News of interest to former Christians
A prominent Culpeper VA minister charged last week with child endangerment has been arrested again.
This time, Charles V. Shifflett, 54, faces one count of "intentionally proposing [that a child under 18] feel or fondle the accused's sexual or genital parts," according to Culpeper sheriff's Sgt. Vern Fox. Shifflett is being held without bond, Fox said.
The charge alleges the incident occurred between Dec. 1, 1991, and June 1, 1993, Fox said. He added that the latest charges were brought by the unidentified victim and not as a result of a Sheriff's Office investigation.
Last week's charges were brought as the result of the office's investigation into incidents alleged to have occurred in 1992 and 1993. Neither of those involved any sexual misconduct.
Fox said yesterday that last week's two charges point to a single victim, not two different victims as the Sheriff's Office had initially reported.
Chad Robison, 26, told The Free Lance-Star Thursday that he was the alleged victim in that case. Robison was a student at Calvary Baptist Academy in 1992 and '93.
Fox would not release the name of Shifflett's latest accuser and offered no further details about the charges.
Shifflett assumed pastorship of Calvary Baptist Church in Culpeper in 1983 and transformed it from a 25-member congregation to one with more than 1,000 members. The academy, which Shifflett and his deacons oversaw, was added in the early 1990s.
Shifflett abruptly resigned as pastor about three months ago over what he called a difference of opinion between himself and church elders. He attributed the earlier charges to vindictiveness by some church members.
"It's strictly out of hate," Shifflett said Thursday.
Archie Seale, who says he is now interim pastor at Calvary on Alum Springs Road, said that is not the case. Seale said in a Thursday e-mail to The Free Lance-Star that an investigation began before Shifflett resigned and "was not initiated by anyone who is still a member of our church."
"We had the meeting [on Nov. 2, 2005] with the hopes of talking about the investigation but after about five minutes of discussion, Pastor Shifflett lost his temper, resigned and walked out, informing us to find a new pastor. Since this was the fourth time he had resigned, all [seven] of the men present accepted his resignation," Seale wrote.
Seale said Shifflett later gave the elders a letter--to be read to the congregation the following Sunday--saying that he had resigned "at the request of his doctor for medical reasons."
Following his resignation, Shifflett formed the First Baptist Church of Culpeper, which has been meeting at Dominion Skating Center. About 150 people, including many former Calvary members, are reportedly attending his new church.
link
This time, Charles V. Shifflett, 54, faces one count of "intentionally proposing [that a child under 18] feel or fondle the accused's sexual or genital parts," according to Culpeper sheriff's Sgt. Vern Fox. Shifflett is being held without bond, Fox said.
The charge alleges the incident occurred between Dec. 1, 1991, and June 1, 1993, Fox said. He added that the latest charges were brought by the unidentified victim and not as a result of a Sheriff's Office investigation.
Last week's charges were brought as the result of the office's investigation into incidents alleged to have occurred in 1992 and 1993. Neither of those involved any sexual misconduct.
Fox said yesterday that last week's two charges point to a single victim, not two different victims as the Sheriff's Office had initially reported.
Chad Robison, 26, told The Free Lance-Star Thursday that he was the alleged victim in that case. Robison was a student at Calvary Baptist Academy in 1992 and '93.
Fox would not release the name of Shifflett's latest accuser and offered no further details about the charges.
Shifflett assumed pastorship of Calvary Baptist Church in Culpeper in 1983 and transformed it from a 25-member congregation to one with more than 1,000 members. The academy, which Shifflett and his deacons oversaw, was added in the early 1990s.
Shifflett abruptly resigned as pastor about three months ago over what he called a difference of opinion between himself and church elders. He attributed the earlier charges to vindictiveness by some church members.
"It's strictly out of hate," Shifflett said Thursday.
Archie Seale, who says he is now interim pastor at Calvary on Alum Springs Road, said that is not the case. Seale said in a Thursday e-mail to The Free Lance-Star that an investigation began before Shifflett resigned and "was not initiated by anyone who is still a member of our church."
"We had the meeting [on Nov. 2, 2005] with the hopes of talking about the investigation but after about five minutes of discussion, Pastor Shifflett lost his temper, resigned and walked out, informing us to find a new pastor. Since this was the fourth time he had resigned, all [seven] of the men present accepted his resignation," Seale wrote.
Seale said Shifflett later gave the elders a letter--to be read to the congregation the following Sunday--saying that he had resigned "at the request of his doctor for medical reasons."
Following his resignation, Shifflett formed the First Baptist Church of Culpeper, which has been meeting at Dominion Skating Center. About 150 people, including many former Calvary members, are reportedly attending his new church.
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What you believe is not necessarily the truth!
You believe only what you wish to believe!
No one every saw Jeffrey Dahmer have sex with dead bodies and then eating them either! So with your analogy, Dahmer was totally innocent.
I was a member of that congregation several years ago. I have NEVER seen Preacher Shifflett alone with a teenage girl. I have never seen him hurt a child. These allegations are being made out of sheer vindictiveness. And he is not a Priest. He is married to a lovely lady and has 3 grown daughters who are devastaded by these accusations. He is a good man who is being trashed by folks who are ENCOURAGING their TEENAGERS TO MAKE UP STORIES!
If he is found guilty by a jury of 12, in a court of law, will you still believe that teenagers are making up stories. Yes you will, because any negative goes against your brainwashed belief.
Sorry anonymous, but you have been bamboozeled not only by this preacher, but by society and their silly beliefs as well. Time to give up the imaginary friends and live in truth, and not in fairytales.
That's a good one, by the way, about the priest growing "fondler."
The building of churches over here in Fort Worth is what drives our economy! I'd personally rather be in a recession! heehee
No, you haven't......because if you DID see them, they wouldn't been "alone", now would they? D'oh!!!
God 'less.
They can't stop building them over here. They've built two along my 4 mile trek to work in the last month or so. I see them all over the place being built. They pop up in no time.
There's a massive mega-church near where I live. The parking lot is not big enough so they have another lot across the street. On Sunday they have POLICE (our tax dollars at work) directing traffic and allowing masses of churchgoers to cross the street. I do mean masses.
I say those christians ought to have an overpass built between the lots and pay for it themselves with all those millions. Or maybe they should have a shuttle service. Nice to know that if I need a cop because I've been mugged the response time will be that much slower on Sunday morning.
Some of those churches here are right next to each other, or right across the street. Two different denominations! I wonder if they can hear each other condemning the other to hell...
Annoy, are you trying to lump us all in with that pedophile? Are you saying that becasuse we don't believe we are vile like that fundie preacher? Well I think that is exactly what you are saying. Luckly, I have a very high self esteem and tolerance for that kind of ignorance. I would not want to be in your shoes with such a stinking thinking. Check yourself deary.
"Let's get one thing straight, Mr. Shifflett brought this all on himself. He manipulates people, brainwashes them, uses them, and then, get's rid of them."
LOL!!! Really?....he *maniputlates* them?....he *brainwashes* them?....he *USES* them? Yoo hoo?....knock-knock?....hellooo?....anyone home?? ROFLMAO!!
Nevermind, fart-knocker...I wouldn't expect you to "get it" anyway. Okay, moving on.... you say that Mr. Shifflet "brought this all on himself", eh? Hmmm, how ironic---your "omniscient" deity, Yahweh, also brought on the very problem of "sin", and the whole "redemption" through "salvation" gag.
Y'see, Anon, Biblegod is a wuss-bag.....either that, or he's a complete moron. Why, you ask???.... because, A) He could've simply chosen not to "create evil" to begin with(ref: The Bible)...or B) He could've destroyed "evil" at ANY point in time AFTER he created it...right? RIGHT. Or wait, maybe Biblegod isn't "omnipotent" at all...? or better yet....maybe the whole CONCEPT of "God" is man-made?
Let's see....what's more likely--- a "God" who can "snap" a whole Universe and everything in it into existance, and yet, be utterly foiled by an evil pitch-fork weilding man in a red leotard(yikes!!!).....OR, there are no gods or devils and the Universe is natural, and self-caused. Hmmmm...?
What a reliefe to see that some peole believe in physical scientific evidence over and not a fictional spiritual "being".
What a relief!!!!!!
P.S. I have never trusted Shifflett and I know that he has mistreated many of teenage boys!!!!
Now as a 50 year old mother of two All I have to say to Chuck is...Pay backs are hell and it looks like you are on you way to getting yours!
Some things he forgot to mention.... he dated Shiffletts oldest daughter....he quit Rock of Ages Prison Ministry......... he is no longer ordained.....he is no longer married to his first wife......he is right if you dig a little deeper you will find a soap opera.....birds of a feather....
Culpeper Star Exponent
Friday, February 17, 2006
A new arrest warrant has been filed in the ongoing case of Charles Shifflett, pastor of First Baptist Church of Culpeper, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Shifflett, 54, has been arrested three times since Jan. 17 on charges of cruelty and injury to children, child endangerment and two counts of indecent liberties with a child.
Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jim Fox said the most recent warrant was obtained Thursday at 2:11 p.m. and had yet to be served as of that evening.
According to Fox, another woman claiming to be a victim obtained the Class 6 felony warrant for an offense that allegedly occurred between January and March of 1990.
The charge, “unlawfully causing bodily injury with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable or kill,” is one of five other felonies Shifflett faces.
The woman, who was not named, would have been 10 at the time of the offense. She is the third person who has filed citizen complaints with the Culpeper County Magistrate’s Office and has obtained warrants.
Chad Robison, 29, was the first to come forward and claims Shifflett physically and sexually abused him while he was a student at the school. Liz Bailey, 35, also a former student, obtained a warrant about 10 days after Robison for charges of sexual abuse against Shifflett.
The charges stem from incidents that allegedly occurred at Calvary Baptist Church, where Shifflett was the former pastor. The church also had a K-12 school where Shifflett was principal.
For all felonious charges, Shifflett faces up to 25 years in prison, five years in jail or a fine up to $12,500.
Culpeper Star Exponent
Saturday, February 18, 2006
More than 10 churchgoers, including two young mothers with babies and a Town Council candidate, crowded into the Culpeper County Magistrate’s Office Friday morning in a show of support for Charles Shifflett, pastor at First Baptist Church of Culpeper.
Shifflett, 54, turned himself in to authorities around 9 a.m. Friday after a warrant was issued Thursday for his arrest. He is charged with felonious assault on a 10-year-old girl in 1990.
Shifflett’s latest detainment marked the fourth time in a month that he has been arrested on charges of child injury, endangerment and indecent liberties.
Handcuffed and dressed in a short-sleeved white shirt, Shifflett appeared in General District Court around 11 a.m. Friday, and was released from jail after noon on a $2,500 secured bond.
“I’m out,” said Shifflett, departing the magistrate’s office with his wife, Janice, and the group of supporters at his side. “No comment,” he said of the ongoing investigation against him. “No ma’am.”
Mrs. Shifflett also had no comment. “I’m not going to say anything,” she said.
Tom Reese, a Culpeper auctioneer running for Town Council in the May election, put up the money for Shifflett’s release and said he also posted the $2,000 bond the first time Shifflett was arrested.
Reese, 76, said he is a 19-year member of Shifflett’s two congregations and a trustee at First Baptist. Reese, former mayor of Remington, said he is “100 percent sure” of “Preacher’s” innocence.
“Why would somebody wait 26 years, 20 years, 16 years to come forward with this?” Reese said of the pending charges filed against Shifflett by three former students at Calvary Baptist Academy, located next to Calvary Baptist Church, where Shifflett formerly served as pastor.
“I don’t think he did anything wrong,” Reese added. “I know he is not that type of guy.”
Reese tied the recent string of charges to the split of Calvary Baptist Church in November, when Shifflett resigned as preacher there and started First Baptist. His new church meets at Dominion Skating Center on Sunday mornings and evenings and Wednesday night.
“I think some of the people who split from Calvary are the backbone of this thing,” Reese said.
He added that getting Shifflett out of jail was more important than his own political aspirations.
“If it meant freeing the preacher, I’d rather do that than be on Town Council,” said Reese.
New charges
In the new arrest warrant filed Thursday, the alleged victim claimed Shifflett “spanked” her repeatedly during one incident in 1990 when she was 10 and a student at his school.
In her handwritten statement, the now 26-year-old women - whose identity the Star-Exponent has decided to keep anonymous - said Shifflett “called me into his office” to ask about “her sister’s birth control pills.”
“I told him I didn’t know what they were and he told me I was lying. He was also asking me if she was having sex and I told him that I didn’t know and he said I was lying about that. So he told me that I was going to get a spanking. He got a ping pong paddle and started to spank me.”
The alleged victim said she was instructed to “hold my hands together on the edge of the desk” and “if I started to move, made a noise or anything he would hit me harder.”
From his office, the warrant says, they moved into “the main church area where I had to hold the end of a pew. That is when he broke the paddle.”
The woman said she was told “to stand still and don’t move” and when Shifflett returned, “he had a new paddle.” The spanking continued for a “few more minutes,” the woman said, “then it moved into the side hallway where the nurseries were.”
At this point, the woman stated on the arrest warrant, she told Shifflett she had to go to the bathroom, but he refused her permission.
“After a few more minutes, I told him that if I didn’t go I was going to wet myself and he let me go,” she said. “I was hurting so bad at that point that I could barely sit when I got out of the bathroom. He continued until someone came to get him.”
The woman said Shifflett told her “to wash my face and go back to the class and if anyone asked me I just got in trouble and not to tell.”
The alleged victim said she told her father about the reported incident when she got home from school that day: “He looked at my bottom and it was bruised with red marks that looked like blood. He almost took me to the hospital.”
After that, she said, she did not return to Calvary Baptist Academy and her father enrolled her in public school.
“And now that this has come back up I have nightmares about it and can’t sleep,” the woman said, concluding her written statement.
Shifflett is scheduled to appear at a hearing April 4 at 9 a.m. in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. More charges in the ongoing investigation are expected, officials say.
Background:
In October, the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation of Shifflett, prompted by a church member coming forward with concerns of how the school was run.
- Three of his subsequent four jail bookings resulted from arrest warrants obtained by former students Chad Robison, 29, Liz Bailey, 35 and the woman who filed her citizen complaint through the magistrate’s office Thursday.
- Robison claims Shifflett sexually and physically abused him while he was a student at the school. Bailey obtained a warrant about 10 days after Robinson on charges of sexual abuse against Shifflett.
Religious leaders, appeal to god to absolve them of the things that are abhorrent to anyone with a modicum of moral decency. The status quo will remain, until religious leaders, their doctrine of hate, and the parents who push their children into indoctrination in the early years of their life are held legally accountable for their actions.
Ironic though, as much as I detest Shiffletts' actions, I don't think that an eternity in hell would be justifiable, if hell were real as portrayed by christianity. However, it appears that god has no problem with throwing him in the ol' lake of fire and throwing away the key, what a role model. I can see where Shifflett may have had a problem with a role model figure.
Many children who are abused, are ashamed, embarassed, or in shock and don't know what to do when they are young. Religion that preaches that people are depraved and fallen in sin, see themselves as naturally defective and at times deserving of the abuse they recieve. I know, sounds strange, however, abused children have common characteristics, sometimes aloof, sluggish, seemingly disconnected with their environment. When they finally come out of their state of shock over the years of psychological repression, they start the healing process, which starts out with anger. The victims, finally realized they were lied to, and were deserving of more than abuse, they finally learned that they were naturally valuable, and not defective by original sin. They finally accepted their self unconditionally, and dropped the religious baggage of sin and self abuse.
Anonymous 2/19/2006 8:59 PM: "As for the People in some of the post that don't believe in God, one even said there is no evidence to support that. I would suggest you looking at some of the 40 + thousand doc's. that are in museums that are preserved from 1000's of years ago."
Not one of those documents are signed by a Jesus. Many of those documents deny the divinity of Jesus. And, just because there is a lot of people who wrote about what they thought about, doesn't make it factually valid. There are over 1,860,000 web pages that have Santa Clause referenced, does that mean Santa Clause is more real that Jesus.
Anonymous: "It is overwelming the evidence."
Let see.
Anonymous: "There have been more buildings built, songs written, money given, lives changed as the result of one man who never traveled more than 200 miles from his birth place, only had a few friends, was unjustly tried and killed, and rose from the dead, than anyone in history."
This theoretical man, was only known for a short period of his life, the few years in his childhood and the last three years, per anonymous writings in the bible. The old testament, never mentions the name "Jesus", once, or "original sin" or "trinity" for that matter.
Anonymous: "You will ask how do you know he rose from the dead? Dont you believe the unbelievers of his day would have produced his dead body to disprove the Christians, if they had it."
Some would suggest, that there were no writings before mid to late first century CE that mentioned the name Jesus. Hence, if Jesus was a god, he sure didn't make an impact in his time, great enough to be written about. He didn't have one statue erected with his image, or one painting created. There is no archeological evidence for his existence, except the copies of texts that were passed through the generations. However, there were just as many texts that claimed Jesus was just a man, and not divine. If Jesus never existed, then, there obviously wouldn't be a body, or any archaeological evidence, and hence, there isn't.
Anonymous: "They could not because he was see of over 500 people at once."
The accounts of Jesus' resurrection, are based on writings written decades after Jesus was supposed to have lived. Why did it take that long to come up with the information. I mean, if a god died, and was resurrected, one would surmize that it would have made it into at least "one" document at that time. However, there is not "one" document of the era a Jesus was supposed to have lived, that mentions Jesus, at all, to include his resurrection.
I think it is time CHUCK SHIFFLETT took a long hard look at what he has done. Instead of running around
druming up supporters with his cheesey smile as if he is running for office---he should be thinking about what HE has done to his family !!!
What does Calvary Baptist Church have to do with it---he is no longer pastor there. Why do you call those people liars? What have they done? Those bringing the charges are not even members of that church.
Anonymous: "It's a free country and anybody can go to any church they want. I know I don't want to go to a church that has a child abuser as a pastor, Do you?"
Are you suggesting we should take your word, that he is a child abuser? I mean, you were there, right? Why wait until April to make a few observations, based on your statement.
Your point, that we live in a free country, and anyone can go to any church they feel like, may be true. However, the central view here, seems to be, not everyone should be a preacher/pastor, especially if they are a child abuser. It seems though, that Pastor Shifflet, has moved on to another church, after being presented with prior allegations of his 'potential' misconduct.
This may be a free country, and the individual rights of a citizen should be at the forefronts of our minds, however, when a person is openly accused, with written statements submitted to law enforcement, by a group of individuals for misconduct, then the accused is obligated to provide a response. Its how the system works, the pastor is innocent until proven guilty, however, he must respect the law, and respond to the allegations.
This pastor, chose, to move on, and begin anew with another congregation. Anyone, in public service as a leader who is accused of misconduct, should be suspended from their service, with benefits, until they clear their name, up-to a reasonable amount of time is provided to present their case in court.
This pastor, was not suspended from public service, and at this very moment could be continuing to engage in further misconduct. If this pastor would have did the "right" things, and went to court to clear his name, and the charges were found to be part of a personal vendetta against him, then he could have leveraged his legal right to counter-sue for slander, etc.
What is appalling, is that there is a public service leader, accused of child misconduct, who has physical access to children without restraint.
Further, if this pastor if found "guilty" of all charges, he may "still" have the opportunity to "serve" in a pulic service capacity, because being a pastor, isn't federally or state regulated, except for the purposes of tax law. He may be restricted from being exposed to children, etc., but that does not stop him from preaching the words that have inspired him to be who he is today.
Could it be possible, that this pastor's words and belief are part of the problem? If one says, this pastor's actions don't necessarily reflect the word of god, or the christian belief system (pick one of 38,000 christian denominations to choose from), then... why was he a preacher to begin with for so many years, without question. Perhaps, the congregation knew no better their own beliefs, and what this preacher taught.
Religious leader have to control their followers. If they can't, then they run the risk of losing their congregation.
There are many forms of control, one of them, is controlling the basic needs of a follower. How is this accomplished? Basic needs, like food, water, shelter, clothing, etc., require money. Money, requires a job, and typically a good paying job, requires an education. Therefore, religious leaders have found, it beneficial to keep their followers from becoming financially independent, by preventing advanced education.
If a follower states that they "will" get an education, and the family supports the decision, the religious leader will typically suggest a bible college or college that grants degrees that don't promote secular careers, i.e., piano, etc., as its difficult to become financially independent teaching piano lessons, but a piano teacher is great for free labor in church. I am only a few credits shy of a piano performance degree, from a bible college.
Its all about control, religious leaders compete with the economy. Our economic system, rewards people for getting advanced degrees and building this nation. However, religious leaders have a vested interest in preventing their followers from entering degree programs, that are philosophically contrary to religious teachings, i.e., engineering, mathematics, and science based degrees, etc. Its why... the U.S. has more international students enrolled in PhD programs in U.S. Universities, than it has U.S. citizens enrolled.
Religious leaders, at times, take the stance, that they have more right to lead the masses than the "individual" people, themselves, and therefore, block efforts for an individual to enter into society to gain financial independence. Moreover, religious leaders, also block efforts of their followers to climb the ranks within the church as well. Its all about control, and keeping everyone co-dependent on the pastor or religious leader, because without a steady supply of religious followers, a pastor doesn't have a job. And, its a job, and nothing more. Anyone, can pick up a bible, and read, and if they read really closely, they will realize that the bible in many places, just doesn't make sense.
Isaiah 45:7 - I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
This passage doesn't make sense, when a religious person says their god is a just and loving god, but obviously god creates evil according to the bible. Pastors, don't need educated followers, they need people who have no hope to escape poverty or a psychologically/emotionally co-dependent relationship. This pastor, engaged in tactics to control his followers; in any form he felt was appropriate - spanking, etc.
Religious leaders, validate their control levels by asking followers to engage in acts that are contrary to their natural instinct. If a religious leader can corrupt, a childs' conscience, they own them for life, as a child will slip psychologically into into a mentally repressive state of mind.
A child who is in that state of mind, will have a diffucult time trying to focus on education. Furthermore, a child who can not maintain clarity of thought, will have a hard time engaged in a job which requires high levels of awareness, as they will have a psychological ball and chain they carry with them for life. This psychological trauma, further perpetuates dependence on the religious leader/religion, its a continual loop of abuse.
The only escape... education, and it appears that this pastor seemed to deliberately derail each child's ability to gain an education. This isn't too surprising, its common practice with religious leaders who feel they need to "control" people, using religious rhetoric, and direct coercion.
I'm sure at one time they all loved and honored the ground he walked on.
Or is this just another case of the blind leading the blind?
Charles Shifflett bailed him out of jail and then turned his back on me and my 2 small children. God will have his way with him, and I will continue to pray for all those who have been hurt by him.
Even after all this has happened to C.S. and your family, it still has not occured to you that just maybe, just maybe, that the religion that this cretin was teaching and leading you people around like puppets could be fraudulent?
To me personally, this leading by example, I would want to burn the G-Damed church down with him in it.
The same thing happened at my parents church, the 56 yr. old preacher was caught by his wife in bed with a 21 yr. old woman, they just got a new preacher, no big deal, everybody just follows the wrong spirit once in a while.
It has nothing to do with the religion, god loves everybody, god is the same, yesterday, today, tomorrow.
Lets all join hands and sing all together now...cume bye ya my friends...cume bye ya.
I really just do not get it, how you nutjobs are just willing to forgive and dismiss any crime, fraud, scandal, rape, molestation, perversion, embezzelment, adultry, sodomy, crimes of passion, crimes against nature, the full gambit of whatever the fool preacher gets up and preaches against.
What it is, is that the preachers have this forgive the sinner sewn into the minds of his sheeple, this way should he, himself ever forbid get caught, his sheep will aways stand by him, ready to be forgiven, or bailed out, or lick his wounds and ass.
The more that I delve into the fraud of religion and jesus and preachers, the sicker it gets, I just do not know how much longer I can put up with this shit, this shit reaches way beyond sick, it is a mental psychosis, unimpenetrable by any amount of common sense or logic.
I've been hunting the right magical words for over 5 years to try to awaken you brainwahed christians up, it's now beyond words, there's a chemical imbalance
thats it, there's this invisible force called god, that only preachers have complete control of, that is poluting your minds, it's going right through your skull into the jack-ass nerve receptors, and once they get a harness on your brain, the preachers have complete control over you, you people are rendered completely brainless, spineless, wayward, zombie cult worshippers followers, lemmings, dolts, you're like sea gulls following a shrimp boat.
I would have never believed that adults were that sick, when I was just a young boy, religions are beyond childhood insanity, it's mentally induced complete mind domination, beyond the receivers own ability to recognize it, mind fog, deception, trickery, well that explains the daily news, and why the world is so screwed up and the masses of total insanity going rampant, christians are like rats on a sinking ship, except they do not want off, and leave their preacher.
How can a sane god allow religions to be like this?
March 8, 2006 12:50 am
Three more counts of child endangerment have been filed against a Culpeper minister who was already facing five similar charges.
Charles V. Shifflett, 54, was arrested Monday afternoon and released yesterday on $5,000 bond.
Two of the new charges were filed by Woodrow W. Leake III, who attended Cavalry Baptist Academy when Shifflett was the headmaster. The other was filed as part of an ongoing investigation by the Culpeper County Sheriff's Office.
According to court documents, Leake accuses Shifflett of mistreatment by paddling him in the fall of 1986 and forcing him to help cut and split wood as part of after-school activities from the fall of 1990 until 1992.
Leake's statement alleges that the split wood was then sold to help pay the salaries of Shifflett, who also was pastor of Calvary Baptist Church at the time, and academy teachers.
Leake also alleges that Shifflett "whipped" him with a 2-foot-long, 2-inch-thick and 4-inch-wide paddle after the student "back-talked a teacher five times."
Leake's age at the time of each alleged offense is not given on the court documents.
The third count, filed by sheriff's investigators, lists neither the name of the victim nor details of the alleged crime, which is said to have occurred in the fall of 1999. The victim in that incident was 17 years old at the time, according to a Sheriff's Office spokesman.
Sheriff Lee Hart did not discount the possibility yesterday the parents of the victims involved could be charged for forcing their children to attend the academy. He said such action has already been discussed and might be taken if Shifflett is found guilty.
"We'll have to wait and see what unfolds before moving in that direction," Hart said.
He added that it would be up to Commonwealth's Attorney Gary Close to decide if charges are warranted against any parents.
The Department of Social Services, which could promote such charges, has been involved in the investigations, according to sheriff's Sgt. Vern Fox.
Shifflett, who was pastor at the rural church for 22 years, resigned in November prior to the first charges being filed in January. He is now pastor of an offshoot congregation, the First Baptist Church of Culpeper.
link
Of course, your god has a reasons for everything. I wonder what his reason for pedophilia is?
You get a whole religion that is basically founded on Munchausen syndrome, i.e., feigning pain, illness, damnation at birth, sinful, etc., to get attention, and then have the great invisible sky daddy, act as the caretaker.
If god, is given comfort through praise, glory, etc., for inciting such behavior, and god is pleased, then god is nothing short of manifesting Munchausem by proxy, where the proxy are the spiritually sick children, who are so, so, ill.
Munchausen is not a DSM IV, diagnosis, however, its a sub-type of the factitious disorder;
"FACTITIOUS DISORDER, (of which MUNCHAUSEN SYNDROME is a sub-type), (also called "Adult Munchausen", and "Adult Factitious Disorder") is a formal, DSM-IV mental health diagnosis in which people deliberately exaggerate and/or fabricate and/or induce physical and/or psychological-behavioral-mental health problems in themselves. The primary purpose of this behavior is to gain some form of internal gratification, such as attention, for themselves."
http://www.mbpexpert.com/definition.html
I like that, it has unity. Many religious claims, are affectionately called "faithful" beliefs, and yet, I feel the more appropriate term is "factitious" beliefs.
Either, way, someone is getting some attention out of it. People who require much attention, because of their learned/developed social structure, will lean towards any method in which they can satisfy their social needs - even if they have to go to church or religious settings in order to get these needs met. I will admit, however, that some people go to support and give attention to others, out of a sense of loyalty and care. I won't call them enablers, but some might.
In the end, people go to church, because they have needs, its that simple. Shitlett took advantage of people, who had human needs. An invisible sky daddy, had nothing to do with his actions, well, unless someone is going to suggest they have factual information on god, else, god per the christian tradition, is "fictitious" DSM-IV, NOS 300.19
Just this statement ALONE shows the idiocy in such an assertion. Yeah, there's 125 BILLION *known* gallaxies, meaning, we are basically a grain of SAND on a vast beach...yet, Mr. Omnipotent is going to help the "community". HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!
March 30, 2006 12:50 am
By DONNIE JOHNSTON
The initial accuser in the case of a Culpeper minister charged with eight counts of child endangerment got permission Tuesday night to stage a rally in Yowell Meadow Park on the morning of the preacher's arraignment.
Jimmy Rudd, in an emotional and rambling speech, appealed to the Culpeper Parks and Recreation Committee to allow him to hold the rally "to support our abused children."
He added that it was not coincidental that the April 4 rally at 8:30 a.m. is planned an hour before the Rev. Charles Shifflett appears in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
"That's the same time [Shifflett] goes to court," Rudd replied when asked by committee member Chris Snider why a child support rally was being planned at a time when children are typically in school.
Snider hinted that another date might be more appropriate. And while Rudd at first entertained the idea, he then told the committee, "If I have to find a farm on the outskirts of town in a field with cow piles, I will have this rally!"
Rudd said he wanted to hold the rally on the morning of Shifflett's arraignment "to try to get the people to back the kids. I want to show that the county is behind the innocent ones who haven't been heard from yet."
In his statement to the committee, Rudd, a father of six, said that he is "a recovering alcoholic and drug addict" who has been "dry and straight for seven months now."
He added that he went to police in October and confessed to unspecified crimes that could possibly put him in jail for life. He said it was then that he persuaded the sheriff's office to begin its investigation of the 54-year-old Shifflett.
In his major event application--which the town refused to issue before the matter came before the Parks and Recreation Committee--Rudd stated that the maximum attendance at the rally would be 500.
In recommending that the permit be approved, committee Chairwoman Kathleen Snyder said, "It's a good cause and you're well-motivated."
She added that while she didn't anticipate trouble, she would still alert the town police of the rally.
Shifflett was pastor of Calvary Baptist Church during the late 1980s and the early 1990s. He is accused of forcing boys in the church-sanctioned Calvary Baptist Academy to work splitting and selling firewood, and of paddling one girl because she wouldn't admit that her older sister was on birth control pills.
Of the eight counts against the minister, only Rudd's unspecified accusations were brought by the sheriff's office. The other charges were filed by individuals.
Liz Mitchell - Staff Writer
Culpeper Star Exponent
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
--------advertisement----------
Charles Shifflett, the pastor at Culpeper Baptist Church who faces several charges of child abuse and neglect, is now being investigated for embezzlement.
“The Sheriff’s Office is investigating embezzlement allegations … and they are taking it in a measured and thorough manner, which is appropriate here,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Gary Close said. “My office is being kept abreast of their investigation, and we have met with potential victims and discussed their concerns. We will make a prosecutorial decision some time in the future.”
Shifflett, 54, faces eight charges of cruelty and injury to children, child endangerment, and indecent liberties with a child and felonious assault of a 10-year-old girl. The alleged physical and sexual abuse occurred nearly 20 years ago at Calvary Baptist Church and its private K-12 school, where Shifflett was pastor at the time.
According to Archie Seale, interim pastor at Calvary Baptist, the Sheriff’s Office obtained church financial records about three weeks ago.
“Yes, they have them right now,” Seale said. “They went back to 1987, boxes and boxes, and they are looking at them.”
Seale said the records contain checks, statements and deposit slips documenting financial transactions by the church.
“There seem to be some irregularities there,” Seale said. “So they decided they wanted to come and look at them. They are more qualified to look at them than we are.”
Close said his office has met with church members and discussed their concerns.
“We’ll address them as it appears to be appropriate in the future,” he said.
Sheriff H. Lee Hart said his office began the embezzlement investigation after church members contacted investigators with concerns. However, no search warrants have been conducted on church property.
According to the commonwealth’s attorney’s office, to commit embezzlement the accused must first have been in a trusted position and in possession of the goods of another. But one can also embezzle property that was entrusted or delivered to him.
The Code of Virginia states that proof of embezzlement shall be sufficient to sustain the charge of larceny, which if valued over $200 is punishable by up to 20 years in prison or a $2,500 fine.
If taken one step further, state law also prohibits money laundering, which is punishable by imprisonment for 40 years and/or a fine of $500,000. To commit this offense, the defendant must have conducted a financial transaction with stolen money.
Charges against Shifflett have been trickling in since January. Four warrants have been obtained from individuals claiming to be victims of his abuse.
In Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court today, the date for a preliminary hearing will be set, which will determine if there is probable cause to proceed.
Liz Mitchell can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 110 or emitchell@starexponent.com.
What we knew:
Shifflett faces eight charges related to physical and sexual abuse against children for incidents that occurred nearly 20 years ago at Calvary Baptist Church.
The latest:
The pastor of First Baptist Church of Culpeper is now being investigated for allegations of embezzlement at his former church.
What’s next:
Today, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court will schedule a preliminary hearing to proceed with Shifflett’s case
He's no different than any other preacher that has ever claimed to be a preacher.
They all should be checked out and you will find that 100% are all false, fake, snake oil salesmen.
Any person that will get up and tell people that god knows all about people souls, and he knows something that you do not, which both are invisible and have never been seen, nor can be proven to exist, if you're stupid enough to belive such shit, you need to be in a mental institution.
This is the problem with America today, until people wake up from their mental delusions, the majority of Americans today, are mentally insane.
This is so scary that we have the majority of Americans controlling and voting, that are completely insane and they do not know this, because there is so many just like them, religions are accepted as being true, therefore they feel normal and OK and accepted by society and most of them do not want to know that they are completely insane.
Lets have some more insane Christians come on here and defend these charlatons.
We're waiting, we know he would never do such a thing, he's a man of God, and he told me that jesus loves me.
It's my belief that Chuck manipulated and intimidated his wife in the same manner as he did others in his churches. Abuse isn't always physical.
I do feel sorry for her, but she should have stood up for those children even if she could not stand up for herself.
I hear a lot of talk and it makes me wonder?
Does anyone know of any more blogs on Chuck Shifflett?
Sunday, February 26, 2006 pretty much sums up Chuck Shifflett!
http://www.starexponent.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CSE/MGArticle/CSE_MGArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834368806
"I am have not been able to locate any information on The Fundamental Baptist Forum website that gives info on Chuck Shifflett. Could you please post a link or give more direction / information"
Anonymous!
Try: (simplemindedhickpreacherwhogotcaught.com)
Dan (Not quite an Atheist, but will think about it when someone adequately defines what God is)
As you can tell I am not a supporter of Chuck Shifflett. However, many people from the old "Ripley Community Church" still support him and feel he's a victim. And I am certain sure they will continue to support him even if he is found guilty.
corner so stayed tuned. All those facts and figures don't lie. I don't see how you show your face in Culpeper knowing what you've done to your family and the cause of Christ. You're a joke! No wonder you meet in a circus tent! I quess the saddest thing of all is the fact that you've never even mentioned repentance or forgiveness. You just refuse to accept responsibility for anything you've done. Well, you've been exposed for the pervert, thief, and whoremonger you are and none of your Hammond friends can help you. By the way, who really cares what they think? From what I've been reading, they're as big a liar as you. Birds of a feather really do flock together!!!!!!!!!
I was gone when they left Ripley and went to Faith Baptist. Seem I remember someone saying people were upset about something and other people left the church at the same time. I know there was a lot of teens in the group at one time and if there was anything out of the way back then someone out there must of seen it but it wasn't me. Sorry I can't be of more help. Maybe someone else out there can help you find what your looking for. BUT please tell only the truth-!
Those who are still following Chuck Shifflett need to think for themselves. Seek the truth from The Holy Spirit. Let God lead them. Not Chuck Shifflett or any other person. You have a mind of your own use it!
All preachers are CULT LEADERS!!!
The only difference between a Muslim and a Christian is the clothes they wear!!!
*******************************************
Happy in Jesus, you are completely bonkers!
God's about to reveal the truth!
Yes my friends, God's preparing to opening the envolope of truth right now!
Wait a minute, he's about to sneeze, OK now he's scratching is back!
Ok, this may take eons before God reveals the truth to us!
You're all a bunch of religious BAFFOOONS!!!
The mentally dead, leading the mentally dead!
Be careful Ben! Anyone who calls himself HAPPYINJESUS, could be dangerous!
All of these people who have their panties in a knot over the latest, grinning hick preacher who got caught messin around or stealin, are proud of their naivety, because their bible tells them to be naive.
Their bible tells them that they have to be naive in order to get to heaven. It's part of the escape proofing that the religious elite have written into religions ever since men invented God, in their likeness, and started writing books, and telling everyone that they were dictated by him.
Dan (Who ain't lovin nobody unless they consent to it)
****************************************************
Happy In A Lie(jesus)
You are a liar! you'll be back! just like Shifflett, you're a liar!
All preachers are liars, all christians are liars, Jesus was a liar, the Bible is a lie!
You've been told so many lies you could not recognize truth if it run over you.
You're just plainly ignorant, because you want to be, any person can put up a sign that says, House of God, or Jesus Saves, or Church, and people like you will flock to it and say this man must surely be a man of God, but when they get caught, molesting children or embezzeling or adultery, well he was temped by Satan, and who will cast the first stone.
It takes a lie to perpetuate a lie, just like Jesus did, he said that there will be some of them that stand here which shall not taste of death until they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
Peter lied to Jesus 3 times, how many times have you told a lie?
Happy you are a liar, living in a lie, you love a lie, you are the father of a lie!
Go to my weblog for prayer and consultation!
Ah, unless Allah is the one true god.
Of course, you've also lost your entire life running after and converting other people to a delusion.
I guess people who have lost their minds have lost nothing either.
He lied 3 times, and yes it was to Jesus about Jesus!
David grow up! you're pathetic!
He still stands proud and tall with no shame.
It took over 20 years for enough people to stand up to Chuck at the same time to make a difference. Some of those same people at one time in thier life would have fought for Chuck. But then they saw the truth. There are some good people who go to his church they just don't see him in light of truth yet.
Everyone has problems and makes mistakes. I thought this was about Chuck Shifflett and the lives he has hurt.
My heart goes out to those who have been hurt by him. And to those who still live in fear of him.
Don't go after others in the name of "Shiffllett"----then you leave the true issues and that is just whar he wants.
My child has a better education in 3rd grade then we did in that school. We never took algebra when I went we took "How to be a Lady" and wear make up and how to sew clothes and how to be a good woman even though we were still kids. I ended up having to get my GED and take classes before I could get that. And go to college I have to take a bunch more high school classes cuz we never did it. I hope that the children that are there now are getting a better education than we did.
All I have to say is I know that the people that are coming forward are telling the TRUTH...I have seen it and been on the receiving end of a lot of his crap. Never again. And for the parents that never believed there children...and still choose to follow Shifflett...SHAME ON YOU!!!!!...YOU CHILDREN SHOULD ALWAYS COME FIRST. If one of my kids ever came to me about something like that I would not hesitate to believe them. The trial date is soon approaching and I can't wait to hear the result..Whether the jury and judge find him guilty or not...He will still have another judgement to go through in the end.
I have had a lot of trouble ever trusting anyone becuase of the lies that man has told and the emotional crap he put me through along with my family. I am glad that he has finally gotten caught and I just hope that he gets the punishment that he deserves. For the people that still are with this "Preacher" I hope that you will one day open your eyes and get out of his control and see him for what he really is. A Fake.
What is it going to take to convence you nut cakes that all preachers and all religions are totally false and fake?
Why is it that all you religious NUTS, Refuse, Plainly Refuse to see that the Bible and Qu'ran and Politicians and all Preachers are all fakes, running a Hoax, a con?
Why are you guys so scared of Truth, the Truth is, IT's all a LIE! A frigging LIE, are you all so ignorantly so stupid that you cannot recognize a total LIE?
False Prophets and False Preachers, Swindlers and Snake Oil Salemen Liars Cheaters Fakes
Billy Graham Benny Hinn Jimmy Swaggart Pat Robertson Jack Van Impe Jerry Falwell Joel Olsteen Jim Bakker Joyce Meyer Robert Schuller Oral Roberts Leroy Jenkins Arnold Murry John Haggee Kenneth Copeland Dr.Gene Scott Charles Shifflet Tom Tewell etc.etc.etc. add you favorite fake preacher here ________________ they're all self elected and totaly fakes.
The reason that you IDIOTS refuse to see them as fakes is because they tell you how wonderful you are and you're stupid enough to believe it, and then you give them money to tell you how wonderful you are and you're going to heaven, you're all totally INSANE. The people that wrote the bible were totally insane, that's the reason you believe the bible is because you too are totally INSANE!
Surely you are not suggesting that Billy Graham is a fake? You are talking about a man who has counseled presidents about God.
Are you saying that Billy doesn't know any more about God than, say Billy Carter or George bush?
The reverend Graham has spoken to millions of people about the lake of fire that awaits those who do not believe that Jesus was the "Son of God" ,who was born of a mortal virgin, impregnated by an angel (Some kind of surrogate arrangement) and then sacrificed to his heavenly father as payment for all of the sins committed by all of his other children.
Ben! You know in your heart that Billy Graham is anointed by God himself, to go around the world having huge crusades and collecting millions and millions of dollars for the very special "Billy Graham Ministries," so that his children can be comfortable as they go all over the world themselves, teaching the secret stuff, that only someone of Reverend Graham's stature has been blessed with, and has passed down to his children.
I do know that I see on television every evening, commercials for a very special book written by his son that explains in detail, why it is so important to believe that Jesus was indeed exactly who he said he was, and other profound things, that only the son and heir to all the wonderful knowledge that God exclusively gave to Billy!
You can tell by the authoritative (Well, maybe not so authoritative anymore) southern drawl that Billy is the real thing. If he didn't know special stuff about God, he would not have been blessed with that good OLE southern charm.
What I'm getting at Ben, is that millions of good hardworking salt of the earth believers in Christ, think Billy is just one little notch below Jesus himself, so it must be true!
Dan (A Yankee, living in Baptist Land (NC)
Remember Shifflett is working for god, he can do Nowrong!
I can't wait to hear about his trial tomorrow. 1 more day. I hope they find him guilty. I hope that everything come out to the whole world. Some of these people that are to be witnesses know the truth and I hope that it all comes out. I know of 1 person that he has had his affairs with also, and I am pretty sure of others. Maybe when it comes out their husbands will open their eyes too.
Like someone else said if it was my child that shifflett did this too there would not need to be a trial...I agree with you.
Down to hours now....we shall see.
BE SURE YOUR SINS WILL FIND YOU OUT!!!!! ALL OF YOU! this could get even more interesting.
Man what a great job this man has done, look at how many souls he's kept out of Hell.
Boy we sure need more preachers like ole Shifflett, he's been sending souls to Heaven left and right for all these years.
I wonder how many souls Billy Graham has sent to Heaven, and Benny Hinn, and Pat Roberstson and Jerky Fartwell, etc. man, when we all get to Heaven, we'll get to be with all those great preachers, what a stinking thrill.
Liz Mitchell
Staff Writer
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Commonwealth’s Attorney Gary Close says he is playing hardball in the case of Charles Shifflett, the First Baptist Church of Culpeper pastor who is facing charges of physical and sexual abuse against children.
While Shifflett’s lawyer, Samuel Higginbotham, waived his client’s right to a preliminary hearing in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Wednesday, Close said the case would have never been heard at that level anyway.
“We were playing hardball with them,” Close said. “They agreed to waive, so they didn’t have to pay more bond. We were not going to have a preliminary hearing. That is a trial tactic and we felt it made our case stronger.”
The pastor attended his scheduled preliminary hearing to finalize paperwork with his lawyer.
Dressed in a suit and tie, Shifflett stood before Judge Frank W. Somerville and was pleasant with passersby in the courthouse hallway.
While he did not make any comments on his case, he did say, “I’d rather be in church.”
Court process
If the defense did not waive its right to the hearing, Close said he would have directly indicted all charges to the grand jury that meets Monday.
If the grand jury decides there is enough evidence to try the case, it would be heard in Circuit Court at a later date.
The strategy behind a direct indictment is to keep victims from having to testify more than once, Close said.
“To try it one time,” Close said. “And not build in any artificial traps for them, which is what a preliminary hearing would do.”
But if the defense did not waive its right and the grand jury issued indictments on his charges, Shifflett would have had to go through an arrest and bond process again.
Background
Shifflett, 54, faces six charges for cruelty and injury to children and indecent liberties with children.
Originally he was facing eight charges but the commonwealth dropped three of those in juvenile court Wednesday.
Five of the charges stem from the original investigation and citizen-obtained warrants. But the sixth charge, related to cruelty and injury to children, is a new charge that will be directly indicted to the grand jury, according to Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Smith. If indicted on the new charge, Close said Shifflett would be subject to another arrest and bond hearing.
Jimmy Rudd, the father of one of the alleged victims, was the only other person who attended the scheduled hearing outside of lawyers, investigators and members of the media.
Rudd, 37, organized a support rally for victims of child abuse in April. Since the Shifflett investigation began in October, Rudd has had plans to organize a child abuse prevention campaign, which is in the works, he said.
“I’ll be so glad when all of this is over,” Rudd said. “I wanted to see him face to face. Justice will be served.”
Shifflett is scheduled to appear in court Monday at 9:30 a.m.
Liz Mitchell can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 110 or emitchell@starexponent.com.
At a glance
What we knew: Shifflett was facing eight charges related to physical and sexual abuse against
children for incidents that occurred nearly 20 years ago at Calvary Baptist Church. He is also being investigated for allegations of embezzlement.
What he’s facing: Shifflett, now the pastor of First Baptist Church of Culpeper, is now facing six charges related to cruelty and injury to children and indecent liberties with children.
The latest: Shifflett waived his preliminary
hearing and the case will move to a grand jury Monday
You all have gladly voluntarly and willingly have accepted the book of lies as the truth and now you look at Shifflett as being any different than any other person that has self-elected himself to be called from a make believe god.
What MAN? can represent a holy creator god?
What MAN? can hold himself worthy to speak for an invisible supreme creator?
What MAN? can honestly say that the knows what a god is thinking?
What MAN? can say that he knows the word of god when it been translated over 1600 times and been embellished and doctored and filtered and things withheld and mistranslated and misunderstood.
What MAN? can pretend that he knows more about an invisible god than anyone else?
What MAN? can know more than is known than anyone else, that is not of this Earth?
What MAN? can say honestly he has a connection to supreme knowledge?
Why don't you all admit that you've been "had" taken to the cleaners, brainwashed, duped, tricked, stumped?
Why are you all so afraid of the truth, you'll run around in circles, and jump through mental gymnasyics to justify and make excuses for your own silly ignorance.
For some reason, based out of fear, you christians are so afraid to see the truth, that you've all been taken by your time and your money and your brains ability to think and to reason have been stolen away from you, stolen taken away from you!
Billy Graham? What is he? Nothing, just a MAN, that's all, nothing more.
Name any preacher! What is he? A MAN, nothing more!
A preacher is a MAN with lips and he makes noises, the noises that you want to hear, the noises that you are willing to give up your own ability to think and reason, for those noises.
You even give those preachers your money to make those noses that you want to hear, can't you all see how insane that is?
A preacher is a souped up MONKEY making noises that you scared MONKEYS want to hear.
Then you say that you are Happy in a Lie(jesus), then you will say Pray For More Lies.
You christians are wallowing around in a lie, like home made biscuits, you are rolling yourselves around like dough in flour and the flour is the lie that you all desire to be true, and then in the final product you're eaten alive and now you just can't believe anyone would try to deceive you, no, not you, you could not possibly be deceived, no way.
No christians could never be lied to, by a preacher, no way!
A preacher never lies and never commits crimes, no never no way!
A preacher is the official mouth piece directly from god.
Preachers are perfect!
Preachers represent god directly!
Preachers have wisdom sent to the from god!
Preachers know all there is to be known by mankind sent directly from god.
Preachers saves souls for god to collect!
Without preachers, the world is doomed!
All preachers are liars, con-artists, tricksters, fools, sleeze bags, theives, robbers, scum, evil, trash, but you cannot see it.
from the Star Exponent
As a child, Robert Hammonds yearned for acceptance at Calvary Baptist Academy.
But the constant physical and mental abuse he says he experienced prompted him to leave the K-12 private school in eighth grade.
Now, at 27, Hammonds has been identified as a new victim in the ongoing case against Charles Shifflett, the pastor at First Baptist Church of Culpeper who resigned from Calvary in November.
On Monday, a grand jury indicted Shifflett on seven charges of physical and sexual abuse against children for incidents that occurred at his former church nearly 20 years ago.
Two of the charges of cruelty and injury to children are new; the commonwealth directly indicted these charges to the grand jury in connection with an ongoing investigation by the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office.
According to court records, Hammonds is the victim of one of the new charges. The other is Culpeper resident Chad Robison, 29, who was the first person to come forward in the case. The commonwealth said the new charge involving Robison is sexual in nature but is considered “tormenting” a child because it cannot be proven that Shifflett had lascivious intent.
Shifflett, 54, faces three other counts of cruelty and injury to children and two counts of indecent liberties with children. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Circuit Court Aug. 22, and a date for a trial will be set that day.
As of Tuesday evening, he had not been arrested on the new charges. The Sheriff’s Office could not confirm what the new charge in relation to Hammonds entailed, stating it had yet to receive the paperwork. And the commonwealth’s attorney is on vacation.
But last week, the Star-Exponent obtained an interview with Hammonds, who has been incarcerated for the past 10 years at the Lawrenceville Correctional Center on charges of malicious wounding and robbery.
It was 1995 when a judge sentenced Hammonds, 16, to hard time for a crime that took place in Culpeper. A few years before, Hammonds told the Star-Exponent from a prison telephone, he was one of Shifflett’s many young victims.
Robert Hammonds’ story
Hammonds said when he attended Calvary Baptist Academy as a middle schooler in the early 1990s he was the only black student and constantly referred to in derogatory terms.
“I didn’t enjoy my time there because, as you expect, there was a lot of abuse going on at that school,” Hammonds said. “Physical abuse and, more than anything, mental abuse.”
Hammonds said he started attending Calvary Baptist Church with his mother at the age of 6. When the opportunity came to join the school - Hammonds can’t remember exactly what years he attended - he accepted because it was free tuition and he was hoping to fit in with the other children.
“Looking back at it, I never was accepted as a part of them,” Hammonds said. “And then, one night, I was shot at. Charles Shifflett came to me one day and told me that if he caught me talking to the white girls again that he would kill me. After church service, he was walking across the parking lot. Someone shot at me as I walked by the truck.”
Hammonds said he does not think Shifflett shot at him then.
However, Hammonds said he was shot at a second time when he and other boys were forced to cut down trees, which were then sold to pay for teachers’ salaries.
“He shot a hat off my head,” Hammonds said of Shifflett. “There is an area we would go and cut up wood. I was walking up there and he shot the hat off my head. … He told me to get up the hill. The guys, they went up the hill in a truck but he made me walk. I wasn’t moving up the hill fast enough so he shot the hat off my head.”
Hammonds said there were some witnesses to the incident but everyone laughed it off out of fear or toleration.
“You kind of dismissed it as guys being guys,” he said, “but no responsible man does that to children.”
Hammonds said boys were not only abused with corporal punishment but they were forced to pick up horse manure with their bare hands and threatened daily with verbal comments from Shifflett and other churchmen.
Hammonds said as the sole black student there, he felt he was treated as a slave when Shifflett forced him, and not other students, to do chores.
Shifflett has repeatedly denied requests for interviews regarding his case, saying he will not discuss the accusations until after his trial.
“He would make me tow bricks, tow logs - and I still have injuries from toting those logs - drive a tractor, which I could not drive, pick up horse manure,” Hammonds said. “I would clean all the time, just like I was a slave and nobody was doing it with me. He had a pony or baby horse and he pushed the horse in the face and made it kick me. I suffered injuries but I just sucked it up.”
On one occasion, Hammonds said, Shifflett and others were in a truck and chased him through a field until they hit him.
“I just laid down on the ground, hit the bed of the truck and rolled; and I wanted to pretend I was dead just in case they tried to do it again,” Hammonds said. “They started to get worried that I was dead. They took me to the restaurant and gave me something to eat.”
An early father figure
Growing up, Hammonds was one of eight children raised by a single mom. Since he did not have a father, Hammonds said he initially looked up to Shifflett as an example.
But as time went on, he changed his opinion of his pastor.
When he couldn’t take any more, he left the church and did not involve his parents or other adults in what he says he witnessed and experienced.
“I never really considered getting anyone else involved because I always felt like I was a loner,” Hammonds said. “As an adolescent, you think things are funny. I thought things were funny but as it went on I thought, maybe this is not a joke.
And when they start to become reality, I started to see this man really did see me as a nigger, as a slave, as something to use.”
As a student at Calvary’s school, Hammonds said he learned his limits, which prepared him for prison.
He gets out in three months if he stays on good behavior.
For the past 10 years, he said, he’s learned how to articulate his feelings and avoid expressing himself in a physical way.
While he’s not certain of his future, he says he is looking forward to being a productive and responsible citizen.
I just don't understand how come Charles Shifflett is still out walking the streets and so called "preaching." I pray that he is not still hurting any more innocent children. WAKE UP PEOPLE OF FIRST BAPTIST YOU PREACHER IS A CHILD ABUSER AND A MOLESTER. SAVE YOUR CHILDREN!!!
Aug.22 will only set the trial date so it will be a while before it is all over and for some I'm sure it will never end.
As I reread the letters I wonder where those 100%ers are?
God is a just and caring and loving god, just ask the 6 million Jews he let Hitler kill.
God loves everybody!
God loves the sinner, but hates the sin!
God will take care of everything!
God will search his heart and forgive him!
Just ask jesus to forgive you!
Jesus saves!
What a bunch of idiots!
You say you love jesus, but you're just saying such nonsense with your mouth, which means absolutely nothing.
You have no idea what jesus is or was, you just think you love an imaginary myth.
Jesus was a myth converted into a grandiose lie and cover up.
You say that you love the myth concept of jesus, but you really do not know nothing in truth about a jesus.
You love a myth called jesus, you have no real idea about whom jesus was.
Jesus was mainly a negroid, now would you love a negroid as much as you pretend that you do? No!
Yes we invite all you victims back to come worship our imaginary god and new preacher with us. Maybe just maybe our new preacher will be kind enough to wait 6 months before he divides to start molesting the congregation, although I doubt it.
This time we'll be sure to get a REAL christian preacher this time, hopefully he's not a homosexual, but who knows, only god can search his heart.
We all just need to pray harder this time, so we will be sure to get a Real man o god.
Nothing fails like prayer, preachers and christianity and god.
What REAL idiots!
You're all going straight to H
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