Enabling Sexual Predator Priests is Relative

From Carole Stephens via Rape and The Holy Man

"BETRAYAL AT ITS WORST!!!

This notification is to alert you that a horrible offense was committed against my daughter at the hand of your brother or brother in law and then swept under the rug, as my daughter was coerced into silence, then later harassed by phone when this finally came to light.  She could not help but to confide in  someone, namely her older sisters, and feared disrupting the stability of her family as well as that of the perpetrator as she suffered in tears.  The senior priest she confided in also told her that this should never be found out. To my dismay, there exists a huge organization called SNAP and a whole website, pokrov.org, dedicated to counseling victims and families of victims abused by clergy  AND I HAVE HAD TO GO THERE!!!  Think about your own lovely daughters when you consider this.  The victim pays the price and so does the victim's family.  Mothers, be forewarned and vigilant.  Clergy members...JUST STOP IT!!!  There are enough sex offenders running around hurting children.  Can the church NOT be a refuge?  Where is God in all of this?"

Father John Oliver is the brother-in-law of Matthew Williams and is the senior priest at Saint Elizabeth Orthodox Church (Antiochian) Murfreesboro, TN.

Father John Oliver 

"Father Matthew and his matushka did call me after my circulating the letter. They had been confronted by Metropolitan Hilarion's office.  I was actually stranded in a Megabus atop Donner's Summit when they reached me.  We went round and round for a couple of hours.  Prior to that phone call, a few days earlier, Fr. John Oliver of St. Elizabeth's Orthodox Church in Murfreesboro (who NEVER called me) called me when I was at my brother's house in California, saying that Fr. Matthew wanted to arrange a meeting with me at St. Elizabeth.  He was willing to drive all of the way from Bristol to meet me in Murfreesboro to discuss the matter.  But I was in California.  When I returned to TN I asked Father John what Fr. Matthew had said to him about the matter.  He claimed that he did not know the details: though I did send the first letter addressed directly to Fr. John.  To me, they were passing the buck around.  They were careful not to admit to what extent the assault happened nor have anything in writing. I was the one who discovered the orgin of the rape and DID make a [*] written police report in Roswell, GA.  But they did not maintain it nor give it a case# because the victim did not want to come forward."

Fr. Christopher Stanton is an OCA priest in Lebanon, TN, who happens to be a second brother-in-law of Father Matthew Williams. This is a letter sent to Carole Stephens from him:

Greetings in the Lord,

Joyous feast of St. Andrew the First Called!

Father Christopher Stanton

I am troubled at the pain I hear in your email. Our first concern needs to be towards healing, both for the victim and those who surround her. I hope she and those who need it are getting the counseling and attention they need at this time. Closely following this needs to be careful attention given to the accused. If this accusation mentioned involves a minor at the time of the event then the authorities need to be contacted for an official investigation to understand what has happened and what needs to be done for, not to, the accused. If the event does not have to do with a minor then the appropriate ecclesiastical authority should be contacted towards the same conclusion.  

I am saddened by the need for such a general and widely broadcasted email. In today's world rumor and hear say holds the same power and often more so than the truth, and the ambiguous nature of this email certainly lends itself to such; if not plain slander. The scriptures call for us to cover our brother's sin (not to hide it which could lead to further sin) so as to not color nor prejudice others against each other. We live in a world of sin, even and especially in the sinless and spotless Church of Christ, and because of this we need each other for support, confidence, and consolation. Let us not think, say, or do anything to cause division nor disruption among us. 

Finally, I offer my prayers, sympathy, and what ever counsel I can for your recovery, health and wellbeing at this time. 

In Christ's love,

Fr. Christopher Stanton 

JTO Editor's Note: Read Rape and the Holy Man for further details.

Is the ROCOR/Antiochian/OCA Sexual Crime Coverup Cabal Crumbling?

Feel free to contact these shepherds at the publicly posted addresses or phone numbers. Surely, you will be received with the utmost love, respect, patience, and transparency! You may also refer to the posted link at the bottom for the names and addresses of others who knew of FMW's crimes for years and did little or nothing to protect the innocent.  Also ask Antioch and The Orthodox Church of America, what role their priests played in the cover-up of Father Matthew Williams' crimes.

ROCOR

Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia

75 E. 93rd Str.
New York, NY 10128
USA
Tel: (212) 534-1604

Remember: The Church is the bride of Christ, and all are accountable, especially the shepherds.

Journey To orthodoxy: Rape and the Holy Man Part Three -All are Punished!

[A cabal is a group of people who are united in some close design, usually to promote their private views or interests in an ideology, a state, or another community, often by intrigue and usually without the knowledge of those who are outside their group. The use of this term usually carries negative connotations of political purpose, conspiracy and secrecy. It can also refer to a secret plot or a clique, or it may be used as a verb (to form a cabal or secretly conspire.]

ROCOR, We Hardly Knew Ye...Or Did We?

[JTO Editor Note: This Press Release was issued only a short time after the alleged rape of the Stephens girl) 

Priest-monk Is Defrocked for Sexual Misconduct

SNAP

July 2, 2009

http://www.snapnetwork.org/snap_press_releases/2009_press_releases/070109_priest_monk_is_defrocked_for_sexual_misconduct.htm

[letter from Metropolitan Joseph]

Church Hierarchy Can't Shut Down Wisconsin Monastery

Clerics Are Linked to Notorious Now-Closed Monastery in Texas

Support Group Says “Vulnerable Teens and Adults May Still Be At Risk”

SNAP Urges Victims & Witnesses to "Come Forward, Get Help and Call Police"

An Eastern Orthodox priest has been defrocked because of credible allegations that he molested a teenaged girl in the 1990s in Wisconsin.

In March, Metropolitan Joseph Bosakov of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia ousted Archimandrite Simeon Gitlis from the priesthood. Gitlis was also removed as abbot of a monastery in Boscobel, Wisconsin (between Dubuque, Iowa and La Crosse, Wisconsin). A woman who had lived at the monastery in the late 1990s, when she was in her late teens and early twenties, had made a written complaint to the bishop alleging that Gitlis had sexually molested her.

"We're grateful that this dangerous man has been ousted from the priesthood, but fear he may still be at this facility so children and young adults may still be vulnerable," said Melanie Jula Sakoda of Moraga, California. She's the co-founder of SNAP Orthodox and of a website called Pokrov.org, dedicated to helping those who've been victimized by Eastern Orthodox clergy.

Sakoda urged victims or witnesses to call SNAP, the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. "I want to let victims know they are no longer alone, that they are supported no matter how they choose to start their healing journey, and that despite the pain, there is hope," she said.

In an April letter, notifying the victim that Gitlis was defrocked, Bosakov noted that the monastery was owned by an independent non-profit corporation. The Bulgarian diocese has since removed the monastery from its website, but the bishop cannot stop the group from operating independently. As a result, leaders of a support group called SNAP fear that vulnerable teens and adults may still be at risk at the facility.

The Boscobel monastery, called St. Isaac’s Skete, is an offshoot of Christ of the Hills Monastery (COTH) in Blanco, Texas. In 1999, a boy filed sex abuse charges against two Christ of the Hills monks. In response, the Russian Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), to which both monasteries belonged at the time, ordered COTH to disband. The Blanco monks refused. ROCOR removed COTH from its jurisdiction, but could not shut it down because the monastery was owned by an independent non-profit corporation. In solidarity with COTH, St. Isaac's Skete left ROCOR, later joining the Bulgarian Diocese. Additional allegations of child sexual abuse at COTH were made by other boys in 2006. The new charges resulted in convictions for four Blanco monks (one of whom was also convicted in 1999) and the suicide of COTH?s founder. The Blanco monastery is now defunct.

SNAP strongly suspects there are others who saw or suffered similar abuse by Gitlis, either as teens or as adults. The group is urging victims and witnesses to come forward, get help, call police, and contact independent sources of support.

Boskov and his diocese are based in New York City.

Founded in 1989, SNAP has more than 8,000 members and 65 support groups. Most members were molested by Catholic priests, nuns, bishops, and seminarians, but a growing number were abused by religious figures in other denominations. SNAP has a nation-wide toll-free hotline, 1 877 SNAP HEALS. The organization's web site is SNAPnetwork.org

"These Allegations Are Baseless!"

"Tread Carefully" Commenters...

Anonymous12:42 PM

A not-so-former Baptist tries to slander one of the kindest priests in ROCOR. Go take your nonsense somewhere else.

RobertNG1:17 AM

Do you know Fr. Matthew Williams? He is a kind man and a good soul. When I read these emails, I see nothing but crazed hysteria and slander. This is a disgusting article

Theodore_Harris1:09 PM

Fr Matthews is a saintly priest. St Nektarios was accused of raping nuns, several early desert father's were accused of impregnating prostitutes, but in the end (like this story); we see the same "one" is behind these baseless accusations

Theodore_Harris3:04 PM

Fr Matthew will be expulcated either here or the hereafter. This is an attack from the same "one" who baselessly accused St Nektarios of raping nuns and a particular desert father of impregnating a prostitute. Fr Matthew is a saintly priest and anyone who has known him can attest

Anonymous8:20 PM

I met Fr Matthew in 2023 for a friends wedding at his parish. He let me stay in the room at the church for a weekend. He would come to visit me and chat, making sure I had what I needed. Never a weird feeling and I have good instincts from experience. A kind and saintly man. I think these allegations are baseless. I watched him with his Matuska and children, and his parishioners. Slander and persecution are to be expected for men who are going the work of God. We should keep him and his family (and the girl and her mother) in our prayers 🙏🏼

Confronting the Blame Shifters Part Two

 

Confronting The Blame Shifters

Some commenters claim that Elizabeth Williams is being victim shamed. What they fail to understand is that Elizabeth is both victim and perpetrator. This blog and hundreds of commenters expose Elizabeth's intentional coverup of her husband's sexual abuse of her goddaughter 20 years prior to current events. When confronted with this fact, the commenters neither confirm nor deny the rape of the 15-year-old Stephens girl by Matthew Williams and Elizabeth refuses to comment. Insults and misdirection are the commenter's most common tactics. We are told to "rot in hell" and that it is we and not Elizabeth who are causing harm to the children. This is classic blame shifting.

Blame-shifting. This involves blaming someone else for the unwanted outcome that they caused or contributed to.

JTO has called on Elizabeth Willams to confirm or deny that she knew of Matthew's sexual abuse of the Stephen's girl 20 years ago. Her silence on this matter for 20 years is not acceptable and will continue to be the catalyst for others to refuse to see her as a victim in the current situation. Meanwhile her apologists and defenders continue their futile campaign to malign the reputation and character of those who have exposed her 20-year cover-up of her husband's crimes.

Elizabeth: What did you know and when did you know it?

 

Matthew Williams Arrested- UPDATE

Matthew Williams

According to Detention Officer Eller of the SW Regional Jail Authority in Abington, VA, Matthew Williams was arrested and booked into the jail today with no bond.

According to Eller, specific charges are pending, and other information will be released on the facility website by Sunday or Monday.

JTO will keep readers apprised of the ongoing situation. Readers are welcome to contact JTO with information at journeytoorthodoxy@gmail.com.

Updates:

1. According to at least one unconfirmed report, Williams turned himself in. UPDATE - Confirmed.

2. https://virginia.arrests.org/Arrests/Mathew_Williams_64382611/

Hebrews 12 Destroys The Trinity Illusion

By: David Lopez 

Hebrews 12:23–24 pulls back the curtain on HEAVEN ITSELF.

And what do we see?

23. to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of {the} righteous made perfect, 24. AND to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than {the blood} of Abel.

 

Bonus Verse: 1 Timothy 2:5. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men the man Christ Jesus.

GOD — the Judge of all.

JESUS — the mediator of a new covenant.

The Holy Spirit? Completely missing.

Let that sink in.

This is the final, climactic heavenly vision in the Book of Hebrews—and there's NO Trinity here. Just TWO distinct beings:

God — the Ultimate Judge of all!

Jesus The Mediator— highlights Jesus' subordinate and distinct role; he's not God, he's mediating to God!

Use logic: If Jesus were God, he couldn’t mediate to God.

If the Holy Spirit were a co-equal divine person, why is he absent in heaven’s ultimate roll call?

No “three-in-one.”

No Three co-equal divine persons.

Just what the Bible actually says: ONE GOD, and one glorified Son.

Hebrews 12:23–24 is a devastating blow to Trinitarian doctrine—and a powerful confirmation of True Biblical Monotheism.

When the veil is lifted and heaven is revealed, it's simple and stunning:

The Father is God.

Jesus is not God.

The Holy Spirit isn’t present as a separate third

person Being.

This is the Trinity’s blind spot—and it’s wide open!

Another "Drive By" Comment Debunked

"Nathan clearly fears retribution from ROCOR hierarchy, not acting on his conscience. There's a clear pattern where he is very gentle to hierarchs and their lackeys."

What is a drive-by comment? It is a lazy commenter who drives by JTO and ignorantly fires off an attack comment directed at JTO, which is obviously false. It would behoove the commenter to read a bit more. At the very least, look at the column to the right side of the JTO blog to see the most visited posts, all of which, at the very least, are not "gentle" to the ROCOR Hierarchs and date back to 2018. Rather, they are directed prophetic words indicting the ROCOR Hierarchs and even encouraging others, you the readers, to "Rise up" and confront those who are enabling such deviants to continue to destroy the people they claim to pastor. 

For the sake of this lazy commenter and others with similar anemia, I have posted links to several of the JTO posts that expose the ROCOR hierarchy. JTO will wait for the commenter to show integrity by issuing another comment correcting this false statement. Unless, of course, the commenter enjoys the anonymity in issuing such ad hominems and the commenter's role as a "lackey" of the literally challenged. 

Commenter! How can you read these and say, "There is a clear pattern where he is gentle to hierarchs and their lackeys", unless you haven't read them...

Journey To orthodoxy: Rape and the Holy Man - The Alleged Sexual Crime of a ROCOR Priest

Journey To orthodoxy: A Blast Is Coming, ROCOR

Journey To orthodoxy: Rape and the Holy Man Part Three -All are Punished!

Journey To orthodoxy: Is There Not One ROCOR Bishop Who Will Act?

Journey To orthodoxy: ROCOR Bishops Were Warned

Journey To orthodoxy: "They Must Be Plucked Out"

Journey To orthodoxy: The DNA Of Methods And Tactics

Journey To orthodoxy: ROCOR, Are You Next?

Journey To orthodoxy: Does ROCOR "Fear God and Care What People Think?" Perhaps They Should

Journey To orthodoxy: What Did Bishop Nicholas Know and When Did He Know It?

Journey To orthodoxy: Rise Up People of God!

Journey To orthodoxy: To Orthodox Hierarchy: "What Is Your Game?

Journey To orthodoxy: A Mother Maligned

Journey To orthodoxy: A Summary Of The FMW/ROCOR Matter

Journey To orthodoxy: Comment Profile on Father Matthew Williams

Journey To orthodoxy: Father Matthew Williams Has "Formerly Resigned"

Journey To orthodoxy: "They Look Like Men"

Journey To orthodoxy: Appeal To His Eminence NICHOLAS

Journey To orthodoxy: Hey ROCOR, Do You Concur?

Journey To orthodoxy: Happy New Year - ROCOR Style

Journey To orthodoxy: Does ROCOR Have A Systemic Problem?

Journey To orthodoxy: ROCOR and Sexual Misconduct

Journey To orthodoxy: Rape and the Holy Man Part Four - Sincerely, Carole Anne Stephens

Journey To orthodoxy: Comment to A Commenter on Rape and the Holy Man

A Biblical Unitarian Manifesto

A BIBLICAL UNITARIAN MANIFESTO

Reclaiming the Faith of Jesus, Not Just Faith in Jesus

WE BELIEVE IN ONE GOD—THE FATHER ALMIGHTY.
Not three persons in one essence.
Not "God the Son" or a co-equal "Holy Spirit."
Just as Scripture teaches:

“For us there is one God, the Father.” – 1 Corinthians 8:6
“The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” – Mark 12:29

WE BELIEVE IN JESUS THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD.
He is the anointed one—not God Himself, but the man appointed by God.
Born of a woman, tempted, obedient, crucified, and raised.
Now exalted and glorified, seated at God’s right hand—not as God, but as God’s chosen King.

“There is one God, and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” – 1 Timothy 2:5

WE BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT AS GOD’S POWER AND PRESENCE.
Not a third divine person.
The Spirit is how God moves, speaks, fills, and empowers—not someone else beside Him.

WE REJECT THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.
Not out of pride.
Not out of rebellion.
But out of loyalty to Scripture and the words of Jesus himself.
The Trinity is not biblical.
It is a philosophical patchwork, invented centuries after the apostles.
It confuses what the Bible makes clear:

“The Father is the only true God.” – John 17:3

THE BIBLE NEVER SAYS:
"God is three persons."
"Jesus is God the Son."
"The Holy Spirit is a distinct co-equal person."
Instead, it says:

“This is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” – John 17:3
“God is one.” – Galatians 3:20
“God is not a man.” – Numbers 23:19

WE AFFIRM:
Jesus is the Messiah—not a second God.
The Spirit is God's breath and power—not another person.
The gospel is about the Kingdom, not metaphysical formulas.
The Father alone is God. Period.

WE ARE BIBLICAL UNITARIANS.
Not heretics.
Not cultists.
Not liberal deniers.
We are Bible-believing Christians who take Jesus at his word.
We believe what he believed.
We worship his God—not a man-made mystery.

OUR CALL IS SIMPLE:

Return to the God of Jesus—the Father.
Follow Jesus as Lord and Messiah.
Reject human creeds.
Cling to the Scriptures.
Proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom with clarity and courage.

“Do not fear what they fear… The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy.” – Isaiah 8:12–13

John 20:17

This is our faith. This is our fight. This is our future.

#OneGod
#BiblicalMonotheism
#JesusIsTheMessiah
#UnitarianChristianity
#DeconstructTheTrinity