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February 13, 2012
Defrocked pastor sues Christian dating site
Published: 4 Aug 09 17:15 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/21104/20090804/
A Church of Sweden minister has demanded compensation from a Christian dating site after he was stripped of his clerical collar for insulting a number of the site's female users.
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But the Swedish Data Inspection Board called the site to task for an alleged breach of the country's Personal Data Act. And the pastor, now pensioned, is suing 7EHimlen for 370,000 kronor ($52,000) for loss of income and a violation of his right to privacy, according to local media reports.
The pastor, who had been drinking at the time, said in April that he deeply regretted his online outburst.
"You look like a bearded lady," was one of the more offensive comments made to women with whom he was chatting on the Christian dating site.
"You look really drab and dreary. You probably have to pay for sex," the elderly pastor said to another, according to local newspaper Smålandsposten.
Simon Widén, one of the owners of the contact site, explained that he had reported the pastor because he was upset by his comments.
"Maybe it was legally wrong but morally I feel I have done the right thing," he told Smålandsposten after the Data Inspection Board had criticised the site's actions in April.
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I do hope he wins his lawsuit though, because when a person comments on a site you have a general feeling of security and privacy that the site has a responsibility to uphold, and his was violated.
Although i dont agree with his comments, check out nearly any popular video on y0utub e and you'll see loads of insults back and forth, much worse than what he got in trouble for.
[url=http://www.simple-relationship-advice.com/senior-dating-services.html]Senior Dating Services[/url]
If he wins, it would just show how curropt and careless the system is, not to mention futher expose him as the wolf, that he so far continiues to behave like. Hopefully he comes to his senses.
This is a matter between the Pastor and his superiors. The "Swedish Data Inspection Board" has no business in this matter, because they are not qualified to protect the Pastor, win or loss, it would still be a loss for the Pastor, because he relied on invalid excuses, and sued ageinst his right.
You can't have a Pastor who behaves like that, he should know his responsability. Finally his education should have thought him not to get drunk in the first place, so using it as an excuse is not valid when being in his position, it would not be valid before god, and it should not be valid before the justice system.
Drunk or not, his actions has totally disqualified him as a pastor. He should really just accept his defeat and move on, otherwhise his later sin will just be grather then his first.