Pastor Lies About Being a Navy SEAL, Confronted by Retired SEAL

gather.com ^ | May 10, 2011 | Stephen T. Allen

[Gamecock]

Pastor Jim Moats of Newville, Pa. once had a conversation with a supervisor about the Navy SEALs. He's apparently seen a few movies portraying the SEALs as well.

In the Christian Bible Fellowship Church in Newville, Pa., Pastor Jim Moats was apparently known as a Vietnam-era Navy SEAL. Moats was known to tell tales of his time as a SEAL to parishioners and family. His sons, both of whom served in Iraq, even made their dad a plaque honoring the SEALs and other Navy units. The plaque hung on Moats' wall.

His tall tales and this plaque had led to questions, and probably even tokens of gratitude. The Pastor was living the lie. That was until The Patriot-News sought out local, retired Navy SEALs to interview after the daring raid of SEAL Team 6 led to the death of Osama bin Laden.

Readers, including two real former SEALs, saw right through his bogus story. Retired Navy SEAL Don Shipley connected two of Moats' stories to the Steven Seagal movie "Under Siege" and the Demi Moore classic, "G.I. Jane." Maybe if Moats had seen "Navy SEALs" or "Under Siege 2: Dark Territory" his story would have more credibility.

Jason Ertola, a Navy SEAL from 1992-1996, said any SEAL could see right through Moats' fraudulent story. He also expressed outrage at men like Moats who "claim the honor that many good men have earned and died for." He also noted that bogus claims similar to Moats' have increased since the death of bin Laden.

Shipley confirmed that Moats was never a SEAL (and never even served in Vietnam) by accessing a database with the names of all SEALs. Shipley then confronted the Pastor with a phone call on Sunday night. Moats gave in and admitted he was never a SEAL, never served in Vietnam, but had served in the Navy.

Moats used the ruse as an ego-booster and said he was living his dream through his sons. He will explain himself to parishioners Wednesday night at the Christian Bible Fellowship Church.

Pastor Moats' lie is disrespectful not only to all current and former Navy SEALs, such as Shipley and Ertola, but also to anyone who has served or is serving in the military, including Moats' two sons. Navy SEALs and others serving in the armed forces are the real heroes in this country, and there should be no issue with citizens pretending to be them. As long as they are 12-year-old kids. Not 59-year-old pastors with two kids of their own.

[editor-surveyor]

>> “St Michael the Archangel: God’s Warrior” <<

.
All of the angels are warriors; none of them are saints. Only we humans can be saints; a saint is one who is covered by the blood of Christ. Angels are not.

[MileHi]

Because to tell you the truth, most folks I ever met who were SOOOO pious were reformed drunks, mooching televangilists or holyer-than-though busy bodies who sound just like your posts. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior, and I don’t need or want a lecture from you. I assume no SEAL or Ranger or any other service member needs to hear your obnoxious proselytizing. I would be real happy to hear your thanks for them safeguarding your ability to do so.

[famousdayandyear]

Pride

[MileHi]

Really?

[count-your-change]

I think a large number of people live in a fantasy world and once in a while they let it slip out.
Then they become Secret Agent Man or a Seal or met the one armed man in a bar, something, anything and I have heard some real prize winners.

Whereas as you say, their ordinary lives are honorable and useful but somehow not enough. People is nutz at times.

[Cronos]

I feel sorry for the guy. Perhaps it started out as something small, it inadvertently got blurted out and since then he has needed to make a whole bunch of lies to cover that one up.

[MileHi]

Tried to ping you twice.

Really lame on your part.

[Religion Moderator]

If you want to reach me use “Religion Moderator” in the “to:”

[Cronos]

"Then they become Secret Agent Man or a Seal or met the one armed man in a bar, something, anything and I have heard some real prize winners." --> true, it's human nature. The problem in this guys case is that he probably didn't know how to get out of the trap. He may have (speculation on my part), just said it once, inadvertently and then people kept asking him and he had to keep on lying, lying for fear that if he said the first was a lie, he would not be forgiven.

This really reminds me of the movie Devil's Advocate -- Pride is what gets us every time. Pride may have prompted the first lie, and then pride kept him from admitting it as a lie. I think all of us have failed like this some way or the other..

[count-your-change]

Yep, kind of the way it works, isn’t it? Vanity was the devil’s favorite vice in that movie, yes?

[american_ranger]

I think God probably prefers SEALs as drinking buddies over pastors. Most pastors are wussies.

[Gamecock]

Could be.

[Elsie]

... a database with the names of all SEALs.

Praise be to Allah for such a resource!

[Elsie]

Liar?

You must be a disgruntled old Jack MORMON to post this (mis)information!

Why; he was the very one that got ME started posting on FR!

^{I am STILL gruntled!)}

[Elsie]

I warned my friend who was considering doing business with the fraud.

We, of the Flying Inmen, do this very thing on FR.

Some have been saved from a bad fate.

[Elsie]

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

[Elsie]

So what eternal value do you think killing Osama bin Ladin had? Sure, we’re all glad it happened, but exactly whose soul did it save from hellfire, or what backslider did it move to get right with God?

Osama masterminded the killing of about 3,000 Americans.

I would think that those involved with killing about 46,000,000 Americans would be worried that there may be a SEAL in THEIR future!