tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6111449885694140250.post8911480080790711094..comments2023-07-30T03:08:31.149-05:00Comments on Cottonmouth: “I was not asked to resign by the pastor or the elders.”Matt Eichelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03518932804450447938noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6111449885694140250.post-79759625513954534532011-11-29T08:55:55.642-06:002011-11-29T08:55:55.642-06:00Philip Gunn was not only acting as Langworthy'...Philip Gunn was not only acting as Langworthy's attorney, but as legal counsel for Morrison Heights and as an elder who was involved in meetings with pastor Greg Belser and the other elders for months while they conducted their own internal "investigation" into Langworthy's confessed crimes of sexual abuse of children.<br /><br /> These elders also heard directly from past victims about the abuse. They heard what John did to these boys and remained silent, keeping the truth from the church members, leaving John in contact with kids, and failing to go to the police. They also heard directly from John admitting the abuse.<br /><br /> At one point, Belser asked one of these past victims to assist him and the elders with finding more past victims and if he found them, send them to him and the elders, so that they could speak with these victims "in confidence." This request was sent in an email to this past victim in April. In March, Belser also asked a past victim to tell me to "cease and desist." The victim told Belser he wouldn't do that. This came after I emailed a Clinton high school parent representative about my concerns who happened to be a Morrison Heights church member of which I was not aware.<br /><br /> Even after hearing from past victims, they concluded that John was "safe" to keep on staff. These were Belser's words to me.Amy Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6111449885694140250.post-5022956968268673092011-11-29T07:29:20.309-06:002011-11-29T07:29:20.309-06:00I think you're making too much of the fact tha...I think you're making too much of the fact that Philip Gunn is a member of the church. He's obviously acting as an attorney, and his actions might well be the same if he went to church elsewhere or didn't go to church at all. As an attorney, are you suggesting that Gunn not provide the best representation he can to his client? I don't think this would be blog worthy if Gunn wasn't a Republican politician, but then I suppose I wouldn't be defending him. Like I always tell Kingfish, it's your blog so have at it. Bill Billingsleybillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04212014163842522498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6111449885694140250.post-44290049128579285892011-11-29T06:24:40.544-06:002011-11-29T06:24:40.544-06:00I don't mean to be dense, but is there really ...I don't mean to be dense, but is there really any way of interpreting Rep. Gunn's message that <i>doesn't</i> suggest that he's trying to cover up clergy sexual abuse? This does not reflect well on him at all.tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08817354843753498785noreply@blogger.com