God Answers My Question

In my last post, I asked what the next great public display of hypocricy and corruption would be. We've had some answers. Keep 'em coming!

In the meantime, it looks like God has answered the question for us. Looks like there's been another prominent resignation at New Life Church here in the Springs over sexual misconduct. This time it's Christopher Beard, a pastor with a business degree from Oral Roberts University who, among other things, was reprimanded four years ago for staging "a missionary training drill using fake assault weapons," according to the Denver Post. Quoting Associate Pastor Rob Brendle, the paper noted that the drill caused something of a disruption.

A SWAT team was put on alert after a passing motorist thought the guns were real. Brendle said that incident played a role in Beard's departure.

What kind of "missionary work" was he training them for? For better or for worse, the Post has no information about the gory details of the really important indescretion (remember, it's sex, not violence, that matters), except to say that it wans't with Ted Haggard or with a minor. Cara DeGette at Coloradoconfidential notes that this resignation is the result of an ongoing purge, as NLC tries to clean house in the wake of the scandal. Heading up this effort is a national panel of "Overseers" (yikes!) who are charged with "provid[ing] spiritual protection to the Church" and protecting "the hearts of all involved in matters of pastoral discipline." These Overseers are asking members of the congregation to rat discreetly on any staff members or senior leaders who are suspected of any kind of moral lapse. What a nice way to create community and trust in the wake of such a traumatic event!!

In other news, Squarestate links to more irony from the Rocky Mountain News. It seems an unnamed retired state prisons official could face jail time for helping a private prison firm called the Geo Group get a contract to build a facility in Colorado. This official started working as a consultant for Geo BEFORE he retired from his state position. Jeez, whatever happened to the "revolving" door? These guys put Texas and the whole HB2292 flap to shame!