A Reminder of Religious Expression in Texas

PLEASE FAVORITE THIS IMPORTANT VIDEO!

Recently the Texas Supreme Court has declared that churches have the ultimate legal right to harm someone if it is in the course of that church's "religious expression." The case was about injuries received by a 17 year old female congregant who underwent a torturous excorcism at the hands of other members of that church. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25423465/

This video is a subtle reminder of another incident of violence that could easily be called "religious expression." On July 3, 2002, twin brothers, Pastors Joshua and Caleb Thompson severely beat an 11 year old male congregant, because the child didn't appear to take his Bible lesson seriously. From the church, the boy was taken by Joshua and Caleb to the home of one of the pastors, and the men proceeded to beat the child, almost to death.

Some viewers may ask, "If the mother says she was shocked this happened because the pastors had never given a sermon supporting that, or ever mentioned supporting that, then how is this termed "religious expression?" My answer to that is this: Remember what the pastors said to the parents of the child when they dropped him off: They tried to break the child, and make him "repent from wrongdoing."

How far does the blanket legal protection for religious abuse extend? Joshua and Caleb remain in prison to this day, and their church is still active, solvent, and preachy...as always. That's Capitol City Baptist Church in Austin: http://capitolcitybc.com/

I bring this case up again this month because of the more recent Texas Supreme Court case in which the Texas Supreme Court declared that churches have a protected right to harm people if it's in the course of their "religious expression." This older case shows how Texas used to handle these things, and brings attention to the continuing need for vigilance against harmful churches. It also shows that churches are getting more protections all the time. Plus we just need to be aware.

I got this message from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice: Offender Celeb Thompson, #1208295, is located at the Wynne Unit, Huntsville, Tx 77349. He will not be eligible for parole until 12-8-2010. Offender Joshua Thompson, #1208296, is located at the Huntsville Unit, 815 12th Street, Huntsville, Tx 77348. He will not be eligible for parole until 2-8-2016.

UPDATE: A Christian blogger has posted the text of a letter from Caleb, from prison, dated March 20, 2011. So obviously he was denied parole. In Texas, that means a lot. Our prisons are crowded, and it takes a lot to blow parole for someone who had no prior convictions. Here's that blog and the letter: http://remembermybonds2.com/index.cfm?i=11487&mid=25&blogid=3533&...

Notice from his letter, that this IS all about religion. And to those commenters who want to say that I got my facts wrong, please examine the news report links in this info box, and then go away.

Here's the website of the Arkansas church that's trying to bring about an early release of Joshua and Caleb: http://www.truechristian.com/thompbros.html

Here's another website that seems to support the Thompsons: http://www.apologeticsindex.org/t32.html

An early CNN.com report of the incident: http://archives.cnn.com/2002/LAW/07/09/bible.study.beating/

Also if you're going to be in Texas in October of this year: http://www.texasfreethoughtconvention.com

A J.A.M. Production

Category:

Education

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• joshua
• caleb
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• beating
• 2002

[Serglish]

You look so pretty you idiot when you were little your parents didnt love you and now you want to spend your time bothering others. Get your info right - those people were Mexican, they were threathened by the child services and the police and other government officials so the distric attorney could get a case won and look so good as if they gotten some bad criminals and you got no info. You just want to use this opportunity to throw dirt on the situation, just because you claim to be an atheist

[aajoeyjo]

@Serglish - Something else. Check out the comments on this page below. Several people like you have come here to say that I got the facts all wrong. And that media got it all wrong too, but they don't mention that accusation...lol

And then when I ask for the source of their information, they disappear. Poof! Presto! Asking where you get your facts makes folks like you stay away. So again, like bug spray, I ask: Where did you get your information? Be honest...

[SabrinaDianne]

This guy is an idiot, he's an athiest he doesnt even believe in God. The kids parents gave them permission to spank the kid. The parents were the ones that beat him.

[aajoeyjo]

@SabrinaDianne - And it's "Atheist" not "athiest." lol

[MattGreen23]

This video is the biggest misrepresentation of what actually happened:

1. The kid had an abusive step-father

2. The mother gave them permission to paddle him.

Whether you believe in God or not; whether you believe in spanking or not; just get your facts staight!

[aajoeyjo]

@MattGreen23 - Where do you get this ...information? You look like just another Christian making sweeping claims in comments here, and then just disappearing! Poof! lolol!

[jds1605]

@SabrinaDianne fist off my parents spanked us didnt beat us , so please dnt talk about my brother if u dnt kno him!

[MattGreen23]

@aajoeyjo - I made two mistakes in my previous comment: #1- I think that I said in a hateful manner that was not necissary. #2- I spelled straight incorrectly.

I didn't realize that anyone had commented on my comment. I got my information from the wife of one of the two Thompson brothers. Really, it's just one person's word over another person's word. I should not have been so dogmatic about it, when I wasn't there and really don't know what went down. Sorry for my annoying post.

[tennesseetrumpet]

I am an ordained Baptist minister. I find this crime deplorable, and I am shocked that Dr. Bob Jones lll mini pope from Bob Jones University endorses this convicted fellons book. So sad, this was just an 11 year old boy.

[Willett6945]

The Thompson boys are lucky I wasn't the judge in that case.

[MrImmoli]

@SabrinaDianne

Why would the parents give a church permission to spank their kid if they were going to do it themselves?

And even then how does that make what happened okay?

I can give someone permission to kill me, but if they do that then they will go to jail. And that is when I give them permission to do something to me. I don't think it would go down very well if I gave someone permission to kill my son...

Also, why does one being an atheist deem them an idiot?

[amazonhippie]

@lancethrustworthy If you have a dick, you're a man. Duh. Only conservative rednecks talk about "real men". "Real men carry guns. Real men hunt. Real men... blah, blah, blah. WooHoo! Get 'er done!"

[lancethrustworthy]

The two Thompson males are described as 'men' in the video. They aren't 'men'. They are adult males. Real men don't do the things the Thompson males have done.