 Posted Saturday, February 08, 2003 8:56 PM
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Occasionally, the cs church and "movement" show up in the news. We're certainly familiar with the reports of cs members, and, more tragically, their children as a result of their "treatment." cs is newsworthy in other ways, too. I propose that we use the Forum as an opportunity to keep ourselves abreast of what is going on with the cs organization, whether it be "the mother church" ("tmc," as they refer to it in Boston," events in "the Field" (branch churches, associations, personalities, etc.), ecclesiastical/theological issues, and - especially - health matters (pun intended).
Here is an article from the Lexington, Mass, "Minuteman." Don't let the title fool you! http://www.townonline.com/lexington/news/local_regional/lex_newlmchurchsb02062003.htm Since many journalists are religious illiterates, it is not suprising that the writer got the cults "Scientology" and "Christian Science" confused. (Satan will be happy if you follow either of them!) This article is about the property sale of yet another branch church, in Lexington, Massachusetts.
Yes, this is the town where "the shot heard round the world" was fired on April 19, 1775. The Battle Road and the Town Common are still popular tourist attractions. It is --typically -- an affluent suburb, 12.5 miles Northwest of Boston on the high-tech "128" belt. The town where Liberty sprang forth will have a little less spiritual bondage.
Two things are especially interesting. One is that they are not apparently closing down the branch--just looking for a smaller space. But still, cs "command central," the mother church, will undoubtedly get the $1.5m. Also, it is an excellent example of the cs gift for euphemism. Instead of saying something like, "It's a big, elegent building from a by-gone era, and our small group of elderly members feel minisucle in it," branch Chairman Albert Brown said, "the building has outgrown our congregation a bit."
Isn't that fantastic! Let's hope and pray that a bonafide, Biblically based Christian group can acquire the property!
Let's use this post for other newsworthy items regarding christian science.
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Posted Sunday, February 09, 2003 7:09 PM
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Here is another recent article on a C.S. church for sale:
http://www.sltrib.com/2002/nov/11162002/saturday/16997.htm
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Posted Sunday, February 09, 2003 9:03 PM
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Posted Sunday, February 09, 2003 9:09 PM
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I couldn't make the link...perhaps it has expired? If you can patch in the http (above) so much the better! Otherwise, perhaps a summary will do.
We may find, in time, that the closing of cs churches lacks novelty. Halleluijah!! Let's also keep our focus on those things which indicate larger trends, or that may serve to (1) disaffect those in cs away from their belief system, and (2) events and trends which may help enlighten the secular world as to the real, aberrant, and dangerous nature of cs.
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Posted Monday, February 10, 2003 5:16 PM
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CS Church for sale
Try it now. Very pretty church, maybe another demonination could buy it. This article was a little eerie to me.
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Posted Monday, February 10, 2003 9:37 PM
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| Well, Renee, if the article bothered you, I saw an ad for Acid Reflux Disease at the end of the article. After reading that, I think I could use some!!! Sorry, I just couldn't resist that one!
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Posted Saturday, April 12, 2003 9:43 PM
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"it is not suprising that the writer got the cults "Scientology" and "Christian Science" confused. (Satan will be happy if you follow either of them!)"
HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!HA! you people are very funny. Where do you get all this bs?
Why not go and say Santa is actually Satan!
You guys are almost as funny as the Church Lady on SNL. . .almost.
Peter Frye
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Posted Saturday, April 26, 2003 5:28 PM
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Thought this might be of interest:
Church to operate despite embezzlement
By JERRY MILLER
The Manchester Union Leader
Union Leader Correspondent
PORTSMOUTH - Despite having its former treasurer
embezzle $1.6 million, Portsmouth's First Church of Christ
Scientist remains operational and expects to stay that way,
according to Richard Wilson, chairman of the church's
executive board.
"Our church has pulled together," Wilson said yesterday.
"We have sufficient financial funds to meet our needs.
"In a sense, it's been a wonderful rebirth of the church," he
added.
The money was embezzled by Ross E. Perry, 43, of Greenland, from 1996,
when he first
became treasurer, until 2002.
By the time he had finished, the congregation was left with $100 in
its accounts.
Perry pleaded guilty Monday to one count each of federal mail fraud
and federal wire fraud,
in U.S. District Court in Concord. He also admitted to evading
personal federal income taxes
from 1996 through 2001, even though he had received substantial wages
from his business
and other money, as a result of the embezzlement.
Perry also admitted that, even after the IRS began its criminal
investigation, he made false
written and oral statements to IRS agents. Perry evaded more than
$568,000 in federal
income taxes.
Finally, he admitted he also failed to file employment tax returns for
his Seabrook-based
wastewater equipment company, to the tune of $468,000.
Wilson said yesterday "the church has not been hurt," and compared the
theft to making a
profit in the stock market, but then losing the money in a market
decline.
Wilson said since the money was not in hand, the stockholder never had
it in the first place.
Wilson said he has known Perry since the man joined the church 10
years ago. Asked if he
would consider Perry a friend, Wilson responded, "Oh yes," and added,
"He's a very, very
likable gentleman."
Wilson insisted he bore no anger toward Perry, but rather is
"disappointed that he would
betray a trust.
"My reaction is disappointment, more than anything," Wilson said.
<Snip>
Wilson said he informed the congregation immediately upon learning of
the theft.
Wilson said soon after discovering that the money had been taken, the
church's Rockland
Street building was put up for sale. The property has since been
removed from the market
and remains home to the congregation.
"We didn't know all the ramifications of the theft. It was done as a
precaution," he said. "It
was taken off the market several months later."
Following the theft, the church also moved its reading room from
downtown Portsmouth to
the Rockland Street building. However, Wilson said that decision was
due largely to the cost
of rent downtown and had been under consideration prior to the
congregation learning of the
theft.
Perry could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to
$250,000 for each of the mail
fraud, wire fraud and tax evasion counts.
Perry is scheduled to be sentenced July 21 at 9:30 a.m. in Concord.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Morse.
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Moderator's note:
I've snipped out part of the article to avoid copyright issues.
When posting an article that has been published elsewhere, please don't post the full text. Just post pertinent parts and give a reference where readers can find the whole article.
Thanks,
Linda
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Posted Saturday, September 27, 2003 3:22 PM
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This is a link to an interesting article from the September, 2003, on-line edition of the SkepticReport (not to be confused with the more aggressive Skeptical Inquirer. My brother, a man who has been particularly badly burned by growing up in CS, sent it to me.
For those of us who have followed the decline, and impending demise, of TMC in greater detail, this will be a useful review of the problems that have afflicted CS and TMC from the days of MBE herself. For those of you who are more recently separated from CS - or are still affiliated with, but questioning, the belief system and the organization - this article is a good over-view of the issues: history, doctrine, healing efficacy/failure, demographic trends, etc.
Enjoy! http://www.skepticreport.com/health/christianscience.htm
Rather than provide excerpts, I am providing the entire http. Also, take a moment and check out the link on the sidebar, "Christian Science Statistics."
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Posted Saturday, September 27, 2003 9:33 PM
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Dear followingHim...
I think you should put your name out there with an offer to write all the realty ads whenever a CS branch church is for sale. I'm sure your Jesus Christ would be cheering you on from the wings, encouraging you to use all your knowledge of why so many of these buildings are being placed on the market. You have a way with words that a novice in your select world of true believers could never match. Any property so handled would hardly need a sign out in front, although I'm sure you could think of a unique way of arranging Open Church weekends. How about a logo on mail-outs showing a line drawn through the Cross & Crown? The possibilities are endless.
TJG
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