Two preachers have been busted for sex scandals in the past two days. Tony Alamo was hit with a $525 million default judgment against his church and the apartment that housed it.
The civil suit stems from the conviction of evangelist Tony Alamo who is currently serving a 175-year prison sentence in Tucson after having been convicted in 2009 on 10 counts of sex trafficking minors.
The Arkansas lawsuit named Alamo, Twenty First Century Holiness Tabernacle Church and Jeanne Estate Apartments as defendants. The $525-million default judgment in actual and punitive damages was ordered against the church.
The lawsuit claimed negligence against the church and apartment company for not stopping Alamo, for defamation, and false imprisonment
The church and the apartments now face having their property taken and sold in order to collect the judgment.
Alamo was guilty of twisting scripture first.
In 2009, Alamo was convicted on 10 counts of interstate transportation of minors for illegal sexual purposes, rape, sexual assault, and contributing to the delinquency of minor. Followers of Alamo testified that he had taken an eight year-old girl as one of his wives.
Alamo has said puberty signified an age of consent and that there was nothing in Bible that prohibited polygamy.
“If you can find anything in the Bible about fire and brimstone for the practice of polygamy, then I’ll give you $250,000 in cash. Adultery is condemned, but not polygamy.” he told John C. Williams of the Arkansas Times.
Unfortunately, the Bible also says that Christians were to obey the authorities and that they were ordained by God to punish the wrongdoing. And Jesus warned of the direst punishments for anyone who caused children to stumble.
Another preacher, Bill Gothard, was suspended and placed on administrative leave after allegations of sexual harassment, mismanagement, and deception dating back over 30 years were published on a website, Recovering Grace.
One allegation claims that Gothard molested an under-aged woman in the early 1990s. Additional allegations charge Gothard with sexual harassment and failure to report child abuse to Child Protective Services.
In a statement posted this week, board chairman Billy Boring told World magazine: “After completion of the review, the board will respond at an appropriate time, and in a biblical manner.” Until then, the statement said, Gothard “will not be involved in the operations of the ministry. The board of directors will be prayerfully appointing interim leadership.”
Gothard founded the Institute in Basic Life Principles in the early sixties and has been a strong proponent of home-schooling, conservative dress, respect for authority, and aversion to debt. Additionally Gothard used his Advanced Training Institute conferences to advocate for the Quiverfull movement which encourages large families and discourages the use of birth control.
The ministry has lost millions of dollars in the last few years due to a dropoff in donations.
Two wolves in sheeps clothing are now paying the price.