Texas brings a pedophile pastor to justice
A Wichita Falls, TX. jury found Pastor Ronnie Allen Killingsworth, 79, guilty of six counts of indecency with a child. He intimately fondled three young girls, now adults, between 2000 and 2011. His lawyer and wife disagreed with the jury. And his son thought any jail time would be a death sentence for the supposedly ailing man.
The son was probably right. Today, the jury sentenced Killingsworth (apparently, this is how this jurisdiction does it) to 84 years in prison and $60,000 in fines. They deliberated for just under an hour. The judge allowed some sentences to run concurrently, so Killingsworth will be eligible for parole in 21 years — when he is 100.
No one, even the most deluded MAGA, can claim the result was a result of a Democratic thumb on the scales of justice. In 2020, Trump won Wichita County by over 40 percentage points. State-wide GOP candidates typically win by 3 to 1 margins. The place is ridiculously religion-friendly. And Ronny Jackson, Trump’s legendarily oft-drunk, pill-popping, ultra-MAGA White House doctor, is the local US Representative.
Killingsworth’s lawyer did his client no favors. As the Wichita Times Record reported:
In closing arguments, defense attorney Chuck Smith told the jurors prosecutors "didn't come close" to showing Killingsworth was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He said the accusations came from a couple of families who wanted to blame the church "for all the misery in their lives."
He said two of the alleged victims "conspired to make it all up."
As an experienced juror (three times in the box), I can tell you that defense attorneys blaming the victim is the quickest way to a guilty verdict. The jury, in this case, took 58 minutes to find the Pastor guilty.
Killingsworth’s church
Killingsworth plies his religious trade at the Rephidim Church. The church’s website shows that his version of the faith promotes a dismal view of the human race. Under the church’s Statement of Faith, you will find this pessimistic outlook:
THE TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN
"We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, became alienated from God, and is totally unable to retrieve himself from his lost condition."
Theologians can debate this biblical exegesis. Yet Killingsworth himself provides compelling proof of his theory that humans cannot help but be bad. Indeed, as he serves his time, he will likely comfort himself that he had no choice. He believes God destined him to sin because some woman in antiquity ate a piece of fruit.
It is this buck-passing that gives religion its reputation as a haven of iniquity — a safe harbor for bad actors.
In the real world, psychologists will attribute this miserable man’s world outlook to projection. He thinks all of us are built like him. But most people are not pedophiles. And there is zero evidence that religion prevents sex crimes — or any others.
Killingsworth is not good at his job (this section is hair-splitting — you can skip it if you like)
Killingsworth’s conceit is that he teases the original and true meaning of the Bible by studying it in its original languages. As his Church’s website says on its “About Us” page
"The method of teaching in Rephidim Church emphasizes the systematic exegesis and categorical communication of Christian Theology. All teaching and instruction is strictly based upon the literal grammatical-historical interpretation of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek languages in which the Scriptures were originally written. The instruction process includes examination of each "jot and tittle" (Matthew 5:18) for its specific meaning in the context."
Good for them. But if accuracy in language is your thing, how do you let this show up on your “Purpose” page?
The thrust of this Church is to make sound Bible Doctrine available to positive Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, to the end that each might become spiritually self-sustaining, i.e., until we all "...have attained the goal, because of the consistency of the doctrine and the epignwsis of the Son of God, with reference to a mature nobleman to the standard of the maturity which belongs to the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13) (bolding mine)
He either means “ἐπίγνωσις” (the original Greek) or “epignosis“ (modern English). Perhaps “epignwsis” is how it is spelled in Texan. I could not find it on the internet, so I cannot say. I grant you it is hair-splitting. But he started it.
Regardless, it is the kind of baffle-them-with-bullshit approach to Christianity that has kept so many charlatans employed in church management and fleecing the flock.
Does religion cause sin or attract sinners?
I do not claim that religion makes people sinners. There are millions of Christians in the US who are good people. However, religion may attract sinners. Why not? It provides a sweet deal for those with a sinning background. Catholics can expiate their sins in confession. Protestants cash the same absolution check by direct pleas to the Divine. Both flavors of Christian can feel better about themselves by becoming ‘born again.’
Jews can receive teshuvah, literally "return (to God)." Muslims can get tawba with a direct plea to Allah for intercession. Note: I am not a Jewish or Muslim theologian. So there are nuances I have not addressed. But the bottom line is atonement is available for the believer.
Atheists do not have a get-out-of-jail card, so they have more reason to let their sense of right (the carrot) and their conscience (the stick) prevent them from sinning in the first place.
Conclusion
How do religious moralists have the chutzpah to claim that without God it is impossible to be a good person. They ask where atheists get their morals if the sky guy does not give them a rule book? It is impertinent. And statistically a dumbass position.
Violent crime in the US is lowest in the Northeast. The least religious area of the US. Whereas it is highest in the Bible Belt. Property crime follows the same pattern. QED.