Unmasked blogger blames First Baptist, Sheriff's Office

[Timkin]

I want to thank Thomas A. Rich and http://fbcjaxwatchdog.blogspot.com for shedding light on this group.  This is a clear attempt at intimidation and I hope Mr Rich has the strength to continue.  This may also be an abuse of power by JSO.  We have lawyers who read this... Any opinions?

 You mean to tell me if we are not Baptist, that we are entitled to an opinion? 

[duvaldude08]

Not to offend anyone that is a member of FBC, but growing in Jacksonville there has been alot of questionable things about how they are ran. ESPECIALLY when it comes to money. So something like this doesnt shock me. There have been rumors of people being sent to collections because they did not pay their tithes, etc etc. Like I said, not being offensive, just stating my opinion. I have visited there before and felt VERY uncomfortable.

[Timkin]

They apparently have plenty of money.... as they own a good deal of land,and buildings downtown.

I have never been there..and I never would go. 

[iluvolives]

Just saw this update on the blogger case. Looks like the original subpoenas and information about the investigation on the identity of the blogger were inadvertantly destroyed during an office move.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/422234/paul-pinkham/2010-07-07/angela-corey-doesnt-have-testify-about-destroyed

[BridgeTroll]

I can see that...

[JaxNative68]

Completely unrelated, but I was in a car accident once (a long time ago, I was probably 14 at the time) with a driver who was a member of FBC.  This driver was completely in the wrong, by accidentally running a red light and hitting a car who had the right of way.  A third car that was behind the car that had the right of way stopped as a witness.  This witness recognized the driver in the wrong, walked over and said, "you look familiar, do you attend the First Baptist Church?”  Of course, even though he did no recognize to witness, was the reply.  When the police arrived the witness also recognized the officer as a member of FBC.  They both had a sidebar chat which resulted in the officer ticketing the innocent party, who was hit.  They tried to argue it, but failed to sway the officer.  That was the first time I witnessed the cult of FBC and was astonished.  To this day I have never truly trusted its members.

[brainstormer]

When you have Jesus on your side, you can do no wrong.

[stjr]

I once had a warranty issue with a contractor.  His service manager had all the records when I called.  Later, when I requested copies, he said the file was "lost".  Hmmm..... I wonder what the State Attorney's office would make out of a target of their prosecution if that target lost records they thought were critical to their case.  Obstruction of justice?...

You can bet every defense attorney in town will file this story for use on a rainy day.

[Timkin]

It is no secret that Mac Brunson and the FBC Jax administration wanted very much to know my identity. Deacons have said so, that for over a year the church was working to find out my identity - Mac has even told deacons that the blogger was a disgruntled homosexual. Mac himself, just ONE WEEK before the Deacons 2009-1 Resolution was passed, preached on "Kingdom Killjoys", which he said were people in his church that take insignificant problems at the church, who blow them up into something big, and then talk about it to someone else to try to "rob their joy". His instructions to his church leaders, should they encounter such troublemakers was that they should be "SHUT DOWN", followed by a pregnant pause for effect. Watch it for yourself at the link below. Is this an example of a humble, patient, loving pastor teaching his people to love others, even those who might ask questions that he doesn't like? It looks and sounds to me to be a pastor who wishes to shut down people in an unloving, harsh manner, and has the audacity to instruct from the pulpit his leaders in the church to shut down people who are asking questions he doesn't like.

disgruntled homosexual?

  Whom is this supposed to be referring to ?  I am a little confused about this part.

[simms3]

Let us not confuse the Baptists, especially FBC, with other churches I am a proud Episcopalian, and we are quite the opposite.  We teach love/acceptance/forgiveness, not hate, and for various reasons, we get no love from certain city leaders (or from people in general) and we do not seek it even though we are probably (and the Catholic diocese of St. Augustine) the most giving dioceses/churches in the region.  Our members are the wealthiest in the city, but our priests' salaries just may be the lowest, because that is not a priority of the church to pay the priest $300K a year (which is like a top 50 salary in this city, heh).  The Episcopal church basically financed the Parks at the Cathedral, let us not forget that

By the way, for future reference, literally 90% of the top lawyers in town are either Episcopalian, Catholic, Presbyterian, or Methodist.  The lawyers I know are not members/fans of FBC.  None of the business leaders are FBC, and Peyton is not even FBC.  How the hek does FBC even hold so much weight, though it is a similar story in other cities.  Atlanta has about 5 Baptist churches that are even bigger than FBC (and being African American churches in a town politically controlled by African Americans, the churches hold a good bit of sway as well).  Also Dallas is pretty heavily influenced by its big central baptist church, so I have heard.

I don't think other churches are as interested in being showy (via television and huge congregations) and I know that most other churches have no interest in politics and will pray for whoever is in office.  Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), other religions in this country (outside of Judaism in some areas) don't even have the option to flex power.

[JeffreyS]

If FBC and Mel Gibson could stop publicly claiming to be Christian it would be a lot less embarrassing to we actual Christians.  I want them to pursue Christianity just in a more private fashion.

[Timkin]

My Grandfather was a Minister at Riverside Avenue Christian Church , prior to his passing in 1961, so I never met him... but I did learn of a saying he had , that I belive to be true. He said "Going to Church does not make one a Christian anymore than standing in a Garage makes one an Automobile" ... I like that, and I believe it to be true.   Lord knows I am far from perfect, so I try not to be too critical of others ...meaning individuals.. I have heard some "Christians" who , to me at least , feel they have the right to be Judge, Jury and executioner.  I was raised in a Baptist Church... Not FBC  Jacksonville... but even back then I was taught that only one being gets to judge..     Not preaching to any particular person (s)...  It is not my right.

[JaxNative68]

in the same vain as a tree falling in the forest, if you have no faith, are you judged in the end?

[copperfiend]

Just saw this update on the blogger case. Looks like the original subpoenas and information about the investigation on the identity of the blogger were inadvertantly destroyed during an office move.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/422234/paul-pinkham/2010-07-07/angela-corey-doesnt-have-testify-about-destroyed

What a joke. The FBC mafia.

[JaxNative68]

stjr?