Thursday, October 12, 2017

Church Scandal in Toledo, Ohio


You just about need a program to keep the players straight in this holier-than-thou church scandal involving three Toledo area pastors and the Lucas County Administrator.  Keep reading at your own risk with the usual warnings about insensitive, politically incorrect vernacularisms, harsh criticisms and blatant insults (racial and otherwise).


My old pastor, Pastor Skypilot, told me something once.  "Jack," he said, "don't ever let yourself be alone in the same room with a child or a member of the opposite sex.  Never, as in 'not ever'."

He's right.


The three stooges have been busted.  Self-styled pastors Kenneth Butler, Cordell Jenkins and Anthony Haynes have been arrested by the F.B.I. and charged with various sex crimes including promoting prostitution, child pornography, and sex trafficking of a minor (pimping out a girl under 18).  Check the local scandal sheet for the full story, which is pretty sordid.

From the Toledo Blade:
Trafficking Charges Present Sharp Contrast for Local Pastors


Prosecutors this month filed charges against Mr. Jenkins, 46, of 2423 Barrington Dr. and his co-defendant, the Rev. Anthony Haynes, Sr., 38, of 4926 Ventura Dr. in South Toledo. Both men are accused of repeatedly paying the juvenile for sexual acts.
But things get better.  Again in the Toledo Blade:

In a video posted to YouTube in March, 2014, Mr. Haynes preached about facing lies head-on at the Greater Life Christian Center. Lies cause distraction in life and sometimes you must set the record straight, he said.
“Every now and then, I don’t mean to fight my own battles but, I’ve got to clear my name, because you’re saying something about me,” Mr. Haynes said. “And if I don’t say nothing ... you’re going to think I’m a punk.”
Which doesn't begin to sum up my opinion of Anthony Haynes.  Yes, he's a punk.  He's nothing but a punk and a child molester, and I'd be happy to string him up by his thumbs in the village square and take a horsewhip to him until I got tired.

The third stooge, Butler, was arrested some time after the other two.   13 ABC has a story:
Toledo Pastor Charged with Sex Trafficking Appears in Court

Butler's arrest comes months after the arrest of two other local pastors, Cordell Jenkins and Anthony Haynes, who were also charged with sex crimes. Authorities confirm all three cases are connected.
According to federal court documents, a 15-year-old girl says she met Butler at Haynes church in Toledo. The girl says Butler talked [to] the girl in the church parking lot, expressing interest in having sex with her.
So we've got the three, I don't know, scumbags?  Sure.  Scumbags is what they are.  We have:

Kenneth Butler
Works as a Pastor at Kingdom Encounter Family Worship Center 3030 N. Reynolds Rd. Toledo Ohio
Butler calls himself a prophet.  He's not just the Reverend Butler.  That's not grandiose enough for him, no.  He's got to be Prophet Kenneth Butler.

Anthony Haynes
4926 Ventura Dr., Toledo, OH
Works at the Greater Life Christian Center, 1130 Detroit Ave, Toledo, Ohio 

Haynes calls himself Apostle Anthony Haynes.  Again with the titles.  He can't be Pastor Haynes.  His pride won't suffer such a menial position.  He as to be Apostle Anthony Haynes.

Reverand Cordell Jenkins
2423 Barrington Dr., Toledo, OH
Jenkins founded and was pastor of Abundant Life Ministries.  No special title, but then his father is Bishop Chorrethers M. Jenkins and works out of Grace Evangelistic Temple in Youngstown, Ohio.

Laura Lloyd-Jenkins is Cordell's soon to be ex-wife, and is the Lucas County Administrator (an appointed position) as well as being secretary of the Lucas County Children Services board of trustees, the area’s primary child-protection agency.  As an agent of LCCS, she is supposed to immediately report any suspicions or instances of child abuse to the proper authorities.  She failed to do this, so I tend to think her time at LCCS may be somewhat limited.  I'm not putting any money on her Admin position, though.  For one thing, the Lucas County Trustees don't really give a damn about what Cordell has been up to; they just want the entire business to quietly, very quietly, sink into Lake Erie.

Here's my beef with this whole business.  The evidence is strong enough to castrate castigate these three right out of the box - innocent until proven guilty my lily white ass.  This group is as guilty as they come, but since they're all black the commercial news media doesn't dare give this event the coverage it should be getting.

The race card is going to get played several times during the trial, which will likely mitigate the 25 to life these three ought to realistically start serving.  Did I mention these scumbags were all black?  They are.  Does that make a difference?  Just wait for the jury trial, old son.  Yeah, it makes a difference.

But my real question is: Just who the hell is it that's supposed to be keeping an eye on the Bishops, the Apostles, and the Prophets in this hierocracy?  Where are the checks and balances?  This entire business surfaced more by accident and by the stupidity of the perpetrators than anything else.  Who's job is it to see it coming?

Now imagine, if you'll bear with me, that you attend one of these churches on a real regular basis.  What are you going to do besides leave the church just as soon as you possibly can?  At least, I'd hope you'd leave, but I have a feeling that a significant number of parishioners are going to stay.  Lord only knows why.

And, taking things a step further, what if it were your daughter who got mixed up with one of these three?  Me, I don't have children, but from the moment I heard the truth come out I would have a very difficult time remaining calm and uninvolved. 

Now if these three, technically four if you include Jenkins' ball and chain, got found out and busted, how many of the same sort are out there right now, doing the same kind of thing.  And they either won't get busted, or they'll get busted and get off for lack of evidence.  Because, you know, these three didn't get busted on their first rodeo.

3 comments:

Old NFO said...

They should ALL be hung... And probably more of this goes on than anyone knows... dammit

CWMartin said...

Well, the best check on losers like this is to A) know your Bible, B) know when the pastor is full of it and confront him, and C)worship the Lord, not the man. Each of these will make it fairly predictable that they won't lose many congregants.

Mad Jack said...

Old NFO: you're right on both counts. My aunt and uncle got a new pastor at their church where they'd been members for 30 years or so, and the man practically destroyed the church single handed. He embezzled, started rumors about various members and church elders, and had an affair with the church secretary that ended up in a divorce - hers, not his. Eventually the ruling body (Presbyterian) replaced him, but by then half the congregation was gone.

CW: Knowing the Scripture is the first order. While looking for a new church after I relocated to Madison, WI, I walked out in the middle of the sermon when it took a turn out of the Bible. One of the Elders buttonholed me at the door and asked why I was leaving, to which I replied, "I'm not interested in a non-biblical sermon, which is what your minister is delivering." I got dead silence.