bored has left a new comment on your post "What is Child Pornography? Violating Federal Law a...":
WHO is paying for Bucher to defend him? That guy ain't cheap. Whose going to be paying for the 20 large to get him out of jail?
I kinda doubt that a Communications Director for the synod is taking enough in to afford that sort of Attorney and Bail. I dunno, maybe I'm a wrong, but it kinda seems like the WELS might be paying for this stuff.
Now THAT would be a good thing for us to find out.
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AC V has left a new comment on your post "The Olde Synodical Conference Can Stop Blaming the...":
Re: "Since the WELS counseling agency was involved with Joel Hochmuth's problem (dates not given), why was this scandal and crime allowed to worsen?"
If it was a WELS counseling agency, that is a good question, especially since Schroeder said, "We take allegations such as these very seriously and emphasize that WELS has absolutely no tolerance for the kind of behavior that has been alleged." ("alleged"? Hochmuth himself admitted it!!)
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SuzieQ has left a new comment on your post "What is Child Pornography? Violating Federal Law a...":
Thank you for posting this. It seems many are adopting the it depends what is "is" in this case.
I am shocked and horrified at the response by Synod.
They need to do the RIGHT thing and Fire him!!
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Emmy0417 has left a new comment on your post "The Olde Synodical Conference Can Stop Blaming the...":
Until you have walked in any of these men's shoes, do not be so quick to judge. You are assuming that Schroeder knew about this when you have no proof other than your own judgement. The WELS is neither Anti-Lutheran nor Anti-Confessional. Ichabod needs to focus on the people involved and not tarnishing the names of those affected by the outcome.
GJ - Possession of child pornography is a federal crime, a crime that took place at the Wisconsin Synod headquarters building.
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SuzieQ has left a new comment on your post "More on Frey's Resignation - From WELS Laity, Curr...":
From a lay persons point of view - do you understand how much damage is being done?
SOULS are in the balance.
What exactly do you mean by sanctioned apostasy?
Why is there no transparency in what is happening in the Synod and in our congregations?
Maybe if there was it would lessen these serious blows to the membership. (You know the less worthy people you are suppose to be serving.) The pity party for leaving the ministry is lost on me. Or am I wrong it's not suppose to be about YOU. I've heard this whining for too long.
I'd appreciate some dumbing down for us laypeople who care about WELS and want to stay WELS. (For the RIGHT reasons.)
I'd also like to know if Joel is Hochmuth? I am shocked at SP prayers first going for the deviant sexual offender and then to unspecified children of molesters.
Anyone who buys or downloads child porn is guilty of raping that child.
Hochmuth isn't repentant or he'd cough up his suppliers and all the others he's shared with. Instead of having his attorney say it's just adult porn.
Why haven't they asked him to resign like Frey?
I hope the FBI searches all the Synod offices. They obviously won't police themselves. They are not above the law.
Remember the Millstone - who's all wearing it?
I want to know!
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SuzieQ has left a new comment on your post "WELS Love Shack - Update: $20K Bail for WELS Commu...":
It's reported Joel's wife and he attend counseling for his addiction. Was this provided by WELS Synod (as it is in most cases)? If so then WELS would have known about their employee's problem. This is not the first time WELS has had this type of problem and had to pay for it.
Why don't they don't check their employees computers for inappropriate usage?
The WELS Synod sent out an email which asks for prayers:
1st for the accused pedophile Joel and his family, and 2nd the children who were raped, photographed and videotaped against their will - do they not realize their employee was satisfying his deviant sexual appetite using children - and in their offices? They have their priorities and thinking backwards.
"FBI agent used peer-to-peer software which allowed him to connect with Hochmuth's computer and browse for files, and says Hochmuth was sharing child porn. The agent says he also chatted with Hochmuth online, and Hockmuch allegedly told him he likes pictures of males 10 years of age or older. " "Investigators found several hundred images on his home computer and 310 photographs and 38 videos on a purple thumb drive recovered from his WELS office."
Child Porn charges filed against church official
If this man is guilty and repentant he wouldn't allow his Attorney to lie and say he only had an adult porn problem.
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bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "What is Child Pornography? Violating Federal Law a...":
SuzieQ is right. Hochmuth is not contesting the charges, so there's no reason to think it's all a big mistake, and therefore there's enough information to fire him. Hochmuth is not a victim of credit card fraud, for instance, where a sicko used stolen credit card info to access a child porn site, for instance.
The suspension is really a reflection of UOJ in action, similar to how the daughter of a deceased DUI victim said God had already forgiven the drunk driver without knowing the first thing about that drunk driver! One would think the WELS is practicing theology under the influence!
The synod's wrath and swift punishment are reserved solely for those who question the synod or UOJ, the only unforgivable sins according to them.
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LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "The Olde Synodical Conference Can Stop Blaming the...":
Leading with the Law instead of the Gospel (universal absolution - WELS version) in preaching would go a long long way in the WELS. For every case like this there are dozens of others swept under the rug. Jesus said to go therefore and teach and baptize all nations...teaching them to observe what I have commanded you. That does not mean just preach the Gospel. That means preach Law and Gospel...repentance and only then forgiveness. It is time to turn that upside down evangelism right side up.
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ea5d4cfc-1238-11e1-be9d-000bcdcb8a73 (https://openid.aol.com/opaque/ea5d4cfc-1238-11e1-be9d-000bcdcb8a73) has left a new comment on your post "Readers' Comments on the WELS Child Pornography Ca...":
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/134144148.html
(notice the time stamp...)
Get your facts straight...your overall assumption that Hochmuth is Satan incarnate is sinful in and of itself. Who are you to judge? Can you read his heart? Concerning the counseling appoints, those are confidential by law. They cannot and could not be shared with the synod. This site and your biased and sinful gossip and opinions make me sick. But then, you probably can't quite here me because the plank is so long...I digress.
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AC V has left a new comment on your post "Readers' Comments on the WELS Child Pornography Ca...":
One lawyer's opinion:
http://www.cphins.com/LegalResources/tabid/65/iid/228/siid/0/Default.aspx
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AC V has left a new comment on your post "Readers' Comments on the WELS Child Pornography Ca...":
Time line:
Thursday night, Schroeder "Together":
"We take allegations such as these very seriously and emphasize that WELS has absolutely no tolerance for the kind of behavior that has been alleged. Hochmuth’s employment with the synod has been suspended until the facts of the case are fully known."
Wednesday night, various news sources:
"The Rev. Mark Schroeder, president of WELS, said he learned about Hochmuth’s arrest Wednesday evening ... The church official knows limited details about Hochmuth’s arrest, he said, mostly gained from a police report and information in the media."
Tuesday, various news sources:
"A Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod employee was arrested Tuesday on child pornography charges, according to Waukesha police."
"Hochmuth told authorities that the number of images found on his computer in Waukesha 'was nothing compared to what they would find in his office,' the complaint states."
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MaryJo (https://openid.aol.com/opaque/c6ef936a-1260-11e1-be45-000bcdcb2996) has left a new comment on your post "WELS Love Shack - Update: $20K Bail for WELS Commu...":
Words cannot even express my disappointment as I view the hurtful words and the visual mockery of someone who clearly needs prayers and forgiveness at an incredibly difficult time. Let he who has no sin cast the first stone. Each of us struggles with sin throughout our life, many of us pet sins, and all are equally detestable in God's eyes. Unfortunately, some sin is more public or illegal in nature. Let's all search our hearts and take a look in the mirror lest we find ourselves guilty of sin against the eighth commandment, especially against a fellow Christian who already knows he has done wrong. It makes me want to cry for Joel and his wife and teenage son that such horrifying treatment is given to his story here on this blog. No truly Christian person could possibly delight in this website. Satan, I'm sure, has it set as his online home page, however.
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GJ - MaryJo has an opaque ID to hide her identity. This is from the Church and Change sorority. Hochmuth and his enablers mocked the Gospel by victimizing underaged boys, downloading and sharing extremely pornographic photos and videos. Like the MLC gay video, those files will exist forever on the Net.
This is not new. Luther said that the people of his time worshiped those cardinals who were satisfied with a woman. The WELS church workers--pastors and teachers alike--have a serious underground network of offenders. That has been ratified by three different knowledgeable sources.
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norcal763 has left a new comment on your post "Readers' Comments on the WELS Child Pornography Ca...":
To "MaryJo": I know Hochmuth's family-at least his father and sister, and I know them WELL. They are good people. His father, a Pastor, was a spiritual mentor to me. I met Joel once and I really liked him. But Honey, I read the Police Report and I ain't cryin' for NOBODY tonight but the kids that were brutalized so Joel could get his jollies. I am especially not crying for his wife, who should have turned his sorry butt IN!
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GJ - Various people had a duty to report this crime. They did not. Others failed in their supervisory responsibilities and pastor roles. This happened in a sect where pastors excommunicate someone for asking questions - within weeks. Right is wrong, and wrong is right.
When I published the truth about the MLC gay video, Synod President Mark Schroeder rebuked me through Pastor Herman Otten (who sided with him). And yet, when federal crimes were committed by his own communications director, in his own office , Schroeder was publicly hoping the police raid and the charges were a mistake.
