Joel Price’s computer was searched by law enforcement officers in May 2008. In June 2008 Joel Price resigned from his position as "Youth Pastor" with New Tribes Mission, Sanford, Florida.
On December 18, 2008 Joel Price was arrested by the US Marshals Service and released on $50,000 bond.
On December 27, 2008, the story broke in the press. New Tribes Mission was contacted by many reporters and the NTM spokesperson told the media that Joel Price resigned earlier in 2008. The spokesperson "thinks" it was because of the investigation.
The spokesperson also said that Joel Price had been a missionary in Venezuela, but only worked as a maintenance man, not with children. A few reporters found a copy of NTM’s publication (NTM@Work, Vol.63, No.2, November 2004) online (no longer available online, but I have a copy of the PDF if anyone is interested). On page seven was a picture of Joel Price going over a Bible verse with an MK. Joel had this to say in the article: "I have recently returned to Venezuela to serve at an MK school. I am teaching senior high Bible classes and plan to start a youth ministry in the coming year."
When NTM was contacted about this discrepancy, widely reported in local media, the spokesperson was "unavailable."
In March 2009 Joel Price pled guilty to possession of child pornography; two charges of distributing child pornography were dismissed. In May 2009, Joel Price was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison.
Some questions come to mind:
Are we to believe that NTM was unaware that Joel Price had run afoul of the law until his arrest? No one knew that his computer had been searched, or had an inkling why? Joel Price’s parents are NTM missionaries. His wife’s parents are NTM missionaries. No one knew? No one prepared for the inevitable questions that the press would ask?
Between his arrest on December 18 and the press inquiries a week later, did no one do any research on his past involvement with the mission, specifically his contact with children? Is the NTM spokesperson so inept as to speak to the press with no knowledge of events? Or so duplicitous as to tell an outright lie? Is this "under the blood" since it happened before NTM repented?
How could NTM's official spokesperson not have known that Joel Price HAD had contact with children in Venezuela? Or, if they knew, Why did they lie? Is it OK to lie to protect NTM's corporate image?
When the press found out about the discrepancy, NTM did not rush to make a statement giving the painful truth: "Yes, he did have contact with children, both in Venezuela and as our Youth Pastor. I should have calibrated my earlier statement differently." And they wonder why people don't trust them?
Since Joel Price’s conviction, what has NTM done to find out if any abuse did occur at the NTM school in Venezuela? Was Joel Price himself a victim?
It may is true that "NTM's spokesperson or anyone in NTM [cannot] go to the police station down the road and say 'Mr Triber abused children in 1902 and we're here to report it?'" But, they could tell the truth today, even if it is to the unsaved world of the free press. They could fire people who lie to the public, or replace people who are incapable of doing a job that reflects on the integrity of NTM, its missionaries and its supporters. They could do that. But, they don't.
Why?
On December 18, 2008 Joel Price was arrested by the US Marshals Service and released on $50,000 bond.
On December 27, 2008, the story broke in the press. New Tribes Mission was contacted by many reporters and the NTM spokesperson told the media that Joel Price resigned earlier in 2008. The spokesperson "thinks" it was because of the investigation.
The spokesperson also said that Joel Price had been a missionary in Venezuela, but only worked as a maintenance man, not with children. A few reporters found a copy of NTM’s publication (NTM@Work, Vol.63, No.2, November 2004) online (no longer available online, but I have a copy of the PDF if anyone is interested). On page seven was a picture of Joel Price going over a Bible verse with an MK. Joel had this to say in the article: "I have recently returned to Venezuela to serve at an MK school. I am teaching senior high Bible classes and plan to start a youth ministry in the coming year."
When NTM was contacted about this discrepancy, widely reported in local media, the spokesperson was "unavailable."
In March 2009 Joel Price pled guilty to possession of child pornography; two charges of distributing child pornography were dismissed. In May 2009, Joel Price was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison.
Some questions come to mind:
Are we to believe that NTM was unaware that Joel Price had run afoul of the law until his arrest? No one knew that his computer had been searched, or had an inkling why? Joel Price’s parents are NTM missionaries. His wife’s parents are NTM missionaries. No one knew? No one prepared for the inevitable questions that the press would ask?
Between his arrest on December 18 and the press inquiries a week later, did no one do any research on his past involvement with the mission, specifically his contact with children? Is the NTM spokesperson so inept as to speak to the press with no knowledge of events? Or so duplicitous as to tell an outright lie? Is this "under the blood" since it happened before NTM repented?
How could NTM's official spokesperson not have known that Joel Price HAD had contact with children in Venezuela? Or, if they knew, Why did they lie? Is it OK to lie to protect NTM's corporate image?
When the press found out about the discrepancy, NTM did not rush to make a statement giving the painful truth: "Yes, he did have contact with children, both in Venezuela and as our Youth Pastor. I should have calibrated my earlier statement differently." And they wonder why people don't trust them?
Since Joel Price’s conviction, what has NTM done to find out if any abuse did occur at the NTM school in Venezuela? Was Joel Price himself a victim?
It may is true that "NTM's spokesperson or anyone in NTM [cannot] go to the police station down the road and say 'Mr Triber abused children in 1902 and we're here to report it?'" But, they could tell the truth today, even if it is to the unsaved world of the free press. They could fire people who lie to the public, or replace people who are incapable of doing a job that reflects on the integrity of NTM, its missionaries and its supporters. They could do that. But, they don't.
Why?
NTM 's spokesperson is not a lier you cant' expect her to know about every pervert in NTM there are too many of them and its not like they keep a list of them or anything you have to wait for them to get caught by the police. She is a nice person who has gav e her life to the Lord to be a spokeperson for NTM and all Gene Long can do is whine about Joel Price dont' you thhink its time to give it a rest?
I believe NTM and I dont think they meant to destroy any papers somethimes things get lost haven't you ever lost anyting I have many times but not my salvation which is the most important thing are you saved?
No comments:
Post a Comment