Ministry News

Curse You! (In a Biblical Way, That Is)

Details: Tuesday, 21 July 2009 12:04

Add one more to the "Strange, Funny, Sad or All of the Above" file. In March 2007, Edward Pinkney, an associate pastor at Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Benton Harbor, Mich., was convicted of felony and misdemeanor fraud charges stemming from a 2005 incident in which he admittedly paid individuals $5 each to vote absentee against a city official. After a judge sentenced the minister to five years of probation, Pinkney responded a few months later with an unusual move: Citing the King James Version of Deuteronomy 28:15-22, he wrote in a Chicago-based underground newspaper that God would curse the judge by "smiting" him with "consumption and with a fever and with an inflammation and with extreme burning." Adding insult to injury, Pinkney also called Judge Alfred Butzbaugh, who is white, "dumb," "corrupt" and "racist."

In June 2008, another judge then sentenced Pinkney to prison for three to 10 years—for violating his probation by using Scripture to curse his judge. (We're not making this up!) "As far as I know, Pinkney's the first preacher in the history of America to get locked up for quoting the Bible," his attorney said at the time as he made an appeal.

Michael Steinberg, the legal director at the ACLU of Michigan, made a similar statement in claiming the case marked "the first time in modern history that a preacher has been thrown in prison for predicting what God might do."

Last week, however, the Michigan Court of Appeals overturned the ruling and agreed that while the judge could restrict First Amendment rights as part of probation if there was an ongoing threat to the public, Pinkney's criticism did not warrant such restriction.

"This is a thrilling victory, one for the people," Pinkney said from his home, where he will continue to be under house arrest after the Court of Appeals also affirmed his sentence regarding election fraud. "I'm so happy I don't even know what to tell you."

Added Steinberg: "The Court of Appeals opinion reaffirms the basic American value that citizens cannot be imprisoned for criticizing government officials or expressing their religious beliefs." [Religion News Service, 6/18/09; AP, 6/15/09; the-record.org, 8/14/08]

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Comments

+2 #19 Carl R Smith 2009-07-24 05:49

I'm afraid that Pastor Ed just confirms what many 'heathen' believe about us-that we are biblical fanatics. It would behoove each of us to remember we are citizens of heaven first and foremost. I was unaware that "cursing" is a fruit of the Spirit. Oh well, live and learn. Ed might well give God and our founding fathers many thanks that the old covenant curse he planted suffered crop failure!

Carl Smith
Spokane, WA

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0 #18 Marlene Harrison 2009-07-23 11:05

It is PATHETIC that people are threatened by the Word of God! People need to read God's Word and then repent and then maybe they would not be sooooo threatened by it. That includes that stupid judge who sentenced this preacher to prison.

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0 #17 Bill 2009-07-23 07:24

Most likely Judge Alfred is dumb, corrupt and white (as compared with black) and also has been effected by so-called Christian decisions over the Bible as to whom should remain 'enslaved' and who should not. Whom is the lessor in God's eyes and whom is not ! Obviously the Judge (being white) was not happy with any corruption against the white system imposed in the area which remains predominate. People in public places and politics should get used to being politically spoken against and should get used to people using Bible to lash back at those who also used their Bible to enslave and justify unjust acts past, present, future.

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+1 #16 Linda P 2009-07-22 19:48

I think of all his 'followers' that he is leading down the destructive path of self-righteousness. A haughty spirit in God's eyes is worse than the vilest of sins. Hopefully this man will read and take correction from the word that his brothers and sisters have laid out before all to see.that God is not pleased with his actions that certainly are not
Christ Like.

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+2 #15 bobbi bannister 2009-07-22 06:13

that pastor should be ashamed for going against the law and expecting the Lord bless him you cannot pay people to vote your way :sad:

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+1 #14 Bill 2009-07-22 05:56

Deut. 28:15-onward states results which come about for those who refuse the "blessing" of Abe coming upon them. We doubt if this judge ever formally refused that "blessing" which comes from a beginning friendly "faith walk" with his God. Once one has begun that friendship walk with God, only then do these Scriptures automatically come into being (when one looses their salvation and looses their blessing). If this Judge was considering himself to be "once saved ALWAYS saved" however, then the minister was being appropriate to his fellow Baptist (of another color and creed).

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+1 #13 naiviv 2009-07-22 04:10

James 3: The tongue is a fire.........verse 9-11
with it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come blessings and cursing. My brethern,these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?verse 17...but wisdom from above is first pure,then peaceable,gentle,reasonable,un wavering, without hypocristy..When we stand before Jesus we will have to give an account of every idle word spoken.

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-7 #12 John T 2009-07-21 16:50

Quoting Michael J.:

This is hilarious!!

I will be praying for you Michael.

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+1 #11 boofer1223 2009-07-21 16:26

Quoting Andrea Graham:

What about ye who are without sin cast the first stone, or judge not lest you be judged? But I'm guessing the commenters here only like those verses when they're on the defense. It's biblical to examine ourselves and take the beam out of our own eyes before we leap to criticize another. And I will be the first to admit I am bad at that myself.

4If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

5I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

6But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

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+1 #10 marie 2009-07-21 15:20

I can't beleive the preacher said that! He should humble himself and repent of his sins instead of cursing a judge. God said we are to obey the law, There are so many people out there getting persecuted for their faith This preacher should be ashamed of himself! He is making a mockery of the Bible and of God.

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