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.

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.