Monday, January 17, 2011

Christian Churches Do Background Checks on Visitors - Warning!

I cannot believe it! Christian Churches do background checks on visitors. Ever visit a church and they ask you to submit your information: name, address, contact information, on a visitors packet or card? Well, a study is on the way investigating this  very popular practice in Christian Churches across the nation. I was ask to video edit several hidden camera footage of visitors ask to fill out a information card. These visitors enter prepared information that can be tracked online if a church chooses to do a background check on criminal, telephone, name, address, or auto lic. plate information. I understand the concern, but I would figure it was done for those who have attended for a longer period of time than one visit, and it centered on qualifying leadership application. I use to be an H.R. Director for I.B.C. Corp which did security checks on their employees who gave their consent as a position requirement. It is well known that the worst run non-profit organizations are Churches. Here is one very clear and cut example of unethical and illegal trespasses. In the the five video clips I edited, ever single one followed the same pattern. First, footage of a couple entering a church and being approached during after mass/service time invitation to fill out a visitors packet. Second, the reason for the request is to keep the visitor informed of events and ministries. Third, if a couple did the undercover work, there was a immediate welcoming by the elders and other leaders of the church. If the person was a single male adult with no wedding ring, than only one person approach and seemed focused on getting that information fill out on that visitor card by the gentleman recruited for the assignment. Families with children were introduced directly to the head pastor. I saw this to be quite interesting dialog. Ever church had a day care service and alternative primary school. The profiles given recorded several well known background check attempts logged online that following week. This information was presented in video footage of an interview of the producer. Dates and time stamp, every single adult male was checked for criminal and civil violations. All parties were checked for State violations. Google search was also across the board for every party's name and address. Auto Lic Plates were searched for young couple and single men/women. All of these searched were unauthorized and without consent. Since the online phenomenon began, public domain has been at war with claims of invasion of privacy. I uphold privacy above online posting of private information. There is simply no security measure provided to prevent online exposure of information. Google has a route to delete pages that have been deemed Libel in courts only. Google is hands off and takes no care for those victimized by online Libel cases.  Due to the immense oversight of Google and other search engines, people have no recourse unless they can afford a lawyer. Courts have no recourse except for answering  to a libel or slander suit presented by a lawyer of that expertise. In other words, it's open warfare to slander, invade privacy, and libel anyone you wish without consequences. What bothers me is the obvious lack of integrity by the Church in this matter. I have now volunteered Pro Bono to be apart of this production. I feel privacy of individuals in paramount in a free society. I will provide any resources or contacts to see law suits through to the end on any Non profit 501 Organization to hold accountable by penalty of fines and imprisonment their Board of Directors. This blog is to encourage "Beyond Reproach" confrontation to the leaders of your local church. I welcome your response.