Sex scandal hits Atlanta-area megachurch

[villager]

Source: AP

Sex scandal hits Atlanta-area megachurch
By DORIE TURNER, Associated Press Writer

DECATUR, Ga. - The 80-year-old leader of a suburban Atlanta megachurch is at the center of a sex scandal of biblical dimensions: He slept with his brother's wife and fathered a child by her.

Members of Archbishop Earl Paulk's family stood at the pulpit of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit at Chapel Hill Harvester Church a few Sundays ago and revealed the secret exposed by a recent court-ordered paternity test.

In truth, this is not the first — or even the second — sex scandal to engulf Paulk and the independent, charismatic church. But this time, he could be in trouble with the law for lying under oath about the affair.

The living proof of that lie is 34-year-old D.E. Paulk, who for years was known publicly as Earl Paulk's nephew.

"I am so very sorry for the collateral damage it's caused our family and the families hurt by the removing of the veil that hid our humanity and our sinfulness," said D.E. Paulk, who received the mantle of head pastor a year and a half ago.

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Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071119/ap_on_re_us/preacher_paternity

[Deja Q]

1. A megascandal! Is this Earl Paulk related to John 'Candy' Paulk?

(sadly, someone removed that hot picture of him from wikipedia x( )

[MichiganVote]

2. Maybe they just need some church prayer and to post the ten commandments

Throw in a nativity set on the lawn, a few moments of silence...oh right, they already do those things.

What was I thinkin'!?!

[theredpen]

3. Archbishop?! What an underachiever... why not Pope? n/t

[yellowdogintexas]

5. That's what I say, who died and made him Archbishop anyway.

it is impossible to be bishop of anything when you are minister of an independent, unaffiliated congregation. We have a dude around here in north Texas who calls himself a bishop and he isn't Catholic, Episcopalian, Lutheran or Methodist which to my knowledge are the only denominations which appoint bishops.

As a lifelong Methodist, I find it a little offensive that someone with no episcopal connections just up and names himself a bishop, archbishop or whatever ...I can't even imaging what Catholics think about that.

end of rant, you may now return to your local thread

[Critters2]

6. The Orthodox have bishops

(they did it first). And some African American traditions use the term "bishop" to refer to a senior pastor.

[paparush]

4. SUPER SIZE ME, LORD!

[rasputin1952]

7. So...this church required tithes, had 10,000 members at one point,

had great finacial backing, did some serious social work, (a plus in that area)...and foundered because the Head Honcho forgot about that Old Commandment, Thou shalt not commit adultery. Hmmm, looks like he was into coveting, stealing and a host of other things that kind of put him on the fast boat to a hell of his own making. I fail to sense any compassion in my bones for this one, or his nephew, who claims that his uncle is guilty, but so are the victims...x(

I wonder why 1,500 members are still there? They must have some interesting stories to tell...;)

[SpiralHawk]

8. More, more, more republcion christo-hypocricy

Jesus weeps at how the republicon homelanders have perverted
their version of so-called "Christianity."

[Turbineguy]

9. Archbishop

Turbineguy.

I like the sound of that. You don't have to send me any underage children or your wives to have sex with though. Just send me your money.:puffpiece:

[boobooday]

10. Be fruitful, and multiply, sayeth the Lord . . .

And begin with your sister-in-law . . . for convenience!

Sordid.

[villager]

11. well, it *was* breaking news til the Mods decided it was Georgia-specific!

Still has that aura of rightwing hypocritical inevitability about though, doesn't it?

[IndyDurham]

12. I think it could sustain national interest...

I mean, why not?