Religion

Church Choir Leader Arrested On Child Sex Charges

The Times Of San Diego reports: A 27-year-old church choir leader was in custody Monday on suspicion of sexual assault of a minor that took place in 2021, police reported. Rafael Valentin Magana was arrested Thursday in National City by San Diego Police on a felony warrant charging him with oral copulation and other lewd and lascivious acts with a …

Read More »

Pope Rips “Backwardness” Of US Right Wing Catholics

The Associated Press reports: Pope Francis has blasted the “backwardness” of some conservatives in the U.S. Catholic Church, saying they have replaced faith with ideology and that a correct understanding of Catholic doctrine allows for change over time. Francis’ comments were an acknowledgment of the divisions in the U.S. Catholic Church, which has been split between progressives and conservatives who …

Read More »

Youth Pastor Rearrested On More Child Sex Charges

Charlotte’s CBS affiliate reports: According to Burke County Sheriff’s Office Aaron Mirtsching was arrested on several counts of incident liberties with a minor. He was first arrested Aug. 22 after the sheriff’s office say they received a cyber tip. After an investigation, a warrant was issued for three counts of exploitation of a minor. He was given a $20,000 secured …

Read More »

Pennsylvania Pastor Gets Six Months In Child Sex Sting

Youngstown’s CBS affiliate reports: A pastor from New Castle, Pa. who was convicted in June of charges that he solicited a minor for sex was sentenced Thursday to six months in prison. Judge Anthony D’Apolito handed down the sentence to Jarod Mills, 36, who was convicted by a jury following a trial in June of importuning, a fifth-degree felony. Mills …

Read More »

North Carolina Pastor Arrested On Child Sex Charge

Asheville’s ABC affiliate reports: A former kindergarten teacher and senior pastor at a North Carolina church was arrested and charged Tuesday with a child sex crime. The Burke County Sheriff’s Office said Aaron Doyle Mirtsching, 41, of Morganton, was charged with three counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor following a cyber-tip that was received from Internet Crimes Against …

Read More »

SF Archdiocese Declares Bankruptcy Amid Abuse Suits

The Associated Press reports: San Francisco’s Roman Catholic archdiocese filed for bankruptcy Monday, saying the filing is necessary to manage more than 500 lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse by church officials. The Chapter 11 protection filing will stop all legal actions against the archdiocese and thus allow it to develop a settlement plan with abuse survivors, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said …

Read More »

Kenya Bans Five Churches Linked To Starvation Cult

Agence France-Presse reports: Kenyan authorities have banned five churches including that of a suspected cult leader accused of inciting more than 400 of his followers to starve themselves to death, a government document said Friday. The registrar of societies said in a gazette notice that the licence of self-proclaimed pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie’s Good News International Ministries was cancelled. Mackenzie …

Read More »

Christian School Director Arrested Over Child Porn

Hoodline reports: Todd Baldwin, a department staff member at Valley Christian Schools in San Jose, was arrested on August 17th, 2023, for possession and distribution of explicit digital media involving juveniles, according to the San Jose Police Department. The 43-year-old suspect allegedly paid students for the explicit images and videos. The Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force/Child Exploitation …

Read More »

Southern Baptist Leader Resigns Over Faked Resume

The Associated Press reports: Tennessee pastor Willie McLaurin, who leads the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee, resigned Thursday from his position as interim president and chief executive after it came to light that he presented false information about his educational qualifications on his resume. The Executive Committee’s hiring team was considering McLaurin as a candidate to permanently replace former chief …

Read More »

Wisconsin Baptist Pastor Arrested On Child Sex Charges

The Wisconsin State Journal reports: The former pastor of a West Side church was charged Thursday with two counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child for alleged incidents about four years ago in which a girl who was then about 10 said he touched her improperly during a day camp that was held at the church. Robert C. Stine, …

Read More »

Denver Archdiocese Preschools Sue To Exclude LGBTQs

The Denver Post reports: The Denver Catholic Archdiocese along with two of its parishes is suing the state alleging their First Amendment rights are violated because their desire to exclude LGBTQ parents, staff and kids from Archdiocesan preschools keeps them from participating in Colorado’s new universal preschool program. The program is intended to provide every child 15 hours per week …

Read More »

Catholic School Teacher Guilty On Child Sex Charges

Fort Wayne’s CBS affiliate reports: A former teacher at Bishop Luers High School pleaded guilty Wednesday to child seduction following allegations that he had sex with multiple students. Jordan Miller entered a guilty plea on two counts of child seduction, a Level 5 felony. If a judge accepts Miller’s guilty plea, the 33-year-old would serve four years of probation. An …

Read More »

Phillies Pitcher: I Threw A No-Hitter Thanks To Jesus

From the far-right Charisma News: Michael Lorenzen, a Major League Baseball player who recently joined the Philadelphia Phillies, accomplished a remarkable feat by pitching a no-hitter, a rarity in the sport, during a recent game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Lorenzen’s exceptional performance on the field left fans and commentators in awe, but it was his remarks …

Read More »

26 Synagogues Hit With Swatting Calls In Last Month

The New York Times reports: The hoax calls to police departments or suicide hotlines around the country say that a man is considering killing himself and others or that a bomb has been placed in a building. The address given on the phone belongs to a synagogue that is livestreaming its services. In some cases, the callers watch in real …

Read More »

Sunday School Teacher Gets 50 Years For Molestation

Michigan’s Hillsdale Daily News reports: A Jonesville man who fled to the Philippines to avoid prosecution on dozens of child sex abuse charges last summer has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison. The Hillsdale County Prosecutor’s Office turned over a number of criminal allegations to the U.S. District Court when it was discovered Tye Braxton Stiger, 37, fled …

Read More »

Two Texas Priests Axed After Child Sex Accusations

The San Antonio Express-News reports: In letters read aloud on Sunday to the affected congregations, San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller announced that two priests had been removed from ministry and reported to law enforcement over allegations that they had inappropriate sexual contact with minors. The congregations at both churches were notified Sunday via letters from Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller that were …

Read More »

Naked Pastor Arrested Masturbating Outside Walmart

The Kenosha County Eye reports: Someone summoned the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department to the Somers Walmart early Thursday morning, August 10th. The person saw a male white, fully naked, standing next to a black truck and appeared to be masturbating. According to Kenosha County Sheriff spokesman Lt. Ryan Markowski, 57-year-old Thomas Bartmer was seen by responding deputies quickly getting into …

Read More »

Lebanon May Ban Barbie: It “Promotes Homosexuality”

Reuters reports: Lebanon’s culture minister moved to ban the film “Barbie” from cinemas, saying it “promotes homosexuality” and contradicts religious values. Minister Mohammad Mortada is backed by powerful Shi’ite armed group Hezbollah, whose head Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has ramped up his rhetoric against the LGBT community, referring in a recent speech to Islamic texts that call for punishing offenders with …

Read More »

Pence: I’ll Call Out Trump On Abortion During Debate

The Washington Examiner reports: Former Vice President Mike Pence warned his opponents on Friday that he would debate the Republican Party’s presidential front-runners on the topic of abortion, which he believes should be banned nationally after 15 weeks. Pence, who has called himself “unapologetically pro-life,” said he would call out Trump and DeSantis on their stances toward abortion during the …

Read More »

CO Youth Pastor Gets 60 Days In Child Sex Plea Deal

Colorado Springs’ ABC affiliate reports: A youth pastor at a Fowler church is headed to jail for just under two months after pleading guilty to lesser charges connected to the sexual assault of a child. An investigation into 46-year-old Gabe Geringer began in 2018 when a victim came forward. According to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, Geringer was originally charged …

Read More »