Very quickly after the news story broke that Sammy Nuckolls, the 2011 SBC Lifeway FUGE Camp Pastor, was arrested for video voyeurism, Lifeway quickly removed any and all evidence of him from their websites. This included blog posts describing his testimony and spiritual experiences at FUGE camps, and web pages of conferences at which Sammy preached. At the bottom of this post are the ones that Lifeway has deleted that I have found.So Lifeway is embarrassed about Sammy's arrest and their close relationship with their organization. That is understandable. But does that warrant them quickly removing any evidence that they once associated with him?
Let's hope Lifeway's quick Internet scrub of Sammy's name and testimony doesn't signal that they are going to turn a blind eye to other possible victims of Nickolls' while he was a camp counselor. Is Thom Rainer and Lifeway just going to hope that this all blows over with as little damage to their image as possible? Will they reach out to Sammy and offer him spiritual and psychological help?
According to news reports Sammy admitted to doing this to two other women prior to the incident for which he was arrested. So it wasn't the first time.
Question is, how many other victims were there, and was this the only perverted behavior he has engaged in? His victim that reported him to the police trusted him based on his position as an evangelist. He was a guest in their house during a revival. They trusted the "man of God" and never thought in a million years that the traveling evangelist would actually set up a videotape to record the wife of the house bathing. Apparently Sammy had no trouble using his position as a "man of God" to get access to his victim.
Voyeurism is just one of a family of sexual dysfunctions called "paraphilias", and the American Psychiatric Association says about these behaviors:
"The essential feature of paraphilias as recurrent, intense, sexual urges and sexually arousing fantasies generally involving nonhuman objects, the suffering or humiliation of oneself or partner, or children or other non consenting persons. "So according to the APA this behavior is recurring, and they are intense urges, and they can involve children.
Also, it is unlikely that Sammy just started doing this recently, as the APA says about voyeurism specifically:
"Onset usually is in persons younger than 15 years, and the disorder tends to be chronic."So let's hope that Lifeway will encourage their FUGE staff and counselors to cooperate with police to report any of Sammy's behavior in the past that might have been suspicious. Lifeway can scrub Sammy's name and story from their websites, but they can't scrub any past actions as a Camp Pastor.
And let's hope that Sammy gets the help he apparently needs.
36 comments:
"But does that warrant them quickly removing any evidence that they once associated with him?"
Taking his info of the blog makes sense to disassociate themselves with him. Totally understandable for any organization to do this.
Just like you I am sure that they know deleting something does not "delete" anything that cannot be retrieved electronically.
Is it any wonder that one of the qualifications of a Deacon is :
First Baptist Dallas
http://www.firstdallas.org/deacons/
"13. Shall be able to keep in confidence those things which should not be discussed with others;"
Bellevue Baptist
"3. The deacon is one who is to help create and preserve harmony in the church. He should be able to have and to maintain the reputation of keeping in confidence those things which should not be discussed openly."
Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte
Must make Christianity look good...
If the sbc is serious about sexual perversion in their ranks then Lifeway would spend the money to bring in a professional third party to investigate the potential that there might be other victims. Usually they are. Nuckolls may not have reported his viewing of young girls. That could put him away for a long time and he knows it.
And to investigate whether anyone at Lifeway knew he had a problem. Was Sammy Nuckolls protected in any way shape or form?
There is precedence in the SBC for coddling and protecting sexual perverts so we have to be concerned.
Will Lifeway sweep this under the rug to do some serious investigation to send a message to other pervets that we have zero tolerance?
Sometimes I wonder if any SBC organization can do the right thing in your eyes. They erased the content. If they hadn't I would guess there would be a scathing blog about their failure to disassociate themselves with such a deviant and how their failure to do so must be an endorsement of him and his behavior. You can't have it both ways.
Anon 2:25 - I do understand, but they deleted blog posts from months back that did nothing more than give his testimony of how he was blessed by FUGE, and his Christian testimony. Why delete those? If there were web pages of future events that would be canceled, I can understand pulling those, but they went back 6 months on their blog to erase any record of him. I am of course assigning a sinister motive to their quick removal, which is to try to avoid people knowing that they were associated with Sammy to minimize damage to their own reputation.
This news station
will be running an update tonight:
The teaser ad says, officials believe this has been going on for "years".
Besides the one charge in Arkansas
"Nuckolls was taken to the Mississippi County Jail in Arkansas, charged and later released on $50,000 bond."
there has also been a charge in Mississippi
"The Olive Branch Police Department also charged Nuckolls with a felony charge of privacy violation. He was taken into custody and later released on $10,000 bond."
Bump
Update later
The kicker for this story is he was a guest in this woman's house. It would be bad enough if it was a hotel or something random.
Real classy.
Oh well, elsewhere, Ps R. Morris of Gateway Church told his sheeples this weekend they must also tithe on their investments to get a blessing, not just their salaries.
The reason investments are going down is not the economy, but that God isn't getting his 10 percent.
People were told that if they give 10 percent of their investments, too, the investments will multiply and be "protected" regardless of what the economy is doing.
I tell you, Watchdog, these pastors should be setting economic policy. The global economic crisis would end!
(wink)
"Why delete those?"
I don't know per se, but any organization would be stupid to leave anything that might be taken as an acknowledgment of any support now, in the past or in the future, in my opinion.
Everyone keeps harping about the SBC not standing up against sexual sins, but it is most church denominations and corporations.
Even the great State of California can't keep track of all the predators in their state and put them away for life.
What is so hard to believe that this is the first time this perv got caught? He should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But our judicial system is so whacked out that even Bill Clinton who is also a perv couldn't be brought to justice.
Hopefully, he does not have any other skeletons in the closet that have not come out yet. But if they do, he should pay the price. Forgiveness and repentance is fine for anyone, but paying the penalty of the crime must be met in the courts.
"If the sbc is serious about sexual perversion in their ranks then Lifeway would spend the money to bring in a professional third party to investigate the potential that there might be other victims."
That is not their responsibility. Any investigation done on their part would not be as valid as done by law enforcement.
"Nuckolls may not have reported his viewing of young girls. That could put him away for a long time and he knows it."
It is very possible that is true. Unfortunately, most state laws and federal laws have not caught up the the crime of voyeurism as anything more than a 1st degree misdemeanor. Until the federal government enacts legislation that can be adopted by the states to be at a minimum a 3rd degree felony I do not expect any serious punishments.
I guarantee you that removal of stuff from their blog was at the advice of counsel and not some one cowering in their office at Lifeway.
Again, the only way for this guy to be outed is more media outlets to pick up on the story and get it our their for any victims to come forward!
FOX 13 Memphis >> More Victims of Accused Olive Branch 'Peeping Preacher' Surface
"As we previously reported, Nuckolls was charged with video voyeurism in Gosnell, Arkansas on Tuesday. A woman there said the traveling evangelist was a guest in her home and used a video spy pen to record her undressing and taking a shower.
Gosnell police seized Nuckolls' pen camera and a computer. That's where they said they found video of other women, including one in Waldron, Arkansas, which is on the other side of the state.
Police said Nuckolls hid a camera in a box and slid it under a woman who was helping him sell t-shirts at a church event, giving him a perfect view up her skirt.
Waldron Police now have an open investigation as well. Olive Branch Police said they have already identified multiple victims, who've now seen the video Nuckolls allegedly took of them in his home.
"Those involved knew him and have known him for some time so there was reason for them to be at his home," Kimbell stated. "For those we contacted so far, there is a level of shock and disbelief because of the level of trust they felt."
Nuckolls' neighbors are also stunned; Raymond Clower said he was "definitely surprised and shocked. My wife shocked too and we were disturbed with it too."
Neighbor Rodney Jones added, "You don't expect some one who lives next door, seems so nice, to be caught up in something like this."
Police said there could be more victims and more charges. Investigators said the video dates back years and they're still sifting through it all.
Kimbell said, "This investigation is still moving forward; I would consider it in the early stages."
Police said all the victims, so far, are over 18. Nuckolls is married and neighbors said they recently adopted a baby.
He's expected to be in court in Olive Branch Tuesday morning."
Wade Burleson > On Glass Windows and Curtains: The Psychology of Withdrawing from Public View
"If the sbc is serious about sexual perversion in their ranks then Lifeway would spend the money to bring in a professional third party to investigate the potential that there might be other victims."
That is not their responsibility. Any investigation done on their part would not be as valid as done by law enforcement."
It most certainly is their responsibility. In addition to law enforcement. They hired and promoted him to many people. I agree with Tom. Lifeway is worried about their rep. Not victims.
What a joy for all you Baptist and non-Baptist blog readers. Now you can feast on all the details of a sex pervert. Should be so refreshing to so many. Keep up the blogging--we love those juicy details so we can act indignant and pious.
"What a joy for all you Baptist and non-Baptist blog readers. Now you can feast on all the details of a sex pervert. Should be so refreshing to so many. Keep up the blogging--we love those juicy details so we can act indignant and pious."
November 1, 2011 7:41 AM
You're crazy to think we enjoy reading SICK articles like this - what is refreshing is that these perverts are being exposed - there was a time we could trust those in the family of God but not anymore. You can exclude the part (we) because you can't act indignant & pious when facts are true.
"we love those juicy details so we can act indignant and pious."
Not really. It is sad that this type of thing goes on in "Christian" circles.
I still say that anyone is capable of heinous sins even when they think "not me".
At Wd's former church they had the chairman of the deacon's who was accused, convicted, and sentenced to jail of child molestation. I am sure that came as a very big surprise to everyone that knew him.
New BBC Open Forum > Olive Branch Southern Baptist Evangelist Charged with Video Voyeurism
"What a joy for all you Baptist and non-Baptist blog readers. Now you can feast on all the details of a sex pervert. Should be so refreshing to so many. Keep up the blogging--we love those juicy details so we can act indignant and pious."
This is a page from the liberal playbook. Used primarily against republican contenders when, once again, one of their leaders shows that he has no class or character.
An old, tired and ineffective tactic.
Try again Kool-Aid drinker.
Keep up the blogging--we love those juicy details so we can act indignant and pious.
Maby instead of giving purpose in blogging these party pastors should join some other institution that enjoy praying on the weak.
Last time I checked jesus did not accept perversion. But it seems as the church is a place where many of them hang out. It is said that god is all seeing maby FUGE lifeway is god as well
"If the sbc is serious about sexual perversion in their ranks then Lifeway would spend the money to bring in a professional third party to investigate the potential that there might be other victims."
No need to.
He already admitted to more victims, and others are stepping forward.
Live on FOX-13!
There seems to be a sin of publicizing a church's connection with someone found guilty of sin (Caner) and a sin of not publishing or cleaning up any previous publishing if a guilty individual (Nuckolls).
Praise God we have some non-sinners keeping us abreast of the real sinners.
I think we know how Jesus would deal with the penalty of sin, how do we believe Jesus would deal with the problem of sin?
I think we have figured out the first and capitalized on it but we lack being like Jesus living out the latter.
Attack the accuser is a Saul Alinsky tactic.
I Cor 10:12 Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
"some other institution that enjoy praying on the weak."
Praying would be fine.
Preying is not!!
Thy Peace said...
"Wade Burleson > On Glass Windows and Curtains: The Psychology of Withdrawing from Public View"
Seems wade is doing the same thing, as he pulled the curtain on this story by deleting this post
"Bribes, Corruption, and a Lack of Accountability: Whistleblowers Not Welcome"
"Ron and Beverly Nollner were International Missionaries in India for the Southern Baptist Convention, appointed in January 2009 to New Dehli, India. This week Ron and Beverly filed a $1.5 million dollar suit against the Southern Baptist Convention and the International Mission Board.
According to the lawsuit, the Nollners went to India to oversee the construction of a 15,000-square-foot office building. The Nollners claim they were fired in retaliation after discovering and then complaining to their IMB supervisors about illegal and unsafe building practices at the job site. Ron Nollner says the project’s architect and builder were paying bribes “in order to obtain necessary approvals and complete the project, including offering Mr. Nollner a luxury SUV," which the Southern Baptist missionary says he refused.
Ron Nollner says he reported his concerns about the bribes and construction practices to International Mission Board officials, but they “seemed unbothered, if not complicit.” Nollner was subsequently asked to resign, but when he refused, he was told that his position was “no longer necessary.” Nollner was fired, and the stated reason given by the International Mission Board was “false and merely a sham or pretext to hide the true reason.”
The Nollners were left "‘scrambling’ to make arrangements to return and live in the United States,” the lawsuit states, and “after some difficulty, they returned Stateside and remain in Nashville at this time.” Before the Nollners were appointed to the SBC International Mission Board they had to quit their jobs and sell their home and a car to move to India. Before his work as a missionary, Ron Nollner was in the construction business and served as a councilman for the city of Nashville from 1995 to 2003.
Ron Nollner's story reminds me of Brooksley Born's story. Born was the head of an obscure federal regulatory agency called the Commodity Futures Trading Commission [CFTC]. She warned of the potential for economic meltdown in the late 1990s, but also tried to convince the country's key economic powerbrokers to take actions that could have helped avert the crisis. Government leaders, including the revered Alan Greenspan, not only ignored Born, but put the word out that she was argumentative, irascible, and not to be trusted. After the 2007 economic meltdown the former head of the SEC, who said he had initially believed those in authority regarding the character of Mrs. Born, said he realized the error of trusting those in authority--too late. "
Part 2
"Some of the problems that arise when an organization gets so large it overruns any possible accountability include:
(1). Individuals padding their own pockets with huge sums of money of which nobody can give an accurate accounting.
(2). Secrecy at the highest levels of authority, a veritable "black box" of information that is obtainable only to those with a "need to know" position, and of course, those positions include only those who actually know what is in the black box. If you don't already know, you will never know.
(3). A shunning of all whistleblowers, including character assassinations, and ultimately the termination of those who ask too many questions.
(4). A desire to perpetuate a feeling among all people that the organization can be trusted, so rather than deal with problems publicly and openly, the whistleblower who points out the problems is the only thing dealt with publicly and openly.
(5). A hard landing for the organization when trust from the people begins to fail.
There are a few questions that Southern Baptists should be asking of the IMB leaders regarding this situation. Those questions might run along these lines:
(1). Is it a common practice to accept bribes or pay bribes to build "offices" for the International Mission Board overseas?
(2). Why, in 2009, is the IMB building a new office building when money for current missionaries, not to mention money for the appointment of new missionaries, is unavailable?
(3). Who ultimately is accountable for finances in overseas operations? Are the people in Richmond (or Nashville) knowledgeable of the way finances are handled in India?
(4). Is it common practice to carry suitcases of cash to places like Turkey or India, and to pay with cash for work among the locals? If so, where is the accounting for this money?
(5). Is there a file in Richmond that that tracks the number of complaints from field missionaries regarding possible financial misappropriation or embezzlement from superiors?
These are just some of the dozens of questions that should be asked by Ron Nollner and his attorneys. The Southern Baptist Convention is doing a good work, but when we crucify our whistleblowers rather than listen to what they are saying, our good work becomes corrupted very quickly. For those Southern Baptist Christians who think that we should not be asking these kinds of questions amongst ourselves, I say that we, above all people, should press for accountability, transparency and efficiency with our mission dollars."
Good Works?
Read William Thornton, as he asks why the Baptist Press is not reporting on the Sammy Nuckolls' voyeurism case. Of course we all know the reason why.
It is NOT "indignant and pious" to say that what Nuckolls did, apparently a lot more than what was previously thought, is WRONG. It is to be judged for what it is.
The person can be forgiven. The criminal acts must be dealt with.
I am so tired of reading that we're all just one breath away from doing the same kind of thing. Just because we have a sin nature doesn't mean we teeter on carrying out this kind of stuff from day to day.
"I am so tired of reading that we're all just one breath away from doing the same kind of thing. Just because we have a sin nature doesn't mean we teeter on carrying out this kind of stuff from day to day."
Do you think Nuckolls was always this way or it began sometime after he thought he would never do such a thing.
Do you think David ever thought he would kill a man just to have the man's wife?
Do you think Abraham thought he would ever lie about Sarah just to save his own life?
I do think we need to be careful to think we are above such things.
At Wd's former church they had the chairman of the deacon's who was accused, convicted, and sentenced to jail of child molestation. I am sure that came as a very big surprise to everyone that knew him.
November 1, 2011 9:17 AM
==============================
It was kept hush, hush. Members learned about it when they read the headlines in the newspaper. Afterwards I sat in a class where the teacher said we all needed to pray for this dear man & family. Not one word was mentioned of the VICTIMS and the lives he destroyed.
WMC-TV >> Accused voyeur evangelist faces judge in Olive Branch
He pleaded not guilty? After confessing to police that he did it and after investigators found the cold, hard evidence on his computer? What do you say to that? What can you say to that?
New BBC Open Forum said...
What do you say to that? What can you say to that? There is a fish smell in the air.
I have to wonder about all the children at camps and etc. that he has come in contact with, were they victims as well? He has been doing this for years and he admits to 5, that means its most likely 500.
I love how this concerned Christian quotes the APA but not the Bible in handling a fellow Christian's transgression. I love how this concerned Christian without having talked with the individual and going off of news reports has done a full psychiatric evaluation and has determined more than the police and investigators have. The Bible speaks against bearing false witness and accusations against others. It speaks against slander and gossip that tears down others. Be reminded that while we as mere mortals love to rate sin, in God's eyes we have all fallen short and one sin is no greater than the other. We are to be lights to the world and how we as a church, globally unified body of the Living Savior, handle this will be under the microscope to the world and if we who preach love and forgiveness, seek out to destroy a fallen Christian, Satan has won an even greater battle than the one within the individual in question. It all reminds me of John 8 where a woman was caught in the act of adultery, Jesus did not join the crowd in speculating over what she had done, how many times, or with who. He didn't even address her until he had addressed and removed those ready to condemn her by simply drawing a line in the ground and saying, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” In love, he said to the guilty, "neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” He encouraged the fallen in love and mercy and grace to leave the life of sin. And this is the foundation of the faith you proclaim, but what are your words teaching? I know you have control over what is posted but I pray that in a time when Satan is gaining major ground in the war to discredit the foundation of who Christians profess to be, don't be a weapon that can be used to refute what the Bible profess us to be or a stumbling block that discourages the work of the Holy Spirit in a less mature brother/sister in Christ. Instead handle the situation, not like the world would be as our Lord would ... as He did!
"handle this will be under the microscope to the world and if we who preach love and forgiveness, seek out to destroy a fallen Christian, Satan has won an even greater battle than the one within the individual in question."
No. Satan won the battle WITH the professing Christian who made a living preaching! YOU have it backwards. He got caught.
Wish you had as much compassion for the victims as you do the perverts.
" It all reminds me of John 8 where a woman was caught in the act of adultery, Jesus did not join the crowd in speculating over what she had done, how many times, or with who. "
The woman caught in adultery was not a follower of Christ when she was comitting adultery. Again you have it backwards. Jesus said, go and sin no more.
Also, Jesus did not play along with the Pharisees because they failed to bring the man along which meant they were not following the REAL law (See Lev)-- they were trying to trick him on their oral law. You missed the entire point of the parable. Typical. You were probably taught wrong by a "pastor".
I wish more people would study on their own. Such ignorance.
The Christian army is the only army in the whole world that shoots its own wounded!
Anonymous said...
"The Christian army is the only army in the whole world that shoots its own wounded!"
BANG!!!!
Who Fired that Shot?
Now what chapter and verse is that from?
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