Judge in Terri Schiavo Case Quits Baptist Church He Attended (photos)

Clearwater, FL (LifeNews.com) -- The judge in the Terri Schaivo case who reissued an order Friday that prompted Terri's feeding tube to be removed for a third time has withdrawn his membership in a local Baptist Church.

William Rice, the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, Florida, confirmed the news to the Baptist Press news agency on Friday.

Rice said he received a letter from Greer Thursday confirming he has rescinded his long-standing membership after the church. The Greer letter came days after Rice made public comments in news reports disagreeing with Greer's decisions related to Terri.

Rice said the two exchanged letters about the nature of Greer's church affiliation after the judge commented publicly about his religious views.

The pastor told Baptist Press he had offered to meet with Greer and received the letter as a response.

According to a St. Petersburg Times news report, Greer, earlier this month, said he told a church deacon, "If I don't like what the St. Pete Times writes about me, my only recourse is to cancel my subscription." He told the deacon he would no longer make donations to the church.

Rice told Baptist Press, “I felt like [the Times' comments] opened the door for me to write him and ask what kind of relationship he desired to have with the church."

“Our church has not had an antagonistic relationship with Judge Greer,” and he has not been publicly criticized at any church function, Rice said. “He has friends at the church on a personal level."

Greer's attendance at church began to decline when an official Florida Baptist State Convention publication, the Florida Baptist Witness, began running articles critical of Greer's decision.

Calvary Baptist Church places its newsletters inside the Witness magazine and sends it to its 1,500 members, including Greer.

Scientology, The Clearwater Bar Association, and Judge Greer

Judge George W. Greer presides over Florida's Sixth Judicial Circuit Court. He is known internationally for the Terri Schindler Schiavo guardianship case. Pat Anderson, former attorney for the Schindlers, characterized Judge Greer's unprecedented rulings as "The Rule of Terri's Case."

The Clearwater Bar Association is delighted with Judge Greer's performance in this particular case. They presented the John U. Bird award to the Pinellas-Pasco Circuit judge on May 15, 2004. This prestigious award, which is the Clearwater bar's highest honor for a judge, was granted to Judge Greer for the way he has handled himself while overseeing the Terri Schiavo case!

Robert Dickinson III, the outgoing president of the Clearwater Bar Association, cited Judge Greer's handling of the Terri Schiavo case in terms of "passing the test":

"Rarely is a person's mettle and faith tested in such a strenuous and public way as this gentleman's has been over the last few years," Robert Dickinson III said. "Rarely do mortals pass the test with such flying colors."

(Quote source: Lawyers laud judge in Schiavo case) [bold emphasis added]

I find these words rather ominous when I reflect on "the test" Judge Greer has been passing—all these years. Judge Greer's consistent practice of upholding Scientology doctrines over and above Florida law is being lauded by the Clearwater Bar Association! The "test" Robert Dickenson III is alluding to is the "test case." The euthanasia test case.

Greer is "passing the test" with flying colors because he is permitting Michael Schiavo to abuse, exploit and neglect his disabled wife in defiance of the Florida statues. And the Clearwater Bar Association cheers.

Scientology attorney Wally Pope—who represented his "church" in the Lisa McPherson case—was the individual selected to bestow this high honor on Judge Greer! Wally cited high ideals, personal character, and judicial competence:

"Yet, in the teeth of all that, he has steadfastly demonstrated exactly what the John U. Bird award was created to honor: high ideals, personal character, judicial competence and service," lawyer Wally Pope said before bestowing the honor.

(Quote source: Lawyers laud judge in Schiavo case) [bold emphasis added]

The "judicial competence" that Judge Greer has exhibited in his handling of the Terri Schiavo case is clearly the kind that ignores evidence and even Florida statutes in order to uphold Scientology doctrine—which requires the deletion of "social contagions" (the disabled) from society. It is no coincidence that a Scientology attorney—who was a lead attorney in the Lisa McPherson case—personally bestowed this award to Judge Greer. Greer's decisions to consistently rule in favor of terminating a disabled person do reflect high ideals—in the sight of Scientology.

Lies to Make Terri Schiavo Fit the Scientology Mold

One of Scientology's major goals is to change society's views about death, dying, and those L. Ron Hubbard considered to be "past the half-way point": the disabled.

Scientologists believe (1) that a disabled person is in such a state due to his or her own failings, (2) the disabled person will deliberately move in the direction of death, and (3) disabled people (Individuals who score low on the emotional tone scale) will also bring death to those around them. (See L. Ron Hubbard's book, Self Analysis, chapter 4)

Scientology teaches that if a person is disabled it is his or her fault. Terri has been falsely represented as being disabled due to self-induced vomiting which supposedly caused a potassium imbalance that resulted in a cardiac arrest. Medical records have disproved these claims, but these "facts" were presented in the court record and are still being promulgated via the media today. The truth is that Terri suffered serious injuries, (including a head and neck injury and numerous broken bones). An exceptionally competent neurologist testified (that Michael Schiavo's attorneys predictably attempted to discredit) stated that Terri's injuries are consistent with strangulation:

Dr. William Hammesfahr, Nobel prize nominee and neurologist, testified that Terri's neck injuries are consistent with only one type of injury: that of strangulation.

(Quote source: State-Funded Agency to Probe Claim of Spousal Abuse in Terri Schiavo Case)

The only person in the apartment with Terri at the time of her collapse was her husband, Michael Schiavo.

Scientology teaches that a disabled person will move in the direction of death. Terri has been illegally denied therapy for over ten years for the purpose of causing her abilities and health to deteriorate. She has also been placed in hospice facilities—and denied any stimulation— rather than in a nursing home. This was done to create the illusion that Terri is moving in the direction of death. According to L. Ron Hubbard's doctrines, a disabled person wants to die. Michael Schiavo never misses an opportunity to state that death is "Terri's wish." This is not true. Terri wants to live so much that she exerts tremendous effort to demonstrate her abilities.

Scientology teaches that disabled persons (Individuals who score low on the tone scale) will also bring death to those around them. Michael is so worried that Terri will bring "death" to him (accusations of attempted murder?) that he refuses to allow her to have speech therapy—or any therapy. Of course Michael's power to keep Terri in a state of disability is contingent upon Judge Greer's continued collusion with the Scientology agenda, which is not in accordance with Florida laws.

The Clearwater Bar Association: Cozy with Scientology

Mike Faehner, who was president-elect of the Clearwater Bar Association in 2001, endorsed the Johnson Blakely Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns PA. firm:

"In the legal community, they have a good reputation," said Mike Faehner, president-elect of the Clearwater Bar Association. "They do quite a bit of legal educational outreach. They're a solid law firm."

(Quote source: Clearwater firm breaks from standing tradition)

This firm brings in a lot of money by litigating for the "Church" of Scientology:

Their clients include parents involved in a baby swap, a woman who was not allowed to dress after she was arrested for skinny-dipping, the controversial Church of Scientology and developers who have changed the landscape of Clearwater.

(Quote source: Clearwater firm breaks from standing tradition) [bold emphasis added]

Here is an old picture of Judge Greer with attorneys who have litigated for Scientology. Wally Pope is one of them:

Left to right: Chief Judge David A. Demers, Tim Johnson, Probate Judge George Greer, John Blakely, Bruce Bokor, and then Wally Pope. Wally Pope was (at times) listed as Scientology's lead counsel in various parts of the Lisa McPherson-related cases. Blakely and Bokor are or were both partners in the law firm Johnson, Pope, Bokor,
Ruppel, & Burns, which often represents Scientology.

It is probable that Scientology attorneys are on the board and/or are officers of the Clearwater Bar Association! Mike Faehner said:

Many Johnson Blakely lawyers have been board members or officers in the association. The firm also sponsors bar activities, he said.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the Clearwater Bar Association is on cozy terms with the "Church" of Scientology. They choose to have their monthly meetings at the Fort Harrison Hotel—Scientology headquarters. (See: Res Ipsa Loquitur) The Clearwater bar gladly endorses firms that litigate for Scientology. They even chose a Scientology attorney to present an award to Judge Greer for "passing the test" in the way he handled the Terri Schiavo case.

Scientology For Euthanasia; Florida Law Against it

Wally Pope represented the "Church" of Scientology in the wrongful death suit filed by the Estate of Lisa McPherson. He fought to enable Scientology to completely get away with dehydrating Lisa McPherson to death. They did not succeed. They settled with the Lisa McPherson Trust!

Judge Greer's rulings have enabled Michael Schiavo (working on behalf of the Scientology agenda) to almost get away with dehydrating Terri Schiavo to death. The only reason this did not happen is because many Americans—once they saw the videos of Terri that Mr. Schindler bravely released to the media—made it known they would not stand for such evil in our society.

It is time to take a stand against this barbarism once again. Disabled citizens of the United States of America (including Terri Schindler Schiavo of Clearwater, Florida) must not be denied therapy and even life itself due to L. Ron Hubbard's disgust over the fact that a decent society takes care of its own:

Society, the bulk of which is bent upon survival, fails or refuses to recognize death or the urge of organisms toward it. Society passes laws against murder and suicide. Society provides hospitals. Society carries such people [the disabled] on its back. And society will not hear of euthanasia or "mercy killing." (Self Analysis by L. Ron Hubbard; pg. 28)

May the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified as his people "hear his voice" concerning this matter and follow him.

Gary and Lisa Ruby

link to: Judge In Schiavo Case Failed To Legally Qualify For Office; Discharge Mandated

Petition to impeach Judge Greer --Judge Greer has violated Florida statutes and the Judicial Code of Ethics in order to go along with Scientology ethics.

Also see: Scientology and Terri Schindler Schiavo: The Death Connection

In Keeping With Scientology Doctrine, Michael Schiavo Removed Terri From Society

Keeping Terri Disabled: Michael's Illegal Pretext to Kill

7/28/04

edited 02/04/05

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