PAMELA GELLER'S "AFDI" HUGE CUNY PROTEST AGAINST LINDA SARSOUR~NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE

 SEE OUR PREVIOUS POST:

http://ratherexposethem.blogspot.com/2017/05/pamela-gellers-cancel-sarsour-protest.html

 UPDATED REPORT:

AFDI'S HUGE CUNY PROTEST 

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE

We hope you had a good holiday honoring those who fought and died for our freedom. Here's news from the battles on home front.

The AFDI demo against CUNY’s obscene invitation to pro-terror Jew-hater Linda Sarsour to give their commencement address was a smashing success, with over a thousand people who came out in a downpour of pelting rain on East 42nd Street outside CUNY’s headquarters on Thursday afternoon to oppose the mainstreaming of evil. It was an amazing event, a turning point, despite Mayor de Blasio’s nefarious attempts to undermine and destroy the rally.

Full event video here.

Speakers:

Assemblyman Dov Hikind
Milo Yiannopoulos
Pamela Geller
Nonie Darwish, Former Muslims United
Statement by Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post Editor

Statement by Ambassador John Bolton
John Guandolo, Counter Terror Expert, Founder of UnderstandingTheThreat.com.
Lauri B. Regan, Endowment for Middle East Truth and National Women’s Committee of the Republican Jewish Coalition
David Wood, Acts 17 Apologetics

The demo received a lot of national and international press -- all of it (with the exception of Israel National News and the Forward) was hostile, of course. Fake news nonparallel (scroll down for photos and media coverage links).

We had an army of security and costs related to sound, stage, speakers expenses, hotels, etc. Please help us pay for these expenses. 

Please give generously. We have lost so much of our funding from donors -- perhaps because people think it's better under President Trump.

It's not. It's worse.

Please contribute here, NOW -- or send a check to:

AFDI

Attention: Pamela Geller

1040 1st Avenue

#121

New York, NY 10022

Mayor De Blasio is a longtime supporter of jihad and Muslim supremacists, and most especially terror-supporter Linda Sarsour. Mayor De Blasio gifted Sarsour’s “organization” with more than $500,000. She was instrumental in getting de Blasio to partly dismantle the New York Police Department’s program of spying on the city’s Muslims, and has worked with officials in City Hall to close public schools for the observance of Muslim holy days, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. From her base at the Arab American Association of New York, the group whose focus is the sharia device, “Islamophobia,” Sarsour is working to do the same on immigration policy, voter registration, mass incarceration, Islamophobia and the Police Department’s stop-and-frisk tactic.

Mayor de Blasio went to extraordinary lengths to undermine our rally and silence our voices. New York City is no stranger to protests. Protest is a thriving tradition, and with the election of President Trump, is a weekly, sometimes daily, exercise for leftists. So, at this point, the NYPD has it down to a science. Protest organizers apply for a permit, and if there is to be a counter protest, their area is set up across the street, or catacorner to the main event. This is standard operating procedure. During our Ground Zero Mosque protests, the opposition was penned one block over. Every rally and demo is set up in this same way. Which is why what happened at our event was so very extraordinary.

The vicious, vocal and violent protesters were placed right next to the stage, not three feet away from the stage and our crowd. And they screamed, blew deafening whistles, and screamed abusive chants (“Grab that pussy!,” to which we chanted back, “No clit cutting!”). There was no letup (which is why I am shouting the whole of the rally) and at the end of the demo, the leftists attacked our people and were arrested.

 

Screenshot from NY Daily News

The enemedia did not report on this at all. They drummed up the narrative that the event was violent, with the New York Daily News going so far as to say “WILD BRAWL” in their headline. That’s what de Blasio wanted. He wanted our people attacked and hurt. And the enemedia eagerly advanced the big lie.

The Daily News said, "No arrests were made." But two arrests violent leftists were arrested. Did the NYDN even call NYPD?

That said, despite de Blasio’s attempt to undermine our rally, it didn’t work.

It was huge. And the happy warriors took a stand.

Assemblyman Dov Hikind speaking - and organizer Pamela Geller cheering him in.

Milo addresses the throngs of freedom lovers

 Assemblyman Dov Hiikind

  

Caroline Glick's video here.

Nonie Darwish

Check out the national and international coverage (scroll):

A Muslim-American Activist’s Speech Raises Ire Even Before It’s Delivered

New York Times, May 26, 2017:

 Ms. Sarsour, one of the lead organizers of the Women’s March on Washington, has tackled issues like immigration policy, mass incarceration, stop-and-frisk and the New York Police Department’s spying operation on Muslims — all of which have largely inured her to hate-tinged criticism.

Protest in New York over Palestinian-American graduation speaker

Reuters - ‎22 hours ago‎

Anti-Trump demonstrators (L) grapple over a U.S. flag with demonstrators protesting against CUNY's decision to allow Linda Sarsour, a liberal, Palestinian-American political activist, to speak at this year's commencement in New York, U.S., May 25, 2017.

 

Violence erupts at protest of CUNY grad speaker Linda Sarsour

New York Daily News - ‎21 hours ago‎

The scuffle broke out after an unlikely band of protesters — including conservative provocateur Pam Geller, Assemblyman Dov Hikind and alt-right bad boy Milo Yiannopoulos — blasted CUNY's decision to select civil-rights activist Linda Sarsour.

Protests after CUNY commencement speech

Daily Mail - ‎11 hours ago‎

Yiannopoulos at his rally speech said: 'Linda Sarsour is a Sharia-loving, terrorist-embracing, Jew-hating, ticking time bomb,' adding 'it's now more important than ever to fight Islam in America and particularly its emissaries like Linda Sarsour.' ...

Watch: Protest against Sarsour commencement speech

Israel National News - ‎8 hours ago‎

A crowd gathered on Thursday outside of the City University of New York building in Manhattan to protest the university's intention to host radical anti-Zionist and Sharia law advocate Linda Sarsour on Friday as a commencement speaker for the degree ...

 

 

Protesters clash about Linda Sarsour's CUNY speech in rainy NYC

The Jerusalem Post - ‎22 hours ago‎

NEW YORK - As hundreds of people gathered on Manhattan's 42nd street on a rainy Thursday afternoon to protest Linda Sarsour's upcoming speech at a City University of New York graduation, they were met with vocal opposition from the some of the ...

 

MILO and Pamela Geller Protest Sharia-Advocate Linda Sarsour in NYC

Breitbart News - ‎20 hours ago‎

Former Breitbart senior editor Milo Yiannopoulos and Pamela Geller held a protest against Sharia-advocate Linda Sarsour's speaking engagement at The City University of New York (CUNY) on Thursday.

 

Linda Sarsour, Feminist Movement Leader, Too Extreme for CUNY Graduation Speech, Critics Argue

Yahoo News  - ‎May 25, 2017‎

A devout Muslim who hails from Brooklyn, Sarsour was until recently the head of the Arab American Association of New York. She was also one of the organizers of the Women's March on Washington, D.C., to protest Donald Trump's presidency. She has a ...

USA: Scuffles break out as anti-Sarsour protesters rally outside CUNY

Russia TV, May 26, 2016:

Scuffles broke out as scores of people rallied outside the City University of New York (CUNY), in New York, Thursday, to demonstrate against the university's invitation for Palestinian-American political activist Linda Sarsour to deliver a commencement speech at a graduation ceremony scheduled on June 1.

Right-wing activists protest against Linda Sarsour speech

Middle East Eye - ‎21 hours ago‎

Protesters in midtown Manhattan chanted and marched under rainfall to criticise the school's choice of Sarsour, 37, an organiser of this year's Women's March on Washington who has drawn fire from conservatives for her opposition to Israel's occupation ...

Linda Sarsour selected as CUNY graduation speaker sparks outcry

Washington Times - ‎May 25, 2017‎

Foes of Muslim activist Linda Sarsour held a rally Thursday to decry her selection as graduation speaker at the City University of New York, accusing her of supporting terrorism and chanting, “Surely CUNY can do better!” At a protest outside the CUNY ...

 

A Spiteful Afternoon With NY's Anti-Muslim Hate Brigades

Village Voice-May 26, 2017

It was pelting rain on East 42nd Street outside CUNY’s headquarters on Thursday afternoon, but that didn’t keep several hundred people from turning out for a gathering of the Greater New York Area’s far-right tribes.

 

New York - Protest In New York Over Palestinian-American Graduation Speaker

Vox Is Neias, May 26, 2017:

Protesters in midtown Manhattan chanted and marched under rainfall to criticize the school’s choice of Sarsour, 37, an organizer of this year’s Women’s March on Washington who has drawn fire from conservatives for her opposition to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, among other issues.

Linda Sarsour commencement speech sparks protests

i24NEWS  - ‎13 hours ago‎

Hundreds of protesters gathered on New York's 42nd on Thursday to object to Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour's upcoming speech at a City University of New York graduation ceremony, the Jerusalem Post reported.. Sarsour is slated to deliver a ...

Protests erupt over university inviting Palestinian-American activist to speak at graduation

WCPO - ‎18 hours ago‎

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 11: Honoree Linda Sarsour speaks onstage during the 30th Anniversary Celebrating Women Breakfast at Marriott Marquis Hotel on May 11, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The New York Women's ...

 

Anti-Muslim Activists, White Nationalists and Anti-Government Figures Join Pam Geller in NYC to Protest Linda Sarsour

Southern Poverty Law Center - ‎2 hours ago‎

Her return to organized protests came on May 25 when she called out City University of New York (CUNY) for inviting Women's March co-organizer Linda Sarsour to speak at the schools 2017 graduation ceremony. Geller started off the events by calling ...

Scuffle erupts at rally against CUNY's hosting of BDS promoter Linda Sarsour

Jewish Telegraphic Agency - ‎10 hours ago‎

... where activists against radical Islam, including Pamela Geller and Milo Yiannopoulos, had rallied in protest of the decision by the institution's School of Public Health to host Sarsour on Friday as a commencement speaker, the New York Daily News ..

 

Sarsour commencement speech draws fire

Brooklyn Daily Eagle - ‎May 25, 2017‎

Sarsour, a political firebrand from Bay Ridge, was one of the organizers of the Women's March on Washington, the massive protest demonstration that took place in the nation's capitol the day after Donald Trump was inaugurated the 45th president of the ...

 

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AFDI

Attention: Pamela Geller

1040 1st Avenue

#121

New York, NY 10022

GERMANY: OBAMA & WORLD LEADERS RINGING IN REFORMATION SUMMER 2017 AT APOSTATE ECUMENICAL "KIRCHENTAG"~OBAMA SELLS HIS GLOBALIST AGENDA TO GULLIBLE ADORING CROWD

 "KIRCHENTAG"

 

 

 ABOVE: Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, Angela Merkel, Barack Obama 

und Christina Aus der Au 

 Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag: Christina Aus der Au im Interview am 24.05.17

 OBAMA HYPNOTIZES THE MASSES

 

 GERMANY: OBAMA & WORLD LEADERS RINGING IN REFORMATION SUMMER 2017

SEE: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newsletters/2017/newsletter20170529.htm; 

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:

To Lighthouse Trails:
Obama, Chancellor [of Germany] Angela Merkel, and Melinda Gates [Bill Gates’ wife]  all attended and spoke at the Protestant assembly in Germany, Kirchentag, which rings in the beginning of Reformation Summer 2017. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the Grand Imam of Cairo’s Al-Azhar Mosque Sheik Ahmed el-Tayyib, two additional Imams, a number of rabbis, and a Jewish author spoke as well. Reformation Summer 2017, which Kirchentag is ringing in, is a celebration and commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in Germany and Europe, and it is ecumenical. (https://r2017.org/en) German Protestant Kirchentag is an ecumenical and interfaith event, despite its name.

Article: “Obama and Makgoba to visit Germany for 500th Reformation anniversary”
“On 25 May the former U.S. President and Chancellor Angela Merkel will engage in a conversation on the topic of “Being Involved in Democracy: Taking on Responsibility Locally and Globally”. Kirchentag President Christina Aus der Au and Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, EKD Council chair, will moderate the discussion at the Brandenburg Gate. The event is being jointly sponsored and planned by the Kirchentag and the Obama Foundation.
Heinrich Bedford-Strohm invited President Obama in May 2016 to visit Germany for the Reformation anniversary. Bedford-Strohm: “President Barack Obama’s attending the Kirchentag in Berlin, which will ring in the Reformation Summer, underlines the international character of our 500th anniversary celebrations. The churches form a global civil society network of over two billion Christians. Together, as people of faith, we live from the firm hope for a better world. Anyone who is pious also has to be politically minded. I am looking forward to enthusiastic debates during the Reformation Summer 2017.”
Christina Aus der Au is also delighted about the two prominent participants in the Kirchentag. “The United States is strongly marked by the Reformation and its historical impact. At the same time, the Protestant churches and communities there have developed in their own way. President Obama and Chancellor Merkel have said that their dedication as politicians is also an expression of their Christian faith. The Kirchentag movement lives from people who work for justice and solidarity on the basis of their faith. It will be really interesting to hear what the two of them say to us Christians in Europe.” https://www.kirchentag.de/english/programme/obama_and_makgoba.html
Article: “The Kirchentag church festival – the highpoint of the Reformation anniversary year”
“From 24 to 28 May 2017, under the banner ‘You see me’, you are encouraged to open your eyes to your fellow man and look more deeply into everyday life.”
“The Kirchentag is not just for Protestants, of course. People of all faiths and nationalities are very much welcome to attend and to play their part, and wherever possible the festival programme has been made barrier-free.”
“Take the opportunity to discuss topics like peace, tolerance and diversity with your fellow man.
https://www.germany.travel/en/news/the-kirchentag-church-festival-the-highpoint-of-the-reformation-anniversary-year-229825.html
Article: “Obama in Berlin for landmark church assembly”
“Former US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke in front of tens of thousands of people before the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on Thursday to discuss God, faith and the state of the world.”
“Former US president warned of succumbing to nationalism and a closed world – an apparent reference to US President Donald Trump.”
“In this new world we live in, we can’t isolate ourselves, we can’t hide behind a wall,” he said before the gate that once separated East and West Berlin.”
“Those attending include Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba, Grand Imam of Cairo’s Al-Azhar Mosque Sheik Ahmed el-Tayyib, philanthropist Melinda Gates, German singer and songwriter Max Giesinger, German climate change researcher Ottmar Edenhofer, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura and Israeli author Amos Oz.”  http://www.dw.com/en/obama-in-berlin-for-landmark-church-assembly/a-38961665

Theme of Kirchentag: “You See Me”
“The 36th German Protestant Kirchentag in Berlin and Wittenberg has the theme “You see me” from Genesis chapter 16, verse 13.” “General secretary Ellen Ueberschär points out: “Seeing starts relationships, not only with God but also in the co-existence of all humans. Being looked at by God is the foundation of man’s dignity as a creation of God. The story of Hagar that the topic stems from is referenced both in the New Testament and in the Hadiths, the collection of Muhammad’s sayings. ‘You see me’ is a sentence that expresses recognition, appreciation and attention beyond its biblical context.”
“I wish for a Kirchentag full of awareness: aware of people without regard, in a city where rich and poor are far apart; aware also of those who don’t believe in God or believe differently, here in Germany’s East and in a city full of cultural and ideological contrast; aware and alert for a church that changes because it needs to change.”
– Under full list of topics, here are some listed:
“New start towards the future common good
Ecumenical service on Ascension Day
Spiritual Centre
Centre on the Church of the Future
Centre Barrier free Kirchentag
Theme day on Reforming the ecumenical movement – thinking Reformation ecumenically
Theme day on What is mission? Having faith in a pluralist world
Long night of the religions during the Kirchentag
Centre on Jews and Christians
Centre on Muslims and Christians
Theme day: Interreligious-theological women’s base faculty
Panel series on Peace
Panel series on Sustainable development goals – Germany, a developing country
Panel series on Consequences of climate change (in Potsdam)
Centre for Reformation and Transformation – Ecumenical Perspectives (English-speaking)”
https://www.kirchentag.de/english/programme/theme_topics.html
Programme for Kirchentag Webpage:
“Bible studies or large concerts, Taizé worship or socio-political panel discussions – the events are as varied as its visitors.”
https://www.kirchentag.de/english/programme/programme_book.html
PDF File of Complete Programme:
Some of the topics from this programme are:
Ecumenical Opening Service
The Long Road to Women’s Ordination
Feminists in All Religions
Unite! Strategies against Fundamentalism
Climate Impact and Poverty
Reformation anniversary as “Christusfest?”
In Search of a Christology that is Not Anti-Jewish
One World?
Ecumenical Voices on the Third Reformation
Incense of Music
Interreligious work for peace
Strategies for peace and prophetic witness
Messy church in the United States
Liturgy goes Carribean
The Peacemakers: Texts by Mahatma Ghandi, Mother Theresa, the Dalai Lama, et al.
Tolerance and Peaceful Co-existence
A Safe Europe in a Better World
Taking greater responsibility for peace
Hate Speech
Religious Freedom or Hate Speech – Worldwide Challenges for LBGT+
Climate Change calls for a New Theology
Orthodox Vespers in Ecumenical Communion
Do we need different churches?
Christianity and Korean Confucianism
Seventy years of partition plan, 50 years of occupation: Israel and Palestine – the irresolvable conflict?
I have learned to speak to God
(De)radicalisation through religion
Queer and religious?!: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim positions
Transhuman revolution: The self-invention of the immortal human
Sustainable Development and the churches in South Africa
Meissen unites: Celebrating the Eucharist interdenominationally
Feidman plays the Beatles
https://www.kirchentag.de/fileadmin/dateien/zzz_NEUER_BAUM/English/DEKT36_International_Programme.pdf
Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby (Senior Bishop and Principal Leader of the Church of England) tweets about Obama at Kirchentag:
“Grateful to spend time with @BarackObama, Chancellor #Merkel and Christian leaders at #Kirchentag in Berlin today. #dekt17”
Click here if you cannot see this photo below.

Grateful to spend time with @BarackObama, Chancellor #Merkel and Christian leaders at #Kirchentag in Berlin today. #dekt17 pic.twitter.com/3LIGcBaTpt

— Justin Welby ن (@JustinWelby) May 25, 2017

 AND
“Thank you @BarackObama and Chancellor #Merkel for sending these messages to the people of #Manchester when we met in Berlin today.”

Thank you @BarackObama and Chancellor #Merkel for sending these messages to the people of #Manchester when we met in Berlin today. pic.twitter.com/mSD2cuM92T

— Justin Welby ن (@JustinWelby) May 25, 2017

Molly
____________________________________________________

 

RICK WARREN'S SADDLEBACK CHURCH YOUTH WORKER ARRESTED FOR MOLESTING BOYS

 
"TORNADO TWIN" ALLEGED MOLESTER

RICK WARREN'S SADDLEBACK CHURCH YOUTH WORKER ARRESTED FOR MOLESTING BOYS

SEE: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=22776; 

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:

A Lighthouse Trails reader has alerted us to a news story in the Los Angeles Times  (see below) about the arrest of a 32-year-old Saddleback Church male youth worker who has been accused of molesting two 14-year-old boys at Saddleback. Some may wonder why we are posting a news story about child sexual abuse. Since the early years of Lighthouse Trails, we have included in our reporting issues on child sexual abuse, in particular, within the church.

Photo: Seducers Among Our Children; Crough

Regarding the fact that this is Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church where the alleged molestation occurred, we need to make some comments. First, we know that child sexual abuse happens in many churches (partly because Christians are generally very trusting people and predators know this is a good place to find unguarded children), and we certainly cannot directly blame Rick Warren or his Purpose Driven movement for what happened. However, there is some indirect blame here, not just with Saddleback but with all seeker-friendly, church-growth churches. In a statement sent out by two of Rick Warren’s pastors on May 26, it said that Saddleback Church “require[s] fingerprinting, professional background checks, and personal interviews,” for all who volunteer to work with “kids and students.” But this is not nearly adequate as many molesters have never been caught or arrested, and predators are not going to admit that is what they are in personal interviews.  Herein lies the problem: The seeker-friendly churches have been guilty of allowing unsaved and/or newly saved or immature Christians to become Sunday school teachers, youth workers, missionaries, Bible study leaders, etc., and this is wrong (and unbiblical). They do this, in part, because they want to make everyone at the church feel welcomed, useful, and comfortable. And in some cases, seeker-friendly churches have a deficit in saved and/or mature believers who can lead and teach so they use what they have (many unsaved or immature Christians).  But they have done this at the expense of those in the congregation who are trusting them to guide and teach them and also to protect their children while in church. Unbelievers especially should never be put in any position of leadership, mentoring, or teaching (or working in any capacity with children or teens). Period. So at least in this respect, Saddleback has created a potentially dangerous environment for children by the very nature of their seeker-friendly, church-growth model in how unbelievers or immature believers are allowed to lead, teach, and help.

Photo: Color of Pain; Reid

Now we want to make one thing clear, sexual abuse of children doesn’t just happen in seeker-friendly churches. For example, it also happens in legalistic churches where an abuse of authority is occurring and people (and kids) are afraid to speak up. It also happens in churches that are neither seeker-friendly nor legalistic in cases where there is just downright naivety and ignorance by the adults. There was a case several years ago in a church in Portland, Oregon where a young man had joined the Sunday School teaching team. He was working in a classroom as an aid with a teacher of children under 7. Often,  he was seen taking a child to go to the bathroom, but no one thought twice about it. A few years into this, it was discovered that he had molested dozens of church children during the bathroom visits. Many of these molested kids grew up with many painful issues.
If you belong to a church, no matter what kind it is, you better make sure your church has implemented a safety plan to protect kids. In this day and age where sexual deviance is at an all-time high in our society, it takes more vigilance than ever to make sure children do not become victims of sexual abuse.

Photo: Color of Pain; Reid

It is heartbreaking to think about who-knows-how-many boys at Saddleback Church have been molested by this 32-year-old male predator. Their lives will never be the same. And no seeker-friendly, purpose-driven, church-growth strategy is going to help them in the long run. They are going to need a true relationship with Jesus Christ and a life sustained by and developed in the Word of God. They are going to need parents and teachers who also have these qualities. Substitutes like spiritual formation, contemplative prayer, celebrate recovery etc. will never take the place for the real thing.
For the two 14-year-old boys at Saddleback who were brave enough to come forward, we say bravo. You did the right thing, and we pray that you will keep your eyes and your heart toward the Lord during this tough time and not allow Satan to use this to destroy your lives.
Finally, we urge parents to do everything you need to do to protect your children from becoming victims of sexual abuse. Two of our authors address this issue in their books, articles, and booklets—Investigative Sergeant Patrick Crough and Gregory Reid.  To read some of the articles and reports we have published on child sexual abuse and how to protect your kids such as Patrick Crough’s article “Protecting Your Child From Sexual Predators – With Prayer & the Word,” see the links below.
As for the LA Times news story below, let us pray for the boys who have been victimized and also that all victims of this pedophile/homosexual will come forth. The power of sin lies in its secrecy, especially in the case of child molestation. We always thank the Lord when such matters are no longer concealed. That’s when healing can begin for the victims if given the wisdom of the Lord.
Parents who suspect their children have been victims of Ruben Meulenberg are being urged to contact OC Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS. (source: ABC News: http://abc7.com/news/oc-youth-mentor-accused-of-lewd-acts-with-2-teen-boys/2041417/. )

By Joseph Serna
Los Angeles Times

Ruben Meulenberg

A youth mentor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest has been accused of acting inappropriately with two teenage boys while he volunteered there, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said Friday.
Ruven (Ruben) Meulenberg, 32, was arrested Thursday and booked on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts on a child and is being held on $100,000 bail, authorities said. Jail records show he is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in a Santa Ana courtroom.
Detectives were alerted to the situation after a 14-year-old boy told his parents that Meulenberg had molested him, Lt. Lane Lagaret said. The parents told the church’s youth pastor, who called the Sheriff’s Department, Lagaret said.
Another 14-year-old boy turned up during the detectives’ investigation, Lagaret said. Click here to continue reading. (See information below about Ruben (Ruven) Meulenberg.)

Ruben (Ruven) Meulenberg: Has worked for years with his identical twin brother Efraim Meulenberg in video game development. According to KidMin Academy where the brothers are listed as faculty:

Ruben and Efraim Meulenberg have trained 40,000 game developers, 20,000 musicians, thousands of children’s- and youth workers globally, and have been in ministry for 15 years. They’re known for their breakthrough work at Saddleback Church and founded KidsWantAnswers.com, through which they bring cutting edge media and curriculum to churches and families.

Watch this 2015 video (if you can bear it) of the Saddleback Junior High “Glow Party” that was produced by the Meulenberg brothers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS38vpsqTtc. Witnessing how Saddleback Church is “teaching” their junior high kids to go into a frenzied state as has happened here in this video is distressing. Is it any wonder that things are out of control at Saddleback Church?

“Glow Party” at Saddleback Junior High group, produced by Ruben and Efraim Meulenberg
And this news video story about possibly more victims:

Related Information:

Protecting Your Child From Sexual Predators – With Prayer & the Word

Boy Scouts’ Rulings Put Boys at Risk (and “Letter to the Molester” and “What Being Molested Cost Me”)
5 Things You Can Do to Protect Your Kids From Sexual Predators
Bill Gothard Resigns from Institute in Basic Life Principles Under Allegations of Sexual Abuse (And How to Spot the Signs of a Sexual Predator)

“Tom White, Abuse, VOM, and the Power of the Internet”

Are Your Kids Going to Be in Youth Group This Sunday? Food for Thought on How to Protect Your Kids 

SEE: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=22794

 As Lighthouse Trails has been researching the situation at Saddleback Church over the alleged molestation charges, we came across this YouTube video by a 29-year-old woman. We are posting this for informational and research purposes with the hope it will help parents think about their teens’ youth groups. Something to think about. Parents, let’s protect our kids. If you, as a parent, do not know how to spot a sexual predator, it’s time you read Patrick Crough’s incredible book, Seducers Among Our Children. One of the key signs is if a particular person is giving your child more attention than he should be. 

SEE ALSO:

http://bereanresearch.org/why-is-a-saddleback-pastor-teaching-on-the-kingdom-circles/ 

 Saddleback Church Statement Appears to Downplay Role of Alleged Molester Ruben Meulenberg 

SEE: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newsletters/2017/newsletter20170529.htm; 

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:

On Friday evening (May 26), Saddleback Church released a statement about the arrest of Ruben Meulenberg, the man who allegedly has been molesting boys at Saddleback. The Saddleback statement called Meulenberg a “student ministry volunteer.” Here is the full statement:

We are shocked and grieved to share that this week a Saddleback member reported that a student ministry volunteer had acted inappropriately with two 14-year-old boys. Of course, our staff quickly reported this accusation to our Orange County Sherriff’s Department. The next day, the volunteer was arrested on suspicion of the offense. The investigation of the accusation is now in the hands of the proper authorities.
We ask you to do two things: first, please pray for the Saddleback families who are involved in this sad matter; second, please pray for the investigators as they determine the facts. As followers of Jesus, we always want the whole truth to come out because Jesus taught us that lies enslave us, but the truth sets us free.
As a part of Saddleback, you know that our church has been built on the service of thousands of volunteers who donate hundreds of thousands of hours of their time. Most of you know that for decades we’ve had extremely high requirements and strict procedures in place for anyone who volunteers in our student and children ministries.
To be considered for volunteering with kids or students, we require fingerprinting, professional background checks, and personal interviews. We also use services that report any illegal activity to us immediately. In this case, the accused volunteer had no record of arrest or criminal charges. Also, our church requires volunteers who work with students or children to complete an annual training regarding appropriate conduct. Our system of safeguards has safely served over 40,000 students and children for 38 years.
Please pray for everyone involved. We love you.
Kurt Johnston, Student Ministries Pastor & Elder
 Steve Johnson, Executive Pastor & Elder (source)

Lighthouse Trails has since learned that Ruben Meulenberg, at least according to two sources (one by a source very close to Rick Warren and Saddleback), is not merely a volunteer at Saddleback – he is also a staff member. The first source is from an article written by public relations journalist Larry Ross, who states:

The Meulenberg brothers are versed media artists, programmers, consultants and the creators of FPS Control. As experienced professionals in the media industry, their training materials have trained over 20,000 musicians and 40,000 game and app developers globally, including Disney Mobile. Some past clients include ING Bank, Thompson, Pearson Education, RedHat, Logica CMG and Orange. They reside in southern California and serve on staff at Saddleback Church in the technology, communication and marketing ministries. (http://alarryross.com/tornado-twins-develop-unprecedented-video-game-the-game-bible-series/, emphasis added)

Ross has close ties with Rick Warren and Saddleback and has written numerous promotional reports on the Purpose Driven pastor.
The second source is from a Point of View interview done in 2014 where Meulenberg is described as a staff member at Saddleback:

The Tornado Twins’ materials have trained over 20,000 musicians and 40,000 game and app developers globally, including Disney Mobile. Some past clients include ING Bank, Thompson, Pearson Education, RedHat, Logica CMG and Orange.

Born and raised in the Netherlands, the Tornado Twins immigrated to the United States to create meaningful media. They reside in southern California and serve on staff at Saddleback Church in the technology, communication and marketing ministries. (https://pointofview.net/show/wednesday-october-22-2014/, emphasis added)

Ruben and Efraim Muelenberg (photo from YouTube 2 second clip; used in accordance with the US Fair Use Act)

If indeed Ruben Meulenberg is a staff member and one with a significant role in youth ministry at the mega church, then the statement released by Saddleback on May 26th has downplayed or minimized Meulenberg’s role at the church.
In addition to Ruben Meulenberg’s apparent staff position, his father, Abraham Meulenberg, is a pastor at Saddleback in charge of interfaith outreach. He was involved with Rick Warren’s efforts to form alliances with the Muslim community (source). Ruben’s mother, Marieke Meulenberg, is also a staff member at Saddleback, and according to her LinkedIn page, she serves as Project Manager and Volunteer Coordinator for the Office of the Pastor (source).
In various capacities, Ruben Meulenberg appears to have been quite involved at Saddleback. As you can see from this video of a Junior High “Glow Light” event, the Meulenberg brothers have been involved with training and influencing  the youth at Saddleback  (you may find this video disturbing as you watch the Meulenberg brothers, who call themselves the Tornado Twins, lead a large number of Saddleback Junior High kids into a frenzied state). The identical twin men have also introduced video games to Saddleback youth, and in fact, Rick Warren has encouraged and promoted one of their games as you can read in this Christian Post article, “Rick Warren Praises Twins’ Efforts to Create a Bible Video Game That Isn’t ‘Cheesy.”  And according to an Amazon web page, Warren also co-authored a book with Ruben Meulenberg along with some other authors titled Transformed: How God Changes Us. It seems very clear that Ruben Meulenberg has had more than a “volunteer” role at Saddleback, thus making the Saddleback statement misleading.
We hope Rick Warren and his staff will not try to minimize this tragic situation or their role in it in their failure to protect Saddleback kids. And we hope they will be honest with the parents as to what has really taken place. The facts seem to show that Reuben Meulenberg has been an integral part of Saddleback and has, unfortunately, had free unguarded access to the kids who trusted him.
Related Information:
5 Things You Can Do to Protect Your Kids From Sexual Predators
From an Investigative Sergeant—Helping Sexually Abused Children: A Calling, A Ministry, and a Mission
8 Things You Should Know About Boys Who Are Sexually Abused 
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The Tornado Twins Are Creating the Bible Video Game 

SEE: http://pastors.com/gamebible/; 

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:

With a goal of turning the stories of the Bible into a video game for all ages to enjoy, Ruben and Efraim Meulenberg, internet phenomenon and identical twins known as the “Tornado Twins,” have launched a Kickstarter, http://www.TheGameBible.com, to raise funds to develop several episodes about David, including the story of David and Goliath.
“The Game Bible Series” will be an epic 52-episode video game series to be released on multiple platforms and set to cover the entire Bible from Adam to Jesus, allowing the gamer to experience the entire biblical narrative in a side-scroller format — a game-genre where character, story and world-exploration come together.
The Meulenberg brothers have set a goal of $35,000 on Kickstarter, a crowd-funding social media site, to fund the first three episodes of the story of David. The first 10 episodes entitled “David, Rise of a King” will be fully funded at $380,000. Those interested in helping to fund “The Game Bible Series” have several options for donating, $5 and up. Each level of giving will allow a different level of access to “The Game Bible Series” before it is available to the general public.
“The stories of the Bible have everything needed to make an epic game – adventure, deceitful and courageous characters, miracles, giants, armies, war and the list goes on,” said Efraim Meulenberg, lead developer. “If you are very familiar with the stories of the Bible, this game will make you feel like you are experiencing the stories for the first time. But, even if you’re not familiar, this game will be an action-packed adventure that will leave you wanting more.”
“The Game Bible Series” will be a family-friendly game, specifically geared toward families with children ages 6-18. In the fashion of the Mario Brothers and Rayman games, “The Game Bible Series” will be void of gore or over-the-top violence, and fun and enjoyable for all ages. The Meulenbergs worked with a number of experienced game developers to create the high-quality graphics and infrastructure of the game and theological scholars to ensure accuracy and adherence to the Bible.
“Quality is of upmost importance to us,” said Ruben Meulenberg, lead writer. “To ensure a high level of gameplay, several experts who have been involved in the making of ‘Assassins’ Creed’ PSP, ‘Stargate’ PSP and the Lego games have weighed in on this project.”
“The twins bring infectious energy and passion to everything they do and execute with the utmost competence and professionalism,” said Chris King, CEO at SpeedTree, Creators of effects used in Batman Arkham City, Destiny, Battlefield 4, and more.
The Meulenberg brothers are versed media artists, programmers, consultants and the creators of FPS Control. As experienced professionals in the media industry, their training materials have trained over 20,000 musicians and 40,000 game and app developers globally, including Disney Mobile. Some past clients include ING Bank, Thompson, Pearson Education, RedHat, Logica CMG and Orange.
For more information, visit http://www.thegamebible.com.
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 Saddleback Youth Worker Ruben Meulenberg Charged With 5 Felony Counts – Saddleback Remaining Tight Lipped on Staff Issue

The following is an update from two recent Lighthouse Trails articles: "Saddleback Church Youth Worker Arrested for Molesting 14-Year-Boys Brings Issue to Surface"  and "Saddleback Church Statement Appears to Downplay Role of Alleged Molester Ruben Meulenberg."

Ruben Meulenberg, the youth worker at Saddleback Church who was arrested for allegedly molesting two 14-year-old boys at Saddleback, has been charged with 5 felonies related to the molestation of the boys. At least one of the boys was 13 when the abuse began.

The following public information on the case has been released by the Orange County District Attorney's office:
Case #17HF070

• Three felony counts of lewd acts on a child
• Two felony counts of lewd acts on a child under 14-year-old
• the above charges are given a Sentencing Enhancement for multiple victims (source)

Circumstances of the Case
* At the time of the crime, Meulenberg is accused of being a volunteer youth mentor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest in a position of trust with access to children.
* Between May 2016 and May 2017, Meulenberg is accused of committing lewd acts on 13-year-old boys John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, both on and off church property.
* Between May 18, 2017, and May 22, 2017, the defendant is again accused of sexually molesting the victims, who were then 14 years old.
* On May 24, 2017, a Saddleback Church representative reported suspected inappropriate conduct to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD), who investigated this case.
* Meulenberg was arrested by OCSD on Thursday, May 25, 2017.
* Prosecutor: Deputy District Attorney Courtney Thom, Sexual Assault Unit

After Lighthouse Trails released its May 29th article questioning whether Saddleback was downplaying the role in which Ruben Meulenberg had at Saddleback, the Christian Post ( which calls itself "the nation's most comprehensive Christian news website") wrote an article titled "Was Saddleback Church Youth Mentor Who Was Charged With Molesting Boys a Volunteer?" in which they referenced the Lighthouse Trails article questioning Saddleback's recent statement on Meulenberg being just a a volunteer. Interestingly, the Christian Post article revealed that as of yet Saddleback has not answered the question as to whether Ruben Meulenberg was on staff at Saddleback. While it may be true that he was a youth volunteer, certain indicators, as we pointed out in our previous article, suggest that Meulenberg may also have been on staff (see Appendix below), a claim that Saddleback has not yet denied or admitted.
The Christian Post article said that Rick Warren has not yet made a public statement about the case. According to the Christian Post's website search engine, the online paper has featured Saddleback Church and/or Rick Warren in over one thousand articles since 2004, and most, if not all, praise and promote the work of the Purpose Driven pastor and his church.
While in the bigger picture of Ruben Meulenberg and his victims, it may not matter at all whether he was truly on staff at Saddleback or not; but if Saddleback Church is refusing to admit that he has been paid for any of his services, either as a contractor or a staff member, this should certainly raise questions as to how much can the mega-church be trusted to protect the children under its care. If facts about abuse at Saddleback are being kept in the dark, this will not produce the kind of environment where healing can take place for victims or where parents can feel secure about their children's safety.

Appendix:

LinkedIn has the following information about Ruben Meulenberg:

Ruben Meulenberg

Saddleback Church | TornadoTwins | Age of Edge (game development)

Age of Edge, Corp

Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences

Orange County, California Area

Media producer operating in 5 areas: videogames, film, books, music & curriculum.

Companies founded:
- TheGameBible.com: in-house project, turning the Bible into a full videogame (www.TheGameBible.com).
- TornadoTwins.com: became the world's largest game development youtube channel in 3 months.
- FPSControl.com: tool to help midsize game studios create multi-platform games
- GamePrefabs.com: game development store [sold to Unity Tech; world's #1 game tech corp]
- more

Projects:
- Feature film: wrote, directed and co-produced Saddleback Kids' first feature film with production staff & volunteers. Used by 700+ churches and given out to 3000 children at Saddleback Lake Forest.
- Curriculum: co-founded fastest growing children's church curriculum organization in Holland. Trained Saddleback Church's children's production staff to use this format.
- Music: founded world's largest youtube channel on dubstep development (reached in 2 weeks), reached most-votes in Newsboys remix competition, created dance album for Saddleback Church, scored Triumph motorcycle commercial (engine sounds as bass).
- Game Development: developed YouVersion's Kid-Bible-App prototype in under two weeks. Co-organized web's largest gamedevelopment competition with cgsociety.org, trained thousands of game developers worldwide (including Disney's "where's my water" app developers), developing "The Game Bible" (see above).
- Writing: Oversaw writing of 3 years worth of narrative video series for Saddleback Church Childrens'. Wrote "The Unplugged", a book to help software developers create quickly and on as low a budget as possible.
- Marketing: helped triple attendance count on the annual online conference "The Twelve", resulting in 10,000+ attendees. Redesigned Saddleback Kids' summer outreach program, helping it rise from 4% new visitors in previous years to over 30% new visitors.
Appendix 2:
YouTube Comment from Lighthouse Trails author Gregory Reid -

I had an associate that went to Saddleback to look for cool church ideas and loved the idea that the sign over the youth building said, "No adults allowed." I was mortified. Creating an isolated youth subculture is deadly and creates a breeding ground for predators. I wrote a book called The Color of Pain that includes a checklist for identifying pedophiles, I think it's a crucial book in this vulnerable time for youth. When I was a youth pastor I did extreme vetting on every single volunteer or person who showed interest in our youth ministry, even the older college volunteers, and I watched them like hawks. Had to remove two adults who were predators looking for a kill. (source)

Gregory Reid is a child sexual abuse survivor. He wrote about his childhood in his book Nobody's Angel. His later book, The Color of Pain (published by LT) is a tribute to men who were sexually abused as boys.