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Arizona church is house of prostitution, police say
CNN.com ^ | September 10, 2011 | Michael Martinez

Posted on 09/11/2011 4:17:02 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks

(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."

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: Arizona
KEYWORDS: bust; maricopacounty; napl; phoenix; phoenixgoddesstemple; police; prostitution; sex; sleaze
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1 posted on 09/11/2011 4:17:11 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

From the name, I could have easily been fooled into thinking it was some Amish institution.


2 posted on 09/11/2011 4:21:05 PM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
>""We certainly respect First Amendment rights. However, religious freedom does not allow for criminal acts," Martos said. "

Tell that to the kill em allah mudSlimes!

3 posted on 09/11/2011 4:21:38 PM PDT by rawcatslyentist (It is necessary that a person be born of a father who is a citizen; ~Vattel's Law of Nations)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Such religious activities are a great deal older than the common faiths of America today.

This is exactly the type of religion the ancient Israelites were tempted by in Canaan and Babylon.

IOW, trying to say it isn’t a religion won’t fly.


4 posted on 09/11/2011 4:25:52 PM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Michael Valentine Smith, is that you?

(Literary reference.)


5 posted on 09/11/2011 4:26:35 PM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: Sherman Logan
Ah, the Church of the New Revelation (Fosterite).

"Foster loves us!"

6 posted on 09/11/2011 4:28:09 PM PDT by Publius (Every time Sarah Palin speaks, somewhere in America a Leftist's head explodes.)
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To: al baby; Allegra; BufordP; EveningStar; JRios1968; martin_fierro; pax_et_bonum; ...

Dang!


7 posted on 09/11/2011 4:28:52 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (It's the Tea Party's fault!)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

“Praise Gaia and pass the Trojans!”


8 posted on 09/11/2011 4:30:52 PM PDT by Bratch
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To: Publius

I was actually thinking of the Church of All Worlds, the one set up by Mike.

But your’s works too, sort of, though the Fosterites were pretty cagey in public about what actually happened at their private meetings.


9 posted on 09/11/2011 4:31:27 PM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: Publius

I can grok that


10 posted on 09/11/2011 4:32:30 PM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 ....Rats carry plague)
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To: Sherman Logan; Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Some of us grok it.


11 posted on 09/11/2011 4:33:03 PM PDT by tarheelswamprat
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To: bert

“I am God. You are God. Everything that groks is God.”


12 posted on 09/11/2011 4:35:34 PM PDT by Publius (Every time Sarah Palin speaks, somewhere in America a Leftist's head explodes.)
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To: knarf
From the name, I could have easily been fooled into thinking it was some Amish institution.

Amish girls gone wild

13 posted on 09/11/2011 4:44:23 PM PDT by ReformedBeckite (1 of 3 I'm only allowing my self each day)
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To: knarf

Darn, why am I always the last to know


14 posted on 09/11/2011 4:53:31 PM PDT by rdcbn
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Went to the website to check out the “goddesses”

unfortunately:
“The information you are looking for has been temporarily removed to respect the privacy of our practitioners during trying times.”


15 posted on 09/11/2011 4:58:50 PM PDT by nascarnation
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To: nascarnation

It’s a local story here...I assure you, you struck it lucky when you hit a dry hole looking for pics....Imagine a picture of a cat decrying “What has been seen cannot be unseen!”


16 posted on 09/11/2011 5:01:48 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (I like both Perry and Palin, and will vote for whichever of them wins.)
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To: Publius
Ah, the Church of the New Revelation (Fosterite).


Fosters, its Australian for religion.
17 posted on 09/11/2011 5:20:51 PM PDT by GonzoGOP (There are millions of paranoid people in the world and they are all out to get me.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

18 posted on 09/11/2011 5:24:04 PM PDT by JRios1968 (I'm guttery and trashy, with a hint of lemon. - Laz)
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To: JRios1968

Please tell me that was photo shopped.


19 posted on 09/11/2011 5:44:17 PM PDT by Graybeard58
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
“church”=/=Pagan goddess temple
Doubtful of deliberate liberal bias, but probably minimal thought went in to the title.

I agree with posters who say this is very much a part of religion. People did believe in faith based ritual sex and it seems they still do. Outlet for horny men wrapped up in the guise of freedom for women.

20 posted on 09/11/2011 5:45:32 PM PDT by nerdwithagun (I'd rather go gun to gun then knife to knife.)
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