Unorthodox Preacher Washed Out
by Winsip Custer CPW News Service
Reverend Jonathan Bentley Washerman, IV of the First Central United Congregational Fellowship of Leeswood, Connecticutt was fired on January 25th by the church's governing board which claimed the young preacher practiced "irreverent, unorthodox and unacceptable premarital counseling methods."
Reverend Washerman |
Henry N. Prigg, head of the church's Board of Deacons, said "Rev. Washerman's methods went beyond the pail of customs and norms for this congregation." When asked to describe the unacceptable methods, Mr. Prigg, an attorney with Snoot, Snoot and Prigg, said that "I will not dignify the minister's practices with a description. Suffice it to say that it employed elements that degraded the sacred institution of marriage and the office of the minister."
Reverend Washerman was more informative as were Robin Kean and Moorman Aswappe, the young couple scheduled to be married in the church sanctuary in June, 2011.
"There was nothing that Reverend Washerman said that we have not heard before. I thought he gave good sound advice that is so far removed from the definition of obscenity as to be laughable, " said Ms. Kean who said that the counseling session was a revelation for her fiance, Mr. Aswappe, and a relief to Ms. Kean who said "thank God I don't have to broach that subject with Moorman."
"There was nothing that Reverend Washerman said that we have not heard before. I thought he gave good sound advice that is so far removed from the definition of obscenity as to be laughable, " said Ms. Kean who said that the counseling session was a revelation for her fiance, Mr. Aswappe, and a relief to Ms. Kean who said "thank God I don't have to broach that subject with Moorman."
"The church board has its head up it's....well, buried in...in....the sand, when it comes to clear, practical and informative advice on marriage and family relationships," said Reverend Washerman. "There was nothing in my session with Robin and Moorman that was obscene. Define obscene," he said. "I'll tell you obscene. Rev. Billy Graham's friendship with the owner of the Thompson submachine gun maker, Mr. Russell MaGuire, owner of the American Mercury Magazine and their connections to Pro-Nazi George Lincoln Rockwell and American Fascist General Edwin A. Walker, that was obscene!" said Reverend Washerman, a relative of Connecticutt Senator William Benton, who was the target in 1950 of a Prescott Bush, Joseph McCarthy and American Mercury smear campaign in the Connecticutt U.S Senatorial election.
Reverend Washerman played for us the youtube video that he felt was an important message for all young couples to hear. "Yes, it's gritty stuff, but poignant and clear. There is no one who could not benefit from this message. I am sure that in her early years a young Ms. Bell would have appreciated these insights before her marriage to Reverend Graham," said Reverend Washerman. "That the message comes from an African American may have colored Mr. Prigg's judgement and the judgment of the whole board which also includes John, Fred and Betty Snoot."
Reverend Washerman provided a copy of the Youtube video that proved so objectionable to the church board....
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