Jack Schaap in court today in an orange Porter County Jail jumpsuit and leg irons

Blue Denim with Lace and orange jumpsuit with leg irons

“Throughout the proceedings, he periodically winked and gave a thumbs-up to family members and others gathered in the visitors gallery.”

That would really weird me out if I was sitting in the visitors gallery. What a sick man. All the way to the big house, he wants to put on the deluded appearance that he still has everything under control.

“(wink wink, nod nod) don’t worry my KoolAid drinking fans, I still have it under control… this won’t take long, we’ll be outta here in no time, (thumbs up) I gotta deal worked out…”

That’s the message I would get if I saw him in court doing that.

http://southtownstar.suntimes.com/news/15399562-418/hammond-megachurch-…

Schaap, wearing orange prison garb, said someone else actually transported the girl, who was then 16, into Crete but that he made that happen. They took another trip to Illinois a week later, after she had turned 17, and then a third trip on July 10 to Michigan, near the city of Cadillac.

Additional local reporting with mug shot

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/lake/15398300-418/pastor-charged-with…

Jack Alan Schaap, the former pastor of First Baptist Church of Hammond, said Wednesday that he didn’t know he was committing a crime when he transported a minor girl across state lines for sexual activity.

“I was not aware of the law,” he said during his change of plea hearing at the U.S. District Court in Hammond.

Does “I didn’t know the speed limit was 35” stop a policeman from writing a ticket for speeding? NO! A typical police officer will answer, “Ignorance of the law is not an excuse, sir or ma’am.” Perhaps “someone else drove” is his attempt to use the “It Wasn’t Me!” defense. Now that Schaap has made his plea and attempted to blame his driver, it is entirely fair to say, “Jack, you are one sick lizard.” Schaap will spend the next few years in Federal custody. The question remains, “What sort of a church would allow such a man to lead them?”

Perhaps the case of Chattanooga’s Highland Park Baptist Church and the associated Tennessee Temple University is instructive. A recent article posted on this site probably points the direction where First Baptist of Hammond is going. A 5,700 seat auditorium now seats about 300. The church has renamed itself, separated itself from its heritage, and is planning to relocate. The associated school has declined in enrollment to the point where the school administration cannot maintain its facilities. Of course, Lee Roberson caused no scandal, nor was there any impropriety or scandal caused by the succeeding pastors or college administrations.

It is entirely likely that First Baptist of Hammond and Hyles-Anderson College will suffer a similar fate as has Highland Park and Tennessee Temple, only more quickly.

My questions:

1. Who “[drove] the victim to locations in both Crete, IL., and western Michigan for the encounters”
2. Did that one know the purpose of these drives?
3. Was / is that person on staff at HAC or FBC?
4. Will that person be prosecuted?

I’m thinking that there is someone else that should be prosecuted. It will be interesting to see if and when Jim’s questions are ever answered.

It’s possible that:

• Said person(s) did not know purpose of the drives
• Said person(s) cooperated with the authorities

The idea that a man who was in the position of pastor/counselor/school administrator was not aware of the law approaches ridiculousness. Twenty years ago I read a book that exposed the corruption that permeated FBCH, HAC and its leadership and decided to distance myself from that bunch. For twenty years I continued to hear stories of what was going on there and wondered why some prominent people in fundamental circles either continued to fellowship with them or meekly chastised them for their “weaknesses”. This current scandal is one incident from a scandulous history.

Ron,

To add to what you said. How could he not, especially in light of the Bob Gray fiasco (which was in his own circle). But even so, ignorance is no excuse. Very sad all the way around.

[Ron Bean]

The idea that a man who was in the position of pastor/counselor/school administrator was not aware of the law approaches ridiculousness. Twenty years ago I read a book that exposed the corruption that permeated FBCH, HAC and its leadership and decided to distance myself from that bunch. For twenty years I continued to hear stories of what was going on there and wondered why some prominent people in fundamental circles either continued to fellowship with them or meekly chastised them for their “weaknesses”. This current scandal is one incident from a scandulous history.

My guess is he was was referring to the fact that he was not aware that transporting a minor across state lines changed the required age of consent to the federal age of consent rather than the age of consent in those states. That is what got him prosecuted.

(Saw this on FB)

Judge: “Did you know it was against the law?”

Schaap: “No” then pause to talk to attorney, then, “I didn’t know the codes. I knew it was wrong as pastor. It was sin.”

(From the Do Right Hyles Anderson FB group … the woman is a professional (nurse) who was in court and reported to that site)

There is a difference between knowing something is wrong and sinful and knowing it’s against Federal Law (the Mann Act?).

Yes Rob. But My point about the Gray incident, is that the legal issues and moral issues were discussed at great lenghts.

Pardon me Roger, but living out here in San Francisco (aka Pluto), I didn’t hear all the details of the Grey Affair. Was the Mann Act involved?

[rogercarlson]

Yes Rob. But My point about the Gray incident, is that the legal issues and moral issues were discussed at great lengths.