Seattle Jesus Pizza Lunches, like Middleton's Jesus Lunch, taps teen appetites and naive willingness to be exploited.

The real argument against this new wave of adult exploitation of our kids with "Jesus food," has everything to do with unauthorized individuals accessing our kids under the care of our public schools. 

That said, Seattle had their own problem, which now seems to be over with a local church agreeing to change their free pizza's lunches to an after school event. In this case, union cafeteria employees saw lunch purchases decline, in the face of free low nutrition pizza. The fact that a local church has more invested in the community than a few wealthy families threatening lawsuits seems to have made all the difference here. Still, school food could use a little boost in culinary preparation:

SEATTLE: A school cafeteria workers union is threatening a Seattle church over free pizza that parishioners are distributing to students at three local high schools during lunch time. Once a week for several months, youth pastor Nick Steinloski and other volunteers with Bethany Community Church in Seattle’s Green Lake neighborhood have delivered pizzas to students during lunch time just off campus at three high schools – Nathan Hale, Ingraham, and Rooselvelt, KOMO reports. The union accused the church of luring students in with the pizza to force feed them religion.

Church leaders received permission for the giveaway, which is possible in part because of the school have an open campus … “It takes about 10 minutes to get rid of 40 large pizzas. We are not telling them a Bible story before they get pizza.”

Regardless, International Union of Operating Engineers business manager Dave Westberg contends the pizza giveaway is hurting food sales in the school cafeterias … “the latest information is that they are serving @ 750 students a week Domino’s (high fat, empty calorie) pizza from boxes out of the trunk of a car near Ingraham, Hale and Roosevelt schools.

Youth pastor Nick Steinloski said, “They said we were taking away a job, hours from employees at school in the kitchens because kids weren’t buying lunch.”

Middleton Mentioned: The article gets one thing wrong, Jesus lunch is not a "church" sponsored event, it's an in your face "religious freedom" excuse by zealots with lots money to throw away.

The situation in Seattle isn’t the first squabble ... At Wisconsin’s Middleton High School, free church-sponsored “Jesus Pizza” lunches at a local park have swelled to as many as 900 students in recent months as school officials there have repeatedly, unsuccessfully attempted to stop the giveaway, EAGnews reports.

“While we were sharing our message, which was about three minutes long, they started chanting ‘keep Jesus in the church.’ The kids didn’t retaliate. Then some of the protesters walked through with signs, heckling the kids, but they didn’t respond – they just kept eating,” parent volunteer Melissa Helbach said of a May 10 confrontation. “All of us volunteers were so impressed. It was the power of the Holy Spirit – it was a really cool thing to see.”

In Seattle, Steinloski agreed to move the event to after school to eliminate the lunch time conflict. At least one student who spoke with KOKO believes the cafeteria workers union would be better off focusing on improving their own product than limiting students’ options.

“If they would cook it a little better, then they would have students up there eating, you know what I’m saying?” Nathan Hale junior Tajon Williams said.

Despite division, protests and predatory enticement of minors, Jesus Lunch organizers feed on attention and anger.

I'm mystified by the number of people who don't seem to be concerned about minor children 14 to 17 being approached by adults tempting them with food and a off kilter right wing religious messages. 

Today a protest sign read "Jesus would Compromise," which pretty much says it all. The Jesus Lunch "moms" didn't do this to compromise, they did it to indoctrinate and introduce what Thomas Jefferson was afraid would happen without the separation of church and state - religious intolerance and division.

The scene today with a growing crowd of student protesters is their new Jesus inspired normal:

Jesus Lunch organizer Melissa Helbach. "For as much as some people think it's dividing, other people are saying it's bringing the school together."

What about the funding? A February 8 Wisconsin State Journal story reported:

The Madison Christian Giving Fund aims to help faith-based programs … (said) Scott Haumersen, the fund’s chairman. Mama’s Lunches, which gives free lunches and a gospel message to students across the street from Middleton High School ($5,000). Mama’s Lunches, which gives free lunches and a gospel message to students across the street from Middleton High School ($5,000).

WISC had this coverage:



The lack of action by Middleton High Schools Principle Plank also had a lot to do with it. Zealot infestations like this usually start off small. Parents are now opening up about what they do know, and it paints an ugly picture:

Dear School Board, I learned today that at least some of the parent organizers of the Jesus Lunch were violating the MHS rules as early as 2014 when they hosted unauthorized "brunches" inside the high school on late start days. As a parent of an MHS student, I am frustrated that this occurred, apparently without the knowledge of school staff, and am concerned for my students' safety. 

When I learned of statements made by one of the children of the Jesus Lunch parents during class last fall, specifically "Muslims are like rabid dogs and should be shot." I was even more angry that this has been allowed to go on for so long.

All students deserve to feel safe at school. As parents, we should be able to send our children to public school without the fear that they will be enticed by adults pushing a religious or political agenda in exchange for free food. I am disturbed by my friends' accounts of their children being pressured to attend the lunches by upperclassmen on their sports teams. It's not as simple as "If you don't like it, stay away."

 Another unsettling story is revealed:

My son went to two of these brunches to do a little recon. At one of them, when he was asked to sit down there were already plastic cups with blue liquid in them at each seat. Towards the end of the meal, the women encouraged the students to imagine what life would be like if they woke up with no sense of taste because they had not prayed to God the night before, asking him to allow them to have it. They then told the students to drink the liquid, apparently to simulate the sensation of loss of the sense of taste. My son said he thought the liquid was mouthwash, but the moms refused to identify it. Since the majority of mouthwash contains alcohol, I'm pretty sure they were coercing students into drinking alcohol.

More....

It seems that the JL organizer (Helbach) was in constant contact with the PD asking to have the protesters removed or backed up because she felt threatened. From what I’m hearing she wasn’t the one being assaulted, but it certainly goes nicely with her story of being persecuted.

Students have had enough of the division, from forced inclusion by peers, or vilification of students who are vocal opponents:

Students and adults opposed to the event protested Tuesday, demanding the event be stopped or moved to a different location.

"It's just inappropriate. They should go to a church and in their own time invite students. It shouldn't be this kind of predatory, opportunistic, bribery of big lunches and handing out Bibles and Jesus literature at the same time," Annie-Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, said.

As one story goes, some students needed protection from the their wicked classmates:

Last semester they gave away surgical masks inscribed with the words "This is my Muzzle," citing Psalm of David:  "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked."

You really have to look for this crazy stuff to even think to bring it up. Check out this from Cognitive Dissidence  and the MacIver Institute video which features participant responses.

Jesus Lunch, shaping young minds with sandwiches and chips.

The arguments are now bordering on lunacy. Suddenly, minors have all the sensibilities and wisdom of mature adults. And here I thought Republicans didn't think young people were smart enough to even vote. Even more amazing is the divisive and combative ugliness of self righteous Jesus freaks turning Middleton into a religious battleground for their own selfish reasons. Yea, real community minded.

Their names are missing on their website. If you really want to see where Melissa Helbach's family is coming from, check out hubby Casey Helbach's Facebook site. Islamophobia comes to mind.

So what is their Christian message? After all, people are under the impression it's all about the teachings of Jesus, no big deal. Perhaps organizer Melissa Helbach's own kid gave us the answer, via one concerned parent:

"My daughter has had classes with one of the Helbach (sp) kids. He has openly advocated for killing Muslims as the solution to global terrorism. He's spewed hateful rhetoric while touting himself as "self made". She's been upset and frustrated by his behavior."

Another parent chimed in...

Moreover after my son criticized those comments, both cars in front of our house were vandalized. By someone. Lots of Christian behavior here...

Nice group, prince of peace message, you know. 

Rules are posted and clear

These are minors under the supervision of the school district. They protect and educate our kids, like my two sons. Who are these strangers spreading the "Christian" message, which is whatever they think it is. Imagine other groups trying to influence and indoctrinate a whole school filled with curious minors. Their parents should still call the shots, not Jesus Lunch "moms."

The following video clip is a two parter. . Think they weren't looking for a fight? This video was featured at the Education Action Group Foundation, a supposed "non-partisan" right wing group making the rounds on the Fox News Channel, The Blaze, and the Fox Business Network.

The first half recorded by Melissa Helbach's husband shows the group being greeted by Middleton's Superintendent Don Johnson, who calmly shook hands with them and asked for a little conversation.  You'll hear "talk to our attorney" a number of times. The last half (3:57) features conservative radio's biggest BSer Vicki Mckenna, who fed into the religious rights manufactured hysteria with Jesus Lunch's attorney Phillip Stammen.

This poster was handed out at the last Jesus Lunch

McKenna: "They physically blocked them, is what you're saying. They actually physically tried to block them from accessing the park? 

Stammen: "Yes, yes, they put cones in the way, and then they confronted them when they walked up, and they wanted to repeatedly keep talking to them..."

Heaven forbid we keep talking...needless to say, the superintend did little to block their efforts.

Just a note, I'm a Lutheran. One of my sons has already been confirmed, and the other is currently taking classes. We're just like any other liberal progressive church going family. McKenna, like all Republicans, have to paint a different picture to make the following hate filled comment work:

McKenna: "What the left needs to do is make believers bigots. They need to turn Christians into monsters, and they need to kill off God."

If you were wondering where the Freedom from Religion Foundation has been, well, their waiting in the wings....here's the last part of their letter to the school district:

You can keep up to date on all this at the Facebook site, All Middleton Students Deserve Respect.

Sick Jesus Lunch Child Enticement continues...

Want to put a face to the pushy Jesus Lunch loons? Meet Melissa Helbach, one of five women who need to feel loved and accepted, and who thinks they could be my kids "mom" too. Does she believe in contraception? Is she part of the "pro-life" movement against abortion but won't lift a finger to make sure everyone has life saving health care? Does she believe Jesus is the answer and not science?

Why is Melissa Helbach motivated to spread the word to minors next to a public school? Why not camp out at one of the many private Christian schools using the public's money to conduct weeklong Sunday schools? What's her message? From the many comments I've read, no one is asking what it is they're talking about, their positions. People seem to think Christians have the same message as Jesus. Forget about the radical Christian right or past Christian messengers like David Koresh, all is well when it comes to influencing minors away from their parents:

Their website does not include their names. Brave Christian soldiers...?

Helbach didn't intend to cause a controversy, but hell, with the threat of suing the district, guess she's hit the media jackpot. District administrators sadly played right into their hands. WISC:



One parent in northern Wisconsin had this to say:

Middleton Schools just needs to institute or enforce with threat of expulsion as they do at my town's high school, that students don't leave the grounds during the school day.  For reasons of legal liability and foremost student safety. Access to student autos and parking lot thus controlled for the school day, also.  I guess no booze or pot behind that reasoning also.

No one has mentioned that policy yet on line or WPR.  Our rural high school Gibraltar township Door County, the school doors are locked during the day.  Admittance by office personnel only, immediately into the school office to sign in and get a guest pass.  Staffed until the buses leave the school grounds about 3:20 PM and after school activities commence.

Simple school policy issue not involving property rights or park permits. 1997 we students held a cafeteria boycott for better lunches, outside serving eventually shut down by county sanitarian, but we got real food in school after that.

Here's my own response in the comments section, where oddly no one could grasp the idea we were talking about kids under 18, being manipulated by adults. This is about parents raising their children, and not handing them over to right wing religious fanaticism:

   

Christian predators lure Middleton High School minors with food at bizarre "Jesus Lunch."

The following story isn't much different than letting strangers hang out at schools offering minor students candy.

Next year I'll have two sons at Middleton High School, and I don't appreciate uncooperative predator adults who refuse to work with administrators, foisting their agenda using food to lure students off school grounds to indoctrinate them with a message I don't have any control over. These are minors for Gods sake!

While the school's principal gave a number of policy reasons the "Jesus lunches" should stop, one big one was left off the list; the school is my surrogate during the day for my minor children. Filling these young influential minds with whatever fringe religious message they concoct is not happening if I can help it.

Officials are trying to work with these lawsuit seeking zealots to find some way to make the Jesus lunches function under the watchful eye of the school district, which is insane. Instead, Middleton should make the park off limits, and ban students from hanging out there. I don't know who these "moms" are and why they decided to target kids, but they did that, and it's creepy to say the least.

Here's WKOW's  coverage of these Jesus freaks:

Their attorney Phillip Stamman (said) “the question here is not us being in opposition to the school, but rather that we have a right to be in Fireman's Park. Fireman's Park - a public park owned by the City of Middleton - remains accessible to everyone in the public for the purposes of assembly and free speech.

The five mothers who started Jesus Lunch declined an interview with 27 News. They have obtained permits to use the park from the city of Middleton and have hired an attorney to represent them as they move forward with plans to host more events, saying it's well within their First Amendment rights.

Just what we need, a Jesus carnival sideshow next to the school.