Religion

Reuters reports: Pope Francis said on Sunday that the Catholic Church is open to everyone, including the gay community, and that it has a duty to accompany them on a personal path of spirituality but within the framework of its rules. “The Church is open to everyone but there are laws that regulate life inside the church. According to the …

James Lasher writes for the far-right Charisma News: A nation that was founded on godly principles and morality, a nation that fought to correct the sins of her past and ensure freedom for all citizens was guaranteed, has fallen under demonic influence. From the White House to Hollywood and everywhere in between, manifestations of demonic activity are on the rise. …

The Shelby Star reports: A Kings Mountain woman who served as a youth leader at a church has been charged with felony child sexual offenses, according to Kings Mountain Police. Amanda Buchanan Justice, of Phifer Road, was arrested Thursday. Justice turned herself in to Kings Mountain Police on Thursday without incident and was transported to the Cleveland County Magistrate’s Office …

Twin Falls’ CBS affiliate reports: A former youth pastor accused of child sexual abuse is facing a slew of felony charges. 31-year-old Dakota Kennemer was a youth pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Twin Falls. He is being investigated for an inappropriate relationship with a minor between the years of 2019 and 2022. According to court documents, the pastor and …

Spectrum News reports: A pastor with Camino Church in Charlotte faces 14 charges involving sex crimes against children, dating back to the 2000s, Charlotte police said. Investigators said there may be more victims who have not yet come forward. The children were between 9 and 15 years old at the time, police said. Robert “Bobby” Price, 56, is already a …

The Salt Lake Tribune reports: Andrew was feeling crushed by the cultural expectation to get married. Twenty-two years old, he had just returned from a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was attending a singles’ ward in Provo — a local congregation of unmarried college students. But Andrew is gay. And marriage between a man …

Michigan Live reports: Convicted of sexually assaulting children in the mid-1990s, former church group leader Michael Baxter will be 73 years old when he will be eligible for parole from prison. Jackson County Circuit Judge Thomas Wilson sentenced Baxter, 48, to serve 25 to 40 years in prison Thursday, Aug. 3, before a court packed with victims and their family …

The Space Coast Rocket reports: Kyle Robinson, 30, an associate pastor at First Baptist Church of Indialantic, was arrested July 28th on 2 felony counts of child molestation charges. He’s currently out on $30,000 bond. According to his LinkedIn account, Kyle is a graduate of the Christian-based Liberty University with a Bachelor’s of Christian Ministry. Child Protective Services coordinated with …

From the Justice Department: A former Dublin, Ga., resident is being sought internationally on multiple federal charges alleging he orchestrated a scheme that misdirected more than $30 million donated for Christian ministry in China. Jason Gerald Shenk, 45, is charged in a newly unsealed federal indictment with four counts of Wire Fraud; three counts of International Concealment Money Laundering; 13 …

Champaign’s CBS affiliate reports: One woman is reflecting on a painful past. Now she hopes justice will be served for the Henning Pastor she says sexually abused her for years. Gary Arivett was arrested and is facing three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a family member under the age of 18. He has since been released after posting …

The Christian Post reports: Former Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr. has filed a lawsuit against Liberty University for the alleged exploitation of the trademark and image of his father, Jerry Falwell Sr., who founded the Evangelical Christian university in 1971, without consulting the Falwell family or “authorization of the Dr. Jerry L. Falwell Family Trust.” The lawsuit argues that …

Michigan Live reports: A former Michigan pastor has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection to the shooting death of a transgender woman nearly five years ago, authorities announced. Kelly Stough, 36, of Detroit, was shot to death around 6 a.m. on Dec. 7, 2018, in Detroit. Her body was discovered by a Detroit Police officer. Albert Weathers, then-46, of …

Indianapolis’s Fox affiliate reports: A former Madison County councilman who is accused of raping an underage girl in 2020 is being sought by police after he failed to show up for his appointed court date. According to court records, former councilman Steve Sumner, 55, was set to appear in Madison County court on Thursday. After failing to show, the court …

The Messenger reports: There’s a new, unexpected name at the top of the Christian music charts. Drag queen Flamy Grant’s album Bible Belt Baby, released in October, is suddenly the No. 1 album on the iTunes Christian and Gospel chart. In addition, her song “Good Day” peaked at No. 1 alongside the album for a period. So, what’s going on? …

Cleveland’s ABC affiliate reports: A Thompson Township pastor was sentenced to two years in prison Friday morning for sexually abusing his daughters. Dennis Laferty plead guilty to two counts of gross sexual imposition and one count of sexual imposition June 22. Laferty, 37, was indicted following an investigation by detectives into allegations of sexual abuse involving minors between Nov. 30 …

The Associated Press reports: Compared with the devil, angels carry more credence in America. Angels even get more credence than, well, hell. In fact, about 7 in 10 U.S. adults say they believe in angels, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. American’s belief in angels (69%) is about on par with belief …

Global News reports: A Catholic priest working in Peterborough, Ont., faces charges of sexual offences involving a youth following an investigation by police. According to the Peterborough Police Service, the investigation led to the arrest of a man on Wednesday. Neil Pereira, 33, of Peterborough, was charged with sexual assault and two counts of sexual interference. Pereira was released from …

High Point, North Carolina’s Fox affiliate reports: A former pastor is accused of sex crimes after an incident at the Piedmont Triad Farmer’s Market in Colfax on Sandy Ridge Road. Ivan Hugh-McDonald Peden, 71, is charged with taking indecent liberties with children, indecent exposure to a person under 16, sexual battery, and secret peeping. The crimes allegedly happened on June …

Tampa’s NBC affiliate reports: A 76-year-old retired pastor is accused of exposing himself to a nine-year-old girl on July 21. According to a Pasco County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, the victim and her family were at a community pool in Wesley Chapel. As the girl was swimming nearby the suspect, Allen Farabee, had exposed his genitals and placed it in …

Atlanta’s NBC affiliate reports: An 83-year-old Marietta man who is a former pastor has been arrested in the cold case murder of an 8-year-old girl in Pennsylvania. Gretchen Harrington was attending Bible summer camp in 1975 in Marple Township when she vanished while walking from her home to one of the camp’s two locations. Skeletal remains were found at a …