Here are some choice quotes from FBC Defenders of late:
"Your request for a "witness" or "record" of the meeting is just a way of saying I want my lawyer to be present. The church had every right to deny that demand because they were not trying to pursue any legal action as part of the discipline process. And neither should you."
Of course, how unbiblical for a person to want to bring a witness to a meeting with six men who have accused you of terrible sins against Christ and the church.
"But I stand my ground when it comes to you meeting with the discipline committee.You were a given a chance, a chance to make your arguments and defend your positions and to present your view points on the issues you were concerned with.But you refused to meet with them and face them like a man. Instead, you withdrawl your membership and run like a coward and throw lawsuits at anybody you can."
More lies. And why are these people so consumed with calling people "cowards" and "be a man"? The cowards are the ones who showed up at my door with trespass warnings. The cowards are the committee members who wouldn't agree to meet with me by meeting my simple requests.
"Vengeance is the Lord's Mr. Rich. If you honestly think you are in the ok here and that the Lord is pleased with your actions up until now, let the Lord win and take His vengeance on Mac Brunson."
"And what's the deal with suing the church anyways? What are you after?An apology? You won't get one, they did nothing wrong. Money? A settlement? You may get a settlement but money is not what your after is it.You want revenge, retribution, the same thing you tried to avoid by blogging anonymously. Isn't it funny how things play out, hehe."
More heads in the sand.
I urge caution Mr. Rich. Suing the church is a big thing. Remember, power players, and lawyers, and judges are hard to fight.I don't think your lawyer, Mr. Roberts is he?, can win this one.
More threats. My bringing a lawsuit I'm "fighting" judges? What power players should I fear? This shows the arrogance of FBC Jax - how DARE you accuse US. Bring a lawsuit against US? Don't you know who WE are? This writer assumes that a person going up against FBC Jax will be squashed because of the power the church wields.
And this one from last Friday:
"watch puppy, they say jealousy is a terrible thing...what, are you mad because you got kicked out of fbc...just think about that doctor that was just killed [referring to the late-term abortionist shot in the head in church], he has to answer to God for all of those abortions he conducted... you gonna have to answer to God for all of your blasphemy"
And more threats.
I did contact JSO to report that last post, since at the least its a veiled threat if not a direct one, but was told there was nothing threatening and thus a police report was not filed by the officer.
And notice, not one FBC Jax defender will give their name. Not one.
So who are the cowards now? Who needs to "be a man" now?
42 comments:
All the "puppy" comments I guarantee come from Brunson offspring.
WD, as Pastor Wade decided that he will not be blogging politics ...
Maybe you can fill that void? Just wondering. Maybe after the lawsuits are over.
So . . . an anonymous warning you that you await the same fate as a doctor who was murdered is deemed non-threatening. But your "increasingly vitriolic" posts about the size of Brunson's home requires an investigation, complete with subpoenas?
Remind me not to waste my time with the Jacksonville police department.
JSO would not address the threatening tone? That one and the one person who said that you will burn definitely sound threatening. Mac Brunson could have gotten it investigated, they investigated you for less. What baloney!
WD,
You were wise to attempt to file a report with the JSO over the comment comparing you to the murdered abortion doctor. Given the actions taken to make your identity public and the open hostility you have encountered, it is quite reasonable for you to suspect that the comment was intended as a personal threat.
And since we know that the JSO has been keen in the past to look into "internet activity with possible criminal overtones", the fact that they chose not to investigate your report clearly demonstrates that their investigation of you was an abuse of power, a conflict of interest, and unethical favoritism. These guys just keep digging themselves in deeper.
I know Someone else charged with blasphemy for exposing religious slime for what it was. They felt the same venomous way about Him.
I did contact JSO to report that last post, since at the least its a veiled threat if not a direct one, but was told there was nothing threatening and thus a police report was not filed by the officer.
Wow...how stupid are these people. I guess the person that worked your report did not realize who you were.
It looks like justice really does depend on who you are.
Notice how since the post concerning this being an Everson possibility as the blogger using the sn /TomRich Paparazzi - it has stopped.
Familiarity exposes ignorance.
They are well known for this type of blogging.
The officer that came did know of my situation with the blog. But after reading the post she told me there was nothing threatening about it, and told me that it was not worth a report being filed.
Off Topic:
The blog world is inundated with the passing of Michael Jackson.
Meanwhile here is another gem:
boingboing > Supreme Court declares strip search of 13-year-old student unconstitutional.
Jonathan Turley > Supreme Court Rules Strip Search of Middle School Student Illegal.
“The officer that came did know of my situation with the blog. But after reading the post she told me there was nothing threatening about it, and told me that it was not worth a report being filed.
I predicted this was going to happen several comments back. I wouldn’t blame the officer in this case; I’m sure the JSO issued immediate guidelines for instances like this soon after Hinson pulled his stunt.
Hinson could have read this blog and reported the same thing back to Brunson, Soud, et al. But that is not what Brunson, Soud, et al wanted to hear. In this “hotbed of legalism,” Brunson wanted a NAME. He wanted to SHUT EM DOWN! Soud was his “legalist” in this “hotbed of legalism.” With all the wherefores and therefores in the Deacon’s Resolution, some “legalist” must have composed it. It is my opinion that Hinson was no more than a kool-aid drinking grunt made to think what he was doing was for the glory of God. If he didn’t report back to Brunson what Brunson wanted to hear, he would lose his lucrative second job and the income it afforded.
Pompous: 1. Excessively elevated or ornate (pompous rhetoric.) 2. Having or exhibiting self-importance (a pompous politician.) Merriam Webster Dictionary.
I can therefore say, without being slanderous, that, “Pompous as he is, I think Mac was the one calling the shots.” Pompous as he is, he thinks that pulpit can protect him from this “hotbed of legalism.” Pompous as he is, he thinks he has the right to get up in a public forum and call someone who disagrees with him a “sociopath” and “mentally unstable.”
Judge Soud, legalist that he is, tried his hardest to fly under the radar. He was doing a pretty good job of it until the newspaper article where he stated, “Coward that he is, … yada yada.” Had he spoke his yada yada and added at the end, “It is my opinion that he is a coward,” there would have been no slander. He would have just been expressing his opinion.
Stupid legalists!
I'm glad the Supreme Court ruled the way it did. I'd be ****ed off if some school nurse strip-searched my 13 year old daughter.
Oh you'd better bet you should report this talk about you being like the murdered abortion doctor. I would absolutely take that as a threat. And I agree that most of these "FBCJ Faithful" comments are from Brunson offspring. Mac says he doesn't look at the site? Sure he does -- not directly -- but he is given continuous reports about what it says. He really should resign but now he's got himself in a tight spot. Where would he go to make this kind of money? And we all know they are into money. We at FBD Dallas are watching this very thing take place right before our eyes. It's called GREED!
I’m going to take exception to two terms I’ve seen on this string, “FBC Defenders” and “FBCJ Faithful” as used by FBC Dallas of 11:24AM. It would be more accurate to identify them as “Brunson Regime Defenders” and “Brunson Regime Faithful.”
FBCJ and FBCD are institutions. I’m not familiar with the situation at FBCD today, but I believe that FBCJ has been hijacked by a charlatan. The FBCJ defenders are those of us who come on here and defend an institution. The FBCJ faithful are those of you who WERE longtime members who were run out and come on this blog to try to understand why. Furthermore, I think there are more CURRENT members who are faithful defenders of FBC than Brunson wants to know about, that read this blog and do NOT comment, but digest everything they read. They are just powerless to do anything about it, and afraid of retribution if they DO say anything.
I am a defender of FBCJ. I am NOT a defender of the Brunson regime. Those of you who were members and had to “flee the madness” were faithful to FBCJ, NOT faithful to the Brunson regime.
The truth is this blog is a defender of FBCJ and faithful to FBCJ as opposed to a defender of the Brunson regime and faithful to the Brunson regime.
Castro hijacked Cuba in 1959 and either killed or ran off the faithful defenders of Cuba. And thus started the Castro regime. The faithful defenders mourned the loss of their country and criticized the regime, not the country.
Do we see some parallels here?
"He really should resign but now he's got himself in a tight spot. Where would he go to make this kind of money? "
They created nice executive jobs for Hemphill and Bobby Welch that pay well. Hemphill even had several books of his being hawked at the Lifeway booth. Wonder if he wrote them on 'work' time. (wink)
If you look up the 'created' departments that Welch and Hemphill run, perhaps you can tell me why we need them?
So see, since Mac has been a good soldier, they will create something at the entity level with a nice 6 figure salary. Paid for with YOUR offerings.
If he gets desparate, Patterson can hire him to teach at SWBTS.
I was reading in the book of reports that SBTS full profs make 93,000 per year. SWBTS is not far behind. It would be a cut for Mac. He may have to sell the baby blue jag.
But hey! If te good folks at FBC Jax are willing to cough it up for him to live at a much higher salary, I doubt he will be going anywhere until they have had enough or the money runs out.
Richard is right on with his excellent analysis and observations.
I had to read it again to let it sink in. You are not alone, Dog.
To those supporters of Mac who do not believe this is all about power and money, try this simple test: Give "God's money" to the orphan, widow, poor, etc for a couple of months and not to Brunson's budget. Then watch him squirm and get angry and blame you for not trusting God. Then after a couple of more months, watch the seniors ministry, and the youth ministries get cut first, then watch him be "called" somewhere else. Trust me and try me in this, sayeth the blogger. And see if Mac and Maurilio will be long gone if the millions dry up.
Off Topic:
VTMBottomLine [Paul Burleson] > Following An Example.
Four years later we have received word that Wade is laying aside writing anything of a political nature. Don't hear that as laying aside anything controversial because his theology will be that thank you. But he will be refusing to write anything that addresses the political state or condition of the SBC for the next year. I have not spoken to him since his announcement and am writing my thoughts without him knowing anything about what those thoughts might be. But I do have some thoughts.
In my humble but accurate opinion, [:)] Wade has been operating under a real calling of God for these past four years. He has suffered rebuke, revilement, questioned motives, and has been called too many things/names to begin listing them here. But the truth is, he could care less because of a belief that he HAS had a calling of God for what he has done. It has always ONLY been a principled thing for him like him or not.
Mr. Rich,
As you may have heard this week, professional golfer John Daly was ordered to pay $272,000 in legal expenses as a result of an unsuccessful "defamation" lawsuit against the Times-Union and its parent company.
Like Daly, you are also suing an organization, First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, for "defamation". If and when you lose your lawsuit, what will be your next plan of action in the playbook of retribution?
I am so very sorry you have to deal with all of this. It is a sad day when so called people in the ministry act like this. I am most disappointed in Debbie Brunson. My husband sometimes gets hot headed but I feel I need to help him see reality and get over it and not embarrassed himself and our family. Wish Debbie would do the same for her "man".
First Baptist: Jacksonville's Urban Church
"Covering over nine blocks of downtown, First Baptist's 15,000+ member congregation is one of the largest urban churches in the Southeast United States."
Link to article Published May 2, 2008:
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-may-first-baptist-jacksonvilles-urban-church
There are some nice photographs there of the campus, and the article was coincidentally published at the time of Shirley Lindsay's death.
One should read the comments. Brunson was referred to by one commenter as "the fat mustachioed donkey who is now there."
ROFL!
Paparazzi dude:
Like Daly, you are also suing an organization, First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, for "defamation".
There has been no details of this lawsuit, other than what was reported in the news article, that mentioned Watchdog suing FBCJax for defamation. You either have inside information or are making an assumption.
Daly sued Morris, the newspaper, Jacksonville.com and former columnist Mike Freeman for a 2005 column that accused the golfer of smacking women and a thug lifestyle. He turned down a $5,000 settlement proposal from the newspaper, a reasonable offer in light of the facts, Carithers said in his order.
Link to article:
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-06-25/story/golfer_john_daly_ordered_to_pay_272_000_in_suit_against_times-union
Perhaps it was determined in the trial that Daly DOES smack women and leads a thug lifestyle. From what I've seen, he is an embarrassment to the sport of Golf.
And you might be surprised how many of us "FBCJ faithful defenders" would contribute our "tithes" to Watchdog's legal defense fund in God's name.
Blasphemy? I think not.
Religious leaders critical of Vines
Muslims and Christians alike said yesterday they were hurt and saddened that the pastor of Jacksonville's largest church publicly attacked Islam and called the prophet Muhammad a "demon-possessed pedophile."
"The Rev. Jerry Vines, senior pastor of First Baptist Church, caused a national outcry with a speech he made Monday night at a Southern Baptist pastors' conference in St. Louis."
Link to article dated June 13, 2002:
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061302/met_9655580.html
what IS it with Baptists and name calling?
it was the year two thousand ten
you could hear a pen drop when the jury walked in.
guilty of slander, guilty of libel,
guilty of fraud and misinterpreting the Bible.
A gasp was made from back in the crowd,
We all looked behind us,and there sat Judge Soud.
He sat there scowling, a mean look on his face,
How could one man bring such disgrace.
Mac sat there, his head bowed in shame,
For years he had been best, at this great Preacher game.
He could preach from Matthew from Luke or from John,
But he could not say I'm sorry to a servant named Tom.
Just like a pear you don't pick till its ripe,
It pays not to start to believe your own hype.
You might just think, that your Gods gift, but a house built on sand,
the foundation may shift.
Another gem from Steve Wilcox, a Brunson defender who posts regularly over at BaptistLife.com:
"The more I read the WD blog the more I am leaning towards Dr. Brunson on this, the blogger is an obsessive compulsive sociopath.
He cannot stop blogging about a church he is not a member of anymore and he is out to get Dr. Brunson.
It is not about transparency or a list of concerns anymore."
It never ends. So a person who blogs about what they perceive to be church abuses, and that Wilcox doesn't agree with, is an "obsessive compulsive sociopath."
I used to think you were an OK guy, Wilcox. First you threatened that the blogger would die of a heart attack, and now you're joining Brunson with the slander machine against someone who blogs in a way that you don't agree with about things you don't like.
If any one wishes to follow the discussion thread at Baptist Life Forums of the above comment, head over here.
Watchdog, I guess if you are an obsessive compulsive sociopath, that makes ALL us bloggers obsessive compulsive sociopaths. Not every word on this blog is written by you.
It also makes Christa Brown an obsessive compulsive sociopath for blogging about HER cause. It makes Tiffany Croft an obsessive compulsive sociopath for blogging about Darrell Gilyard.
Do we dare say Darrell Gilyard is an obsessive compulsive sociopath? Uh huh.
We should start our own church - The Baptist Church of the Obsessive Compulsive Sociopaths.
Mac Brunson to preach 2010 convention sermon.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 - 7:18:00 PM
Messengers moments ago approved a recommendation from the Committee on Order of Business that Mac Brunson, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., preach the 2010 convention sermon. Michael Catt, pastor of Sherwood (Ga.) Baptist Church, will serve as the alternate.
Well paparazzi I didn't think you'd answer me about why it is ok for Brunson to remain as pastor when he writes one thing and does the other. I guess your silence must be indicative of your approval.
No surprise that Mac will be preaching at the convention. Still too early to read much into that, though I see two options:
The powers that pick the presidents (Patterson, et al) are prepping Mac for a run.
OR
They are throwing him a bone, nominating someone else, but at least letting him preach at the convention, sell a few books, promote some more cruises, etc.
Either way, it makes this blog more relevant because it is now about not just the local FBC Jax pastor, but it is about next year's featured speaker at our convention. Now his actions and deeds effect all southern baptists, if they hadn't already.
New BBC posts, "Messengers moments ago approved a recommendation from the Committee on Order of Business that Mac Brunson, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., preach the 2010 convention sermon.
If I can quote an obvious Brunson regime supporter from an earlier post, "A nice topic for him to preach would be "How To Deal With Disgruntled, Discontented, and Ding Bat Church Members With Blogs."
Mac Brunson to preach 2010 convention sermon.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 - 7:18:00 PM
Messengers moments ago approved a recommendation from the Committee on Order of Business that Mac Brunson, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., preach the 2010 convention sermon. Michael Catt, pastor of Sherwood (Ga.) Baptist Church, will serve as the alternate.
June 26, 2009 6:16 PM
The leaders are sending a message to the pew sitters: Lay off our preachers. They can be as reprobate as they want to be and we will support them.
AFter the pedophile debacle, Gaines was preaching at SWBTS.
They Preach, (seriously one hateful and mean Pastor? recently did ) "Terrorist in the Church's"
What needs to be preached?
"Mafia in the Pulpits"
They like deception to much.
About the 13 year old who was strip searched at school...
That happened in my city. My kids went to schools in that district for awhile; I'm glad they didn't go to that school! And I'm glad that the Supreme Court decided the way it did.
Many people here believe that principal should have been fired. But one yahoo commented in today's Starnet (online paper, azstarnet.com) that it will make it easier for kids to carry drugs into school now.
Head in the sand, kind of like the "blogging gems" that Watchdog wrote.
I am going to try what the anon suggested: stop giving to FBC Jax (will still give to other ministries and local churches)and see how Maurilio and Team Brunson "raise funds" and respond. I hope others will join me. I will keep attending and serving, with my family, but let's see if they are all about the money. I hope the anon is wrong.
Brunson preaching at the convention, it's a very tactical move really. It says that they stand by their man. They are all giving their approval of Mac's behavior and bullying style. Business as usual.
Thick as thieves.
Who in the world is Steve Wilcox anyway?
Should we know him?
From where?
Tell me he's not a pastor!
You can read his pride right through his comments.
He sounds like a Mac Attack.
"I am going to try what the anon suggested: stop giving to FBC Jax (will still give to other ministries and local churches)and see how Maurilio and Team Brunson "raise funds" and respond. I hope others will join me. I will keep attending and serving, with my family, but let's see if they are all about the money. I hope the anon is wrong."
June 27, 2009 8:06 AM
The above spoke volumns to my feelings as I personally was offended to receive a hand written note 11-07-07 from "Jim Smyrl" explaining after much prayer God had led him to countinue with his personal ministry of "Loyal Heart Ministries",with his wife as the only "paid" employee and his plead for financial support in this additional ministry outside of being on the staff of FBC. Financial decisions as to how we would use God's financial blessings to the storehouse was decided upon the receipt of that note - and yes,they do leak out who gives what - and no we did not make the "select list" sent to the 210 members . . .
TP - I don't think "Steve Wilcox" and "Reverend Stephen W. Wilcox" you posted are the same. I believe Steve Wilcox is a former member of FBC Jax, and very much opposed to this blog, and now apparently agrees with Mac about my mental state, having never spoken to me, or my family or my friends.
JESUS UPBRAIDS THE CHURCH LEADERS
There are many examples of Jesus upbraiding the Church leaders for their gross sins [selections from Matthew 23]:
"But WOE unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, HYPOCRITES… FOR YOU SHUT UP THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AGAINST MEN…
…THEY BIND HEAVY BURDENS and GRIEVOUS to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but will not move them with ONE OF THEIR FINGERS
WOE unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, HYPOCRITES… you DEVOUR WIDOW’S HOUSES… you shall receive the greater damnation.
WOE unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, HYPOCRITES…
WOE unto you, ye BLIND GUIDES…
You FOOLS AND BLIND…
You FOOLS AND BLIND…
WOE unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, HYPOCRITES! You… have omitted… JUDGMENT, MERCY, and FAITH…
You BLIND GUIDES, which strain out a gnat, and SWALLOW A CAMEL.
WOE unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, HYPOCRITES… within they are full of EXTORTION AND EXCESS.
You BLIND PHARISEES…
WOE unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, HYPOCRITES! You are FULL OF DEAD MEN’S BONES, and ALL UNCLEANESS… and HYPOCRISY and INIQUITY…
WOE unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, HYPOCRITES!… you are the children of them which KILLED the prophets. FILL YOU UP then the measure of your fathers.
You SERPENTS, you GENERATION OF SNAKES… you KILL AND CRUCIFY… you SCOURGE in your synagogues… Behold your house is left unto you DESOLATE"!!
WOW! Every one of these comments from Matt. 23 were spoken directly to the "Religious Scholars and Theologians" in the Church of God centered at the Temple in Jerusalem. Would Jesus speak in the same manner to the Religious Scholars and Theologians in God’s Church today? Does Jesus "change"? NO. Has the Church changed in the past 2000 years? YES. It has gotten WORSE.
I would like to say somethings that I have noticed by FBCJ. When I was younger we had a young lady come to our door while my mother was down with her back and she wanted to talk with us about the lord or witness to us. So my mother allowed her in and she sat there for about thirty minutes and witnessed to us. Which there was nothing wrong with that but then when she left my mother realized that she had stolen her check book and a week later she started bouncing checks and my parents filed charges against her and the church bailed her out and paid for everything that she had done. So I have never thought much about this church since hey are right beside the ones that do criminal acts against others. I do agree that the church is way to big and also is paid way to much. When you have other churches not making as much as theirs. Now they are offering school there as well so they are making more money for the church and pastor. I would not be apart of this church if someone paid me a million dollars.
I also agree and applaude you for your attemps to recieve justice for what they have done to you and your family. I do not agree with a church banning people from it that is not goods way he never bands anyone from his kingdom if you are doing good work for him.
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