Blogger Troll Receives Notice Of Pending Litigation - Federal Crime

[JTO Editor's Note: I write this article in the Third Person, hoping that it not be perceived as a personal defense of myself or anything that has occurred to me. For my part, I am content to allow God to use persecution to buffet my soul and have posted my view on such HERE. But, for the cause of Christ and His Holy Church I come to the defense of God's people who are the targets of an enemy who "roams to and fro, seeking whom he may devour."]

Minas Michael Christie, of Saint Petersburg, Florida, has received a cease and desist letter from a Nashville, Tennessee attorney, representing Nathan Lee Lewis, the author of the JTO blog and Executive Producer of Rocky Top Pictures, LLC. Sighting numerous infractions, the letter warns Christie of Copyright Infringement, which is a federal crime, punishable by fines and/or imprisonment and "demands that you immediately cease and desist all use of the infringing photographs and provide an accounting of all uses of the photographs..."

The letter focuses on Christie's activity on a Google blog he operates under the name Journey To Knuckleheads From The Underworld. The blog, operated under the Google name, MRXRISTIDIS, contains numerous copyrighted photos, used multiple times, and belonging to several owners, including Nathan Lee Lewis.  JTO has learned that at least one other attorney, representing a copyright owner, is preparing action against Christie.

"The blog appeared about a year ago", Lewis said. "I was mortified to see personal and copyrighted photos of my wife, daughters, grandchildren and myself displayed with vitriolic and mocking captions. My copyrighted photos from my business, blog, FaceBook, and church websites were also used as defamatory memes. Christie's blatancy and disregard for the law is astounding." Lewis said.

Although Christie's Knucklehead blog is his own, he is also co-administrator of an orthodox blog, Remnant ROCOR, operated by Joanna Higginbotham of Oregon and her priest Father Gregory Williams of Liberty, Tennessee. Ms. Higgingbotham is quoted heavily on Christie's blog and she is very active in the comment section. She also endorses Christie's Knucklehead blog via a link on the Remnant ROCOR blog, with this warning: "Caution-satire." Recently the "caution-satire" was changed to simply, "humor." Both Christie and Higginbotham's internet conduct were the focus of the August 7, 2014 JTO article, Blogger Troll Confesses To Criminal Record- Big Deal,  

In recent days, the Remnant ROCOR vitriolic posts, some of which also included copyrighted photos, have lessened, but Higginbotham's activity on Christie's blog have increased. Along with the link on Remnant ROCOR, Higginbotham has also posted an article specifically endorsing Christie's blog.

Lewis has confirmed that more than one legal course of action is being prepared against Christie,

"The copyright infringement issue is only the first stage in holding Mr. Christie accountable for his illegal actions," Lewis said. "There are also numerous documented accounts of his blatant lies regarding my character and business activities. His obvious intent to do me personal and financial harm through defamation and libel will not go unanswered. I am not only confronting this for my sake but for the sake of the other good and godly people, including clergy and their families, whom Christie continues to target."

On at least five occasions, Mr. Christie deliberately obscured Lewis' copyright mark, © 2014 Nathan Lee Lewis, from the photos by using a Paint or Photoshop feature or with a black bar. The U.S. Copyright Act. 17 U.S.C. 101 et seq, entitles a plaintiff to seek statutory damages of as much as $150,000 per act of infringement, but the intentional removal or manipulation of a copyright notice constitutes an additional, specific violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. 1202(b), stating,

No person shall, without the authority of the copyright owner or the law, intentionally remove or alter any copyright management information knowing, or. with respect to civil remedies under section 1203, having reasonable grounds to know, that it will induce, enable, facilitate, or conceal an infringement of any right under title.

The damages for violating 17 U.S.C. 1202 alone range from $2500 to $25,000 per violation, in addition to any damages for copyright infringement.

"If Christie honestly believes that he has the right of  "Fair Use" of the photos", Lewis said, "then why would he take the time to obscure the copyright marks on the photos? His position certainly will not stand a legal test."

Since Mr. Christie has reportedly published upwards to 100 copyrighted photos, he may have much for which to answer, particularly if other plaintiffs take action. A legal answer from Christie has been demanded by Lewis' attorney,

"If you fail to comply with the demands in this letter on or before (omitted), (omitted) reserves the right to take all necessary action to protect its rights without further notice to you."

According to Lewis, Christie missed the deadline and has yet to respond to the attorney's letter through legal channels, but initially confirmed that he received and read the letter, with a seemingly sarcastic and mocking comment he attempted to post on the JTO blog:

"Hi Nathan. I'm trying to get the [settlement offer omitted] together but I may need more time, my blood type isn't rare so they won't pay much for it at the blood bank. Also be assured that I'm working on putting everything on my hard drive on flash drives to send to you for review. I do need to be careful though as that damn Jezebel is keeping close tabs on me and may not approve of my action to settle up with you. I have a feeling she doesn't like you as much as I do and may punish me for cooperating with your requests. Please have mercy on me. Maybe you could pray for me, I could used a mediator like you between God and myself."

As of this post, Mr. Christie has failed to voluntarily remove the copyrighted photos from his blog and, in fact, has defiantly posted a new round of copyrighted photos belonging to Lewis, followed by a posting of the attorney's letter. In the post, Christie claims his right to use the photos and his refusal to remove them.

"It doesn't surprise me that Christie has pushed back," Lewis said, "but his arrogance is obscuring clear thinking. The letter contains his home address and he posted it for all to see. A very unsafe action in today's world. With the issue now being a legal matter and with Christie's obvious defiance", Lewis said, "my attorney is preparing the first of two law suits."

It is yet to be determined if Mr. Christie will continue to defy the law and ignore the Cease and Desist demand. Time will tell, but if it doesn't, litigation certainly will.

See Related JTO Articles:
Remnant ROCOR Co-Administrator Discovered In Gay On-line Chat
State Of Florida vs. Christie, Minas Michael

Of Scripture, Tradition, And The Saints

"Wherefore I exhort and entreat you all, disregard what this man and that man thinks about these things, and inquire all these things from the scriptures." St. John Chrysostom. 

One will notice that, although the title is, Of Scripture, Tradition And The Saints, the first quote to appear is that of a saint. Why? Because the quote emphasizes the purpose of this truth, that the writings of the saints are worthy only in that they lead us to the truth found in Scripture and Tradition. We know that the truth of the Faith, and the practice of the living out of our faith, is found in Scripture and Tradition. We know what is Scripture, but what is Tradition?

"The roots and the foundations of this sacred tradition can be found in the Scriptures. For it is only in the Scriptures that we can see and live the presence of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit...Theologians call this teaching of the Scriptures "the Apostolic Tradition." It encompasses what the Apostles lived, saw, witnessed and later recorded in the books of the new Testament." (1)

The writings of the saints throughout the years has opened to us windows of the Faith, allowing us to see examples of how one might endeavor to live out righteous lives, and abide in the truth as found in Scripture and Tradition. To emulate their lives, and glean from their words, is a vital part of the Orthodox ethos. Although these writings speak of truth and doctrines of the Faith, the saints are not the plumb-line of our Faith. Although this may be obvious to most, there is a tendency in some to elevate the saints over Scripture and Tradition. This is illustrated in comments found on some Orthodox Blogs. One blog's comment highlights a glaring imbalance when it states,  "Everything necessary can be found in the lives of the saints."  While it is true that necessary things can be found in the lives of the saints, it is an overstatement to say "everything" necessary. Everything necessary is found in Scripture and Tradition.  This might seem to be a parsing of words except for the fact that some have a propensity to glean their doctrine and practice via their preferred saint. Also found on a blog is this statement, "Let (preferred saint) be your guide." Again, though the writings of saints can be good guidance, the better way is to say, "Let Scripture and Tradition be your guide."  Another comment found on an Orthodox blog gives credit where credit is not due, "[Preferred saint] reminds us that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church." Although that saint may have said this, he was quoting the words of Christ. Why not just say, "Christ told us that the gates of hell would not prevail against us"? Are we to go through a second party for the truth?

I have seen Orthodox Bloggers who argue a point of doctrine via, not the Scriptures and Tradition, but via the experiences of particular saints. Using this flawed method, one could devise an entire emphasis for the Christian life, that, though it may be Orthodox, is not the full Orthodox Faith. Paul the Apostle saw this propensity and warned us against it.  "For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?"

The saints would reel over the idea that anyone would place their words, thoughts, experiences over those of the Lord, whom they lived and died to serve and preach. They would be baffled that anyone would look to them as the source of a everything necessary, rather than the Scripture and Tradition of the One, holy, catholic, and apostolic church, For it is "the church of the living God" ..that is... "the pillar and ground of the truth."

1. George Bebis, Ph.D. Tradition in the Orthodox Church