John Verner

Return to Earth Former Members Speak On Life Inside and Out The World Mission Society Church of God

Most reporters wouldn’t touch this story. But Lilyeve Murphy-Bagliani did — and she nailed it. Former cult members. Coerced abortions. Arranged marriages. A chilling exposé on the World Mission Society Church of God. Subscribe now. This one matters.

open.substack.com/pub/lilyevem...

Republican who introduced Trump derangement syndrome bill arrested for soliciting a minor Minnesota state senator Justin Eichorn allegedly traveled to meet a 17-year-old he thought he’d met online, but was instead a cop posing as minor

"A Republican state lawmaker in Minnesota who recently introduced a bill to create a mental illness category for liberals obsessed over Donald Trump was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly soliciting a minor for prostitution."

Immigration agents arrest Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia University protests A prominent Palestinian activist who helped lead last spring's protests at Columbia University has been arrested by federal immigration agents.

"Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia until this past December, was inside his university- owned apartment Saturday night when several Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents
entered and took him into custody, his attorney, Amy Greer, told The Associated Press."

While signing Laken Riley Act, Trump says he'll send 'worst criminal aliens' to Guantanamo President Donald Trump on Wednesday used a signing ceremony for the Laken Riley Act to announce that his administration plans to send the “worst criminal aliens” to detention in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

"Trump said the move would double U.S. detention lockup capacities, and Guantanamo is 'a tough place to get out of.'"

apnews.com/article/trum...

US agents raid New Jersey worksite as Trump escalates immigration crackdown U.S. immigration agents rounded up undocumented migrants as well as American citizens in a raid of a Newark, New Jersey, worksite on Thursday that the city's mayor said involved detaining a military veteran and violations of the people's rights.

"In a raid of a business establishment in Newark, outside New York City, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents failed to produce a warrant as they detained "undocumented residents as well as citizens," Baraka said in a statement."

Rubio instructs staff to freeze passport applications with ‘X’ sex markers Secretary of state instructs staff to implement strict new guidelines following Trump executive order on gender

"State department staff on Thursday were ordered to “suspend any application requesting an X sex marker” and to “suspend any application where the applicant is seeking to change their sex marker” from the definition provided in the executive order."

US Justice Dept asks civil rights division to halt Biden era litigation, WaPo reports The U.S. Justice Department has ordered its civil rights division to pause any existing litigation left over from the administration of former President Joe Biden, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.

The U.S. Department of Justice has paused civil rights litigation from the Biden era, per an internal memo. The freeze halts new cases, settlements, and may review recent agreements, including police reforms in Minneapolis and Louisville after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

Right-Wing Extremists Are Abuzz Over Musk's Straight-Arm Salute Right-wing extremists are abuzz over Elon Musk giving an awkward straight-armed salute during an inauguration rally for Donald Trump.

"Regardless of whether the South Africa-born Musk intended the salute as a "Sieg Heil" salute favored by the followers of Adolf Hitler in World War as some online commentators have suggested, it was eagerly received that way by extremists online."

www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

‘I'm A Very Good Liar’ LEAKED Documents Expose Carl Lentz's Cultish Control

"I'm a very good liar," Lentz proudly told the law firm during his December 2020 interview.

The Bible is a grim anthology of violence, obedience, and submission — not fit for children and certainly not for classrooms.

To teach it in public schools is to confuse indoctrination with education.

I hear this place is more active now, so here’s an about me:

📚 Author of The Cult of Christianity (written while van-living in 2019)

🎙️ Hosted its podcast for 3 years, comparing cults and evangelicalism

🎓 NYU Journalism grad ('24)

🎤 Editor at VOX ATL, helping teens share bold, authentic stories

Hidden In The Handbook Christian Colleges Discriminate Using Legal Loopholes

"The religious exemption, based on the First Amendment, allows these colleges to have policies that discriminate based on gender and sexual orientation. But there are no clear lines about exactly what this means."

Intl House of Prayer Admits Mike Bickle Allegations Include 'Sexual Immorality' After confrontation for lack of transparency, Intl House of Prayer leaders reveal allegations against Mike Bickle involve sexual immorality.

"Congregants then broke into groups of three to five people and prayed, as Greaves urged them—for “clarity, healing, restoration, fullness, purpose.”

[...] “Bless you. We’re with you. We love you. We appreciate your time and investment to even come here this morning to be with us.”

40 Davids Challenge 3 Goliaths The Battle for Queer Rights at Religious Schools

"But this lawsuit isn’t a mere uphill battle between queer students and their government. The religious exemptions to Title IX are profoundly important not just to the individual colleges that receive federal funding. The influence of two Christian non-profits also looms large."

Houston-area pastor accused of raping family member since she was 7 years old, impregnating her A local pastor is now facing a continuous sexual assault of a child charge. According to official documents, Robert L. Carter repeatedly raped a young family member and even got her pregnant.

"The warrant states the abuse got worse over the years, and that it would happen in multiple locations, including their home when everyone was asleep, Carter’s grandmother’s home, and behind an H-E-B in the parking lot before dropping the victim off at school."

Liberty University broke safety laws for years, government asserts In preliminary findings, the Education Department says the Christian school underreported crimes and destroyed evidence. Administrators can appeal.

"The report cites a numbered Liberty University Police Department incident report that the school did not enter into the daily crime log: “an alleged rape that was committed by a former Liberty President.” It does not specify which former president or whether the school ever investigated the claim."

The Supreme Court Could Soon Let Trump Buy All the Guns He Wants Trump is currently prohibited from buying guns because he’s under criminal indictment. But two big court cases could change that.

"Trump can’t buy a gun today without catching (yet another) criminal indictment, but if he waits until next June, he, and every indicted person in the country, might well have an opportunity to arm themselves for whatever reasons they deem fit."

Being Gay In Scientology I’ve uploaded our second interview with David Miscavige’s camerawoman, Rachael Hastings Adair, tonight. Last week, Rachael spoke to us about one of the main reasons she escaped Scientology: she co...

"In Scientology, being gay is considered a major, major issue. The only thing worse than being gay, as far as Scientologists are concerned, is to be a psychiatrist."

Survey: The Global Future May Be More Religious A global survey in 26 countries found Generation Z is often more religious than baby boomers and frequently in surprising nations.

"Gen Z is more likely than baby boomers to go to a place of worship in 16 countries, including in the United States where there is a 6-point gap in favor of Gen Z worship attendance."

Evangelist, wife face multiple child rape, sexual abuse charges in Murfreesboro The charges stem from actions that were alleged to have occurred in February 2021.

"Murfreesboro Police said 32-year-old Benjamin Garlick has been charged with five counts of aggravated rape of a child, five counts of aggravated sexual battery, sexual exploitation of a child and continuous sexual abuse of a child."

Journalists are both-sidesing the GOP's evidence-lacking impeachment stunt | Press Watch Encouraging better, more responsible political press coverage before the 2020 election.

"The pattern our major news organizations have fallen into involves quoting whatever the Republicans allege, then quoting the White House calling the allegations baseless, then – further down in the story – noting in their own words that the evidence is not “direct” or “conclusive” or “concrete”."

Evangelical Colleges Celebrate Best-Ever Enrollment Numbers Students impacted by pandemic isolation seem drawn to Christian communities and education.

"Eleven evangelical colleges and universities have announced record enrollment this fall—which is a record for breaking records, as far as anyone in Christian higher education remembers."

TX Pastor Arrested Twice for Groping Females During “1-On-1 Prayer” Police have arrested Texas pastor Gerardo Gonzalez for allegedly groping at least 4 female attendees during one-on-one prayer at his church.

"According to a probable cause affidavit, one woman told police that on August 20, Gonzalez called her to the podium for “one-on-one prayer.” Gonzalez then reportedly stood in front of her, placing his right hand on her shoulder and his left hand by her genital area."

Jerry Falwell's legal battle with Liberty University — and his brother — escalates (RNS) — In an amended complaint filed in federal court last week, Falwell Jr. alleged several board members diverted university funds to private causes and overlooked sexual misconduct by former lea...

"The lawsuit pits the Falwell brothers against each other... He [Jerry Jr] also says the school rescued Thomas Road Baptist — where Jonathan Falwell succeeded their father as pastor — from financial ruin and that this brother hides how much money he gets from the school."

Think twice before saying ‘cult’ Survey shows intense support for ex-president in face of indictments, but common claim among MAGA critics falls short of scientific rigor.

"GAZETTE: Is higher education any bulwark against falling prey to cults?

BURUM: Definitely not. I’ve seen no evidence that helps at all. Many target college students or target people with advanced education. In fact, sometimes cults want more economically prosperous or successful people."

Is America a death cult? From COVID to overdoses and suicide, it sure seems like we're comfortable with so much preventable death

"We were willing to accept a certain level of suffering and death to not impact the comfort of healthy, able-bodied people. Now, we are being asked to do the same with COVID, though it kills and maims far more people than flu."

Lauren Boebert says she ‘fell short of values’ after Beetlejuice groping video Congresswoman issues apology after being kicked out of performance of musical in Denver for inappropriate behavior

"The CCTV video also shows Boebert’s guest fondling her breasts after they had taken their seats for the musical performance. Boebert is also seen petting her guest’s crotch in the venue whose patrons often include children and their families."

Fmr Detroit Pastor Sentenced to 8 Yrs for Murder of Transgender Woman A former pastor in Detroit has been sentenced to eight years in prison for the 2018 shooting death of a transgender woman, Kelly Stough.

"[The area] is “frequented by sex workers and their customers,” prosecutors contended, according to the news report. A witness testified that Weathers had frequented the area. Prosecutors claimed the shooting stemmed from Weathers’ non-payment of sex services."

Once a baby-faced conservative revolutionary, Al Mohler is now an SBC institution (RNS) — For three decades, Al Mohler has been a powerful conservative voice in the evangelical movement’s theology and politics. His bolder statements have often overshadowed the reality that Mohl...

"Once the more moderate Southern Baptists left, the conservatives turned on each other.

“There may come a time when there are only two Southern Baptists left, and each will think the other one is a liberal,” said Leonard."

"When confronted about the situation by an administrator, Frost reportedly admitted to a different photo she sent to the cheerleaders where she pulled her Nike shorts up high, “allowing her butt cheeks to show.” The report said Frost claimed she sent the picture “as a joke.”