By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission

Editors at Canadian newspapers think that the British MP’s efforts to ban Todd Bentley from entering the United Kingdom later this month to evangelize are newsworthy too.

The Daily Express, of the British press, has been first and loudest in worrying about Bentley, but as noted here, the Daily Mail newspaper has chimed in as well. They quoted an MP from Croydon England, where Bentley plans to go, who wrote Britain’s Home Secretary to ask that Bentley be banned from entering.

All this was because of a sermon from Lakelamd–which has been saved online. where Bentley told some fabulous tales of times that he had healed people by strking them violently. I’m surprised that they didn’t go right to videos like this famous one where he knees a cancer victim in the stomach {“I don’t do this very often!” “Why did the preacher just knee you in the gut”]

You’d think that “Look at him actually striking people instead of merely talking about it,’ would be pretty damning. Perhaps they just don’t know about it.

Since then, the local newspaper in Croydon, England has done a follow-up story on what the Labour MP is tring to do.

As Bentley plans to minister at a church in Couty Armagh, N. Ireland short after his time in Croydon, Northern Ireland papers have picked up the Violent-preacher-is coming-here idea for their own stories. Belfast’s News Leader did a story quoting a local Prebyterian minister who was aorried about Bentley’s ways of “healing”. Meanwhile the Irish Sun–local edition of Britain’s Sun tabloid– did their own story, which quotes who I suspect might be a local organizer for Bentley’s event there. He’s trying to argue that God has used Bentley “in a certain way for divine healing” while the Irish Sun reporters are clearly aghast.

Yesterday, August 19, I was surprised to see a story on Bentley on Page A24 of The Province newspaper. The story, by Randy Boswell of Postmedia News, is a little different in the online version, but essentially the same as “Brit MP wants Canadian preacher blocked” that ran in the newsprint edition.

While he is not really an “Abbotsford [B.C.] preacher” any more, having moved to the U.S., his Canadian–specifically B.C.–background gives a strong hook for the story. As he was a little know out this way even before Lakeland, the Vancouver Sun picked up this particular story too, at least in the newspaper’s website. PostMedia, I am guessing, is the new version of Southam News, so it could have been picked up elsewhere in Canadian dailies too.

The story quotes the letter from Labour MP Malcolm Wicks asking for the ban, goes into some background on Bentley and why people see him as controversial. Bentley himself isn’t talking any more, but, laudably, the press has decided that this will not deter them. An “unnamed man” at Bentley’s US ministry base is quoted deep in the story that the meetings in England will take place. “Controversial things–they are what they are,” he said to the reporter.

Bentley has not always been so reticent on this controversy.

He had told The Daily Mail “Kicking people in the face is not a practice of our ministry and I do not see this happening in the UK.”

It may not be something that ‘is” practiced, but what people arfe seeing and reacting to is that it “was” practiced. They could even see the video that I link to above where “god” overwhelms you will and “makes” you knee the cancer victim.

Bentley can’t say “I’ve never done that” as there is video evidence that he has. Also, an “I was making all this up” will lead the wise to check out what else he has made up. The “healed” people who went on to die of their sicknesses will no doubt come up. Those brought back from the dead that some unnamed doctors refused to define as coming back from the dead may as well.

The Christian Post’s story on all this –Thanks to them–records an interesting exchange that I would like to quote:

When asked by a Twitter user about the Daily Mail’s report this week that claims he “‘cures’ cancer by kicking people in the face,” Bentley responded: “This story is truly a huge media sensation. It is so wrong and the furthest thing from who we are and how we minister. Sad!”

Further questioned by others concerned by the claims of violence, the minister, while calling the recent reports “misleading,” acknowledged that he has kicked a cancer-stricken woman in the face. He added however, that his Fresh Fire USA ministry no longer operates that way.

“UK friends and partners. Please do not believe everything you read in the Media. It is a true misleading report. Hope to see you soon,” Bentley wrote at one point.

Confronted with a video clip of him claiming that the “power of God” wasn’t moving because he had not kicked the woman in the face, Bentley replied, “It happened 12 years ago. She was healed if (you) saw the unedited clip. This was one incident and not how we operate at all.”

Some comments:

One incident? Bentley mentions several in that Lakeland sermon, which would reasonably lead you to understand that it is not unknown that such things can happen. Just ask the cancer victim he kneed on video. That makes two incidents.

If this had been pieced together from dozens of videos, Bnetley could claim that it couldbe “misleading” but he apparently spent much of an entire evening talking about thsi one subject–my wacky ministry.

If he wants to dwell on it, and was not compelled to talk at length about it–can anyone be fairly blamed for giving this issue now the significance he gave it them?

Where is Bentley confessing that he blew these stories out of proprtion, or made them up, if that is the case?

Where is Bentley’s fervent and public repentance and apology for even talking about such things? If that is not who he is now, shouldn’t he get on this quickly.

Bentley should be telling every reporter who asks how wrong he was, if he believes that. But he may not.

A promise that in order not to distract, he will never touch anyone when praying for them again, who totally wipe out fears that he will hurt someone while parying for them in Britain. Would he promise this?

Perhaps he needs to appeal to those curiousity seekers–thinking anything can happen, didn’t Bentley say so himself–wondering if Bentley has something amazingly theatrical up his sleeve.

Step right up. Hurry, hurry, hurry, see the evangelist kick a woman in the head…

Nothing will happen, I am sure. But people coming to see him need not be told that…

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission

Thanks to a heads up by commenters–thanks–I can mention that Todd Bentley, according to a story on The Guardian newspaper’s website, has been banned from entering the United Kingdom on the grounds that it would be against the public good in some way.

[Note from Rick--I'm trying to update on the fly, so please check back on this post. Thanks.]

Bentley, Tweeting his indignation, is promising a press release later today.

Brag about being violent in ministry, as I posted last night, and see what will happen, eh Todd?

At work, but will try for quick updates as time permits today.

The hounds of the English press may well start to hunt now. “Nine day wonder” on the way?

FIRST UPDATE Todd, on his way to Norway right now, tweeted this four hours ago:

Follow Following Unfollow Blocked Unblock Pending Cancel
Todd Bentley
?@IamToddBentley 5h @ianjmatt @samhailes I know I have been in the UK a 12 times previous and my record from when I was 13 is erased. It’s not on record!

Oh really? It seems that I recall different facts. According to the relevant court documents as reported in The Report newsmagazine, he was 14 when this happened.

If immigration authorities have this information in front of them, Bentley has been caught in a lie. He may no longer have a penalty, but lying about something that he was jailed for must raise some eyebrows.

He’d better not be trying to lie about how many “violent ministry incidents” there are. That would cause the immigrations authorities to wonder as well.

Did similar fudging cause him to be banned from Australia?

I don’t know, but that is a good guess.

2nd Update: A statement from Britain’s Home Office regarding their decision to ban Bentley’s entry, courtesy Christian.co.uk:

In a statement the Home Office said: “We can confirm that Mr Bentley has been excluded from the UK. The government makes no apologies for refusing people access to the UK if we believe they are not conducive to the public good. Coming here is a privilege that we refuse to extend to those who might seek to undermine our society.”

Bentley’s first response, in which he complains of not having the courtesy of a hearing before the ban, is there on their site as well. Hat tip as bloggers like to say.

3rd Update: The brief statement sent out by Bentley 45 minutes ago by e-mail to his supporters e-list:

Statement from Todd Bentley regarding the U.K.
Greetings Friends and Partners,

Todd and Jessa Bentley are currently travelling to Norway for the anticipated Miracles Signs & Wonders event. At this time, we are requesting your prayer and support as they continue to do what the Lord has called them to. Please read the below statement from Todd Bentley on the recent decision made by Home Secretary Theresa May to ban Todd from entering the UK.

I am deeply saddened by the recent decision of the UK government regarding my entry into the country. At this point, we are thankful to God for the support from our friends in the UK who truly love Jesus and embrace the supernatural, faith and healing. We know and believe that the UK has a great destiny and we are praying for the leaders and those in government. Please continue to stand with us in prayer regarding this decision and our return to the UK.

In Him,

Todd Bentley

Update: (BD here)  Todd Bentley made this statement about being refused entry into the UK:

What about all the other celebrities, musicians and others with a more colorful past than me that are permitted into the UK for shows … Is this really about my past and fear of potential violence or Freedom of Religion and attack on Faith, God & Healing?”

The Home Office statement:

“We can confirm that Mr Bentley has been excluded from the UK. The government makes no apologies for refusing people access to the UK if we believe they are not conducive to the public good. Coming here is a privilege that we refuse to extend to those who might seek to undermine our society,”

The UK Border Agency Guidelines, p. 20, the er, not conducive to the public good part…

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission

Todd Bentley may be more newspworthy to the British press, now that the British government has banned him from entering the country, than when he was travelling the country doing his thing.

Stories are at these various sites, and I’m guessing they may have run in the actual newspapers or on TV:

BBC News
The Montreal Gazette which means that the other POstMedia papers may run it too. He’s not a “B.C. pastor”, but that’s what happens when you do a story quickly.
Two big papers in Belast Northern Ireland, the Belfast Telegraph and the Belfast Newsletter. The Newsletter story quotes both Bentley’s website and the Home Office statement.
And the major English paper, the Telegraph.

And the [Manchester] Guardian had the scoop yeaterday, as we know.

[Note from Rick: Please check back on this post as I may add updates as they break. Thanks.]

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved Used by Permission.

Well, after a bit of a flurry, talk about Todd Bentley being banned from entering the UK might be dying down now in the blogosphere and English media.

Todd himself is unfazed. I am assuming that he is the one that posts on the “Fresh Fire USA” page on Facebook–it sounds like the way he expresses himself– and today, there is a post that his Norway crusade is going well. “National media reported a favourable story.” he posted.

But earlier on, he continued to be perturbed at the ban that prevents him from coming to Britain.. August 22, on the Fresh Fire USA Facebook Wall:

“Amazed at how the media can interpret a 1 time event 13 years ago and present it yo you as if when you pray for the sick we use violence. So not True.”

I was prescient enough, in this post, to guess that he might complain along these lines.

Todd, not everyone is prone to assume that you might be lying from the pulpit. Fortunately there is video evidence.

This video quotes several incidents that Bentley talked about at Lakeland. You’ll notice that there is not just “One” incident that is pointed to or shown.

And then there is the incident when the man who had a cancer who was kneed by Bentley on the Lakeland stage. You may see it here. What Todd says–”I don’t do that often”– does not mean “This is the only time that I have ever done this.” And, you’ll note, this was 4 years ago, not 13.

Todd Bentley is trying to lie.

Hope he doesn’t have the gall to say: “Do you believe me, or your own lying eyes?”

I suspect that I can make a bang on guess about why immigration officials earlier in Australia and now in Britain have banned him from entry. I suspect it has to do with his honesty in some way.

An earlier complaint, also cited in abbreviated form in the Guardian story that broke the news of the ban. I had a look on the Fresh Fire USA Facebook Wall and found it.

It reads like this:

Fresh Fire USA I was thinking of posting this and asking the question? What about all the other celebrities, musicians and others with a more colorful past than me that are permitted into the UK for shows. Some Examples are UFC and WWE Wrestlers, celebrities & many Rock stars. Is this really about my past and fear of potential violence or Freedom of Religion and attack on Faith, God & Healing? They have no legal basis for their accusation. I did all their visa process and fingerprinting & security. This decision was made before any of my application was processed. It is based on Internet, media and false perception they have not followed up on. I think this is big news! USA Immigration saw fit to receive me into the country. The UK Government never asked our side of the story or gave any process for discussion. Disappointing but God wins!

August 20 at 2:31pm via mobile · LikeUnlike · 9

His whining makes the rest of those who want to minister in Britain look bad, as I will explain.

Some comments:

1. Why does Bentley think of himself in the same context as “celebrities” and “musicians”. Why didn’t he think of himself in the context of a minister with a criminal past, say the late Chuck Colson of Watergate fame? “He tried to cover up a major abuse of political power and I am sure he was allowed into Britain. But he came in to bless through the power of Christ and spread the gospel.”

Is it because Todd doesn’t think of himself as a minister sometimes, but as a performer putting on an exciting show?

If you think that you entertain, what does that mean for the evangelism that you try to do?

Colson came to my mind within seconds as an example that Bentley could have used, a concrete one. One that Bentley could have used in lieu of a hypothetical one. And Colson has now died, so he cannot object.

Can he cite a specific example of where someone in the jobs he mentions is directly comparable to the “red flags” Bentley may have?

All this depends on where your mind is, I guess.

2. I don’t think that serving time at 15 for molesting a child could be dismissed as merely “colourful”. Or can Bentley cite say, a rock star who was similarly jailed for a sexual offense and then refused entry into Britain as a result?

3. Bentley has said in regards to his record that he feels it has been “erased”. I doubt that this means that you can’t mention to immigration officials. Presumably, if they did fingerprints and such, he would have undergone more than crossing the US-Canadian border. He would have had to say, at least on a form, if he had ever had a criminal record.

4. Bentley complains that this is legally unfair. Has he, or does he, intend to do something about it?

5. In the English public eye, he is being perceived as ultra violent. Isn’t the first priority to prove you are “non-violent” and non-dangerous? This is because any appeal to “freedom of religion” means freedom to kick, knee, hit, etc., when you heal as of now.

This makes it difficult for people to see Todd’s side. They might say “Certainly when you out it like that, we do not want it in Britain.” And the sad thing is that a lot of non-crazed ministers, who really would be having their freedom impinged on, may be caught in the trawl of the Bentley net.

6. It wouldn’t be anything special to have unfettered access to the United States, a “green card” or US citizenship, when you marry an American citizen resident in the US. And such is Jessa Bentley.

It would seem that Bentley is up to his old tricks of “misleading.” Perhaps the immigration authorities in Britain have grown tired of it, but that is only a guess.

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.

Something odd involving the local newspaper, the Croydon Advertiser, whose reporting eventually led to Todd Bentley being banned by the UK government from entering Britain.

I ask Google, using their Google Alerts function to send me e-mails about news coverage about Todd Bentley. Today, Google Alerts sent me this link:

News 1 new result for “Todd Bentley”

Face-kicking ‘faith healer’ will not be banned from UK, says minister
This is Croydon
Canadian pastor Todd Bentley, who believes he can “heal” people by kicking them in the face, is to hold a three-day event at Croydon Conference Centre, in Surrey Street, at the end of the month. ?. Todd Bentley, an evangelical pastor from Canada …

But if you click on the link the story has disappeared from the website where the paper’s stories run. A search of the site cannot find the story. This is as I write–perhaps we’ll see a revision–but it is strange.

Several things could have happened.

1. The paper ran this story confidently quoting someone predicting that Bentley would not be banned a few days back in their print edition, only to be overtaken by events–the ban. In this case, the paper should have prominently run an editor’s note explaining this, but keeping the story for the historical record.

2. This story ran only recently with the paper not realizing that Bentley has been banned. Very doubtful, as I’m sure local MP Malcolm Wicks, who was probably tipped off by the paper that Bentley was coming to the UK, would keep the paper fully informed.

3. The story ran a day or so ago in the paper edition of the paper. “Minister” could, of course, refer to a cabinet minister, such as the Home Secretary, agreeing to work against the Bentley ban. I don’t think so, as that would have been trumpeted in the lede.

What is much more likely is that a local minister–perhaps the organizer for the Bentley visit–is working on getting the ban reversed, or plans to do so. They told the paper and the story ran. Their Bentley supporting source panicked and called the newspaper and said something like “My God, I meant this to be off the record, you have to pull the story from the website! I need to be able to work quietly on this without being flamed by those who fear Bentley.”

Unless the reporter totally got the position of the “Bentley supporting minister” wrong and the paper is in a frenzy trying to limit the damage by “memory holing” everything.

Anyways, this is passing strange and I felt a need to make a note of it. Let’s be kind to the Croydon paper as I know from personal experience that reporters are not perfekt.

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.

John Cummins is a veteran politician, so you think he would be wiser than this.

The name might be familiar to you as he was a B.C. MP for 18 years under the various small-c conservative parties. In 2011, he became the leader of the B.C. Conservative Party and you may remember the flap when he tried to apply his belief that homosexuality is a choice to his politics.

Cummins is getting some increased attention because of a recurring trend in B.C. politics. There is an idea that right of center votes may go to his party at the expense of the B.C. Liberals, which would result in the first Tory MLAs in over 30 years.

So, it’s understandable that on Friday August 31, the Vancouver Sun ran a story on its front page, explaining that a member of the B.C. Tory governing board has called for a leadership review.

Cummins argued in the Sun article that you can’t please everybody. But it is the way that he did it that I found a bit dismaying.

The Vancouver Sun, in the second half of the story, quotes Cummins this way. Emphasis mine:

“There’s always somebody that is going to disagree. He’s the one, I guess. I don’t perceive it as a huge threat by any stretch of the imagination,” said Cummins, adding it is unreasonable to believe that any leader could enjoy unanimous support.

“I hate to use a biblical reference but Christ had 12 apostles and one turned him in,” Cummins said.

“We share the same initials but I can’t rise from the dead and I can’t get unanimity on the board. I wouldn’t expect to be able to. He couldn’t. I can’t.”

The phrase “I hate to use a Biblical reference, but…” was Cummins’ brain warning him that the bridge was out and he needed to stop the car.

The Bible certainly does apply to politics, but it strikes me as a bit of hubris to compare oneself to Christ. Christ was perfect and I expect that any politician is not.

It’s also unwise in the sense that the critic calling for the leadership review is complaining that Cummins doesn’t listen and such. So, appearing lordly, if you will, is a bad idea. [I wonder if that's why the Sun reported used these direct quotes. I think so, as they may prove a point nicely.]

I don’t think that comparing yourself to Christ when you’re a politician can work. But I wanted to make a note of it to open this up for discussion.

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission

There’s a bit of a meme on Facebook these days, a post that’s getting around and shared.

It asks which US President would be the one left standing in a fight-to-the-death knife fight. Various people chime in with the personal histories of the participants and try to figure out who would win.

That’s too unseemly for me, but then I thought about pro wrestling, where the aim is to “win” without really hurting the other participants.

And then I thought of the “battle royale” where 30 or so wrestlers go into the ring, and the last one left standing, unbeaten, inside is the winner.

So, which of the various Canadian Prime Ministers, if they were pro wrestlers, would win a battle royale where they were fighting each other?

As in the knife fight, we would assume that each PM is in the best shape of their respective lives, save for any lifelong thing that would make them unlikely to be successful, which would also apply to them.

The “rules” of pro wrestling, which wink at certain forms of cheating, would also apply.

*Bell rings* This match is scheduled for one fall apiece. In this corner….

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved Used by Permission

I haven’t heard the rumour that Stockwell Day will be drafted to lead the B.C. Conservative Party after John Cummins is made to walk the plank, but reporters are writing about it.

You’ll remember that about a week ago, news came out that some B.C, Tories were unhappy with the leadership of Mr. Cummins. Due to what I saw as his poor way of talking about it, I briefly blogged about it.

Well, The Toronto Star’s western Canadian stringer wrote a story on the woes of B.C. Premier Christy Clark earlier this week. In the second half of the story, the reporter mentions rumours that Stockwell Day had been approached to become leader of the B.C. Conservatives. Dismayed voters, who are already giving the Cummins party about 20 per cent in the polls, would unite the right in the next BC election–which must be held in May–and deny the NDP power.

The TorStar quotes former federal BC MP John Reynolds, who says that Day might be a good choice, but doubts that he wants a comeback and that such a comeback would work out as Day might hope.

The Georgia Straight, Vancouver’s alternative newspaper, picks up the ball and runs with it in its paper released today. Their story at least tried to quote Day, and makes note of his social conservatism.

Former BC Liberal leader Gordon Wilson argues that there is a perceived need for a “great right hope” and adds that while Day is not the only possibility, he does have qualities that make him seem attractive.

It has happened twice in B.C. that certain people were groomed to be the great leader of the “free enterprise” forces. [Wilson knows this well, as he was the victim of this when Gordon Campbell took over the leadership of the BC Liberals.]

That I find a possibility. But not a Day comeback. If he were drafted, I doubt that the BC Tories would benefit.

But I do want to note that people are talking about it. This is B.C. we’re talking about after all…

Christianity Today continues its investigative coverage of David Jang, his theology and his North American business expansion.

In August Christianity Today published an investigative article on the ongoing controversy over a businessman/church leader named David Jang titled The Second Coming Christ Controversy.

The reaction to the Christianity Today piece by David Jang followers at The Christian Post was aggressive and swift. The Christian Post published what Jeff Dunn at The Internet Monk called a ‘non-denial denial‘ and swiftly followed with a clumsy smear piece on Ken Smith, co-author of the CT article. The sock puppeting and borderline hysteria in the comment section at The Christian Post was over the top, even for internet chatter.  Why?

In an editorial published simultaneously in August (Monitoring Controversy) Mark Galli, Christianity Today Senior Managing Editor wrote:

In the weeks leading up to the publication of this story, Smith and CT have received threats of lawsuits by people associated with Jang. We have also been accused of reporting this story with predetermined conclusions. But the story took so long to report precisely because we had no predetermined conclusions. Read the story, and you’ll see many questions still unanswered. We held off publication because we are committed to running stories when they’re ready and when we can fully stand by them.

In the second installment, The Second Coming Christ Controversy: More Leaders Speak Out Christianity Today takes a deeper look at the theology and beliefs taught by Jang leaders, and the aggressiveness toward critics and former followers in Jang operations. A former editor of the Singapore edition of The Christian Post  Edmund Chau and his wife Susan are featured in the second part of the CT investigative article.

As Christianity Today reported in August, several former members of Jang’s organizations similarly described encouragements to believe that Jang is the Second Coming Christ. But most spoke on condition of anonymity. Now, in exclusive in-depth interviews with Christianity Today, the Chuas are among the first to speak out on the record about their experience in Jang’s group, the theology behind their belief that he was the Second Coming Christ, and why they left.
Employees of the Jang-founded Olivet University, meanwhile, say the community has no secret teachings that Jang is Christ or the Second Coming. Meanwhile, a National Association of Evangelicals committee is meeting again today in its ongoing inquiry into whether Olivet is theologically compatible with the Southern Baptist Convention’s LifeWay Christian Resources.

While the sale of a Southern Baptist Convention conference centre to David Jangs Olivet University is being debated, intimidation of critics continues.

Not everyone in Jang’s community seems to agree that the group has nothing to hide. In one email provided to CT, Johnathan Davis, the chief content officer of IBTimes, declined to participate in a Christian industry association being organized by leaders of other Jang-affiliated publications like The Christian Post, because, he said, “My commission is inherently covert.” In another email string from mid-August 2012, Will Anderson, the publisher and CEO of The Christian Post, requested that Edmond delete from the Singapore site any articles by a writer suspected of being a source for CT’s article.
Another email announced that “PD [Pastor David] just announced that the use of Facebook and other networking sites is now forbidden for obvious security reasons… Facebook makes it easy for organizations that persecute us to link us all up together including the ministries we work for.” That email itself contained the final instruction, “CLEAR THIS MESSAGE AFTER READING.” (The command to abandon Facebook seems itself to have been abandoned, since many members and organizations in the community are currently active on the social networking site.)
In a different email thread discussing whether to include The Christian Post’s history as part of its employee handbook, one senior leader wrote, “I don’t think we should include the history in the handbook. The issue is that PD [Pastor David] doesn’t want the history in written, audio or video form to fall into a non-members’ hands. Once you make a hard copy of something it is set in stone and he still wants some things to remain vague.”
Jang’s associates did not only challenge Edmond Chua’s account by email. Edmond says he has found himself threatened with a lawsuit, locked out of his website and email, and harassed by Jang associates coming to his home late at night. (Members have also harassed his father, who accompanied him to the 2006 New York evangelism training, Chua said.)

…Similarly, a lawsuit from Christian Today Japan against Yamaya Makoto, a blogger who has repeatedly criticized Jang, is in its fourth year. An independent journalist from Canada, Ann Brocklehurst, as well as two Christian newspapers serving the Korean American community, Christian Today US (no relation to either Christianity Today or to the Jang-affiliated Christian Today newspaper) and News-N-Joy US, have also reported receiving legal threats from Jang’s community for publishing critical articles.

An aside:  (Olivet president and The Christian Post and The Christian Post board chair Bill Wagner, told The Tennessean yesterday that David Jang resigned from Olivet University this summer).

David Jang has denied he condones his followers and employees teaching or believing he is Second Coming Christ. “‘By the grace of Jesus Christ, I accepted Jesus as my one and only Savior, and since I was forgiven of my sins, I have never abandoned faith in Jesus Christ. Also, I have never preached any other gospel other than that of Jesus Christ. Furthermore I have never taught that I am Christ.’ ~ David Jang

Jang has not responded to CT, nor does it appear he has made any overt effort to clean up the bible study teachings in Asia and the US over the years. Aggressive legal manoeuvres toward critics and downplaying of Korean investigations are not addressing the legitimate concerns now being raised in North America regarding his teachings and his expanding businesses. It is apparent by the open responses by leaders at Olivet University and The World Evangelical Alliance who have financially partnered with Jang, the ongoing effort to legitimize Jang’s media and business expansion in North America have been successful.

Lists of David Jang holdings have been published online.
Netherlands – WEA and Jang organizations
David Jang Domain Names
Previous post with links to media coverage and a Canadian connection to The Christian Post

The Tennessean – Lifeway rethinks plan to sell camp to Christian college

PBI abuse survivors have a 4 question survey online and are asking abuse survivors to take a minute to fill it out.

Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson is opening on Broadway in October.

With book and lyrics by Kathie Lee Gifford and music by David Pomeranz and David Friedman, Scandalous begins performances at Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012. Opening Night is set for Thursday, Nov. 15.

Gifford has been working tirelessly for the past 13 years on this Broadway-bound musical about the life of Foursquare founder Aimee Semple McPherson. Gifford has been a long-time admirer of McPherson and it was while attending Oral Roberts University in the 1970s that she first heard of the evangelist’s ministry.

“I remember being amazed by the stories I’d heard about her, and that turned into a lifetime fascination,” Gifford says.

This lifetime passion propelled Gifford to dedicate herself to a project she considers a part of her life’s purpose. Scandalous (formerly known as Saving Aimee), for which Gifford wrote the book, the lyrics and some of the music, is a musical about the life of the evangelist.

The lead is being played by Tony award nominee Carolee Carmello.

Wiki – Aimee Semple McPherson

Lakeland: The Movie

Rick wrote about Roy Petersen’s film here

The editor of the student newspaper at Bryan College (Tennessee) was ordered by the college President to spike his story about the real reason a professor resigned suddenly. ( to spike a story: not print it)

Student editor Alex Green emailed biblical studies professor David Morgan who confirmed he’d left his job. The official school position was that Morgan had left “to pursue other opportunities.” Hearing there was more to the story Green, using public records planned to run what he found in the September 21st student newspaper Triangle.  The students publish the Triangle bi-weekly.

Alex Green printed up his story on his own, along with the reason he defied Byran College President Dr. Steven Livesay. Then he emailed a .pdf file to a few trusted current students and alumni in case fake papers surfaced with an altered version of his article, and distributed it around the campus. This is the sidebar Alex Green wrote.

The story the college president tried to kill can be found here.

Green, a senior majoring in journalism, could be expelled.

I see what Alex Green has done as a courageous act of integrity. He committed journalism., and I hope newspapers around the US offer him a job.

Bryan College was established in 1930 and is a private Christian liberal arts school with about  1300 students.

Lots of updates: Bryan College President Livesay spoke to students today, wouldn’t permit filming.
I suspect this blog post may not be up long.
Bryan College official statement.

As the Triangle is produced as part of a class and students receive academic credit for their participation, the Triangle falls under the supervision and authority of the administration. This being the case, we did not believe the college should put itself or its publications in the position of commenting on pending criminal or judicial matters.

In hindsight, this may have been a mistake.  We believed we were doing the right thing to protect the privacy of a man charged, but not convicted, of a crime.

Jim Romensko follows up

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission

September 26 brings us the second reading vote for Motion M-312 in the House of Commons. And all I know for certain is that I don’t know for certain how it is going to go.

Some oddities over the past day or so.

Reports from Ottawa have said that Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been trying to get his cabinet united against M-312. But Immigration minister Jason Kenney has told the Calgary Herald that he will vote for the motion on second reading.

Government Whip Gordon O’Connor spoke against M-312, according to a CBC live blogger. He refuted both the need for the legilation and its premise.

Okay, you’d reason, the Tories are about to tell their MPs how to vote. The Whip has just given them their rationale and thus their marching orders.

But no. Representatives of the whips office are now telling the CBC that the second reading will have a “free vote” allowing MPs to vote as they choose. Ths clears the way for Kenney to go to the press with his voting plans.

And in the background, we have a wild card with evangelist Faytene Grasseschi’s account of a Tory caucus meeting in which the caucus rebelled and forced Harper into a Damascus Road experience in which he decided that he needed to run in the other direction to get in front to lead his wandering army.

How accurate was the account? I’m not sure. But, she has been travelling around the country with this story, encouraging “the troops” to hope and work for more of the same.

If it happened once. can it happen again?

Is Harper and his brains trust fed up? Are they confident that the pro=choice side will handily win, therefore those pro-life MPs who feel an urgent need to can safely vote yes?

Does the motion look like a sop to pro-lifers? Passing second and event third reading would merely result in talking about abortion. As drafted, the motion does not oblige the goverment to do anything with what the Parliamentfary committee finds. A report can be left to gather dust on a shelf. But going through the motions would allow pro-lifers to say “We made the
government do this…which resulted in nothing…but we made them do this because we are mighty!”

But, we need to take a breath. The Tories may be able to let people play to the grandstands in this vote because every motion, even a private members one, must pass the House of Commons three times and then the Senate ‘before obliging the government to act.

M-312 lives on, but nothing happens yet if the second reading vote goes the way its proponent’s want it to. Nothing more at this time exept gearing up fo the third reading vote. And there is always the Senate afterwards.

But what will happen in *this* vote, you ask?

There are arguments for several possible outcomes, some of which I’ve outlined.

But, let’s go to the definitive oracle:

Reply hazy. Try Again

Update: (BD butting in on Rick’s post) Stephen Woodworth’s motion was voted down
203-91. (Canadian Press)
Order Paper - copy of M -312

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission

As noted by Bene D in his quick update–thanks!–the pro-life motion, M-312 was defeated in the House earlier today.

John Ivison of the National Post has what I think is a very good observation in his report on the vote.

Of the Tories who defied Stephen Harper and voted for the motion, there were eight cabinet ministers, one of them Jason Kenney, he noted.

Harper cannot be leader forever, Ivison adds. Anyone bidding to be leader after him may want pro-life or so-con support.

I would myself add that something like “Harper gave you the back of his hand, but I…” might be a seductive thing to say to certain delegates at a future leadership convention.

Perhaps the ponies are already straining in the starting gate?

[My first guess that M-312 was doomed proved right, but please treat my evident disposition to be the H.V. Kaltenborn of BDBO kindly. I am reminded of Monty Python's Election Night sketch in which a pundit says something to the effect of "Well, the results are largely as I predicted, except that the Silly Party won." ]

By Rick Hiebert All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission

These days, the kids are all a-flutter about a music video performed by a South Korean singer named Psy.

“Gagnam Style” is celebrated for its catchy beat and wacky dancing. No doubt you have been e-mailed it dozens of times already, but when I was first learning of the meme a couple of days ago, I was amazed to see that it seemed to be getting a million hits an hour on YouTube.

So, when checking that out, I discovered that a priest at a Roman Catholic church in South Korea has done his own version of the video. Well, the description says he is a priest, but you may find it oddly fun too.

It would be hilarious if he really was a priest, eh?

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission

A story just posted on the Vancouver Sun website, may make pro-choice supporters think that stopping motions by pro-life MPs in the House of Commons is not unlike getting Rasputin to die.

The Vancouver Sun’s news story, in which pro-lifers explain that they feel emboldened after getting over 90 MPs to vote for motion M-312, starts like this:

“A second Conservative MP plans to introduce a motion related to abortion, despite this week’s defeat of an attempt by one of his colleagues to prod Parliament into examining when human life begins.

[B.C.] Conservative MP Mark Warawa’s motion would ask Parliament to condemn the practice of sex-selective abortion.

Anti-abortion MPs immediately claimed the proposal as a sign they are not going away, though Warawa said his motion was in no way related to a vote earlier this week on when life begins, a motion brought by fellow Tory Stephen Woodworth and defeated late Wednesday…..”

A wild thought…are pro-life MPs hoping to get other MPs on the record with their votes in case there is someday an explicitly pro-life Reform Party 2.0? Will they cross the floor to run against pro-choice Tory MPs?

One thing I think I can guess… motion M-312 was set up to allow pro-lifers to get a Parliamentary committee to talk about what, if any- abortion laws Canada may need. They sought to argue, in part, “Canada needs to at least have a discussion about the issue.”

Now, with the issue of abortions which are [allegedly] designed to ensure that a child of the “wrong” sex is not born, the rhetoric will be kicked up a notch.

We’ll hear “How, for goodness sake, can you not condemn these types of abortions?” in the House of Commons.

Or “How, for goodness sake, Mr. Harper, can you not let us go on the record as opposing this?”

Mr. Harper, if he is as tired of abortion as pundits think he is, might have to start kicking pro-life MPs out of his caucus…

I wonder if this story of a 50 something prominent religious right lawyer wrecking his life will have legs?

James M. Henderson is known as Senior Counsel in the Washington DC branch of the ACLJ,  which was founded by Pat Robertson in the 1990′s as a counter to the American Civil Liberties Union. Wiki . James M. Henderson was also an adjunct professor at Pat Robertson’s law school.

Henderson is married with eight children, and was a hard working member of his church Leadership Team and a leader in the youth ministry.

James. M. Henderson had a Facebook page, where he railed against the usual things a leader and lawyer for the religious right rails about.

Henderson had another Facebook page, where, going by the name of Kyle Johnson, he hustled young men who were hustling him.

A blog, Exposed Politics broke the story of James. M. Henderson/Kyle Johnson on September 24th.

Screenshots, a preliminary timeline…it’s not pretty, and the initial post gives a chilling look at the term ‘double life’, and sobering meaning to hypocrite.

A retired journalist at blogging at The Patriot-Ombudsman picked up Exposed Politics coverage and started digging. More about James Henderson/Kyle Johnson came to light.

By September 25th, it’s like James M. Henderson never existed to the ACLJ, despite his illustrious performance as one of their key lawyers. All mention and references of him were scrubbed from their website. Gone, about 24 hours after the first blog post.

James M. Hendersons profile as an adjunct professor is not one Regent University School of Law webpage. (Pat Robertson law school) It was like he was never there.

James M. Henderson disappeared from Facebook, as did his alter ego, Kyle Johnson very shortly after this story appeared online.

The Patriot-Ombudsman has stayed on the story, checking facts, uncovering information on the young men, one of whom may have been underage when he allegedly hooked up with Henderson.

There has been no response from the ACLJ or Regent U School of Law. Posting on his real FB page the end of July, Henderson expresses his anger at Regent, where it appears an anticipated move to a full professor position fell through.
The church Henderson attended did respond.

Henderson left the church earlier this summer, a few months before his secret life was uncovered. Why he left the church isn’t clear, it appears he was upset that after all the volunteering, after the friendships, his withdrawal was met with silence – like he  had never existed.

The Virginia Bar Association was notified by The Patriot-Ombudsman, as was the Fairfax County Virginia cyber crime tip line. So were various media outlets. Silence – as if James M. Henderson doesn’t exist. But he does, and he also existed as Kyle Johnson. None of what has been uncovered is going away, a life and and another life can’t be scrubbed or erased with silence by those affected.

The other thing in this unravelling of a life which jumped out at me was a comment left at The Patriot-Ombudsman by someone identifying as one of his daughters. She is understandably furious:

You know why no one is taking this seriously, because anyone with a brain would know it is BS. You are making him out to be some kind of pedophile with no facts. You could not be more wrong about him. My Dad has spent half his life raising his family. He has always loved and accepted each one of us unconditionally for who we are, and we do the same from him. And as far as new hope church is concerned they can all kiss my ass. There is a reason why we all stopped going. After my Dad resigned from the church and no one even tried reaching out to him after all the years he spent there and all the work he put into it everyone there can rot in hell, and so can you. Please stop! Leave our family alone.

She is met in the comments with empathy and kindness, as she deals with 72 hours of shock.

Whatever James M. Henderson has or has not done, his decisions are his alone.  His family is innocent, and are not responsible for the public position he chose, his Facebook alter-ego, his apparent hustling, and it’s tragic to see one of his children attempt to publicly defend the man she has only known as her father.

I can’t pretend to make sense of the life of Henderson/Johnson, nor or the eerie silence from him and his fellow religious right co-belligerents.

In the 1980′s Henderson’s collegue Pat Robertson wrote a book, Shout it from the Rooftops.  While the rooftop shouting is a reference to the beginnings of his broadcasting empire and his bully pulpit, the real meaning and origin is found in scripture.

Luke 12:1-2 NIRV

Jesus spoke first to his disciples. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees,” he said. “They just pretend to be godly. ² Everything that is secret will be brought out into the open. Everything that is hidden will be uncovered.³ What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight. What you have whispered to someone behind closed doors will be shouted from the rooftops.

Update: ACLJ confirms. “”The employment of James Matthew Henderson, Sr. with the American Center for Law and Justice – DC ceased effective September 25, 2012. He is no longer affiliated with any ACLJ entity. ACLJ will not comment further on this personnel matter,”

Prairie Bible Institute Abuse Survivors are standing in support of former missionary kids who were abused at their boarding school run by The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Mamou, Guinea.

Emotional, sexual, physical and spiritual abuse occurred at the school, and it took years for survivors to find their voices and begin their journeys of healing.  In 2008 the film, “All God’s Children” was released.

The film follows the story of three families who broke the silence, and after years of persistence, finally got The Christian and Missionary Alliance to to investigate and acknowledge the abuses missionary children suffered.

In All God’s Children, former MK (missionary kid) Marilyn Shellrude Christman (part 3 7:12) talks about being raped by a house parent. Marilyn reported to the CM&A that her rapist was Ron Israel.  Her efforts to have him removed from CM&A leadership were in vain.

September 6th, Marilyn Shellrude Christman died of a brain tumour.

Israel has continued to minister freely in the US, with the blessing of the CM&A.

Following Marilyns death last month, Beverly Shellrude asked Dallas Alliance Church  to remove Ron Israel from his position as the visitation pastor.

We have been pleading since 1999 for the C&MA leaders in Colorado Springs, in the Pacific Northwest District and at Dallas Alliance to remove him from leadership in order to protect vulnerable children and the elderly from him.

Only recently has he been forced to resign (he was not fired, he was allowed to resign). He is still on staff of your church Monday October 1, 2012.

As of this posting, he is still listed as a staff member at Dallas Alliance.

Marilyn’s sisters petition for justice to the Dallas Alliance on their FB was met with the removal of her comment.

Prairie Bible Institute abuse survivors are adding their powerful voices to this petition to be delivered to Dallas Alliance soon.

All God’s Children

Sack the chaplains – except the Christian ones. Seriously? Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews prison chaplaincy cutback is a really really dumb plan, which is rightfully being opposed by just about everyone.

The federal government has decided to end its contracts nationwide with minority-faith chaplains who had been working part-time in Canada’s federal prisons.

Full-time chaplains who remain will be expected to provide spiritual guidance to inmates of all faiths. “The Minister strongly supports the freedom of religion for all Canadians, including prisoners,” Julie Carmichael, a spokeswoman for Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, said late Thursday night.

“However, the Government of Canada is not in the business of picking and choosing which religions will be given preferential status through government funding. The Minister has concluded his review and has decided that chaplains employed by (the Correctional Service of Canada) must provide services to inmates of all faiths.”

Toews ordered a stop to the tendering of new contracts last month after he announced that he was “not convinced” all chaplaincy services were an appropriate use of taxpayer money.

His announcement came on the same week that the correctional service solicited bids for several part-time chaplain positions to serve Buddhist, Wiccan, Jewish, Sikh, Muslim and Roman Catholic inmates in B.C.

Dr. John Stackhouse has a succinct rebuttal to Toews  latest dumb idea, Seriously Mr. Toews?

Again and again, we Canadians and especially we Canadian Christians have to ask ourselves and our leaders, “Are we treating all Canadians fairly?” And the best test for that is the test of turning the tables, of (to coin a phrase) “doing unto others what you would have them do unto you.” Until the Mennonite Mr. Toews and the ostensibly (but really?) evangelical Mr. Harper are ready to themselves receive spiritual counsel and religious teaching from, say, an imam or rabbi or shaman or guru, perhaps they might reconsider this policy—this apparently stupid, offensive, retrograde, and truly bizarre policy.

Correctional Service Canada Chaplaincy Services