Church of the Whores uncovered in Arizona

[Thegreen]

[IMG]http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/US/09/09/arizona.church.prostitution/t1larg.goddess.temple.com.jpg[/IMG]
[quote]
(CNN) -- A church called the Phoenix Goddess Temple has been accused of being a house of prostitution, and a six-month undercover investigation has resulted in the arrests of 20 women and men who worked there, Phoenix police said Friday.
Authorities are still searching for 17 more people -- all of whom have been indicted -- in connection with the prostitution enterprise, said Sgt. Steve Martos, a Phoenix police spokesman. The 20 people arrested so far have been charged with prostitution or other offenses, police said.
During a Wednesday search of the Phoenix temple and two church-related sites in nearby Sedona, police seized evidence showing that "male and female 'practitioners' working at the Temple were performing sexual acts in exchange for monetary 'donations,' all on the pretense of providing 'neo tantric' healing therapies," Phoenix police said.
The alleged brothel generated tens of thousands of dollars a month, Martos told CNN.
A history of neighbor complaints, a recent Phoenix newspaper article, and the temple's website were among the factors prompting authorities to conduct the undercover investigation, Martos said.
"What's unusual is that they were trying to hide behind religion or church, and under the guise of religious freedom, they were committing acts of prostitution," Martos said.
"We certainly respect First Amendment rights. However, religious freedom does not allow for criminal acts," Martos said.
Regarding the Goddess Temple's website, he said: "What they would talk about would seem to be religion. At the same time, they were implying or intimating that they were giving sex therapy."
The website says at one point: "Sex is a holy, sacred and divine healing force at the core (of) our beings. Once we embrace this force instead of deny it, we become successful, happy and powerful manifestors."
The website also features unclothed women, listed as residing in several states, under a "Goddesses" section.
The investigation focused on the alleged crimes, said acting Phoenix Police Chief Joe Yahner.
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery added in a statement: "Freedom of religion does not allow individuals to trade sex for money, no matter how the transaction is portrayed."
The alleged madam, Tracy Elise, who is in her 50s, was arrested and charged with prostitution, illegal control of an enterprise, pandering, and operating a house of prostitution, police said.
Elise was allegedly involved in a similar suspected brothel in Seattle, Washington, which authorities shut down in 2009, Phoenix police said.
Elise or her attorney could not be immediately reached for comment.
Others named in the indictment face charges including conspiracy, working in a house of prostitution, and massaging without a license. A total of 33 people have been indicted, but during Wednesday's search of the Phoenix temple, police arrested four more people not named in the indictment, Martos said.
Four of the 20 people arrested are men, and two of the four are alleged prostitutes, Martos said. The other two men are a website operator and a school director-teacher at the temple, he said.
The other people arrested are women, he added.
The church is near downtown Phoenix, and the temple also had an office and a house in Sedona, both of which investigators also searched with warrants and where police made three of the arrests, Martos said.
The temple practitioners probably used the Sedona house for rest and sleep, Martos said.[/quote]

[URL]http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/09/09/arizona.church.prostitution/index.html?hpt=hp_p1&iref=NS1[/URL]

[EmperorScorpious]

Well God did say, "Go forth and multiply"

[Alex_DeLarge]

Goddamn it. I'm in Phoenix :v:

[Jmir 54]

Sign me up

[Joazzz]

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;32223643]Well God did say, "Go forth and multiply"[/QUOTE]

And still fucking seems to be a sin :v:

[EmperorScorpious]

[QUOTE=Joazzz;32223819]And still fucking seems to be a sin :v:[/QUOTE]

Just out of wedlock.
Or in extreme cases, for any reason other than procreation.

[GarrettFox]

Whatever happened to freedom of religon?

If it is their religion, and who are you to say it isn't, should they not be allowed to practice it provided they remain healthy and pay taxes?

HMMMMM GOVERNMENT?

[Alex_DeLarge]

[QUOTE=GunFox;32223854]Whatever happened to freedom of religon?

If it is their religion, and who are you to say it isn't, should they not be allowed to practice it provided they remain healthy and pay taxes?

HMMMMM GOVERNMENT?[/QUOTE]

Completely agree, for thousands of years there have been temple sex workers and you were expected to donate. I see absolutely nothing wrong with that.

[commander204]

[QUOTE=Joazzz;32223819]And still fucking seems to be a sin :v:[/QUOTE]

It's not sex that is a sin! But that they are payed for! Those whores shouldn't be payed.

[sp]I'm joking.[/sp]

[Valdor]

Good thing they busted the probably clean and disease free prostitution group instead of cleaning up the streets!

[cecilbdemodded]

Church of Whores?

So then there will be more kneeling in that church than usual?

[BLOODGA$M]

"We certainly respect First Amendment rights. However, religious freedom does not allow for criminal acts (unless allowing them happens to be convenient for the folks in charge)."

fixed

somehow I think that they wouldn't even really care if it paid taxes like a normal business

[Xenomoose]

[quote]"Sex is a holy, sacred and divine healing force at the core (of) our beings. Once we embrace this force instead of deny it, we become successful, happy and powerful manifestors."[/quote]

In a weird way, this is true. If my fellow Americans could stop being prudish about sex, maybe it would help us out of the various ruts we the people are stuck in.

Also, legalization and regulation of prostitution could help, too. :v:

[escher]

I believe!

[Vipersnake]

God damn, i live in phoenix also sign me up for free sex

[swebonny]

Haha sounds like something you'd find in a Fallout game.

[sami-elite]

Sorry but if they believe sex brings relief and it requires a donation why is this prostitution?

I heard about a certain group of people that charge a fee for being in their church forcing you to buy stuff off them and pretty much rob you of your money. And yet that's not a problem.

Besides, what's the whole deal with prostitution anyway? The only reason stuff like this can happen is because there's no other way. Let them do some paper work so they can legally work for their money..

[Xera]

[QUOTE=GunFox;32223854]Whatever happened to freedom of religon?

If it is their religion, and who are you to say it isn't, should they not be allowed to practice it provided they remain healthy and pay taxes?

HMMMMM GOVERNMENT?[/QUOTE]

Since when should religion override law?

[booster]

I am totally OK with this.

[soccerskyman]

[QUOTE=EliteGuy;32223623][IMG]http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/US/09/09/arizona.church.prostitution/t1larg.goddess.temple.com.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
That's an 'odd' looking flower.

[EmperorScorpious]

[QUOTE=Xera;32225128]Since when should religion override law?[/QUOTE]

Since religion promotes sex :v:

[A B.A. Survivor]

I think I'd be able to attend congregations more often if this were my church.

[GarrettFox]

[QUOTE=Xera;32225128]Since when should religion override law?[/QUOTE]

Do you think Christianity had nothing to do with the original law?

Since when should religion DICTATE the law?

[Zeke129]

[QUOTE=GunFox;32223854]Whatever happened to freedom of religon?

If it is their religion, and who are you to say it isn't, should they not be allowed to practice it provided they remain healthy and pay taxes?

HMMMMM GOVERNMENT?[/QUOTE]

You are not allowed to remain a church if you are engaged in illegal activities such as prostitution or pedophilia actually I only meant to say prostitution

[B_I_G__C_U_M]

Hot.

[Contag]

[img]http://towleroad.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2009/01/30/haggardcbs.jpg[/img]

[B]This is disgraceful![/B]
that they don't have male priests.

[Reimu]

Sounds like something from Touhou.

[ewitwins]

Damn, wish I had known about this before it was too late...think they'll ever re-form?

[Dr. Fishtastic]

[QUOTE=Contag;32227017][img]http://towleroad.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2009/01/30/haggardcbs.jpg[/img]

[B]This is disgraceful![/B]
that they don't have male priests.[/QUOTE]

Theres a reason why Haggard had to pay dudes to bang him

[Fariun]

Thats cute- Lets clean up a corrupt church... How about a corrupt religion? Why not make Jew's pay property tax instead of calling their house's a place of worship to get out of it... This country some times D: