General Discussion

blitzen

(4,572 posts) Sat Apr 18, 2020, 05:16 AM Apr 2020

Criminal Louisiana Preacher kills one of his churchgoers, calls the Coroner a liar...

and the bastard pastor's dumbass lawyer is in the hospital on oxygen.

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/coronavirus/article_e6cb0b16-8024-11ea-8565-ab701ea43306.html

A 78-year-old man who attended a Central church that has bucked state stay-at-home restrictions has died from the illness tied to the novel coronavirus.

The East Baton Rouge Parish coroner said Harold Orillion, a parish resident, died from the COVID-19 respiratory illness on Wednesday. Three sources told The Advocate that Orillion had ties to the Life Tabernacle Church. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss a link between the man and the church.

The Rev. Tony Spell, the church's pastor, did not return messages left Thursday about Orillion after the coroner released his death information following a public records request from The Advocate. Spell later in the day confirmed to television stations WAFB and WVLA that Orillion was a parishioner in good standing.

Spell also disputed that Orillion's death was due to the virus, despite the coroner's determination. "That is a lie," Spell told WAFB.
Attempts to reach Orillion's wife and his living siblings in the Baton Rouge area were either unsuccessful or ended with no comment.

News of the death comes hours after a lawyer representing Spell and the church in an expected legal fight over the state's social distancing restrictions on churches confirmed he had been hospitalized and was on oxygen after contracting the virus.
The lawyer, Jeff Wittenbrink, attended two events at Life Tabernacle Church — an April 2 news conference and an April 5 church service, and has been at Baton Rouge General since Tuesday after progressively worsening conditions, including a high fever and persistent cough, he said.

Spell's fight against the order, along with a handful of other religious leaders nationally against similar restrictions, has attracted worldwide attention. He has been charged with six misdemeanor counts of violating Edwards' orders.

Spell, who has faced criticism over his stand, has made several provocative comments about the virus and the resulting controversy, including telling TMZ that true Christians do not mind dying from the virus but from "fear living in fear, cowardice of their convictions."
While many houses of worship have converted to online services, Spell maintains that in-person services are essential to his congregation's faith and financial well-being.

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/our_views/article_9961a0be-742c-11ea-af6a-dbd745232d83.html
Our Views: Tony Spell is a minister who's a threat to life and should be locked up

17 replies

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Highlight:

Criminal Louisiana Preacher kills one of his churchgoers, calls the Coroner a liar... (Original Post) blitzen Apr 2020 OP

insufficient faith rampartc Apr 2020 #1

If ever there was a non-essential business... klook Apr 2020 #2

Ah and there we see the real object of the "pastors" concern benfranklin1776 Apr 2020 #5

This message was self-deleted by its author Sherman A1 Apr 2020 #3

Great - now the parish (should) has to do contact tracing on everyone these idiots jmg257 Apr 2020 #4

I think this virus is the Rapture so many have been waiting for... Trueblue Texan Apr 2020 #6

The drag is we have to wait 24 hours before using their cars. klook Apr 2020 #9

Our local paper had an article today about a church that is open. TNNurse Apr 2020 #7

Definitely lock up this murderer for profit. lark Apr 2020 #8

kick for morning people n/t blitzen Apr 2020 #10

Here's the quote that gets right to the bottom line: "and financial well-being." Tarheel_Dem Apr 2020 #11

Yes, I was thinking of highlighting that part. n/t blitzen Apr 2020 #16

Spell is busy keeping his flock rapture ready. PufPuf23 Apr 2020 #12

Protecting his paycheck. Iggo Apr 2020 #13

"God will shield us from harm and sickness," Coronavirus said: "I am unfamiliar with God. Who is he? Demovictory9 Apr 2020 #14

Many more xian dupes to follow, brainwashed and full of hate Celerity Apr 2020 #15

Simultaneously a farce and a horror - followers dying, and the unrepentant lawyer on oxygen muriel_volestrangler Apr 2020 #17

rampartc

(5,425 posts)

1. insufficient faith

Reply to blitzen (Original post)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 05:24 AM

Apr 2020

klook

(12,160 posts)

2. If ever there was a non-essential business...

Reply to blitzen (Original post)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 05:39 AM

Apr 2020

Louisiana pastor holding services during pandemic asks people to donate stimulus checks to evangelists (The Hill).

A Louisiana pastor who has drawn criticism for holding in-person church services despite coronavirus guidelines is asking people to donate their stimulus checks to evangelists who “haven’t had an offering in a month.”

benfranklin1776

(6,449 posts)

5. Ah and there we see the real object of the "pastors" concern

Reply to klook (Reply #2)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 07:33 AM

Apr 2020

Not the health and welfare of his parishioners or the community but the health and welfare of his bottom line! A true mammon worshipping wolf in sheep’s clothing is this one leading his flock to gruesome suffering and death, and a menace to humanity. Rather like what a servant of the Antichrist would
do if You think about it. No reason that sane decent people in civilized society should die for his evil greed so, to borrow a well used phrase, Lock Him Up!

Response to blitzen (Original post)

Sherman A1 This message was self-deleted by its author.

jmg257

(11,996 posts)

4. Great - now the parish (should) has to do contact tracing on everyone these idiots

Reply to blitzen (Original post)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 07:28 AM

Apr 2020

Were with. What a waste of resources.

What bet those found to be high-risk of catching it actually self-quarantine?
Selfish jerks.

Trueblue Texan

(2,434 posts)

6. I think this virus is the Rapture so many have been waiting for...

Reply to blitzen (Original post)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 07:37 AM

Apr 2020

...so glad I'm an Atheist.

klook

(12,160 posts)

9. The drag is we have to wait 24 hours before using their cars.

Reply to Trueblue Texan (Reply #6)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 09:36 AM

Apr 2020

TNNurse

(6,928 posts)

7. Our local paper had an article today about a church that is open.

Reply to blitzen (Original post)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 08:18 AM

Apr 2020

It is called The Well, established way back in 2018.

There is a statement about "performing deliverances for those deep in the occult".

I may send a letter to the editor thanking them for posting the photos of the "pastor" and his wife so we can avoid them.

By the way, our little paper has become quite the forum with letters to the editor. Whenever some Trump loyalist preaches, the next day there is someone refuting what they wrote. There used to be very rare letters published, now it is regular. If there is one about that "hateful letter" about Trump should not have been published, there will soon be one about Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press.

lark

(23,134 posts)

8. Definitely lock up this murderer for profit.

Reply to blitzen (Original post)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 08:47 AM

Apr 2020

He wants their money in hand not just in the bank so he can "do what he please", and is ok with his flock dying for his bank account.
Why are so many repugs murdering profiteers who care nothing for no one but themselves?

blitzen

(4,572 posts)

10. kick for morning people n/t

Reply to blitzen (Original post)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 11:56 AM

Apr 2020

Tarheel_Dem

(31,235 posts)

11. Here's the quote that gets right to the bottom line: "and financial well-being."

Reply to blitzen (Original post)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 03:28 PM

Apr 2020

That is just sickening. I hope the courts take him for everything he's worth.

blitzen

(4,572 posts)

16. Yes, I was thinking of highlighting that part. n/t

Reply to Tarheel_Dem (Reply #11)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 06:26 PM

Apr 2020

PufPuf23

(8,802 posts)

12. Spell is busy keeping his flock rapture ready.

Reply to blitzen (Original post)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 03:37 PM

Apr 2020

Iggo

(47,561 posts)

13. Protecting his paycheck.

Reply to blitzen (Original post)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 03:39 PM

Apr 2020

Unsustainable, though.

Demovictory9

(32,465 posts)

14. "God will shield us from harm and sickness," Coronavirus said: "I am unfamiliar with God. Who is he?

Reply to blitzen (Original post)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 03:43 PM

Apr 2020

Link to tweet

Rev. Tony Spell from Baton Rouge, La. expects 2,000 at his Easter service at a Tabernacle Church despite a stay-at-home order.

"God will shield us from harm and sickness," he said in an interview.

Asked to comment, the Coronavirus said: "I am unfamiliar with God. Who is he?"

Celerity

(43,451 posts)

15. Many more xian dupes to follow, brainwashed and full of hate

Reply to blitzen (Original post)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 03:59 PM

Apr 2020

Reap what you sow. Follow a death cult, die in a death cult.

muriel_volestrangler

(101,328 posts)

17. Simultaneously a farce and a horror - followers dying, and the unrepentant lawyer on oxygen

Reply to blitzen (Original post)

Sat Apr 18, 2020, 06:36 PM

Apr 2020

And look who else Wittenbrink represents ...

Wittenbrink had made numerous Facebook posts criticizing Louisiana’s lockdown restrictions and defending Spell’s right to continue holding large services. “Will the government stop the virus? Or will God stop the virus? Jesus healed the sick. Mother Teresa and countless saints have attended the sick. We are quarantining the healthy,” he wrote in one post.
...
In an interview with The Daily Beast from his hospital bed on Thursday, he said he felt bad for potentially infecting others but remained defiant in his support of the church.

“These restrictions are out of control,” he said. “Some governors think these emergency powers give them carte blanche... We should not give up our God-given rights so easily.”
...
Wittenbrink serves as local counsel for former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, who is helping Spell to challenge Edwards’ statewide lockdown. He was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday after suffering a high fever and persistent cough, and said Friday that he hopes to be discharged on Sunday.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/member-of-tony-spells-life-tabernacle-church-in-baton-rouge-dies-from-coronavirus-another-member-in-icu

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