liability as far as I can see in any court case.
Trump is more the Anti Christ than any moral character as far as his actions are concerned. Sex with Hookers, Morally degrading and hostile towards women, speaks of killing people, getting mobs to do his bidding, creates an enviornment of hate, targets people who don't worship him, etc.
He is not fit to lead nor should he based on his moral system, lack of religious compass (he is no practicing Christian), his actions, his words or character. But that is a different topic altogether.
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James Mounts
1- No, he ain't president, but he were one, so deserves the title. If your 6th-grade teacher had been better, you would have known that one should be addressed as the highest rank he has achieved. 2- If losing a law suit means you are guilty of a crime, why is OJ still free? 3- Absence of evidence does not mean evidence of absence.
4- Being a practicing Christian is not a requirement to be president. Other than that, fine job.
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Rev. Elizabeth
This man needs to be fired and not allowed to practice his religion anywhere. He’s a dangerous man. I’m not a violent person but if he would say that to my face I would slap him. It shouldn’t matter how a female dresses. Also, he’s dumb. Rapers don’t do that because the female is dressed a certain way. Rapers are control freaks. It is how they control the person to behave and on and on. So it doesn’t matter what the female wears. It’s all about power for them.
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Russel A. Kester
The pastor made a simple and dramatic statement to the effect that women shouldn't dress and act like whores. And they shouldn't. He also made a correct observation that men are driven by what they see and that some men will conduct themselves shamefully under such circumstances. The pastor did not rape anyone, he did not tell others to rape anyone, and he did not write about raping someone (those types of books can be found on the library shelves of your local jr. high school). So let's talk truth. Rap music has glorified raping women, forcing them to suck d***, killing fa*s, killing cops, and so much more for going on decades and the woke progressive crowd have rapped right along with them or kept as silent as Will Smith sitting in the corner holding his Oscar while his wife is getting banged by a 20 year old because it's good for her esteem. But let a Christian pastor make a couple of statements that he wouldn't personally blame just the man if a woman behaved inappropriately and suddenly the sky is falling. No. If the woke don't protest and cancel rap "artists" for their despicable lyrics repeated over and over for decades, then they and their ilk can shut up about this pastor. The woke who live in glass houses are always the first to throw stones and then cry bloody murder when someone throws stones back. Women must either act like ladies or put on their big girl panties and accept the consequences.
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Robert James Ruhnke
How pathetically vile, Kester. Both racist and misogynistic. Thanks for showing us all your true colors finally. You wouldn’t know the truth if slapped you across the face.
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Russel A. Kester
Robert, racist you say? Where in my comment did I refer to anyone's race? I didn't. But you did. So who's really the racist? So perhaps you could be a little more erudite and actually present an argument for your accusations. As it stands, you've simply made an ad hominem statement. Throwing negative labels at others tends to be the only tactics a person who is part of the woke hive mind is capable of doing as their ideologies aren't based in critical thoughts only capricious emotions. So go ahead and try to muster up a good, sensible response. I'm looking forward to hearing which of my above statements, specifically, were either racist or misogynistic. No response from you will mean that none were, and you were simply engaging in a knee jerk fashion without any sincere consideration of the thoughts expressed and hope to smear me with a childish ad hominem attack.
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Rev. Michael Gerraghty II
It was racist you specifically mentioned rap music a predominantly black music when you could have mentioned several genre that also say the same thing.
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Russel A. Kester
Michael, I referred to rap music because it is the best example of "artists "who say outrageous things but get a free pass from the same people who are screaming for this pastor to be defrocked, cancelled, or worse. Hypocrisy I say. However, your response is most interesting. Do you believe that we cannot point out bad or immoral behavior if someone is black but it's okay to do so if the person is white? Doing that would be racist. To your last thought that other music genres are also guilty of glorifying raping women and killing cops and f*gs, etc, which ones were you thinking of? What are the genres and who are the artists?
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Michael Anton Goedeker
In my opinion the statement was not ideal as there are many ways to interpret it the wrong way. This is a general issue all humans have of interpreting something based on expereince, education and upbringing. But the point that must be said is that anyone who teaches or in some capacity leads or "preaches" to people or a group must be and are held to a higher standard. As a preist, your words are taken at face value and your congregation will do that exactly. Rape is not acceptable nor is justifying it for whatever reason. In this fact the preist was undeniably wrong.
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Danny D. Maynard
There are absolutely no reasons whatsoever to glorify anyone or any object that denigrates any human. Animal lust must be contained for society of prosper and flourish. It is too bad some men let their lust lead them into criminal behaviors making others into victims!
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ServantOfJudgement
Check the news Danny, no shortage of married women teachers plinking schoolboys. Happens all day long.
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Michael Anton Goedeker
No shortage of men doing the same I may add. But we are talking about priests here, not teachers.
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Robert James Ruhnke
Kester, critical thought waved goodbye to you a long time ago. All that’s left is dogmatic cult think.
“So let's talk truth. Rap music has glorified raping women, forcing them to suck d***, killing fa*s, killing cops, and so much more for going on decades and the woke progressive crowd have rapped right along with them or kept as silent as Will Smith sitting in the corner holding his Oscar while his wife is getting banged by a 20 year old because it's good for her esteem.” This whole statement is racist because it leaves out the other pig music that denigrates women. Again. You’ve shown everyone here what a vile and disgusting person you are. You shouldn’t speak anymore.
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ServantOfJudgement
Robert,
Kester is neither vile or disgusting. I may be but he's not. He's merely stating the undisputable fact about modern rap and it's destructive message.
At my day job I'm a automation dude. I was working on a program glitch but couldn't focus due to the music playing on the loud speakers. It was modern rap. I very politely sent a quick email to the HR manager repeating what I heard verbatim. Russel Kester was being very kind and conservative with what he said rappers say. A factor of 1200 people were listening to that crap. Within 25 seconds of my email the radio went silent.
We tolerate filth that encourages the destruction of the beauty that women are. Shame on you and anyone willing to attack a guy that's honestly pointing out a problem.
Instead of saying "other pig music that denigrates women" just say what the other music is. I'm at a loss, I've not heard any other genre that comes close to WAP.
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Russel A. Kester
Robert, in your response you decried that I left out "the other pig music that denigrates women." So you agreed that rap music denigrates women (a far worse offense then the preacher's statement that women are responsible for the consequences of their actions) and you described rap music as "pig music." I don't know if that's racist, but it's certainly not flattering! Okay, so do tell of these other music genres known to denigrate women in such graphic and despicable lyrics. And don't miss any lest someone here calls you a racist, questions your analytical skills, and tells you not to speak anymore. You see, whether intentionally or not, you missed the entire point of my comment. Instead you engaged in name calling and tried to find a red herring to deflect from the actual point(s) being made. You can do better than that.
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Robert James Ruhnke
Because you have no points to make. You just repeat victim blaming points that takes all responsibility away from men and their entitlement to women’s bodies. Rock, country, alt, metal, pop, all have had songs that reduce women to being body fodder. There are also songs within said genres that uplift and empower women, rap has them too. But you’re only focusing on rap music due to your biases and hang ups. You’re projection of red herring is a cute way of saying you don’t actually know what your talking about. You reducing men to nothing more than beasts is why they get away SA and worse. Do not gaslight me, or the victims of rape and SA. It’s what makes you obviously vile.
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Russel A. Kester
Robert, if you look back, I think you'll see that there are several times when I said that both had responsibility and that I didn't excuse the man's behavior. However, I do think that the woman cannot just blame the man, she should accept her part in the unfortunate drama. I haven't heard lyrics in rock, country, or pop that glorifies raping women, advocates p!saying on the, or forcing the to perform fallatio. Which artists have you heard in those genres sing those lyrics? Your general opinion of men seems to be quite low since you accuse them of getting away with sexual abuse and more as indicated by your use of a positive, universal statement. Perhaps you meant some men. Because I'm confident that most men do none of those things. You made many statements with dubious veracity. And again you engaged in an ad hominem attack. What you haven't done is deny that rap music does rap the lyrics as I stated. You just said but they do it too. So my statement was correct as admitted by you. You also failed to compare such lyrics to the preacher's statement and point out why you think one is different than the other. Keep trying. You can form cogent arguments without retorting with juvenile name calling.
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Robert James Ruhnke
The woman has no part other than a target of a man’s entitled ego. Her surviving isn’t playing a part. Too many women have been assaulted and raped whilst just existing. No is a complete sentence. And a survivors owes no explanation to what she’s wearing.
Name calling? lol you project juvenile whilst being juvenile, the very essence of hypocrisy you right wing Christians are known for. I’ve known for 20 years now that you conservative types love being insulting whilst veiling it in a sneering smile. The minute you’re described as the bad guys you are, your DARVO tactics come out. You shift blame, project, lie, shame, and turn yourselves into the victim.
I don’t have anything to prove to you. Because anything I present to you is denied or ignored, because that’s what you lot do. arrogantly exist and destroy others.
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Russel A. Kester
Robert, you went off on many tangents in your response, to many to respond to each. I look forward to future conversations as I find your positions interesting even if wrong headed. 'Til then ....
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Billy Foppiano
Comment removed by user.
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Billy Foppiano
Dude....you are despicable.....A woman dresses HOW SHE WANTS, and you say accept the consequences? Sharia Law, and how long have you been in the Christian Taliban?
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Russel A. Kester
Billy, dude. We all must accept the consequences of our actions which includes women. Saying that a woman, or a man, can dress however they want isn't true. There are still some standards in society. In most communities one cannot walk down the street wearing only a bow tie for example. As for a woman who dresses to attract the sexual attention of men, and they know when they do, yes, they must be adults and deal with the consequences. Cries that they are innocent victims is ludicrous. They intentionally put themselves in harms way. It's like a person who steps in front of a train and then wants to sue when he or she is injured. Neither does this excuse the man. They are both at fault. Neither is innocent.
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Michael Hunt
A woman could be completely naked walking down the street and it would still not be her fault that someone raped her. Believing otherwise is absolutely insane and incredibly misogynistic.
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Russel A. Kester
Michael, if a woman acted in the way you described with the intention of arousing men's sexual desires, then she is at fault if she doesn't like the consequences of her actions as would a man.
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Michael Hunt
It's the man's responsibility to not rape the woman, no matter what she is or is not wearing. It's called consent. Your failure to understand this concept is part of why women continue to be raped. You view a woman as a sex object, not a human being. I don't see a naked woman and think, "it's my right to have sex with her because of how she's dressed." That's insane.
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Russel A. Kester
Michael, in the statement made by the preacher, the woman made herself a sex object. Now which do you think is more likely to result in the rape of a woman, a dumb statement made by a preacher to his congregation no one would have heard if not for the antics of wacky activists or music rapped to millions of young men glorifying the denigration and use of women as sex objects? It's not even close. Your failure to understand that concept is tragic.
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Michael Anton Goedeker
I disagree. You assume she knows what behaving as a sexual object is. We don't know this for a fact because we don't know what she is thinking or how she views moral constructs of society. It could be warped because she was taught to dress that way or she doesn't have the same view of morality that you do. It is different based on your comments but even with that, there is never a justification to rape or hurt another human being because to do so as a christian is a mortal sin to God, as all humans are in his/its image. There is no correct changing of this view if you believe in God. Maybe that is a test from God to see if you are in control of yourself or not, in that case it would also be wrong. There is no justifable scenario were rape could ever be morally or religiously acceptable or correct or right.
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Russel A. Kester
Michael, nice argument with good compassion. I agree that the articles give limited information and I, and I think others too, mentally fill in the blanks and then respond accordingly. I look forward to future conversations.
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Jimmy Moon
How many of you have thought the same thing, but did not say it out loud. But, he is human and allowed to make mistakes. Still, if you dress like a whore, be careful of the attention you bring to yourself. Don't be in places where that attire is noticed by certain people, like perverts.
1 Timothy 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array. KJV. Rape is wrong. But, in today's society, women are downgraded to be just a toy. Life is nothing to the lost, just a commodity. Sadly, children are getting to be the same.-
Patti Anne Lisenbee
Rape is NOT about what women wear! Woman in full Burkas get raped! Women in dresses with pantyhose and shoes and regular granny panties get raped! Women in shorts get raped! Women in flannel nightgowns get raped! RAPE IS ABOUT THE MAN SHOWING THE WOMAN THAT HE HAS THE POWER, NOT HER! RAPE IS AN ATTACK AGAINST THE WOMAN! Babies get raped and the effects last a lifetime. children get raped, both girls and boys, and believe me, the VICTIMS don't enjoy it! Women have always been observed as less than human, as toys, as slaves, as less-than. GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD - all rape is a crime, it doesn't matter WHAT the woman was wearing! Clothing makes NO difference to a rapist, it all gets ripped off. The punishment for rape needs to meet the severity of the criime - I say, cut OFF the dick and balls. No chemical castration, that doesn't work. Stopping rape requires that the rapist - who WILL repeat his crime - lose his ability to rape. Yes, men use other object to rape. If he does that, he loses his hands. Let him rot in jail with no penis or testicles and no hands to mark what he is. This applies to you too, for supporting this horrible belief.
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ServantOfJudgement
Why not just execute the rapist Patti? Seems like the safest thing to do. Look at all the criminals that were released during covid19. If they get put in jail they could be released for some ridiculous reason and rape again.
Just put them down and go have a cup of coffee.
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Russel A. Kester
Patti, it seems that you really hate men.
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Michael Hunt
Russel, it seems like you really hate women.
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Russel A. Kester
Michael, it seems you really don't understand either one. I hate neither sex. And I'm not typing hateful things about either sex or advocating physical mutilation of them either. So what makes you think that I hate women?
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John Robert Milner
Moron
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James Mounts
Succinct, but not quite to the point.
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Marion Alma Nelson
No rape is justified he needs to be looked into for his out ragious ideas
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Mountainsage
I understand the reverend apologized, but victim blaming is not the answer. Rapists are responsible for their words and actions and rape is about ‘power over’ another human. The reverend may benefit from counseling to explore his deep seated hatred of women.
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Rev. Michael Gerraghty II
The entire bible hates women from Eve being responsible for why the planet being how it is to Ashera being almost eradicated completely. There's even verses that state women aren't even allowed to talk or stated their opinion.
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ServantOfJudgement
Michael,
The bible is completely opposite to what you've said. I know you want it the way you've said so you can keep hating the bible and christians but it's not.
God says women are finer than men, and they are. God appointed women to be judges over men. They wielded great power. God gave warrior women with bravery that surpassed that of men. Men turned to them for help. God tells us who the mothers of kings were. Good or bad, he wanted us to know who raised them. God said the savior of all of mankind will come from a woman. The Creator of the cosmos trusted a woman to raise the King of Kings. Her name was Mary.
If God hated women none of the things documented in the Bible to the contrary would be there. You can read it yourself but pray for understanding when you do.
God hates all false gods including Ashera. The so called gender of a demonic god is not a factor in his judgement against them or their worshipers. Egyptian gods numbered in the thousands until God decimated the nation with their own gods, whatever gender they may have been.
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Sandra A Rasmussen
He apologized on a billboard-that is not enough! He should apologize in front of everyone-personally-and should be fired and not able to hold any job like that again He rants like a sexual predator-I would consider him a bit dangerous
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Bridget Kielas-Fecyk
Sadly, a lot of INCELS like him believe rape should be completely legal. Because "women have to be put in their place." It's sickening as eff and people like him need to not only be put on sex offender lists, but isolated from the rest of society.
These people are dangerous, and they're cruel. Sadly, they're also a large part of the core base of some political parties that also believe that democracy is a "failed mistake" and that the nation needs to be a strict theocracy.
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Russel A. Kester
Bridget, if the United States were a theocracy then this might not be an issue at all because all women would be dressing very appropriately. So perhaps you were correct and pointing out that democracy is a failed experiment and we do need to revert to a theocracy to protect women.
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Sandra A Rasmussen
That sounds like the rantings of a sexual predator-not only should he be fired, but he should be closely watched by law enforcement
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XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Y'all beating him up pretty bad, and I know he deserves it.
But how about let's leave the beating for God to do. That's his jurisdiction. It's Gods place to punish this pastor, not my job, not the internets job, and not your job. My faith tells me my job is to help him to better himself, to support him by helping him to reform himself and bring him back to the Lord. He's obviously lost his vision somewhere along the way. God says every sinner is salvageable for whatever sin he's done. If we cast this man into the trash bin, we've failed him, we've failed God, and we've failed ourselves as Christians. This is our mission...to rescue people like him who can't rescue themselves. The sinless don't need me. They don't need rescuing. I have no purpose in a room full of saints. God has provided someone an opportunity to change this pastor. He's a human just like we all are, right? This man needs God AND US, and God says he deserves our forgiveness for what he's said and done. If God can forgive him, and we can't, then we are over-ruling Gods decision, and none of us have that authority. The Bible tells us that even angels in heaven don't have that authority.
Let he who has never made a stupid hurtful comment cast the first stone. Yeah, I've done it. I've said things that were stupid, wrong, hurtful, and offensive. If you've never done that then bless you, you're a better man than I ever will be.
I started out as a kid in a single parent home. I never knew my father. Sure I knew who he was, I had met him once or twice, but he was never in my life. My new stepdad I got at the age of seven was a drunk. My home was a place of turmoil, profanity, conflict, and domestic violence. My stepdad was a hard worker, but he was also a drunk. My mother worked two jobs most of the time. When I was fourteen I stole a shotgun and was going to kill my stepfather the next time he beat my mom. I kept it hidden inside the wall in my bedroom. I planned what I was going to do. When I heard the yelling and fighting at night, I would take it from it's hiding place, and walk down the hallway. They would be either in the dining room or the living room and I would shoot him. Our home was rural. 9-1-1 was 30-45 minutes away. There was no calling the cops when the fights stared. 9-1-1 would take too long to arrive. The Lord must've had my hand because that day never came; she left him soon after I stole that shotgun. Maybe that was Gods intervention to keep me from spending the rest of my life in prison for murder. The highest grade I ever made in high school was a C. My usual grade was a D. I failed 10th grade English but the teacher passed me anyway, but I failed 11th grade English again as well and I dropped out of high school in the 11th grade.
At 17 while working odd jobs, I made a young dumb decision and committed a burglary. Not just one time, about eight times. On the last burglary I was caught and the old man whose business I burglarized eight times told the cop not to take me to jail just yet. As he and I and the cop sat at a table at the police department, the old man made me a deal. If I repaid the money I had stolen from him, maintained a 10pm curfew, and got a job he wouldn't press charges. I didn't understand his wisdom at the time, I was too dumb and I simply didn't care. I only repaid a part of the money I stole from him and I ran off to the Army, glad at my skill at being able to evade the deal we had made.
I was about as screwed up mentally as a teenager could be, but I didn't know it at the time. I shoplifted, I stole, I cheated, I broke other laws. I was sent to live with my uncle and work in his business until I finally left there because I couldn't conform to the old mans curfew. My cousins were resentful that my uncle was putting all this effort into me and they often provoked me and finally one day my cousin framed me to get rid of me. I was unemployed, homeless, uneducated, but the recruiter said Uncle Sam had the ideal solution for people like me if I'd go to the community college and get my GED. All I had to do was sign my name on his form. Thanks to that old mans wisdom and kindness, I wasn't denied enlistment due to a criminal record. Even though I didn't uphold my end of our deal, he didn't keep his word to have me arrested.
CONTINUED...
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Basic training was difficult for me. All the other recruits had self esteem. They had confidence. I had never had self esteem or confidence. My parents never built me up. All they ever did was beat me down. I never had a girlfriend until I was 18 because I had no confidence, no self esteem. My parents never nourished me. Their parenting style was belittling me, embarrassing me in front of the one or two friends I had thinking that embarrassing me would motivate me to "straighten up", They destroyed my soul. I left home one night after my stepdad came home drunk and beat me. That night I slept in a truck stop TV room in Kenly.
Three drill sergeants at Fort Benning had 12 weeks to make me into a person. I made their job difficult because they had to build me from the ground up in only 12 weeks whereas the other recruits they only had to train. About a year after I joined the Army, the Army decided that anyone who didn't have a high school diploma would be sent to high school. GEDs were no longer kosher. So I was ordered by my commanding officer to go to high school on base in Germany during the day. I was astonished. Somehow I made B's and I graduated. I'd never had a "B" in anything before.
After 3 years in Germany and a year at Fort Hood, I received an honorable discharge from the Army and came home. When I got home, I went to see the old man. I remember the day I walked into his shop. He was sitting at his desk. The old wood floor creaked as I walked to his office. I found him sitting at his old wooden desk cleaning up some old tin Lionel trains with WD-40 so he could sell them. I walked up to his desk, ashamed. I was ashamed because the Army had taught me to be proud and to be a leader, but I couldn't claim that until I made things right. He stopped what he was doing and looked up at me and didn't say anything. I said, "Mr. Gurley, I owe you two hundred and sixty dollars" and I laid a check on his desk. The old man picked it up, looked at it, looked at me, and asked, "Why do you bring this to me after all these years?" He was a wealthy man; it wasn't a matter of the money. If he cared about the money he could've easily contacted the Army and had me arrested when I had skipped town and arrived at Benning. I said, "Forgive me. I was young and confused and dumb. I didn't know what I know now." We talked for awhile about how I'd been over the last several years, and when I left he walked me to the door and shook my hand. That day that old man gave me something I'd never been given before ~ mercy. I didn't deserve the kindness he had shown me years earlier, but that didn't seem to matter to him. He had seen the larger picture years earlier: Not what I was, but what I could be.
I wasn't reformed yet. I had a 3 year old son. High school and the Army didn't teach parenting skills. Trying to compensate, I enrolled in the college police academy near my hometown but abandoned that. I left my wife and son and moved to Texas. Still trying to compensate for my failures, I worked as a security guard, part time as a district court officer with the county, and eventually opened my own security patrol company. Those options were available to me because of the mercy of that old man. I could've never been a licensed armed security guard, a district court officer, or taken the Texas State Board Managers exam with a criminal record. Then one day I realized that I had done to my son what my father had done to me, so I moved back home. I was ashamed and disappointed when I learned that the old man had passed away earlier, no one had told me, and thus I didn't go to his funeral. I owed him at least that much.
I enrolled at the community college and over the next three years, while my "new" new stepfather and my mother supported me and gave me a place to live. I was earning a degree in Computer Information Systems with a minor in Network Security and Routing and Switching and one day I received a letter in the mail from the college that I had made the President's list (the community college equivalent of the Dean's list) ~ this criminal high school drop out who never made better than a "C" in high school. I graduated in the first class of the year 2000. My first real job other than the Army was with a company who provided tech support for a major grocery chain on the eastern seaboard and then with a ISP who provided tech support in Eastern North Carolina.
Since then I earned the Master SCUBA Diver rating as a rescue diver, attended online colleges and earned a Masters Degree in Religion, and a Doctor of Divinity Degree. I volunteer at the Emergency Operations Center in my county, and am now working towards an education in ministry with a 3.7 GPA.
My story is testament that we should look at what the man has the potential to become, not what he is. My V.A. shrink tells me that "People do not change, they modify their behavior". I am not sure I agree with that philosphpy.
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ServantOfJudgement
I could almost hear the floor boards creak and smell the WD40 Anthony. What an amazing recount of your footsteps.
For a while I've been thinking man's approach to mental health is unforgiving in nature. For example, mankind says once an alcoholic always an alcoholic. I get that statement, alcohol is brutal. The bible says a drunkard yesterday need not be one today or tomorrow. I get that statement too, redemption is bright white light you don't want to walk away from. People can change if there's something to change into.
Good luck!
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Russel A. Kester
Anthony, yours is an amazing story. I'm very sorry for all that you endured. I'm very glad that you've more than survived, you've found a way to thrive. Thank you for sharing.
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Lee Allen McIntyre
The preacher is saying he has less control over himself than a woman in shorts. He's saying SHE controls HIM.
The same guy who says, "I am the head of my house" is also saying, "Of course, I can be controlled by any woman I see, if she simply dresses a certain way."
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Julie Lydia Rogers
Where is the love of Christ in this man’s comments? Shameful what the American church has become today. No wonder people are leaving the church in droves. As ministers your one job is to what, shame people? Reject people? Hate people? No. Christ’s one commandment was to love one another as I have loved you. Have you forgotten the life and teachings of Christ. He loved the poor the meek, the sick the downtrodden and yes even women who wear shorts. It is a ministers job to not point out the sins of other( ye who is without sin, cast the first stone. Why point out the splinter in someone else’s eye when you have a log in your own?) but it is to share the good news of Christ who triumphed over sin. Unfortunately too many ministers miss that point by cherry picking the Bible to prove their point. Christs message is of hope for everyone. Not just the rich white man sitting in his hypocritical pew. But to love the sinner, love the person , be it black, white, brown, yellow or red. Be it straight, or gay, be it it poor or rich. Be it man or women. We are all created equal in our creators eyes and we are loved equally despite our sins. This should be the message from the pulpit and nothing else.
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
he's been frocked so how can he be wrong? clearly goD has looked up and blasted him to leech the turd of dog. I say double-frock the manister and bring unto him girls in short-jhorts. praze jebus and ding-a-ling-ding
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
He needs to be fully frocked. He frocked up so he deserves it.
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Lionheart
It’s possibly as bad as God condoning slavery. I’m sure they’d both get on well together. 🤷🏼
🦁❤️
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oy_gevalt
I am also a man, and somehow can get through life without raping anyone — even if they're 'asking for it' by having the audacity to, say, wear shorts. I don't get this.
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James Mounts
Amusing how we as a culture choose to condemn those beliefs in a Christian but to protect them in a moslem;
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
I think you mean Muslim? No one supports Muslim rapists over Christian rapists. Both faiths preach against sex with anyone but your spouse. All these red pill guys should be chemically and physically castrated.
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James Mounts
See my previous comments
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
How about addressing the rest of what I said.
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James Mounts
No matter how many times a lie is told, it never becomes the truth. You need to read up on sharia. Don't buy into the crap about Islam being a religion of peace. I don't support fundamentalist Christians, but when we start condemning, let us not be quite so selective.
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Russel A. Kester
Well said, Rev. Mount.
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Martin L Stigleman
Wow...Really? You are making a disgusting, hateful attack on an entirely separate religion, and it honestly looks as if you are using it as a defence for the POS who is the subject of the discussion. How about try to put your hate away and join the actual discussion?
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James Mounts
You are arriving late to the conversation, so I understand. You accused me of making " ..an attack on an entirely separate religion..." Separate from what? You mean separate from Christianity which it is OK to criticize. Your attempt to chastise me for my comment only served to prove it true.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Defn of moslem:
- a person that uses words that they can’t spell
- sometimes colloquially used to refer to someone that simply can’t spell
Synonym: idjit, special, cute
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James Mounts
Can you say "dictionary"? In case you don't have one, I will quote American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. Mos-lem n. Variant of (Arabic) Muslim And, btw, next time try "a person who uses" instead of "a person that uses" . Your college called, they want your Dr. back.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
'Moslem' is an outdated spelling for the term, and is rarely used today, so it is best to use the spelling 'Muslim' instead. 2. Consistently use the spelling 'Muslim' whenever referring to the Islamic faith.
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James Mounts
As much as you think of yourself, I think I will take my advice from the real scholars at American Heritage rather than an egoist male Karen. You must learn the difference between "variant" and "archaic". If what you driveled were true, the word would have been marked "archaic". Your college called again, they will let you keep your Dr. if you promise never to tell anyone where you got it.
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Robert James Ruhnke
You’re not paying attention then. Most r*pes and SA go ignored when reported in this country. In dozens of states, child marriage is still legal. The abrahamic faiths in general treat women like disposable property still and not like people. Or there is a major struggle for women and femmes autonomy for it going, or has been going on since antiquity. If you’re gunna condemn one, condemn them all. Which I and many do every day. More do so every year. 🤷🏻♂️
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
rape in the US is a crime. how it's looked upon in muslim countries has nothing to do with how we judge it here. you're simply (emphasis on 'simple') trying to prove that poor poor x chens are being picked on and not the muslims. show me where a rape occurred by a muslim and who was let go...in the US
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Russel A. Kester
JJ, I see minister here regularly take the Catholic Church over the coals for things done in Europe centuries ago so it seems only fair to do the same with Islam. In this case, you seem to be the one cheery picking to condemn Christians and purposefully avoiding doing the same with Muslims. Look at the Muslim rape gangs in the Europe and Australia have or still have as examples. Or Muslims living here in NYC or San Francisco with three wives the youngest of which is only 7 or 8 years old. I personally witnessed this in San Francisco. As Islamic practiced become more acceptable here one had better believe it will affect we who live in the United States. Just witness Google's AI being unwilling to condemn pedophilia. Our society is already being changed and, so called, progressives are cheering it on all in the name of destroying Western civilization.
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Bridget Kielas-Fecyk
Actual, respectul, Muslims don't preach for rape either, so stop with the hate, dude. The only ones that preach like this guy does are the radicals like this guy, and people condemn THEM, too.
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James Mounts
Then why are so many supporting Hamas? Do they think Oct 7 was fabricated AI?
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Rev. Michael Gerraghty II
Palestinians are literally being genocided right now.
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James Mounts
Through their own choice. Israel did not install Hamas, Israel gave the Gazan the chance to govern themselves, and they chose Hamas. Maybe this time when they get the chance they will choose to live in peace, . .don't bet on it.
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Michael Hunt
Wow your comment is incredibly ignorant of the complexities of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Hamas sold themselves as a moderate, centrist party until they gained power and made a far-right turn to become an extremist conservative party. They then ended all elections. The Palestinian people haven't been able to elect their leaders since 2006. Palestinians want to live in peace but they also want Israeli settlers to stop taking their land and stop expanding their boarders. Israel may not have installed Hamas, but they have certainly radicalized people to join Hamas because of their actions.
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James Mounts
Please don't conflate Gaza with the "Occupied Territory" Gaza was not occupied by Israel from 2006 to October 2024. Gaza was self governing. If they chose a bunch of thugs to run their government they should not blame Israel. And by the way, who were all those people in the streets cheering at the videos of Israeli women and children being slaughtered? Scratch a complexity, you'll find the simple truth.
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ServantOfJudgement
Let's not forget the ecstatic phone call the Hamas militant made to his Palestinian parents describing how he personally killed Jews. Oh my were his Palestinian parents proud of their Palestinian son that joins Hamas to kill Israelites.
The bible documented the brutality of Israel's enemies, how they'd brutally murder women and children. Today the media documents the brutality of Israel's enemies, how they brutally murder women and children.
Things haven't changed much at all other than methamphetamines and machine guns.
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James Mounts
Comment removed by user.
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Russel A. Kester
Bridget, yes it does. Islam allows a Muslim man to rape non-Muslim women. It only forbids raping Muslim women. It also allows Muslim men at keep sex slaves, have as many wives as a men can afford, and to kill non-Muslim males, including boys, who are capable of sexual reproduction. Although when Islam imported black male slaves from Africa they only castrated them so they could still serve as slaves. Do you really want to defend a religion that is guilty of all of these crimes against humanity?
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
I’m from NC and spent the first 40 years of my life there. People like this made my decision to expatriate much easier. The North Carolinian Redneck has some endearing qualities. This guy demonstrates some of the abhorent examples.
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Please don't group us all in the same group as this preacher, Brother. In case you didn't know, the ULC founder, Rev. Hensley was from Yancey County, NC.
Yes we have our share of idiots. But we also have one of the best medical research centers in the world. Other countries put their citizens on a plane and fly them to Duke because doctors in their country simply can't do the complicated surgeries. We also have one of the most prestigious law schools in the country.
I suspect if you go to any state, you'll find idiots. They don't all live in one state. LOL
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Nicholas J Page
BS no woman should go through rape it's the sick mentality I'll perps that are responsible for these heinous crimes a woman can wear whatever they choose to wear and this Pastor should be defrocked and is too dangerous to work for any church organisations again.Come to United Kingdom and come to my house and make those accusations you will regret opening your mouth
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Kevin Michael Zurrin
Well, I guess that would give Satan a pass as well, Eve wasn't even wearing pants; or anything else;-?
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James Mounts
Will you tell me in which version of the Bible you read that Satan forced sex upon Eve. I thought he seduced her to eat the fruit. .... Oh yeah.
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Thomas P. Davis
Adam and Eve were both wearing a robe of light. Which the lost when they sinned and then noticed that they were naked and made their own clothes of leaves that would eventually dry up and blow away. When the Lord stepped in and made them clothes of animal skin.
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Robin Anne Hannon
There are no words to express my disgust. This man should be removed from the ministry, and as well be reported as a possible rapist. There are medications that basically castrate men like this which is what he deserves.
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Russel A. Kester
Robin, your comment as well as so many of the others above is not surprising but also perhaps not well thought out. You are suggesting that a man be castrated even though he has not committed a crime. On what reasonable basis can a society punish a person for a crime they did not commit?
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Takaya Kovani Sweeney
Shorts are actually a sort of impediment to rape as the assailant would have to fight to gain access.
Whereas the dresses that this ahole so laments, are much easier access.
Perhaps, that’s his point…seems to me he has experience.
Additionally, is he saying small female children also deserve rape because they wear shorts too.
Does he not know they make very short dresses that are more “scandalous” than ANYZ short…I’ve worn a few.😂
My husband, dad, brothers or any man I know would never say this.
How does he explain the rape of West Indy women wearing floor length skirts?
The raping of women wearing full veil hijabs?
This is not a woman problem. Seems a lot of people don’t want to hold men accountable for shid.
What a fg dweeb and a loser.
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Kevin Oconnell
This guy is a complete idiot, not even worthy of breathing our air , who ordained him . How about the young men that wear their pants down below their butts, are they deserving of being raped. First learn what being a man is before preaching it.
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Michael Hunt
I'm no fan of pants sagging below their butt cheeks but no one should be deserving of rape, regardless of how silly they may look with their pants nearly on the ground.
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Nova Kali
He is a rapist. Only rapist talk like this. A man is has a choice to be an animal or human. Get rid of this POS.
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Ari Joseph Bertine
I would like to sit down with this guy and pick at his brain to find out how he was indoctrinated with the very dangerous idea that men cannot control themselves. Not only is it insulting to those of us who are never even tempted to rape a woman no matter what she's wearing or where, but it implies that to have such temptations and lack the moral fiber to refrain from acting on them is excusable. He doesn't just say that "men are men" in the way that people like to excuse bad behavior from youths by saying "boys will be boys". He says that he would allow a rapist to go free simply because of the way a woman was dressed, and absolutely naught to do with guilt. That is an admission that he would break the law to harm a woman he looks down upon because she doesn't adhere to his standards. And it's tacit encouragement to others to put their own personal judgment, AND their own personal dislike, over compassion, empathy, and even over the oath that one swears to be truthful in a jury, SO HELP YOU GOD. He's even putting his own judgment over an oath to God.
He needs to hear this. And so do the people in his congregation, and those who allow him to sit in a place of authority in that church. He is not at all a good influence or someone that needs to have the ear of those who expect him to teach them wisdom.
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Richard Mutch
I somewhat agree with the pastor. Some of the scanty clothing some women wear IS inviting a problem.
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I'm just wondering out loud here. But if shorts justify rape, then why don't we have a very high rate of rapes on nude beaches? Is it maybe because men who frequent those places have self control?
I live at the beach. In the summer I probably see 1,000 women in bikinis every week. I've never raped any of them. If your logic proved true, my town should have the highest number of rapes, after Florida.
The FBI Crime statistics don't prove that true.
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Sunshine DayDreamz
was into evangelical xianity as a teen. went to a jimmy swaggart talk in Southern CA. He was bemoaning "you young. girls -- you don't wear those new french cut bikinis. you don't know what you do to men. don't you tempt the devil."
So I was pissed b/c i had just gotten a black and white one. It was adorable. I was 16. and i thought no way i'm going to not wear my bikini. Few years later, he's busted with a sex worker.
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Russel A. Kester
Sunshine, your post posses an interesting question to my mind. If a young lady of 16 in a bikini is standing face to face with a young man who is also 16 and he's wearing a very tight thin speedo which clearly shows how well God has endowed him and they each strike various poses with the intention of arousing sexual desires in each other, do you think their levels of arousal are the same? Or do you think either the male or female experiences a much stronger arousal than the other?
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Sunshine DayDreamz
Too many variables to make a judgement. Most women don't wear bikinis to spark arousal. We just wanted a good tan. The point is -- these religious hypocrites are always trying to regulate women's behavior while they're meanwhile accosting some young girl (or boy) or some other perversion.
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Russel A. Kester
Sunshine, really? The women I've known will do some serious shopping to be sure they look sexy in their bikini. They're very aware that the boys will be looking at them. They want the boys' attention. And biologists say, in the above scenario, the male is far more aroused than the female. Which tells us that too many girls either don't really understand the male sex drive or they don't care. Neither is healthy.
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Sunshine DayDreamz
first of all, it's women and men -- not girls and boys. second, women are allowed to dress the way they want without regard to the male gaze. next, the point was -- preachers -- who are supposedly of higher morale ground -- are base hypocrites who repeatedly blame women because they refuse to control themselves.
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Russel A. Kester
Sunshine, the preacher specifically referenced boys and girls. Perhaps you didn't hear it. The preacher's sermon appears to be in line with his holy scriptures. Outside activists' opinions and antics were inappropriate. Shame on them. They should have had better self control.
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Rev Morse
Don't even know what to say about that. Wonder how many times he rped a woman.
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‘If you dress like that and you get raped, and I’m on the jury, he’s gonna go free.’”
Guess who is no longer on the juror pool list in Union County, NC. LOL
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Rev Samantha Counihan
it doesnt work like that, if someone rapes another, the rapist needs to be punished for the crime, its not a girls fault if guys looks at us and have nasty thoughts, the guy is responsible for his actions, if he rapes someone then he needs to be jailed for a while, like me and many other females say guys are gonna look at us no matter what we are wearing but again that guy is responsible for his actions, raping is a form of predator, blessed ne )O(
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Accrding to the bible it isn’t about shorts but about engaged/not engaged. If engaged the rapist is put to death. If not engaged then he has to pay the father 50 shekels and marry the girl.
This obviously isn't in play these days, huh. It would put dating sites/services out of business. I mean any guy who had 50 shekels of silver, about 500g and $0.75/g would be about $40, would just have to find an unengaged woman that met his fancy and he’d be set. That may only be for virgins so maybe these days you’d more than likely get a discount. Of course in biblical times marrying age was really young. God spiritually raped a young virgin. Of course he sacrificed himself as his own son and gave up a 3-day weekend.
Anyway, I couldn’t find anything in the bible per se about ‘shorts’. And I’m not a lawyer so don’t go out raping women with $40 in your pocket expecting blue skies and a warm bed. Have to say that. Anyone that believes the bible, well, you know….not the sharpest knives in the drawer.
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ServantOfJudgement
Very kindly Dr Z, enjoy a cup of tea and a google search of 'rapist goes free'. You'll not run out of different stories where our extremely civilized and sophisticated legal system properly displays mankind's contemporary approach to crime. Some pay court costs, yep, you guessed it, 40 bucks.
Please don't take offense, if people think biblical laws are dumb while current laws are far more ineffective, enumerated and puzzling, then those people must be so smart they're dumb again. You might call them a spoon that wound up in the knife drawer. We all know a spoon in the knife drawer is very dumb.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
I was making a joke at the expense of the bible because those laws are in the bible, the bible is god’s word but religious people either ignore, or don’t know about, all the crap that’s in there.
Human laws can be insanely stupid, too. The current laws in the United States regarding pot are so varied now that it’s difficult to talk about what the law is. But it can be said that it is now legal to have pot in quantities that would resulted in active prison time back in the 70s. Roe vs Wade has been overturned and the laws that states are trying to enact or profoundly misguided and absolutely stupid.
So all I was doing was making a joke about the silliness in the Bible. I made jokes about the silliness of flaws in the United States all the time. It’s true for law in Japan I guess legislatures the worldwide are filled with spoons.
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ServantOfJudgement
I know you were joking Z. I'm usually joking around too. Like you I have fun pointing out silliness. I've got an easy job, an ounce of biblical legal silliness equates to a pound in our legal silliness.
I was thinking about the damage cannabis laws have inflicted on people when Ohio legalized the stuff last November. I think the first bust in the 70's was 20 years for smoking a joint. All the laws we destroy lives with only to nullify the law later on.
Don't beat me up on this, I'm sure you'll agree. There's a philosophy in the Bible that essentially says laws create criminals. Im sure you'd find that philosophy elsewhere but that's where I found it. We make laws on a literal whim and therefore whimsically create criminals. In Ohio a natural plant called lambsquarters, a food in the native American's diet was made illegal. It's not a narcotic, you don't smoke it for a buzz and it doesn't make you smile for 2 hours. Its like lettuce with flavor. It's good. A farmer cultivated it for hay filler and neighboring farmers complained enough to get a law to make the plant illegal. Now Ohio can row grass and get stoned. If we grow lambs quarters to get full, we'll end up getting stoned. The stuff grows wild in my garden, I hope the cops don't catch me.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
He didn’t cause hurt. He showed his religiously delusional, misogynistic stupidity. I can tell you one thing for sure….I’m not going to his church!!!
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Daniel Gray
No this is just stupid and he should be removed. Its people like him that give Christians a bad rap.
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arawngraalrd
He spaks from his own evil, and this normally comes before Repentence. Personally, I feel Marriage is for Life, and begins at Consummation, and could, in such circumstances, be rather short. We also have people from a diversity of ethnic traditions and, those not seeking to be so casually married, should dress more cautiously.
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Robert E. Polston
Wow! Yes, men are men, and obviously some men are irresponsible idiots! I don't blame the minister here as he is obviously ignorant, poorly trained, and supported by fools! Who else would sit still for such rubbish?
Rev. Bobby
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Nova Kali
These are not men. Men don't rape. These are children called males.
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Deborah Lynn Strafuss
Well, in our business world when someone exhibits clear evidence of bias we require them to partake of some training. I would rather see this gentleman placed on administrative leave and required to complete some well-chosen training.The mind is a terrible thing to lose.....
And while we are at it - I think this brings up the whole subect of ministry training.
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Steven Ferrell
He should not be in the pulpit. Him saying that is what muslin women are forced to cover from head to toe , because he and their leaders are saying men are not able to control themselves. As if God did not give man the ability, so a woman must do it for them.
I don’t think a woman should wear shorts so short her butt cheeks are showing out into public, but they certainly are NOT, again are NOT asking to be raped.
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Peggy Tallent
This man may be having lustful thoughts, when someone scorns people about what a woman is wearing, he is looking and lusting himself, he is angry at himself because legalistic, religious, good ole boys should not be acting like this. You do not sin for looking, you sin for actually pursuing an unfaithful affair. Someone should explain this to him. If you look and let your imagination just go to the wrong place, like having an affair with the woman you are looking at then yes you are sinning.
This man should be looking at the heart and be concerned with leading people to Jesus Christ, people are lost, that means they are not in the word of God, they don't have a relationship with Him, they don't know or believe how much He loves them.
This goes much deeper, in his heart, he has an unhealthy relationship towards women. God does not care what you wear, He cares about if you believe in His son. When you receive Jesus into your spirit, you change and you cover up. You are not who you used to be.
Now today, styles are very short, it is all about how much you can show without being arrested, but women want to wear what is in style and should be able to, men are always looking and they see these styles very pleasurable, people don't always do the right thing. I can't speak for the world, except to say we need Jesus, we need Him every minute and every second. Jesus says our hearts are evil, and that is why we need Him to help us to do the right thing.
Jeremiah 17:9-10 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.
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Gureg Amun Ankh
He who is without sin cast the first stone, judge not lest you be judged, sin, hate discrimination starts in the mind, your intentions, those words he spoke are evil and wicked and shows his true nature, see the nature of a serpents tongue strikes quick and the venom moves slowly through your blood stream to the heart, he is no more than a wolf in sheep clothing, when a supposed man of the Most High speaks in that manner, you must get as far away from him as possible so that the venom of that serpent doesn’t contaminate your heart and soul. Mine your mind for the jewels of your soul
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Michael Patrick Ferrell
Leonard and Any other NC White supremacist gets the rope for this crap
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Liz Michelle Roberts
That's total bs. As a conservative and Trump supporter I find what you said offensive and frankly, stupid. Yes, some Republicans have banned abortion but there are still a lot of us who are pro choice. Take the blinders off andook at the real world not the narrow hate filled one you see.
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Ari Joseph Bertine
I just have to say that it surprised me to read this, and that's because this is the very first time I have ever heard someone use those combinations of words together. I believe you, but I wish that you and more people who believe the same as you would speak up more often and much louder. The voices of those who fight to take away women's rights are so very much louder and they have been uncontested in public places for the most part--your statement is one in a million. I wish there were more of you.
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Michael Hunt
You say you are pro choice, but you support a candidate that is decidedly not pro choice and would in fact put limits on a woman's right to choose. Those two statements are distinctly at conflict with each other.
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Rev. Michael Gerraghty II
There's a particular quote in my favorite story Alice in wonderland that a red and black clad woman says that's very suitable for this "pastor".
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Ronaldo
Scripture is pretty clear that God looks at the hearts of men, not just how women are dressed. A man with a decent heart will not rape a woman even if she shows up nude. I've been male for over 70 years and a man for over 55. Under no circumstances, even a complete lack of clothing, would I ever rape a woman. I've been married for over 40 years, so even sex with a willing woman who is not my bride is out of the question. This is because of my heart. I guide my own actions, and harming another person who does not deserve it is not in my nature. Any pastor who thinks it's perfectly fine for a person to act on his base instincts rather than controlling those urges does not understand what God wants from us.
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RAYMOND BENITEZ
If we preach from the Bible instead by our own personal conclusions, we will be safe and correct however on behalf of Pastor Laments he was incorrect. We are supposed to preach not on what we think but on what the Bible says.
When we speak man which is plural, we cannot say I for I is singular and it's not about you. What you would do and what man would do is totally different. So, now for the people who has churches; please make sure your church has a dress code the congregation can agree on using the Bible moving forward.
Matthew 7:1-2: "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." Blessing Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
Has anyone seen this? https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2024/02/pastors-remarks-implying-women-in-shorts-deserve-to-be-raped-prompt-local-protest/
In specific, "“He admits to sitting in a parking lot to watch women in shorts and encourages others to do the same,” posted Bird.
Founded in 1970, Bible Baptist Tabernacle is listed as an Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) church, a Protestant sect known for its ties to reality TV’s Josh Duggar, whose family has attended an IFB church. Duggar is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for child pornography.
In recent months, IFB ministers in Tennessee, Oklahoma, and New Hampshire have been arrested on child sex abuse charges, as well as an IFB missionary. An IFB-affiliated boarding school in Missouri was shuttered last year following years of reported abuse. "
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Catherine Marie Boudreau
Disgraceful. People like this should not be allowed in public.
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Steven Alan Corben
This man has lost his way. I can't imagine anyone attending service with this guy. It's just shameful.
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JaZe
That's completely wrong. I've heard such opinions expressed in other countries and there's always a backlash. I'm curious however why while some women go around half naked, the guys in general don't follow suit 🤔
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Michael Hunt
Have you never seen a shirtless man walking the street before?
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Russel A. Kester
JaZe, excellent observation. Men probably dress for the occasion, but women for the attention.
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The rev needs to go. This is a dangerous man who should not be allowed to preach.
Not only does he have to go, he needs to be watched by law enforcement because he told us what type of criminal he can become!
And it would probably be prudent that his interactions with children and his church's financials be reviewed as well. A man who believes that he has so much entitlement simply because he is a man is likely to have abused the authority of his position.