Thursday, March 9, 2017

Ninth Greek New Testament Lesson - 7 PM Central Tonight


John 1


50 απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτω οτι ειπον σοι ειδον σε υποκατω της συκης πιστευεις μειζω τουτων οψει

51 και λεγει αυτω αμην αμην λεγω υμιν απ αρτι οψεσθε τον ουρανον ανεωγοτα και τους αγγελους του θεου αναβαινοντας και καταβαινοντας επι τον υιον του ανθρωπου

John 2

και τη ημερα τη τριτη γαμος εγενετο εν κανα της γαλιλαιας και ην η μητηρ του ιησου εκει

εκληθη δε και ο ιησους και οι μαθηται αυτου εις τον γαμον

και υστερησαντος οινου λεγει η μητηρ του ιησου προς αυτον οινον ουκ εχουσιν

λεγει αυτη ο ιησους τι εμοι και σοι γυναι ουπω ηκει η ωρα μου

5 λεγει η μητηρ αυτου τοις διακονοις ο τι αν λεγη υμιν ποιησατε

ησαν δε εκει υδριαι λιθιναι εξ κειμεναι κατα τον καθαρισμον των ιουδαιων χωρουσαι ανα μετρητας δυο η τρεις

λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους γεμισατε τας υδριας υδατος και εγεμισαν αυτας εως ανω

και λεγει αυτοις αντλησατε νυν και φερετε τω αρχιτρικλινω και ηνεγκαν

ως δε εγευσατο ο αρχιτρικλινος το υδωρ οινον γεγενημενον - και ουκ ηδει ποθεν εστιν - οι δε διακονοι ηδεισαν (οι ηντληκοτες το υδωρ ) - φωνει τον νυμφιον ο αρχιτρικλινος

10 και λεγει αυτω "πας ανθρωπος πρωτον τον καλον οινον τιθησιν και οταν μεθυσθωσιν τοτε τον ελασσω, συ τετηρηκας τον καλον οινον εως αρτι"

11 ταυτην εποιησεν την αρχην των σημειων ο ιησους εν κανα της γαλιλαιας, και εφανερωσεν την δοξαν αυτου και επιστευσαν εις αυτον οι μαθηται αυτου


Phillip Brassfield, Chairman of the Board, Ecclesia College

Phillip Brassfield,
Eclesia College - Pastor Ministry - no date
Laurel University DMin, Leadership, 2015
Logos Graduate School - MDiv

Board Members of Ecclesia College

James Barnes, Chairman of the Board
Lecturer, Waxahachie, TX
Don Wallace Pastor, Assembly of God, Effingham, IL
Inez Paris Ecclesia College, Springdale, AR - Widow of Oren Paris II, Mother of Oren Paris III, Grandmother of Oren Paris IV
Joseph Barnes Pastor, Abundant Life Church, Hardy, AR
Jack Wright Businessman, Fayetteville, AR
Dr. Oren Paris III President, Ecclesia College, Springdale, AR
Joe Salcido, III Pastor, Life Center Church, El Paso, TX
Bob McEwen   Former U.S. Congressman, Senior Advisor, Greenbaume, Doll & McDonald
Joseph Wood Deputy Secretary of State, Fayetteville, AR
Dr. Phil Brassfield President, Destiny Ministries, Heber Springs, AR


Ecclesia College Scandal Makes Freedom FROM Religion Happy
Arkansas Christian Politician Pleads Guilty to Bribery Charges in Bible College Scam - World Religion News


Arkansas Christian Politician Pleads Guilty to Bribery Charges in Bible College Scam - World Religion News:



"A corruption scandal involving Republicans and a conservative Christian college has served to make the point of the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF). The FFRF is a nonprofit educational charity whose mission is to keep religion and government separate. In early 2016, the FFRF protested that grants to overtly religious institutions like Ecclesia College were violating the Arkansas and U.S. constitutions."

Neal signed a plea agreement filed in court on January 4, 2017. He admits guilt and could face up to 20 years in prison in addition to a $250,000 fine. The plea agreement states: “Neal agrees and stipulates that he conspired with Senator A and others in the Western District of Arkansas and elsewhere to deprive the citizens of the State of Arkansas of his honest services as an Arkansas state legislator by taking official actions and using his official position to appropriate and direct funds to Entity A and Entity B in exchange for kickback payments.”

Read more at World Religion News: "Arkansas Christian Politician Pleads Guilty to Bribery Charges in Bible College 
Scam" http://www.worldreligionnews.com/?p=34278

'via Blog this'

Where did all the money go?
The linked story tells how checks were cashed for Ecclesia College
and people were given kickbacks for making the money show up.
That is called honest services fraud.

GJ - I could have told the authorities back in 2014 that the Paris family considered the college and money as their private property.

Arkansas Christian Politician Pleads Guilty to Bribery Charges in Bible College Scam - World Religion News

Arkansas Christian Politician Pleads Guilty to Bribery Charges in Bible College Scam - World Religion News:



"A corruption scandal involving Republicans and a conservative Christian college has served to make the point of the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF). The FFRF is a nonprofit educational charity whose mission is to keep religion and government separate. In early 2016, the FFRF protested that grants to overtly religious institutions like Ecclesia College were violating the Arkansas and U.S. constitutions."



'via Blog this'

The Brother-in-Law of Oren Paris III Makes Some Demands and Threats.
Two Former Instructors Are Suing Ecclesia College

Oren Paris III posed with Ted Cruz and his wife Heidi.
God spoke to Heidi about helping Ted become president.

Mr. Jackson,

Firstly, you have no idea what you’re talking about on your blog.  Secondly, what you’re saying is mostly libel and slander.  Thirdly, the pictures of my wife and other family members you have posted are NOT public domain.  In fact, I own the copyright on all but the one of Twila.  Please remove the pictures of Oren II, Oren III and Angie immediately or I will take legal action.

Sincerely,

Paul Snyder


***

GJ - My answers:

Firstly, you have no idea what you’re talking about on your blog.

GJ - My 15 years of teaching in higher education have taught me quite a bit about the topic, because the experience has included a community college, two universities, and Ecclesia College. I normally teach graduate students now, and I am often asked to be a doctoral advisor. I have revised a graduate course in communications for one university, taken 20 hours in journalism from another university. I have four master's degrees, one PhD, and various certifications in computers and insurance.

The basic rule of teaching at a college is - the instructors have earned a master's degree - at the least. That means no one in your family is qualified to teach at Ecclesia College.

 This is my photo of Oren Paris III,
posing near the future "classroom building,"
which was anything but a classroom building.
The musty old octagon building is the be-all and end-all
of education there, after 40 years.


College staff normally have master's degrees or genuine doctorates - PhD or Ed.D. Therefore, no one in your family should be managing an institution of higher learning. I saw that Oren III  finished his online DMin, but he did not even earn a Master of Divinity, which is a normal requirement to enter a DMin program. Since he is under a federal indictment, Oren should be removed from his position. So should the rest of your family, since you are all named for taking so much from the taxpayer's funds.

There are 12 counts of mail and wire fraud. They say Woods and Neal conspired to take bribes for steering the money to enrich Paris (he was paid $300,000 for his role at Ecclesia and his family together was paid $1 million, the indictment said). Paris paid the bribes through a consulting arrangement with a company set up by Shelton, the indictment says. Shelton in  turn paid legislators.

Source - http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2017/03/02/indictment-charges-former-sen-jon-woods-college-president-and-pal-in-kickback-scheme

A news source created this Photoshop for its story.
Will Paul Snyder sue them?


I was perplexed that you and your wife were running the online program, since both of you lack the academic background to do so. Looking at the college website is not edifying, since it was badly produced and not very honest years ago. Your wife posted names of people teaching who were no longer there. One was in a nursing home. Your wife also omitted names for two years - such as mine. Office of College Communications? Your wife should answer the reporters who ask about the federal indictment.

Two former faculty members have sued Ecclesia Collge. Has the Office of College Communications (your wife, Oren's sister) answered them or the news reports?

 I used part of this news photo, posted by a news source.
The best defense of a slander accusation is the truth.
If the facts are true, it is not slander or libel.
Oren Paris III is the only college president I have worked for
to be indicted by the federal government.


Secondly, what you’re saying is mostly libel and slander. 

GJ - My blog posts are either the news reports or my own experience at Ecclesia College. Inside Higher Education is a respected source of commentary and news. Are you accusing them of libel and slander? They registered surprise and shock that Oren continues as president while under a federal indictment - but his Mom is on the Ecclesia board and supports him.

Imaginary conversation - "Thanks Mom." Mom - "Thanks for the huge salary, son."


 I did not meet the late Oren Paris II,
but I believe he would be ashamed of how Oren III tried to use public money for the family empire: over 200 acres and the worst possible facilities.


Thirdly, the pictures of my wife and other family members you have posted are NOT public domain.  In fact, I own the copyright on all but the one of Twila.  Please remove the pictures of Oren II, Oren III and Angie immediately or I will take legal action.

GJ - I wonder if you have threatened the various news sources, who used many of the same photos, which are all over the Net. One reason for the many photos is that I created three blogs for EC (no charge, just to show what can be done). That was something your wife, Oren's sister, never managed to do. One of my EC blogs has over 21,000 views, but that seemed to anger and intimidate the Office of College Communications. I received a number of demands to "tear down those blogs." But I never saw anything else done in the social media, in spite of a verbose policy statement created by one of Angie's flunkies.

Paul - your family has enough legal problems without stirring up more. You seem to have missed a number of crucial details which obviate your legal threats. Fair Use is the most obvious. Someone is permitted to use photos for news and criticism, which I do as a non-profit blogger. When photos are changed for publication, that makes it a new production.

I would post your photo but I do not know of much work you have done at or for the college. You and Angie were renovating a house in Texas, the last I knew and I never saw you teaching.

I was disgusted with the way Ecclesia College was always asking for money and yet doing nothing to improve education there. Your family should be ashamed of all the taxpayer money you have used up to benefit yourselves.

Since your family uses so much money from the taxpayers, you have an obligation to report how it is used. Oren hired a secretary who was paid more as a cash bonus (!) than most of the faculty were paid for teaching - not to mention the plush salary also she received. Are there any red faces there?

 Plagiarizing English papers from the Net? No problem!
Bob Headrick - Academic Dean, Ecclesia College.
I changed the washed out color with Photoshop.

Bob Headrick hushed me up when I mentioned online teaching. I explored the deceptive EC website and saw that you and Angie had a monopoly there. Your utter lack of qualifications meant you were cheating the students who were paying money and using taxpayer money for their tuition. You and Angie could not get jobs at a community college!

If an athlete on one of the losing teams received an F for cheating in class, good ol' Bob let them take an easy A in the summer from one of the overpaid coaches. Such godly discipline in higher education!

 This is my Photoshop, created for the blog,
but anyone can use it.