Even after seeing all that I have after spending some 30 years living on - or damned close to - the street, I'm still shocked when I hear about folks ripping off churches. It's strange too, because I don't have a whole lot of respect for most churches; I always feel that if they were truly concerned with "the word of God" they'd spend a whole lot less on their fancy buildings and spend a whole lot more assisting their less fortunate congregation members.
Nashville's area churches have helped dispel this view somewhat. Frankly if it wasn't for local churches, the homeless in our city would be in a helluva lot worse shape, that you can believe.....
A 12-STEP CHURCH 'ROB'
By TOM LIDDY and JOHN DOYLE
Posted: 4:03 amSeptember 30, 2008
In addition to trying to clean up his act at some Staten Island churches, he was also trying to clean them out.
Lonnie Faulk, a homeless ex-con, attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings at several of the houses of worship not only to get treatment but also so that he could case them before ripping them off, authorities said.
Faulk, 42, was arrested Saturday and charged with 13 burglaries at 10 churches, the DA's office said. He admitted to the thefts, they said.
The last church he allegedly hit was the First Central Baptist in the Stapleton section, where he used a screwdriver to break a basement window and steal $70 in contributions from worshippers.
He was spotted at the scene walking away, and the cops were called and nabbed him, authorities said.
"I went into the church on two occasions and stole money because I have a very bad drug habit," he told cops.
Faulk, who spent December and January at Rikers Island on drug charges, had allegedly hit the church once before in August.
