April 25th, 2011
A Christian missionary charged with helping a woman involved in a custody dispute with her former lesbian partner abscond to Central America with the couple’s daughter is free on $25,000 bond. …[Timothy David] Miller is charged with aiding in the removal of a child from the U.S. and retaining a child with intent to obstruct parental rights.
WCAX-TV in Burlington reports that Miller was charged with aiding in an international kidnapping, which carries a potential three-year prison term. He will be back in court for a probable cause hearing on May 10th.
Miller was arrested on Friday in Alexandria, VA, for his role in providing plane tickets and shelter for Lisa Miller, who kidnapped 9-year-old Isabella Miller-Jenkins as part of a custody fight with her former civil union partner Janet Jenkins. Miller is believed to have fled to Nicaragua shortly before a Vermont court awarded primary custody to Jenkins over Miller’s refusal to cooperate with Jenkins’s visitation rights. It appears that Miller fled with considerable support from an employee and benefactor of Liberty University and Liberty Counsel, who provided for Miller’s legal defense, as well as encouragement from at least one ex-gay leader in the Lynchburg, Virginia area.
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designing wally
April 25th, 2011
I was under the impression that this was a federal capital offense. Do we know if it is a weak case or is this another case of sympathy for bigots from the powers that be?
Jim Burroway
April 25th, 2011
For the life of me, I cannot imagine where you would have gotten that impression. It is a federal offense, but far, far from being a capital one.
Steve
April 25th, 2011
AP cites an unsecured bond of $25,000.
Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bail) defines it: Recognizance – when an accused is released on recognizance, he or she promises to the court to attend all required judicial proceedings and will not engage in illegal activity or other prohibited conduct as set by the court. Typically a monetary amount is set by the court, but is not paid by the defendant unless the court orders it forfeited. This is called an unsecured appearance bond or release on one’s own recognizance.
So, it’s safe to assume that the court has prohibited international travel.
Perhaps it weighed in Miller’s favor that he is an Amish-Mennonite pastor who is believed to understand the court’s instructions and respect its civil authority. At the same time, to the extent the allegations are proven true, the pastor also has access to funding and substantial religiously-based motivation to skirt U.S. law.
Call me curious, not a complete cynic embracing worst-case scenarios. But, one of the (hopefully remote) possibilities is that Miller attempts to flee, also, right?
I’m interested to see what additional information emerges on this.
Regan DuCasse
April 25th, 2011
This reminds me so much of the abuses missionaries are willing to commit on someone for reasons of bigotry. Such things happened to members of my family and the outcomes were extremely damaging, even fatal to them.
Gay men and women understand well, the false face claims of missionaries doing so for reasons of good. Disregarding the pain they inflict or the anger and tears that result. This serves no good, and good people KNOW that.
If I have no reason to respect or accept missionaries at face value, this is one reason why. I consider actions, and who is harmed in the process and I know the difference.
And I resent so called people of faith, that claim a higher moral purpose, yet don’t know that vital difference or don’t care to.
Rest assured that those who conspired against Janet Jenkins, will claim they are the ones being persecuted. That they did this ‘for the good of the child’.
“God made me do it, or it’s God’s will” is the ULTIMATE cop out.
I’m concerned with the here and now, not the hereafter.
Regan DuCasse
April 25th, 2011
How did this guy make bail, when the means to flee is in evidence?!
Just sayin’.
Priya Lynn
April 25th, 2011
Steve and Regan, that was my first thought when I heard about bail being granted – he’s outta here.
BlackDog
April 25th, 2011
If he attempts to flee, then when he’s caught that’ll add several charges and years to his sentence, not to mention it won’t help the case of anyone else who ends up in court over this one bit.
The whole thing certainly doesn’t do anything good for the “Law & Order” image that conservatives and Christians like to present themselves as having.
Best thing he can do for himself is to stay put and use his apparently substantial resources to hire a good lawyer. Let’s hope he does the wrong thing and hires one that’s a Liberty University graduate.
CPT_Doom
April 25th, 2011
It’s standard for someone like this, who has extensive ties outside the country, to surrender his passport upon posting bail such as this. Would not be surprised if that happened here.
Priya Lynn
April 25th, 2011
BlackDog, how many years is Lisa Miller facing? That didn’t stop her from fleeing the country.
Erin
April 25th, 2011
Oh look, a picture of him hugging his kid. What was it, days he was away from her? Must be awful. I’m sure the irony would be totally lost on him. After all, we gays don’t care about the children we raise. We’re just recruiting them into our lifestyle. All of us who are non-biological parents are really nothing more than strangers to the babies we catch in the delivery room, right!?
WMDKitty
April 25th, 2011
How the flying f*ck did this slimeball get out on bail?!
princess
April 26th, 2011
God is definently working on this man’s side! God still is greater than the devil and it is God’s plan that there be 1 man and 1 woman married to give birth to a child.
enough already
April 26th, 2011
princess,
You need to spend some time on your spelling, grammar and syntax.
Your ‘God’ can’t help but find your inability to write two simple sentences in English offensive.
Until She can work you in, maybe you’ll find my minor corrections useful:
God is definitely not on this man’s side.
Her love for all creation is greater than this false pastor’s hate.
Her plan is for every child to find parents who love and care for him or her.
Those parents may be one man or one woman or two men or two women or one man and one woman or many other possible combinations of people (some of whom may be four legged).
There, dear. Now run along and go play with your dollies.
princess
April 26th, 2011
my Bible says in Romans 1:26,Because of this,God gave them over to shameful lusts.Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.Pick up a Bible in a bookstore and see for yourself what the Bible says about this horrible kind of life that our nation is living.Repent and give your heart to Jesus and he can clean you of those shameful,unnatural acts.There is nothing more discusting than this!Hell fire awaits those people if they don’t repent.
princess
April 26th, 2011
and by the way,this child is not Jenkin’s child in any way,she did not carry her or use her sperm,she is nooo way related to her.Thats why God created marriage for one man and one woman so the child can be blood related to both.She has no right to her in any way,and i know God will make a way that this child never has to see this woman,so called man!
enough already
April 26th, 2011
Where to begin, where to begin?
Sigh.
Princess, I know it’s not easy for you, still, opposable thumbs are not required in order to use the space bar on your keyboard.
Let’s try.
First, take one of your thumbs out of your mouth. At least, I hope it’s your mouth and not somewhere further south!
Either thumb will do for the next step.
I don’t want to make this too hard for you by asking you to remember which is right and which is left. Maybe mommy can help you with this. Or her brother, your daddy. Your style does have that Arkansas touch to it. Dixie, in any case.
Now, just lay a thumb across the space bar and depress. That means “push down”. There now! Wasn’t that fun?
Let’s try it again! My! You’re doing very well. That’s a good girl.
Now, go run and play, dear.
We’ll talk about contra naturam and all those other big words when you’re a little older. Fairy tales are so much fun, but we do know they’re not really “Real”, don’t we?
Discursively speaking, of course.
enough already
April 26th, 2011
My, Princess, there you go again!
I promise, cross my heart and may there never be any more episodes of ABFab if I don’t, I’ll teach you how to use the CAPS key very soon.
Until then, let’s play a little game called “Natural Sciences”. We’ll only take a peak at one tiny little corner of these sciences today: Biology.
I know this is confusing for you, still, please stop scratching under your arm and sit still. Eat your banana. Your ancestors (very near relations from the look of things) liked bananas, too.
OK? Here goes!
Boys have sperm.
Girls have eggs.
What’s that? Yes, princess, that’s right! The Easter Bunny lays eggs! In color!
My you’re so clever! I bet you’re mommy’s best little girl, ever!
princess
April 26th, 2011
you are so ticked you don’t know what to say back against the Bible,thats because you can’t argue against God.You have a dirty heart that needs cleansing with Jesus blood.He died on the cross for even you!
princess
April 26th, 2011
Excuse me,there is nothing like an Easter bunny either,Easter is all about the Resurrection,Jesus rising out of the grave after 3 days,Hallelujah,He lives forevermore! Boys have sperm,girls have eggs and thats why God said for only the man to marry a woman so they can have a child together and not two woman! What part of that don’t you understand,maybe my first grade daughter could teach you that.
enough already
April 26th, 2011
“ticked”. You said “ticked”.
O! My paws and whiskers! Was I right? It is Dixie, somewhere, is it not, where from you hail?
Princess, I’m going to talk to you as if you were a big girl. We know you’re not, not really, but let’s pretend, just like we did with the Easter Bunny!
The “Bible” (and, see, you’re already using the CAPS key, how very clever you are!) is not meant to be taken literally.
Some of the stories in that great big book are what we grown-ups call “parables”. Other stories were changed by very bad men (it’s almost always men, how strange….) to increase their power over other people.
What’s that? You want an example? Of course, princess, of course. Now, let’s see…hmm…O! I know!
In this “Bible” of yours, there is a “favorite disciple”, John. “John” wasn’t really “John”. He was a she. That is, her real name was Johanna.
And there endeth the lesson for today, dear princess. You go think about that for a while. Maybe you could practice the space bar while you’re gone!
princess
April 26th, 2011
It takes too much space to use the space bar.I am not going to argue further,it’s not worth it.I had no idea you were that ignorant about the Bible.I hope you repent before it’s too late.Lisa Miller made a wise choice to serve God.
Ezam
April 26th, 2011
It’s ironic that, in an attempt to distance herself from lesbianism, Lisa Miller will most likely end up surrounded by nothing but women.
BlackDog
April 26th, 2011
“You are so ticked you don’t know what to say back against the Bible,thats because you can’t argue against God.”
Hey Princess, I believe in God, and it appears from reading your posts that you’re the one who’s “ticked” and hell, just plain ignorant to boot.
I’m curious, how in the hell is it “serving God” to lie (thou shalt not bear false witness) disobey the law (and the Bible says to respect lawful government authority) or to destroy someone’s family and separate them from their child? (What about that “Family values” image Christians are supposed to have?) Not to mention…Lisa Miller is on the run from the law. Did the Apostle Paul flee being sent to Rome, even though he knew he’d likely be executed there? No.
Not to mention, where in all this talking about “Jesus” is your respect for others? (Love thy neighbor as thyself & treat others as you would have them treat you?) Until you are willing to obey the commandments of Jesus, even around people who disagree with you, I think you should stop talking about him (Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.)
Personally, though it’s not particularly my place to judge, I’d say it appears that if anyone is ignorant about the Bible, it is you.
Lisa Miller, and anyone who aids her in breaking the law, is a criminal and should be treated accordingly. I hope that she is arrested and extradited, and has a nice long prison sentence to reflect on the consequences of her actions. Which, by the way, the Bible says she should not shy from. After all, many legitimately persecuted Christians around the world do not run and hide. If ANY one of these people (or yourself) claim to be persecuted you do them a great disservice.
Also, personally I think you have a hell of a lot of nerve to come on to a gay blog and spew your crap. How about I come over to some Christian blog YOU frequent and start making a bunch of unwelcome comments? (Eye for an Eye, perhaps?) You wouldn’t like that very much, would you?
So please, shut the hell up.
BlackDog
April 26th, 2011
By the way, Princess, for the record I’m NOT a Christian. I happen to have my own belief system which is no one’s business but mine, and between me and God, or the Gods, or whatever.
The reason that I’m NOT a Christian, mostly, is ignorant people like yourself who claim to speak for God, but speak only for your own hate and ignorance. You are as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal, in other words, you got no love…so according to what the Bible says, you got nothing.
Priya Lynn
April 26th, 2011
Princess said “you are so ticked you don’t know what to say back against the Bible,thats because you can’t argue against God.”.
Your god is imaginary and your bible is a fairy tale, there’s no need to argue against something it. Right and wrong are determined by harm, Miller has harmed Jenkins and her child and deserves to spend time in jail.
Regan DuCasse
April 26th, 2011
Princess, you might as well have said that ALL adoptive and step parents are worthless in society for raising children.
I dare you to say what you just did to the faces of the same.
I’d lost both of my biological parents to death by the time I was 15.
Biological parents fail as evidenced by all the children abandoned to foster care, or by one parents. Any law enforcement agency will tell you that child prostitution, gang membership and those who have been criminally neglected, abused and murdered…are by biological parents or with one living in the home with the child.
Men and women are not immortal, nor does gender and heterosexual orientation the indicator of competence and will to care for children.
Frankly, all the Scripture quoting or claims of being a person of faith will change those FACTS.
You’ve proven yourself to be intellectually dishonest, if not stupid.
And yeah, I seriously can’t stand stupid people. They make a LOT of trouble in this world.
Regan DuCasse
April 26th, 2011
Oops, typo.
All the Scripture quoting and claims to being of faith WON’T change those FACTS. Not enough coffee yet.
Priya Lynn
April 26th, 2011
Mmmmmm, cofee…
Shofixti
April 26th, 2011
@Princess
This chapter appears to say that because G-d gets impatient, G-d “gave them up” – makes adult men and women have same-sex sex when they start to worship idols: “images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles”.
If you read to the end you will see this scripture equates this evil (that of idolatry, NOT same sex sex) with gossip, arrogance and disobedience to parents.
Do you give equal time to posting about obedience on teen forums or is there a bias the way G-d speaks through you?
Argo
April 27th, 2011
enough already
Comments like that are hardly productive and risk violating BTB’s comment policy. Let’s get back to the topic at hand and abandon attacks ad hominem
Let me also point out to princess that according to the Bible Jesus was adopted and, by the way, not the product of “1 man and 1 woman married to give birth to a child”.
Janet Jenkins is a parent every bit as much as Joseph was.
princess
April 27th, 2011
i am not at all against adoption,this is totally different than 2 men and 2 women.Jesus father was the God,and it’s a miracle that only happened once in a lifetime and will never happen again.Janet is not a parent! So maybe today i can go claim my neighbor’s child! Wakeup,thats not even human,thats not how God created men and women.I know she will not get to see her “child”,God wont allow that.It’s a miracle that she could even escape the country without getting caught,and another miracle that they let him out on bond,and another miracle will take place.God will set this man free!
enough already
April 27th, 2011
Argo,
You’re joking, right? After ignoring all the hateful, nasty, spiteful things which the political correctness police and the separatists lesbians and the “gay men are evil” Dreck I get heaped on me here, you get all militant on my ass for a tongue in cheek response to one of the most hateful Christians to come down the pike in years?
No, you’re not joking. You’re the kind who delights in making life difficult on blogs for anyone who dares to evidence that which you lack: A sense of humor.
Priya Lynn
April 27th, 2011
Princess when you say Janet is not a parent its obvious that despite your claims to the contrary you don’t believe adoptive parents are parents. That one has passed on their genes is trivial, raising a child is what a real parent is about. Janet Jenkins is just as much, no, more of a parent than Lisa Miller ever was.
If your god was on Timothy Miller’s side he’d have never been found out and charged in the first place. He’s going to be punished and rightfully so and there is nothing your imaginary god can do about it.
Regan DuCasse
April 27th, 2011
Well SAID, Priya Lynn!
Princess, we don’t live in a theocracy, where the fluid and inconsistent whims of people of faith take precedence over secular standards of civil law.
Obviously, by your standards, I doubt YOU’D have the freedoms and rights you enjoy because women are treated badly in the most theocratic of countries.
Most people like you are exceptionally ignorant about how civil law and our Constitution actually works, but when your ass is up shit creek, you’ll invoke the very laws you denigrate.
More evidence of the intellectual and moral cowardice of people like you. Miller doesn’t believe in God, whatsoever and neither do you. You count on mere mortals to DO your dirty work, while expecting God to take the blame for what you do.
Cowards, and liars are a disgrace and certainly shouldn’t be claiming God is on their side when they are busted for it.
Argo
April 27th, 2011
OT
So the justification for your screed is “She started it”? Mary, please! Talk about things mommy and daddy should have taught you. My earlier comment came across perhaps more personal than I intended. The entire thread was getting off into viciousness and needed a cool down.
As for being hateful, even though Princess is not the most hateful Christian I’ve ever come across, returning the hate is counterproductive and just serves to confirm their prejudices and entrench their position.
AR ≠incest, Southern ≠ignorant, and Christian ≠fundamentalist
Of all people, the LGBTQ community should strive to be beyond prejudiced stereotyping.
enough already
April 27th, 2011
Yup, it was far too personal.
And, yes, you are totally lacking in any measure of humor.
Timothy Kincaid
April 27th, 2011
Princess, sweetie, this may come as a shock (so maybe you should sit down), but the Bible wasn’t written in English.
And the New Testament that you so enjoy, wasn’t even compiled for hundreds of years after Jesus lived.
Everything that you think is the Bible is a politically selected collection of writing (they voted on what to include and what to leave out) which were copies of copies of copies. And what you have is primarily an English translation of Greek copies which rely heavily on previous Latin interpretation.
Now, sweetie, I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to learn a new language, but if so you will know that words don’t always translate directly.
For example, “Papi” is a Spanish word that means “father”. But if you were to translate “Ai papi!” as “Oh, Father” you would probably be talking about incest.
And guess what, Princess. Again, this may be hard for your little ears to hear. But the copies of copies sometimes included mistakes. We know this because they were dispersed throughout the world, and when compared a thousand years later they were different.
And some of the parts of the King James Bible weren’t even part of the original text, because those interpreters used versions that were more recent and the older copies didn’t have those verses. They were added at some point.
For example, princess dear, I’m sure you know the story of the man by the pool whom Jesus healed in John 5:
But, oh my goodness, that entire part that I highlighted about the angel… it wasn’t in the original text. Your Bible, princess, was wrong!! Oh, Lord have mercy.
We don’t have the originals. We don’t even have any copies that were made within hundreds of years of the originals.
I know this is so confusing, princess. Here you came with your Bible ready to tell us what God says… and we just didn’t sit up and say “amen”.
But it isn’t because we’re heathens that hate God – even if your mommy and your preacher told you so. It’s because we know a lot more about the Bible than you do, Princess. A great big bunch more.
Some of us don’t believe in any gods and some of us are devout Christians or people of other faith. But we all share an adult recognition that it is foolish to think that reading the King James Version of the Bible – or any translation, really – provides the context, culture, and perspective that the original authors intended.
Intelligent Christians look to the Bible as a spiritual guide full of wisdom and principles for living your life. Those who just aren’t very smart or very educated try to read it like a rule book. Those who are particularly lacking in intellect and perspective think that it’s a tool to slap down the people they don’t like.
Sadly, princess, you fit in the latter category. But maybe when you get a little older, you will mature a bit.
Timothy Kincaid
April 27th, 2011
Ahem,
all of the “you don’t have a sense of humor”, “no, YOU don’t” stuff isn’t really adding much here.
Richard Rush
April 27th, 2011
Princess, were you home-schooled?
Argo
April 27th, 2011
Maybe princess will understand it this way:
1 Peter 2:13-15 “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.”[NIV]
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not run away from judgment; Jonah did. And as Jonah was sent to Ninevah despite himself, Lisa Miller will be returned to the US for judgment.
Queen
April 27th, 2011
Princess…Time to go beddy bye Dear
princess
October 30th, 2011
wow,people did you see the work of God himself……Timo is free and his autorney said he can’t even explain it! Wakeup people in America…..Praise the Lord! I told you people last comment that God will not let Lisa be found and that is exactly what is happening….Miracles!
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