I
am providing the following for information and historical reference purposes
only. Understand, too, that there are two sides to
every story and that the power and ability to reason and understand is unique
to each individual based on the information that is available...
From the Mountain Park Baptist Church and Boarding Academy Parent/Student Handbook, Page 37:
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CIVIL LAWSUITS
Before
enrolling a student, parents are expected to sign a statement indicating
that they have read, understand, and agree to hold to the Biblical teachings
and practice of Mountain Park Baptist Boarding Academy that Christians
are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians
or Christian ministries to resolve civil disputes.
MPBBA does believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation
for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the
claim is pursued without malice or slander. (I Corinthians 6:1-8; Ephesians
4:21-32) The parents’ signed statement will also indicate
that, regardless of personal profession of faith in Christ, they are
submitting themselves to this same position concerning civil lawsuits
in their relationship with Mountain Park Baptist Church and Boarding
Academy. |
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MOUNTAIN PARK BAPTIST CHURCH AND BOARDING ACADEMY BINDING ARBITRATION Believing that lawsuits are prohibited by Scripture (I Corinthians 6: 1-8), all parents, grandparents, guardians, students, teachers, staff, board members, volunteers, or anyone else involved in dispute agree to submit to binding arbitration any matters which cannot otherwise be resolved, and expressly waive any and all rights in law and equity to bringing any civil disagreement before any court of law, except that judgment upon the reward rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. SECTION 2 Submission to Arbitration 2.1 The parties as Christians, believing that lawsuits are prohibited by Scripture, and having agreed to submit disputes to binding arbitration, and to waive any legal right to take the dispute to a court of law, will refer and submit any and all disputes, differences, and controversies whatsoever within the agreed scope of arbitration to a panel of three arbitrators, to be selected as follows: a. All arbitrators must be born-again Christians of good reputation in the community and who affirm Mountain Park Baptist Church’s statement of faith in its entirety. |
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From the Jackson, MS Clarion-Ledger Newspaper Pages: 1A, 19A Date: 3-29-87 Minister files $44 million Bethesda suit
HATTIESBURG – Accusing state and local officials of “outrageous conduct” and deprivation of civil rights including freedom of religion, the minister of the former Bethesda Home for girls has filed a federal lawsuit seeking $44 million in damages.
The Rev. Bob R. Wills, pastor of Redemption Baptist Church, and his wife, Betty Sue Wills, four former Bethesda staff members and five parents of former Bethesda residents filed the suit on Friday. They seek the damages from state Department of Welfare Commissioner, Thomas Brittain and a host of other state and local officials – including up to 200 Welfare Department workers and Forrest County Sheriff’s employees….
Brittain said he has expected the suit, which the home’s supporters have long threatened.
“We’ll be happy to take that into a court, as we said we would from the outset,” Brittain said. “Thus far, not only the Forrest county court but other courts in this state and elsewhere have held that placing a child with the Willses is not for the best interest of these kids.” Joining the Willses in the suit, which seeks a jury trial, are Samuel and Armina Ratliff, Elizabeth Samford and Cristi O’Briant, former Bethesda workers;...
Also named in the suit is Hattiesburg lawyer Daniel R. Wise, who issued the order as special Forrest County Youth Court judge in the case, which essentially shut down the facility and returned custody of its 117 residents to parents or guardians.
According to the suit, Wise fostered “a blanket of tyranny” during the September incident. The suit alleges that Wise also “accused Wills of not feeding the girls, sexually abusing them, not taking them for medical help and getting rich off the girls and made it clear that ... Pastor Wills would not preach anymore.”
“I’m delighted to see that Rev. Wills has decided to work within
the judicial system, for a change,” Wise said Saturday.
“I intend to vigorously defend this personal attack.”
In addition to Wise, the suit names as defendants Hattiesburg lawyer Eugene L. Fair, and two Episcopal priests, the Rev. Benjamin F. Bell and the Rev. Joseph D. Rowland, both of Hattiesburg, who were guardians for the children in the case, and Joseph Gentile, Welfare Department attorney. |
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From the Jackson, MS Clarion-Ledger Newspaper Page: 2B Date: 3-31-1996 Plot to take over school led to slaying of student PATTERSON, Mo Three classmates who hoped to make national news by taking over their boarding school killed a classmate because they thought he would get in their way, an investigator said. Will Futrelle, 16, of Boca Raton, Fla., was found dead Monday in the woods at the 160 acre Mountain Park Baptist Academy, a school in the Ozarks for troubled youngsters. He had been beaten with a club and brick, and his throat had been slashed with a pocket knife
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that in September 1986, a youth court judge in Forrest County, Miss., ordered the Mississippi Department of Public Welfare to take emergency custody of the 117 residents of Christian Life Boarding School, south of Hattiesburg. One month later, Wills was convicted of civil contempt for failure to turn over information about his students. The clash was between the court’s insistence that only it could confine minors and Wills’ claim that he was protected by religious liberties.... Until then, Wills had called his school the Bethesda Home for Girls. He had opened it in 1972. Lawyers for Wills fought the contempt conviction all the way to the Mississippi Supreme Court. Wills contended that the state had no right to regulate a church-run school. But in 1988 that court affirmed the conviction, and Wills’ $44 million suit in federal court against the youth court judge and guardians was thrown out later that year. According to lawyers in Mississippi and articles published back then by The Clarion-Ledger, the youth court in Hattiesburg had determined in 1984 that Wills ran a detention center because students were confined to grounds. The court said the school was subject to court review of the status of all students.
The contempt order did not relate directly to the treatment of students. But during the controversy, Wills signed a federal court consent decree banning the use of paddling pregnant residents and forced confinement in his school.
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Was just considering the following statement found in the Parent/Student handbook, since 2 Episcopal priests were named in the $44 million dollar lawsuit, and was wondering, are they not considered Christians – so that is why it was O.K. for the Wills to sue them?
“Before enrolling a student, parents are expected to sign a statement indicating that they have read, understand, and agree to hold to the Biblical teachings and practice of Mountain Park Baptist Boarding Academy that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or Christian ministries to resolve civil disputes.”
Lots of things I don’t understand here: The parents are required to sign an arbitration agreement based on the claim that MPBC&BA believes that lawsuits are prohibited by Scripture. Yet, the Wills and several others who, I have been told, are still at MP, (the Ratliffs and Cristi O’Briant) joined together in the 80’s to bring a $44 million lawsuit that included two members of the Christian clergy that were named as defendants.
Can somebody explain the rationale behind this – considering that Scripture says, “For I am the LORD, I change not”???
If the Lord doesn’t change......OUCH to those who do and then use Scripture to persuade others to agree with their “changed – to - suit – their – purpose” beliefs.