Free Thought Now!
August, 2000
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MISCELLANEOUS
Catholic Church Shifts Blame to Children
"The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville says that if it is held liable for child abuse committed by a former priest, other people who knew about the abuse and failed to report it to the police should share the blame. Those others include child victims who did not come forward." (AP 8/24/00)
IRS Catches "Fleecing The Flock"
"Federal investigators have accused a pastor of hiding his income and using church members' donations to pay for a lifestyle of fancy cars, Hawaiian vacations and a mountaintop mansion. An Internal Revenue Service report alleged Paul Gregory Kiggins, 39, of the nondenominational Tabernacle of Praise church orchestrated a "fleecing of the flock" and owes more than $560,921 in taxes and penalties from 1995 alone, according to documents obtained by The Gazette of Colorado Springs." (AP 8/24/00)
Prosecutors Consider Infant's Death
"The last breath of infant Billy Ray Reed came much the same as the first -- in his parents' trailer with church members surrounding him. Without ever seeing a doctor, the 2-day-old boy died July 9 of complications from a hole in his heart. According to the coroner's report, Billy Ray's parents noticed that he was having trouble breathing and that he was turning blue. But they considered him fussy and thought he was getting better after they prayed for him, the coroner said." (AP 8/8/00)
Jews in Holocaust Were Sinners!
"Controversy raged in Israel on Sunday after a rabbi who heads the biggest ultra-Orthodox political party said the six million Jews who perished in the Nazi Holocaust died because they were reincarnations of sinners. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, leader of the Shas party, also declared that Prime Minister Ehud Barak has "no sense" because he is trying to make peace with the Palestinians, who are "snakes."" (AP 8/6/00)
Priest Nabbed in Prostitution Sting
"A Roman Catholic priest who was president of St. Thomas University for 10 years was arrested in a prostitution sting. The Rev. Patrick H. O'Neill, 60, was charged with soliciting a prostitute last week after a conversation with a male police officer from his car. O'Neill's lawyer, William Dean, predicted his client would be cleared. According to police reports, Officer Albert Guerra was working undercover July 5 when O'Neill allegedly drove up and lowered his car window. Guerra, 27, said O'Neill offered him $100 for sex acts." (AP 7/12/00)
Former Youth Worker Pleads Innocent
A former church youth worker accused of molesting children pleaded innocent Monday to a 122-count indictment. Christopher Reardon, 28, stood quietly in Salem Superior Court as his lawyer John Andrews entered the plea on the charges ranging from rape of a child to posing a child nude. (AP 7/31/00)
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