To all who have been captivated by the Rogue "pastoral" Team Series, I received an email from one of their strong men. He is intending to bully me into removing all the posts and even has threatened legal action.
Unfortunately, he has not read the laws of the state of Minnesota or even been well versed in Federal law. If you do a background check on Norman Poole, you can see that he hasn't been on the friendly side of the law. I am just one of his next potential "victims". I refuse to be bullied and so will post here the full text of his laughable email.
Norman, I demand that you read the Minnesota Statutes in full and come back to me with a 1000 page report on the laws of this great state. Then, you have exactly one week to send me a certified and notarized apology letter. It will be posted to all my readers.
(If you read the text of his email, you will see the humor in the above demand.)
Finally, if anyone has any history with people like Norman, I implore you to respond in the comments of how you dealt with the empty threats.
Text of email:
From: "Norman William Pool"
Date: August 7, 2011 9:07:19 PM CDT
Note: The pdf's have been pulled on the FCC site since this post was posted.
Unfortunately, he has not read the laws of the state of Minnesota or even been well versed in Federal law. If you do a background check on Norman Poole, you can see that he hasn't been on the friendly side of the law. I am just one of his next potential "victims". I refuse to be bullied and so will post here the full text of his laughable email.
Norman, I demand that you read the Minnesota Statutes in full and come back to me with a 1000 page report on the laws of this great state. Then, you have exactly one week to send me a certified and notarized apology letter. It will be posted to all my readers.
(If you read the text of his email, you will see the humor in the above demand.)
Finally, if anyone has any history with people like Norman, I implore you to respond in the comments of how you dealt with the empty threats.
Text of email:
From: "Norman William Pool"
Date: August 7, 2011 9:07:19 PM CDT
Zach and Joe,
I just wanted to let the both of you know that you both are in violation of both federal and state laws. Joe you have posted 10 postings on your blog “The Rogue "pastoral" Team Series”. What you want to say is not in violation of law, but what is that there was a recording of a conversation between Zach and Pastors Mark and Annah Reid. This recording was done in violation of both federal and state laws because it was done without the consent of all parties. Than to further the violation of law this recording was transcribed and posted on a blog for all the world to see. The recording and the transcribing of this recording is in violation of federal and state law. To let the both of you know, Pastors Mark and Annah are aware of this. I have made pdf copies of these postings and have posted it on a private link for you to see. The link to these pdf’s is http://www.freedomcc.org/the-rouge-pastoral-team/ . Each of you have one week to write a letter apologizing and asking forgiveness to both Pastor Mark and Annah Reid for what you have done. This letter will be read before the congregation and recorded both in our audio recordings and video recordings of the service. The next thing you will do is post the same letters in your blog for the wrong you have done. Finally you will remove those postings from your blog. If you do not do this, than I will forward the pdf’s of those postings to the FBI and to the State Attorney General for prosecution. The letter must be in the hands of Pastors Mark and Annah Reid no later than 19 August 2011. You will mail the letter to Freedom Christian Center, Attn: Pastors Mark and Annah Reid, 6937 U.S. Hwy 10 N.W., Ramsey, MN 55303. Once you have done this, you will reply to this email that all of this has been completed. You will also send me a link to the posting of that letter on your blog to me. This is no laughing matter. The ball is in your hands. Do what is right and all will be forgiven.
Norman Pool
Note: The pdf's have been pulled on the FCC site since this post was posted.
Some law speak:
ReplyDeleteAs indicated in Minnesota Statutes Annotated § 626A.02 Subd. 2 (d) It is not unlawful under this chapter for a person not acting under color of law to intercept a wire, electronic or oral communication where such person is a party to the communication or where one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to such interception unless such communication is intercepted for the purpose of committing any criminal or tortious act in violation of the constitution or laws of the United States or any state.
...is this legit? Can he actually sue you for this? =/
ReplyDeleteAlso, the part about "being read in front of the church" and keep in the records? UTTER BULLCRAPOLA.
Wait. Never mind. I didn't read the comment above mine.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously? He is so full of crap.
Hahaha! I can't wait to see what happens when he reads this.....;P
ReplyDeleteWow, he's bossy, ain't he? Reminds me of my older sister when we were 6 and 7 years old.
ReplyDeleteWhat puzzles me is that Norman has to do the dirty work.
ReplyDeleteI noticed all the links to your series are now gone from their page.
ReplyDeleteHmm... even a quick Google search netted me the fact that Federal law only requires the consent of one person for a conversation to be taped. Seems your brother qualifies as "one person". And, from my further reading, Minnesota is not among the few states that require the consent of all parties to the conversation for it to be taped.
ReplyDeleteI'd say (and I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on the intarweebs) that considering one person consented to this recording that all is well on that end, both federally and state-wise.
People amaze me, and control freaks probably most of all.
Incongruous - I have done transcripts before, because leaders are ashamed of what they have said and done. They never like it.
ReplyDeleteOnce it was public knowledge, but then when they see the reaction of others? It instantly disappears so they can say things like: taken out of context, I don't remember it that way, etc.
I also saved the orginals, and have plenty.
He sounds like the type if you dont like what I did you are against God. Amazing they don't see the arrogance in that.
If they are so proud of themselves - it wouldn't be a threat. If he stands by what was said? It wouldn't be an issue. Heck if he feels there is not enough information for his 'congregation' to understand - I'm sure he is a big enough of a blow hard by his own statements to fill in the blanks for them.
Jesus didn't demand people bow to him, and kiss his toes. Guess what Mr. Preacher man? You ain't all that either.
If he has an issue with what was said - he needs to apologize to his congregation. He doesn't need a pair of men to grovel for him so he can inflate his ego and sense of power and control.
SURE the bible states you are to approach your brother that you feel has sinned against you. If he reads a bit more of his bible? It states the type of approach - an attitude if you will - of love, humbleness, grace. Heck God wouldn't even wish you to approach 'nonbelievers' to bully either.
People that want leadership are required to show this by example. His attitude is not something God would endorse. Sadly, they don't seem capable of viewing things like that. They place their powertrip over the Lord.
The self righteous crowd are plentiful sadly. They keep it that way by manipulating, bullying, and finding ways to endorse their power over others. You don't find that in the bible, but I digress...
hahaha. I've read the entire Rougue Pastor series and loved it. These people are CRAZY. Good job standing up to them :) I'm with Darcy, can't wait to see what happens when he reads this!
ReplyDeleteThis actually looks like blackmail on his part. "The ball is in your hands. Do what is right and all will be forgiven." Sure looks like blackmail to me. I might contact my own attorney about this if I were you and see if you have something actionable there.
ReplyDeleteEither way, it's a scare tactic and he's shull of fit. I mean, the freakin' FBI? lol
There are several approaches you can take to something like this:
ReplyDeleteThe sensible approach: Do nothing, because it's an empty threat, and odds are good he knows this himself. If he actually sends anything to the FBI or the Attorney General (ha!), they'll laugh at it and file it under "Crazies, L-R." (It's a big file, or so I'm told by somebody who works in the Justice Department.)
The sanctimonious approach: Quote 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 at 'em. Watch 'em squirm.
The quid pro quo approach: Find a legal-minded friend to draft a blistering cease-and-desist letter full of actual legalese. They won't know what hit them.
The troll approach: String them along, posting all subsequent communications online for teh lulz. Conclude your correspondence with a large picture of the Trollface.
The awesome approach: Do whatever David Thorne would do. Like this. Or this.
As I comment on this post, I am aware that everything I say and everything all of you say is being read now by this Norman Pool and more than likely the two "pastors".
ReplyDeleteThat being said, write away. I know the law.
Yes Hannah. Even a quick reading of the law would reveal to Norman that he has no standing whatsoever. But, from his history, it appears the law does not matter.
ReplyDeleteRegardless, the fact that he sent an email with poor English is almost as foolish as trying to scam someone out of money from the comfort of a hut in Nigeria.
Lewis. I agree with the blackmail idea.
ReplyDeleteDefinition of blackmail:
To force or coerce into a particular action, statement, etc. [I'll add, "without legal standing"]
In this case, monetary blackmail is not at issue, yet. Hopefully I headed that off. The fact that Norman Pool has demanded exact dates and actions "so all will be forgiven" is key.
My question to Norman Pool is: What next?
Frankly, with his history, I am worried about physical harm. His paper terrorism doesn't matter, being that he is completely above his pay grade on the matter.
And the FBI??? LOL! Yeah. Agreed.
Eric. Love all the suggestions. Thank you for the deep thought on the matter. I will not reveal my true intentions nor my recent and future actions. But, being that I am the one with legal standing here, empty threats will be answered with correct legal action, as needed.
ReplyDeletehahahaha...
ReplyDeletehahaha!
I was already laughing, and then I got to the part:
This is no laughing matter.
haha, oh boy.
I was telling a lady at the grocery store where I started working shortly after we got out of our abusive church about some men who I was slightly afraid of that might try to come in and intimidate me (which, they sorta did), and I started venting.
"And then they would say that even my saying this would be 'gossip'!"
And, haha, I love this woman. She's this motherly, just awesome lady.
She said, "Honey. If they didn't want you to talk about what they did... they shouldn't have done it."
Mmmmhm!
It struck me, though.
Sure, there are private things we do in life, and people we confide in and things like that, so not every aspect of our lives will be public. But we're gonna be held accountable. By other people.
The Bible does talk about how important good reputations are-- that means there can be bad ones as well. And reputations are reports of character from other people!
People like Mark and Annah believe that it's everyone else's job to "protect their reputation."
No. The fruit you bear is what goes towards building your own reputation.
Not controling what others have to say about you and the facts about what you've done.
I agree with all of you when the hypocritcal nature of this email is mentioned. To try to squelch the bad rather than own up to it, when the legal standing of the transcript is fully established, by utilizing blackmail tactics, fear, and thinly veiled threats, is only further evidence that I am correct in my assessment of this "pastor" pair, not to mention their people who do the dirty work.
ReplyDeleteI just looked up the guy's name on Google-- I'd assumed he was just a religious nutter, but it looks like he's more of a professional scofflaw with a pattern of haplessly intimidating people. If he doesn't realize he's lost this round and back down, I'd just go straight to a lawyer and/or the police, in search of books that can be thrown at him.
ReplyDeleteIt says a lot about the Rogue Pastoral Team that this is the kind of company they keep.
Has anyone seen the discrepancy between Mr. Pool's threats to take the case to the FBI and the AG, yet the group he's associated with sees the feds and the state as illegitimate.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Anon4.
ReplyDelete