Then Again, Stupid can Work in Your Favor....

...Especially when other people are being stupid. Really stupid. So stupid, in fact, that after a remarkable career of infuriating ordinary people, name calling, the most vile of accusations against good hearted souls, outright plagiarism, and deliberately inserting false meanings into innocent conversations (on-line), they finally get banned. And today, Fullcourt, notorious and thoroughly looney poster on the FFF, was banned.

It was too long in coming. Even given the exceptionally hostile, suspicious,and warlike nature of the FFF, Fullcourt cut a swath worthy of a hag with a bat in her hair, with the bat being on fire. She daunted many a soul and was worthy of being ejected within her first month.

I don't know what, exactly, she did. Rumor has it that she sassed (accused) the webmaster or once again put him within range of a lawsuit, so he banned her.

Regrets to Jeanieskat, who, I am sorry to say, said some rash things in the heat of the moment, (having to do with lawsuits) and was banned as well. She will be missed by many of the suddenly diverse group of people coming in and out of the forum to get updates on the Bob Gray case. Fullcourt will go on to wreak havoc and cause trouble elsewhre, I am sure. That looney level of malice will not be contained for long. But I hope Jeannieskat simply gets on with her life and drops people a line now and again.

Hick Goes Ballistic in Culpeper

We got a live one, people!

Brad Blanton, a 65-year-old psychotherapist who is running for some minor office in the state is taking umbrage because it has been pointed out that three web URLs that referenced his opponent's name redirected viewers to his own campaign web site. The local paper, the STAR EXPONENT has demanded, perhaps rashly, that he own up to any role he played in the mis-direct.

I grant that the newspaper may be stretching, but Blanton's off-the-wall, insane reply makes for some good reading for anybody who needs confirmation on the idea that these people still intermarry way too much. Click Here for the full treatment. The best line: "I just got back from Sweden where I have a new son, Jack Buddha Blanton." Jack Buddha? I grant you, that is better than "Johnny Walker". But what is this foul-mouthes, so-called psycotherapist doing out in Sweden having kids when he is running for office in Virginia?

Vote for your favorite character in this looney town:

The kooky preacher indicted for beating kids and taking indecent liberties with children was last seen buying a church bus with tinted windows. And why? So he can continue driivng kids around to his church, of course!

The Good Ol' Boy Sheriff (Lee Hart) who talks about arresting parents of victims if Charles Shifflett (See "kooky preacher," above) is found guilty. Conveniently looks the other way while Shifflett cruises by in said bus with tinted windows and kids inside.

The dumb as an anvil Commonwealth Attorney, Gary Close, who tosses a drunk guy into jail for destroying a porch while drunk, and lets Shifflett out to roam free after Shifflett was indicted on seven counts of abuse of children. Does not interfere when Shifflett drives kids in bus with tinted windows and does anything else he darn well pleases in his church circus tent. (Oh yes, Shifflett's latest church meets in a circus tent. By now, that's hardly a surprise.)

And now Brad Blanton, psychotherapist who begets (or at least receives) his children in Sweden (Jack Buddha, Jolene Czarina Siddharta, Lindsey Sue Yat-sen, and James "Fatty" Diocletian) while running for office in Virginia and demonstrates his professionalism by cursing out Alison Brophy of the Culpeper teeny-tiny paper, THE STAR EXPONENT.

Say, do you people get this way because cousins really do marry cousins in Culpeper? Is it something in the water? Or is life so dull there that you have to invent your own macabre situation comedies/tragedies?

No Time for Stupid

Yesterday on the famous FFF (which I guess would make it the FFFF), SlapuPappy got busted, I mean, banned. He posted an avatar of a nude woman giving the viewer the finger. It lasted on his posts for an hour or less. But of course as soon as I saw it, I knew he was gone. It was offensive across the board.

Slap has always had a good profession of faith on the FFF, and he has been a clear reasoner, when he chooses. I'd given him credit for a lot more sense than many pastors who post there. I would never have expected him to do such a thing.

As soon as I saw the avatar, I thought why did he do this? My best guess is he got a kick out of offending the people he disliked. But then, he could have ably done that without posting a nude picture in an avatar. I mean, it's not like you have go very far to offend stiff-necked legalists. You certainly don't have to resort to anything that is truly offensive. Most of the fun is in offending them with harmless stuff and watching them go purple as they try (and fail) to condemn it from the Bible.

I think he was bitten by the Invincibility bug. He thought he could get away with it. The management of his pranks and writing shifted from reasoning and commenting on the failure of Fundamentalism to an outlook of "See how smart I am" or "See what I can get away with."

A similar thing happened a few weeks ago when the famous and able "DrD" was banned from the FFF. He was warned against profanity and used it anyway. And so he was banned. When that happened I wondered at his uncommon silliness in posting profanity after being warned. Do these people really think the webmaster has such a large genuine affection for them that he will not ban them when they defy even the nmost sensible of rules?

Anybody who has a good working knowledge of the Bible can reason from Scripture without resorting to anything else. And anybody who wants to prove himself smarter than a pack of white shirted, white walled, barely-educated men in a corrupt system can do so without resorting to gutter language or gutter iconography.

If you want to claim a victory over the ignorance and bad doctrine that goes unchecked in Fundamentalism at large, then this is no time for Stupid. It's no time for the invincibility syndrome. The rules of the game have been laid out, and the able players can easily win while observing the rules. You can be witty, resourceful, knowledgeable, and even sarcastic. You cannot be lewd or profane, and furthermore, you don't need to be.

Your Daughters Will Beg You for ....MODEST SWIM WEAR

So there IS a market for legalism. I haven't been able to get through the entire catalog of "modest swim wear" without breaking out into helpless laughter, but here is a link to the site, sure to generate chuckles in the sane among us:

Modest Swim Wear

And if those don't work, You could always try ordering these

Reviews of LAMBS from Ex-Christian.net

These comments are about the podcast (5-part) LAMBS OF CULPEPER:

Go listen to the podcast of the Lambs of Culpeper at Jeriwho.net. The first of five was very enlightening. What these poor kids must have gone through! You're a sick bunch at First Baptist Church of Culpeper to allow yourselves to be associated with Chuck Shifflett. How can you sit there and listen to this abuser "preach"? Poor Chad, Woody, Liz and Robert as well as the others that have been afraid to come forward up to now. You can hear the pain in their voices! Here's the opportunity to hear the truth from the victims. Chuck, how can you face the people of Culpeper or your family knowing what you're quilty of? I feel so sorry for his wife, kids, and grandkids. They're the innocent ones who will stick with him to the end. God have mercy on you Chuck because it's clear that you don't care about anybody but yourself.

posted: 7/24/2006 3:39 PM EST


I've just listened to the Lambs of Culpeper on jeriwho.net. Wow! what an eye opener. Chuck Shifflett should be locked away where he can't hurt another child. Why is he still walking the streets of Culpeper and pastoring a church? The man is a criminal! Protect your children if you're still supporting Shifflett. What's wrong with you people.

posted: 7/25/2006 12:21 PM EST

I just listened to the podcast. It bought back every feeling I had as a teenager at Ripley Community Church over 35 years ago. The feelings of being alone, afraid to tell because you'd be called a liar and a sinner. Afraid to that your family would be made to also reject you and see you as evil. It actually made me gag to hear Chuck's voice again. What an evil, evil man. Janet is just Pathetic. She must really enjoy the position of being "Preacher's Wife" to turn a blind eye.
My heart felt sorrow for each and every victim...even those of us from 35 years ago.

posted: 7/25/2006 1:28 PM EST

Christians and non Christians I hope everyone will take the time to listen to the tapes [the podcast---Ed.] and hear the evil that lurks among us. They are very telling of the man I knew shifflett is. In the lambs04 tape it was the most evil and also confirms my thoughts that shiffletts wife Janice was apart of his evil and wicked ways! She's not as innocent as she leads people to believe. Some say she is as much as victim as the ones in the tape but In my view she doesn't look like, nor act like a victim. I say, she likes the roll she is playing and enjoys all the benefits from it too. I just would like to know where was all the men of the church where during all this abuse? They had to have know of some of the abuse that shifflett was dishing out to these children. Listening to inserts of his sermons how could you believe this man to be a Godly man when he speaks with such a wicked tongue. I think there was alot of people that let these children down,some parents,the elders, Deacons,teachers, of this church. How could they stand by and allow these things to happen? I don't care what you was gonna loose or if you had to leave the church, at least you would know that you tried even if you diden succeed in helping these young victims that evidently had no one to listen to them or believe them. I would like to say to the victims that I as a christian am sorry for what you have went through, most of all I am sorry that there where no adults willing to stand up for you at the time cause they where worried about themselves and what they would have to give up, not keeping in mind what these young victims where giving up then and now! God Bless you victims and may you see justice.

posted: 7/27/2006 11:48 AM EST

I have just listened to the Lambs of Culpeper, all 5 of them.... This brings back so many rotten memories that I had blocked out. It made me feel like that teenage girl trapped in Shifflett's web and noone would believe what we told anyone about him. I, alot like Woody and Liz, know that there is a God and believe that there is a God, but just cannot understand WHY!!! I have not found a church yet that I have felt comfortable in enough to stay. I always fear for my children to go to church because I just don't trust anyone. I have a lot of issues in my life because of how I was brought up and the things that I went through at Calvary and at home growing up. The people that you thought that you could trust turned out to be the ones that you couldn't. As a child you are supposed to be able to trust your parents and preachers, but they turned out to be the one that you didn't even want to be around.

When I got in trouble at school and Chuck would take me into his office to talk and tell me how much of a "screwed up teenager I was and how I would never amount to anything and I was a slut and a hoar" and then you go home and try to tell your parents and they say that what the preacher says is true cause he is a "man of God" and was only saying that "cause he cares" what was a teenager to do. Or when you got beat up (as I call it) by someone who is supposed to love you and care so much as say that is what you deserve when you talk about the preacher and live the way you do. And Chuck backed them up and told them that is what they were supposed to do. No I don't think so. That is not what should have ever happened. I would never do that to anyone I love and no preacher will ever tell me how to raise my kids. One thing I have vowed is that I will always listen to my children and make darn sure that if my kids ever come to me with anything like this God help whoever tries to hurt my family.

I pray that Charles Shifflett is punished to the full extent of the law and that Tom Reese won't be able to get him out again. As for the person who said that they think that Charles Shifflett has something on Tom Reese I totally agree with you. I think that he has something on a lot of people and when he goes down he will pull them right along with him.
As for Chad Liz Woody and Robert thank you for coming forward and letting the world know about Charles Shifflett. This could save some of the children of the future. Thank you Jerri for doing your interviews and putting it out for the public to hear.
Praying for justice for all of the victims even the ones that didn't come forward.

posted: 8/03/2006 2:51 PM EST

Bob Gray of Jacksonville, Florida Arrested for child Molesta

Bob Gray of Jacksonville, Florida Arrested for child Molestation





Latest Update: July 6-7, 2006

The latest alleged victim is a man, who charges that he was molested as an 8 year old boy:

Bob Gray charged Today with Molesting a Little Boy

Exclusive: Dr Gray Molested Me as a Boy

Video

11:00 PM Video

News4Jax is saying that Gray is in jail at this moment, though the article is not written clearly and appears to contradict itself:

Former Trinity Pastor Back In Jail On New Sex Charge

Video

June 30, 2006

Bob Gray has a pre-trial hearing today. He is pleading "Not guilty."

Pre-Trial Hearings for Former Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church

VIDEO: First Coast, early report

June 12, 2006

Pastor Accused of Sex Charges Appears in Court

First Coast, Noon Report (Video)
First Coast, Six PM Report (Video)

June 8, 2006 P.M.

http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/15179.html

Article by Don Boys, which is a pretty good article, except I notice it took the fall of a "big name" to get anybody with a public reputation to step up and address this problem. And this problem has been rampant for years. And Boys still insists that church law is kept within the boundaries of the local church. This is not an accurate representation of what Scripture teaches about church government.

Pastor, or any Christian, if you know of abuse in the church down the road, you are responsible to confront it and initiate an investigation if possible.

The shepherd does not tell the Master which sheep he will protect and which sheep he may neglect. The Master has already told the shepherds that they are there to protect His flock. He makes no other distinction. Pastors are responsible to their church officers, but they are also responsible to each other and to the church at large. As are all Christians. Hiding behind the walls of a local church is despicable and a betrayal of all that Christ taught.

Latest Update: May 28, 2006 P.M.

The Florida Times-Union has published details of some of the allegations and further details on the ministry of Bob Gray:

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/052806/met_21984591.shtml

May 27, 2006 P.M.

A former member of Trinity baptist speaks out:
http://www.fundamentalforums.com/showpost.php?p=88734&postcount=52

May 27, 2006 A.M.

More details on the conditions of Gray's bond:

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/052706/met_21980781.shtml

May 26, 2006 P.M.

Bob Gray is out of jail on bond:

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=58208

The video supplies a lot more details, including a fear from prosecutors that Gray may flee to Germany. They also declared that he had been preparing to leave for Germany at the time he was arrested:

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/player.aspx?aid=68563&bw=

Here is the News4Jax text copy report:

http://www.news4jax.com/news/9281885/detail.html

Here is the News4Jax video report:

http://www.news4jax.com/video/9282919/detail.html?taf=jax


May 25, 2006 P.M.

News4Jax.com has a story that updates the news this morning about the most recent alleged victim in the Bob Gray case:

http://www.news4jax.com/news/9273998/detail.html


May 25, 2006 A.M.

New charges were filed against Bob Gray last night, based on charges brought by another woman, the 17th to come forward. This brings the total number of charges against him to four counts:

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=58208

Here is the video presentation of the story:

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/player.aspx?aid=68423&bw=

Many thanks to "Greaves" who sent the proper URL for the "Pastor Defenders" video that I referenced yesterday. Here it is:

http://www.news4jax.com/video/9267683/detail.html


May 24, 2006 P.M.

There is a video update on the Gray case, an "equal time" report that depicts people on the other side of the question, insisting Bob Gray is innocent.

http://www.news4jax.com/video/9267683/detail.html


News4Jax just now broke a new story about a victim aserting that church leadership knew about the situation. Here is the link:

http://www.news4jax.com/news/9269585/detail.html

May 23, 2006 P.M.

First Coast News presented a video at 11:00 last night, with a collection of statements from alleged victims:

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/player.aspx?aid=68236&bw=

Here is a text version (shortened) of the video:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=58052

If you are a victim, you can call this number to report your case. Your anonymity is guaranteed. 904 630-2168.


Latest Update: May 23, 2006 A.M

News4Jax.com prints today that Bob Gray could get life for the two counts of sexual battery with which he is charged. Though the statute of limitations has run out on any sexual improprieties taken with girls 12 and over two decades ago, there is no statute of limitations on sexual battery against a child under 12. Here is the story from News4Jax:

http://www.news4jax.com/news/9256298/detail.html

A News4Jax video report includes an interview with the detective. And, of course, it includes the statement released by Trinity as they talk about the sacredness of their ministry and neglect to say anything about moral responsibility, grief, the alleged victims, what God expects of them in this situation, etc.

http://www.fox30online.com/mediacenter/
When you get to this page, look to the right and click on the "Founder of Trinity Christian Academy faces capital sexual battery charges" hyperlink.

First Coast News has again alleged that victims insist that the church leadership knew what was going on. The following video clip includes interviews with several alleged victims, and it includs some upsetting narrative. A sideways reference is made to the exaltation of the preacher so common in Fundamentalist churches, which is what kept Bob Gray in power even after alleged "church discipline" (that was not biblical church discipline at all).

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/player.aspx?aid=68208&bw=


May 22, 2006
Currently, Bob Gray is charged with two counts of sexual battery against girls under the age of 12 (two different girls). Fifteen women in total have come forward. Most of Gray's alleged crimes occured with girls over the age of 12. In Florida, the statute of limitations has run out in those cases (where the alleged victim was over 12). However, investigators hope to use the aggregate of disclosures to help build their case.

Investigators have reported that Gray's return to Jacksonville from the mission field prompted alleged victims to come forward with charges.

Trinity Baptist, having taken refuge with attorneys, has issued the following careful statement, in which in their efforts to protect themselves they have named Christ but failed to provide Christ's comfort to the alleged victims: "Trinity's mission is to serve Christ. Any abuse of a minor hinders the church from accomplishing that mission is immoral, is sinful and a violation of what Trinity stands for.”

It is a statement so devoid of anything resembling what Christ says and what He commands of His people that it is very nearly a cynical statement, more certain to bring reproach upon His name than to glorify Him in any way. However, it does a good job of freeing up Trinity Baptist from any legal liability while allowing them to mouth His name.

As the Lord Jesus can defend His name quite ably, we can commend such statements to Him in prayer and ask Him to vindicate His righteousness, His grace, His mercy, and the weight of importance He places upon those that men in chuch office would dismiss as "the least of His brethren".

http://www.fox30online.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=ADA58B54-950D-4E75-ADB8-FF961CE1DC01

Next, talk about jaw-dropping evil (or stupidity, or both) in church leadership. Gray was confronted over molesting little girls, and according to the current church leadership, he was disciplined. How odd: he was disciplined for lasciviousness and yet he was never removed from office. Wow! I wonder how they define church discipline at Trinity. Extra Bible study? Sweeping the men's room? It's certain that the elders were never called in to confront the situation. Nor was Gray ever removed from office, which should have happened as soon as he admitted to such gross sin or it was proved. And, needless to say, the authorities were never called in even though a crime had been committed.

Here is the article detailing the so-called "church discipline":

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=58056

Reminds me of Everrett Farris making Dave Hyles sweep up and write a letter of apology to Miller Road Baptist Church and calling that "church discipline." And the total number of women who have come forward with allegations of some type of molestation/sexual abuse is now 17.

Here is a news video that is really eye-opening:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/player.aspx?aid=68231&bw=

Update May 21, 2006, P.M.
Trinity Baptist Church has hired Attorney David Gibbs as their representative in this matter. (Gibbs is NOT representing Bob Gray.) According to News4Jax.com News, one of the alleged victims has said "she and other victims want the church to admit that they have known what happened to many girls in Gray's office -- years she said the victims 'suffered broken marriages and broken lives.'" Victims continue to affirm that the church leadership knew about this situation for years and participated in hiding it. Others in the church were stunned by the news of Gray's arrest.

The church leadership continues to decline to comment to the newspapers.

Sex Charges Surprise Some Church Members, Others Say 'It Was Coming' (News4Jax.com May 21, 2006)

May 21, 2006, a.m.
Fox 30 WAWS News has reported that they have obtain a report from the Sheriff's office saying that six new women have come forward with charges.

Cloud Hangs Over Sunday Services After Pastor’s Sex Abuse Arrest (Fox 30 WAWS News 5/21/2006)

Meanwhile, I've received several anonymous messages declaring the innocence of the church leadership. I do read all messages and keep anonymous messages confidential (unless they contain threats or illegal content). But cryptic remarks about the whole story never being known and this being a special case are nothing new in these situations.

There is one clear, right way to handle corruption in high office. And that is never by excuses, redirection, and delay. Biblically, such matters must be handled by confrontation and open investigation. If church leadership has failed to respond in a biblical way, then repentance is the next measure.

May 20, 2006
The e-mail chute has been filling up with tips from people. And thank you. I am glad that people trust me enough to send me tips, knowing I will publish them as soon as I can verify them.

But this story has stunned me. I have been wrongly accused of hating Baptists, for there is a strata of Baptist pastors I consider as far removed from the child molesting, sodomizing, beat-your-kids brand of Fundamentalism as I would consider the Apostle Paul. I disagree with their silly pomposity over their so-called "Baptist distinctives" that they hold with such pride, but I think they are god-fearing men who humbly search the Word of God. And Bob Gray of Jacksonville Florida is---or was---one of those men.

According to one news report, he has made some admissions of improper actions, which is why I am posting this. According to News4Jax, the police report "goes on to say that Gray 'admitted to 'French kissing' several girls in his office at school years ago.'" (News4Jax.com. May 20, 2006 http://www.news4jax.com/news/9248761/detail.html) That may not be enough to indict him for child molesting, but if he has made such an admission, his admission shows that he is guilty of the grossest sin known to the Church of God.

The arrest was made based on charges brought by two women, now adults, against Bob Gray. But fifteen women have spoken to First Coast News, each alleging that she was molested by Gray when she was of elementary school age. They have alleged that the molestation continued for several years. The mother of one of the victims has alleged to First Coast News that the church leadership knew of complaints brought against Gray and "swept them under the rug."

One member of the church, a man who was not identified except to say that he was a member of Trinity, said that allegations were brought before the church congregation by the pastor himself in the 1980's and categorically denied. He added that the pastor admiited "some indiscretions" to him but pleaded the cause of the ministry for keeping them quiet. This man has alleged that some of the deacons knew of the problem but chose not to act.

Nobody at Trinity Christian Academy would talk to First Coast News. However, First Coast News reports that Gray's name has been removed from the church's directory, and his picture has been taken down from the church web site.

Gray was scheduled to appear in court today, but he waived his first appearance.

A news update is scheduled to be presented Monday night on First Coast News.

First Coast News is a joint venture of ABC 25 and NBC 12. Their website is http://www.firstcoastnews.com/

Trinity Baptist Church has released their response to the situation, that they have hired attorneys to investigate the matter. They make no reference to God, prayer, forgiveness, or a call for a session of elders (investigation by a group of elders is the Biblical method of investigation of an accusation against an elder). They say nothing about the accused man or the women who have come forward. Instead, they have circled their wagons and have resorted to attorneys. You can read this declaration here:

http://media.tbc.org/download/statement.pdf