What is Digg?115 Comments
- billisdog, on 10/12/2007, -8/+89@ PAtrickFisher
That's awful, man. I know we roll anti-religious here on Digg, I'm an atheist myself, but this is low and deceitful and the worst kind of human behavior. Whether we're against the religious right or anything here, I can't think of many things a person could do that would be more low than this.
Plus, let's talk Pascal's wager- if there turns out to really be a god, most of us can just say, well, unless he's very picky, I was still a good person, so I get in. Now THIS GUY, thered be a special part of hell just for him.
If we atheists want tog et anywhere in this country, we can't antagonize Christians like this. - hppypnts, on 10/12/2007, -14/+78we're up in ur r3ligionz stealin ur church3z
or alternatively...
All your church are belong to Radix
...or
in SOVIET RUSSIA the church steals YOU! - KlayBorg, on 10/12/2007, -3/+39Did he not think people would notice?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -17/+44Things like this never happen in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster...
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+26Was that wrong? Should I not have done that?
- Dezmodium, on 10/12/2007, -15/+34Our Pasta, who art in colander,
Draining be your noodles.
Thy noodle come, thy sauce be yum,
on top some grated parmesan.
Give us this day our garlic bread, and
forgive us our tresspasses as we
forgive those who trample our lawns.
And lead us not into vegetarianism,
but deliver us some pizza,
for thine is the meatball, the noodle,
and the sauce,
forever and ever.
RAMEN - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -7/+24All of these stories of church leaders doing bad deeds are isolated incidents. Hundreds and hundreds of hi-larious isolated incidents.
- eosp, on 10/12/2007, -7/+22'Doing good' is not the Christian standard. You, I, and everyone else here has done _something_ evil. Been mad and called someone a name? "21"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother[b]will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,[c]' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. " (by the way, Raca basically 'you jerk'). No one deserves salvation--not the highest-respected person of us. Yet Jesus was provided as a sacrifice.
I don't believe that someone who does this is a believer, but that's between him and God. - pcgeek101, on 10/12/2007, -6/+20@etjazz: That guy's actions (if they are real), were not representative of a Christian lifestyle. Just because he claims to be a Christian ... does that automatically mean that he is? If I say that an apple is pink, is it?
Also, Christians are not perfect, and as humans, are naturally sinful. Hate the sin, not the sinner. - mmazing, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1416 Months was all they could get him on??
Grand Larceny + Forgery = 16 Months? - thebaron2, on 10/12/2007, -2/+13I did, however, come across this: http://drblogstein.blogspot.com/2006/05/do-i-look-like-literary-agent.html
Apparently Radic is looking for a book agent and decided to e-mail this Dr. Blogstein guy:
"Dr. Blogstein,
Hey! I've got this great book, non-fiction, about me and my felonious life, snitching, fast cars, fast women, just getting out of jail. Google me: just punch in Randall Radic, or visit my blog: soundofmeat.blogspot.com.
Anyway, my problem is this: I need an agent, so I can get an advance, so I can eat and finish my book. I need some help here. Can you do anything to succor a former Old Catholic Priest gone wrong? Who simply embezzled, but HAS learned his lesson (the hard way), having been incarcerated with pedophiles, murderers and gangbangers. I'm the founder of the Anti-Christian Christian Brotherhood and Social Club, which has one other member: Bob Gay, who is on trial for murder even as I write this. But he's innocent!
Can you help me?
Daddy Radic, (The Right Reverend Randall E. Radic+)" - Userfaulty, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11Damnnn...Pwned by a Pastor.
At the bottom his lawyer says "He's very remorseful and regretful about the situation. I think he made some egregious mistakes. But in an imperfect world ... people behave imperfectly."
He didn't seem all that remorseful while blogging about it on his website. - rockforever, on 10/12/2007, -5/+15@Klayborg I dont think he cared.
But its ok. He'll be out for 2 weeks being rehabilitated, then come back and claim to be cured. - corypina, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11I live in this town, and our next door neighbors, in their eighties, went to this church.
There's nothing impressive about what this guy did to them. - Fafnir43, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9stupidStan: I think a fairly major part of the whole, you know, DEFINITION of being Christian is belief in God. Walking around saying you're Christian doesn't really figure. I doubt any Christian would do something like this, just on the grounds that if God existed I couldn't see him looking too kindly on it...
Akaji: Unfortunately, the Wager still fails for three reasons.
Firstly, it assumes that you sacrifice nothing by living a religious life. This is clearly false - you have to live your life according to the teachings of the religion you follow. Now admittedly something like Christianity is based around tenets that most people would follow anyway (love thy neighbour etc), but if I were to convert I'd still have to give up my Sunday lie-ins to go to church. That's a fairly major cost.
This wouldn't be so bad, if not for the second reason - it assumes the probability of a god existing and the probability of no god existing are roughly equal, or at least comparable. I don't think you'll find a single atheist on the planet who would accept that statement. In other words, I'm not giving up my Sunday mornings for the rest of my life for a one in 10^57 chance of salvation, any more than I'm buying a helmet in case I get hit by a meteorite.
The third reason is a deeper one. We don't choose our beliefs. If I told you to believe that cats were a type of fish, would you be able to? Not simply say "I believe that cats are fish", but actually BELIEVE it? Of course you wouldn't, because you know they're mammals. You'd need a considerable amount of evidence to change your view. Likewise, I can't simply choose to believe in God on the offchance that it might lead to salvation - I can only change my beliefs when presented with actual evidence to the contrary. - mateo60, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11@limbo1334
I don't know what that has to do with anything. But that's a damn funny video. - WiZZLa, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10RIPON, California... there's a joke in there somewhere, I'm sure.
- xedd, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8You like petty, shallow, self-centered, greedy and opportunistic people?
- TubaTechno, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Because pro-Christians news gets buried quickly here...
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -7/+12It's sad how excited you atheists get when a pastor does something bad. Pastors don't get excited when they think about you going to hell. :)
- 4th3157, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@ucg1
If you are an agnostic you can still be an atheist (or a theist).
Agnostic means you believe that you can't 'know' that god exists (or doesn't). Atheism means you don't believe there is a god. - TrialByFire, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7Remorseful? I'm sure he is. Remorseful of the fact that he doesn't get to keep his new shiny car or his new shiny laptop. People like this give organized religion a bad name, and cause critics to rise from the woodwork and take pot-shots at a particular faith. One regretful act that leads to others, what a shame.
- grape, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5FTA: "... he did sign a deal last month to publish a book called "The Sound of Meat," billed as a '(fairly) truthful' memoir."
The Sound of Meat? wtf? Pastor Radic and the Singing Steaks? - thebaron2, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Apparently his blog WAS here, but is now down: http://soundofmeat.blogspot.com/
I don't know if anyone can find a cached version or not, but don't spend your time trying to track down the original blog like I did. - Quiplash, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Courtesy of the Modesto Bee, a Radic timeline:
1995 — Randall Radic is hired as pastor at First Congregational Church in Ripon.
2002 — According to prosecutors, Radic forges documents to get the deed to the First Congregational Church parsonage at 137 N. Elm, where he lived, then takes out loans against it.
2003 — Behind in payments, Radic files for bankruptcy.
Dec. 1, 2004 — Radic sells the parsonage to Lonni Ashlock Investments.
May 2005 — Radic forges documents and puts First Congregational Church up for sale without the congregation's knowledge.
September 2005 — Radic gives notice at First Congregational Church, telling members he wants to return to his earlier career as a swim coach and has plans to move to the Bay Area.
Oct. 21, 2005 — Radic repeatedly tells authorities that he will turn himself in, then finally admits he is in Denver.
Oct. 26, 2005 — Radic surrenders to authorities. Police also seize $357,000 from bank accounts as well as a luxury car.
Nov. 4, 2005 — Radic is booked at the San Joaquin County Jail. Bail is set at $1.5million
Nov. 18, 2005 — A judge lowers bail from $1.5 million to $750,000.
Jan. 30, 2006 — Radic pleads guilty to felony grand theft by embezzlement as part of a deal with prosecutors. According to the deal, he is sentenced to 16 months in prison. The agreement also requires him to pay $50,000 in restitution.
Source: Modesto Bee archives - Haapi, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Well, this shows just how damned useless title insurance is. What a racket!
- CoolWind, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Really lame. Wikipedia?
One was bad because his "unattended corpse swelled"? How thoughtless of him. - Locke2053, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2You haven't studied philosophy, either, I see. The old "no morality without supernatural beliefs" bit! If the only reason you don't go on killing sprees is your fear of magical retribution, please stay away from me and my family.
Both theists and non-theists can be sociopaths (See: Many popes, Islamic leaders, and communist leaders). Both can also be extremely altruistic (see Bill Gates and Warren Buffet).
You have a right to do it, but I would greatly appreciate it if you stop spreading ignorant hate speech.
Though, if you continue to do it, you probably won't be threatened with a jihad or crusade against you... - akatherder, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Isn't there some law against writing a book about a crime you committed and profiting from it? If there isn't, there should be. This guy is a grade A *****.
- Quiplash, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4There's a single webpage here with an image of his book (plus an "angel" in hooker high heels):
http://www.radic.amerlandent.com/ - Userfaulty, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5Really? I seem to remember a lot of a various religious priests and pastors that have done worse yet still maintain their faith. Religion has nothing to do with it. And I don't appreciate being grouped in a broad generalization with someone like this man based on my own beliefs. Just as I wouldn't judge you based on your own since it's none of my business.
- wonderingfellow, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I'll be honest stuff like this happens all of the time in churches and in the "secular" world. Everyone including most Christians wants to put some label and list of rights and wrongs on the people who do these types of things when the bible does plainly says none of us are capable of living a perfect life.. http://www.ebible.com/bible/MSG/Romans+3%3A23 . We all live this life do good and bad things hoping that if there is a God and is a Heaven that we are good enough to get there all the while pointing out every bad thing that everyone else around us. Just spinning our wheels thinking and hoping that we are good people when the God says - ok, you aren't good enough - you do make some really bad mistakes BUT I will forgive you for everything that you have done bad or will do thats bad. We're given the free choice to accept that or not (most do not) - now most Christians don't understand that and therefore make a lot of mistakes sharing it with people (non-Christians) so we continue to get a well deserved bad rap for our terrible efforts to "save the world"
So here is my effort and I hope that it's better than some. I don't know all of the answers, God doesn't tell us all of the answers, the Bible is hard to read, Church's often are bad boring places, People who call themselves Christians often do terrible things and who knows if they are really true Christ following Christians anyway. The bottom line for every single person is: are we willing to put everything aside and honestly search and look at the Bible and try to find a church that honestly trys to help it's people know how to be true Christ followers and try to really discover what this is all about instead of us spending our time watching the show. In the understanding that I have as a Christ follower it is important that we all honestly sort through this and not just take it at face value. - wynd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@morningmatters
The Pope is the head of the CATHOLIC Church. He is not the head of any other church -- including "First Congregational Church." Likewise, this man is a Protestant pastor, not a Catholic priest. Get your facts straight. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3looks like he got his book deal! http://www.ephemera-bound.com/index.php?content=192&category=243
- Locke2053, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2banderbe, what's your point? Do you have one? States that kill are motivated sometimes by greed, sometimes by religion, and sometimes by lust for glory or power. They never kill because of atheism. You say atheist states have killed many. I agree. But atheism wasn't the reason they killed. Only a severely retarded person would think that.
Whatever the reason for state killing, you can rest assured that no man kills as willingly and cheerfully as the man who thinks he has the god(s) on his side.
Also, you clearly haven't studied history. Perhaps you were mis-educated by the state of Kansas? - mandarin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Well you know how villians have this long monologue about themselves...
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -4/+6"People like this give organized religion a bad name, and cause critics to rise from the woodwork and take pot-shots at a particular faith. One regretful act that leads to others, what a shame."
Yeah what a shame, organized religion had a spotless record until this one freak incident, this anomaly of circumstance tarnished it. - Aliarse, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Dudes even got a dance routine!
That's the best advert ever. - mrswirl, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"...it's a blue Chevy two-door, and it'd be going south on Hertado Street. o, I can't make out the license number, but...it'd be pulling a small church.
Any blue Chevy pulling a small church I figure that'd be the one, yeah." - felchdonkey, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Totally off-topic, and completely awesome. Please put this in the Video section!
- Tallon29, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3This is all very good publicity for his forthcoming book.
- CoolWind, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2What I'm wondering is why can't the couple who 'bought' the church after buying title insurance get their money back?
The whole thing doesn't seem that complicated to me. Shouldn't the title company have to eat the loss? - neondiet, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1
There are a few things in this story that don't make sense to me.
1) If in Dec. 1, 2004 — Radic sells the parsonage to Lonni Ashlock Investments. How is he able to still live in it? If he'd moved out the congregation would have noticed something was up, so did Lonni Ashlock Investments allow him to stay having brought it off him? That's unheard of.
2) If Lonni Ashlock Investments brought the parsonage based on forged documents not the legitimate legal documents, how can they now still claim to be the legal owner? The sale was illegal and should be null and void. They'll be out of pocket, but that's between them and Radic, not them and the Church. - siszam, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You don't confess sins to a pastor. You confess directly to God. You're thinking of the Catholic church where you confess to a Father.
- Aliarse, on 10/12/2007, -5/+6Organized Religion Gives Organized Religion a bad name.
- Surfer51, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Why is this guy any worse then guys like Benny Hinn, the richest televangelists in the world?
Expose' of some of his doings...by CBS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEM1gz4azmE&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t0zb0EROOE&mode=related&search=
http://www.wittenburgdoor.com/godstuff/dateline_hinn.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4t9APdSG30
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok4Hv0LQiIA
Living amongst multimillionaires in a $10 million home , on the money faithfully given for 'ministry.' Driving this years latest Hummer. Flying in his own private jet, all on the money faithfully given for 'ministry.' Staying in the finest hotels around the world, $2684.00 for one night in a hotel in Cancun Mexico. Off duty Navy Seal security team. - Locke2053, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3The term "militant atheist" has always amused me greatly. Militant? Nobody kills in the name of atheism. Many people kill in the name of religion.
In fact, the recent resurgence in religious militancy (in the form of jihadism and martyrdom) is no doubt a primary factor fueling the modern atheist movement.
To everyone who uses the term "militant atheist"--everyone else is laughing at your ignorance. - woody56292, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3that is absolutely ridiculous....
Hopefully he realizes the absolute stupidity and erroneous evil of his ways and asks the congregation ( and God ) for forgiveness.
He is going to feel really dumb in 10 years when he realizes he sold his church for his outdated laptop and old car. - eplu1rib1usunum, on 02/28/2008, -0/+1digg #1111!, diggit dugg just from reading the comments(some)
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Thank you for visiting SouthFlorida.com. - 4th3157, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@ucg1
"I guess there are different forms of agnosticism, but I like to separate it from atheism because atheist actually believe there is no god. If you are an atheist who has doubts, you aren't really an atheist, you're agnostic in my opinion."
There is only one type of agnosticism. The definition of an atheist is not someone who 'believes there is no god' but someone who doesn't believe there IS a god. There is a difference. There are many atheists who do believe there is no god but that doesn't mean that's the definition of what an atheist is. Belief in god, like being pregnant, is binary. You either believe in god and are therefore a theist or don't and are therefore atheist.
"I used to be an atheist (when I was a teenager), but life experience made me a little more open to metaphysical ideas, and ultimately I have no way of knowing the truth. You can't even trust your own experiences because there is always the possibility that you are insane."
Then why bother getting out of bed in the morning? Seriously, using solipsism as an argument for not accepting that you don't believe in god is illogical. You're still an atheist.
Finding out what is true and what isn't is a difficult thing and our minds can be tricked but we've got nothing else to go on. -
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