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Elsewhere In The World: Popular African Preacher Says Men Who Get Circumcised Have No Risk Of Contracting HIV/AIDS

Is this really safe sex? African Chief Evangelizes About Adult Circumcision To Prevent HIV/AIDS In some African countries , tribes have shunned circumcision because it was seen as a Muslim practice or was simply considered primitive. Via HuffPo reports: “We thought they were born differently and had to reconfigure the way they were,” said Mumena. So the tribal chief was not prepared for his son’s declaration that he wanted to get circumcised. Mumena read the pamphlets on circumcision’s health benefits, which argue that the procedure cuts HIV transmission by 60 percent, and agreed with his 18-year-old son. Risking impeachment by the 60,000 members of his tribe, he had the procedure done in 2011 at the age of 47. Mumena is among a growing number of Zambians opting for circumcision as a way to ward off HIV infection. In so doing, they are adding to the number of people who take on this ancient practice for cultural or religious reasons. Mumena is also a Christian, and he is finding biblical justifications for circumcision. “If it was good enough for God’s people in Leviticus, it is good enough for me,” he said. “I have made a stand for circumcision because of what the Bible has taught me. God demands good hygiene from his people as a way of living.” Mumena attends an evangelical church and is also a lay preacher. His advocacy on behalf of circumcision has brought him attention from people like Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, who has called Mumena one of Africa’s “true heroes.” Circumcision has become a popular tool to fight HIV/AIDS and cervical cancer. In 2012, the Zambian Ministry of Health launched a national campaign to circumcise 2 million men by 2015. The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief has committed $11.4 million to support Zambia’s efforts. “Male circumcision is the best vaccine in Africa,” says Dr. Manasseh Phiri, a Zambian HIV/AIDS activist who was inspired by Mumena to get circumcised. Health experts also explain that circumcision is not a magic bullet. Some men assume that if they are circumcised, they have almost no risk of contracting HIV. Why would a rational person choose genital mutilation over condoms and common sense safe sex knowledge?

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Elsewhere In The World: Popular African Preacher Says Men Who Get Circumcised Have No Risk Of Contracting HIV/AIDS

Jesus Take The Wheel: Grandmother Says 18-Year-Old Victim Of Alleged Cleveland Serial Killer Was “A Good Girl”

It’s a shame their lives were cut short. Teen Victim Of Alleged Cleveland Serial Killer Was ‘A Good Girl’ According to NBC News All three women whose bodies were found wrapped in trash bags in a dilapidated northeast Ohio neighborhood have been identified, families and authorities said. The last two victims were identified Tuesday. One of them was 18-year-old Shirellda Helen Terry, the teen’s grandmother told The Associated Press. Officials identified the other victim as Shetisha Sheeley, 28, of Cleveland. Their bodies were found last week along with that of another woman in a dilapidated East Cleveland neighborhood dotted with abandoned houses. Rosetta Terry said authorities notified the family Tuesday that her granddaughter was one of the victims. She said Shirellda was last seen July 10, leaving a Cleveland elementary school where she had a summer job. Rosetta Terry described her granddaughter a caring person who would frequently attend Bible study groups and called and texted her mother. “She was a good girl; she was a hugger,” said Rosetta Terry. “We used to tease her that we were gonna put her on a hug diet.” The county medical examiner’s office did not confirm Shirellda Terry’s identity, saying the family had asked for time to inform relatives. Earlier Tuesday, East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton identified Sheeley as among the victims. The identification was made through fingerprints and information from the tattoos, which “permitted the comparison” that led to her identification, said Thomas Gilson, Cuyahoga County’s medical examiner. Gilson said his office hoped to release information on how the women died within a few days. Shetisha Sheeley was arrested June 30, 2012, on a charge of firing a weapon from a vehicle but the case was dismissed three months later. Her court-appointed attorney, Michael Nelson, said there were no witnesses who saw her firing the weapon. Nelson told The Associated Press that Sheeley came from a troubled family background and never got help posting her $1,000 bond, keeping her locked up while the case moved through the courts. “She lived on the edge,” said Nelson, who recalled her as unemployed, living in an apartment alone and vulnerable as she struggled to make a life. The first known victim was identified by police on Monday as Angela Deskins, 38, of Cleveland, whose body was found Saturday. Norton said in brief remarks that he realized on hearing her name that he knew her family and went to school with some of her relatives. The Deskins’ family supported Angela and provided a place for her to live, the mayor said. “She always had a place to rest her head, they always assured that she had money to live with,” Norton said. “And just when she trusted herself — she was a very trusting person — entrusted herself to someone who had the worst of intentions, then and only then did this fate befall her.” Michael Madison, 35, is in custody facing preliminary charges of aggravated murder and kidnapping in the slayings. He is a registered sex offender who served four years in prison beginning in 2002 for attempted forced sex and attempted possession of drugs. Madison was moved from the East Cleveland jail Tuesday to Cuyahoga County Jail. East Cleveland police responded to a call about a foul order on Friday and discovered a body in a garage. Within hours they identified Madison as a suspect and went to his mother’s house where he was arrested after a brief standoff. They found the additional bodies Saturday after their questioning of Madison led them to renew their search. Authorities searched again Sunday but called it off without finding additional bodies. They are in a better place now. Hope the bastard rots in jail. R.I.P

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Jesus Take The Wheel: Grandmother Says 18-Year-Old Victim Of Alleged Cleveland Serial Killer Was “A Good Girl”

Race Matters: Columnist Says Black Churches And The Black Community Are Too Busy Criticizing African-American Men To Help Them…Do You Agree?

Columnist Says Black Churches Criticize Black Men Too Much Is the African-American community contributing largely to the increasingly negative perception that society has of black men? Marcia Dixon of The Voice Online says yes……and she also says it needs to stop. via The Voice Online We live in a society where it seems to be OK to poke fun at and publicly deride men. Whether it’s because they are unfaithful in their relationships, commit domestic violence, don’t look after their children, aren’t able to multi-task, aren’t emotional, are aggressive, OR more prone to commit acts of crime. The list could go on. But surely the criticisms levelled at men, even within the church, is only half the story. Shouldn’t we stop and think about the impact all this negativity is having on the young boys in our midst? Not all men are badly behaved. Too many of the discussions we have in the black community about gender issues focus on the inadequacy of men. Isn’t it time for the negative rhetoric to stop and look at new ways to move forward – together? Marcia goes on to point out that there are both positive and negative examples of black men in the African-American community, those that aren’t handling their responsibilities tend to get much of the focus, which sets a poor example for young black men to follow. She also alludes to the fact that those who are doing what they are supposed to often go unnoticed by the very institution that should be uplifting them: the church. Some of our communities have imploded on themselves and become no-go areas when men have absconded on their duties. Women are left to fend for themselves and their children. Communities where men are absent become breeding grounds for gang leaders and criminals to train up the next generation in negative behaviour. And many young men themselves are bemoaning the absence of their father, or a father figure in their life, with some attributing the lack of a strong male presence in their life as the reason why they descended into crime and anti-social behaviour. Seeing as churches are perceived as the key institutions within the black community, they should be at the forefront (which some are) of bigging up men, and using the platform they have to promote the many good men that we have in our community. Not every man is absconding on his marital and parental duties. The black community is filled with lots of men who have integrity, are responsible, successful in their careers and utilising their talents in a God-honouring way. Plus there are the guys, who were, as described by the Bible, ‘on the path that leads to destruction’, but with either the help of God, the church, role models or their own personal discipline, have turned their lives around and are now exemplary role models. These are the guys are community needs to be focus on. So, what say you Bossip fam? Are we as black people getting in our own way when it comes to the downfall of our men? Or is the rest of society just as much to blame for the increasingly negative depiction of black men?

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Race Matters: Columnist Says Black Churches And The Black Community Are Too Busy Criticizing African-American Men To Help Them…Do You Agree?

Which All-Star NBA Baller Has This Massive And Misspelled Tattoo On His Back???

Hooked On Phonics didn’t work for him… These days most athletes have AT LEAST ONE tattoo. This superstar hooper has several, none of which are bigger or more impressive than the one he just had finished on his back. We would congratulate this young man on getting a nice looking Bible verse tattoo that doesn’t look like he got it while serving a 3-5 year bid for home invasion . Only problem is, the tattoo artist misspelled a relatively easy word at the end of the scripture! The verse from James 1:2-4 reads as follows: Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. If you look closely to the last sentence you’ll see the word “mature” has been misspelled “mautre”. We get that tattoo artists sometimes spend long hours in the shop, often well into the early morning, but when you are putting a PERMANENT marking on someone it might be a good idea to make sure that all the words are spelled correctly. SMH Hit the flip to find out which unfortunate baller has to live with this grammatical error on his person for life. Images via Instagram

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Which All-Star NBA Baller Has This Massive And Misspelled Tattoo On His Back???

Jesus Take The Wheel: 16 Black Ohio Families Find Bibles With N-Word Written On Them In Front Of Their Homes!

Only a ignorant a$$hole thinks the Bible and racism go together… 16 Black Families In Ohio Find Bibles With Racist Langauge At Their Homes Via ZanesvilleTimesRecorder David Jones Jr. said he was excited to see a new Bible sitting on his front porch Monday morning. Then he looked inside and found what he describes as a “racial slur toward blacks,” written on the inside cover. A total of 16 black residents along North Mulberry and Springmill Streets and Vale Avenue received the marred Bibles on Sunday, according to the Mansfield Police Department. “At first I said good, because I can use another Bible, but when I opened it to see who it came from it just had a nasty statement in there,” Jones said. “I thought someone was saying it to me, but then I saw it on other porches, so I called police.” A few doors down, Lillian Webb had the same initial reaction. “I thought someone was trying to be funny, saying I need to read the Bible,” Webb said. “After I read (the slur), I thought, who would write that in a Bible?” Across the street, the Friendly House received three Bibles, director Terry Conard said. Bibles also showed up at two vacant houses on either side of Webb. Nine of the King James Holy Bibles were recovered Monday morning after Jones called in the complaint. Six more were found by police canvassing the area Wednesday. The same slur was “neatly” written in neon colors, according to victims. SMMFH @ “neatly” Police are classifying the act as ethnic intimidation, meaning the racial slur was meant to threaten and intimidate residents, Capt. Ken Coontz said. Those responsible could face menacing charges, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. If tied to ethnic motivations, the charge could increase the offense to a third-degree misdemeanor, or up to 60 days in jail, he said. The police are still searching for any clues that might help them find the person(s) responsible. We suppose this is better than a burning cross on your lawn, but it still has to be a little unsettling that this type of racism is still alive and kickin’ in 2013. Image via Shutterstock Continue reading

Pimp Down: Man Charged With Bigamy After Facebook Reveals That He’s Married To Two Women

“You know it’s hard out here for a piiiiimp..” Man Charged With Bigamy After Facebook Reveals That He’s Married To 2 Women A Washington state man got put on Facebook blast recently when the social networking site recommended that the two women become “friends.” via CBS News A Washington state corrections officer has been charged with bigamy after Facebook discovered two women were connected to him and suggested they might want to “friend.” Prosecutors in Pierce County say Alan L. O’Neill married a woman in 2001, moved out in 2009, changed his name and remarried without divorcing wife No. 1. Wife No. 1 found out about Wife No. 2 when Facebook detected their connection to O’Neill and suggested the friendship connection. The News Tribune reports O’Neill was placed on administrative leave after prosecutors charged him Thursday. Future would be so proud…

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Pimp Down: Man Charged With Bigamy After Facebook Reveals That He’s Married To Two Women

Hide Ya Kids: Texas Youth Pastor Charged With Sex Assault After Forcing 16-Year Old To Touch His Package During “Hot Tub Bible Study”!

Hot tub Bible study??? WTF??? Youth Pastor In Texas Arrested For Sex Abuse In Hot Tub With Teen Via CBS DFW-Local A former North Texas youth pastor has been accused of having an improper contact with a 16-year old girl. Garland police arrested Joshua Earls earlier this week. Investigators confirmed that Earls, 28, had been the youth pastor at Arapaho Baptist Church for about four years. He resigned from the position in July of 2012. Garland police spokesman Officer Joe Harn said, “We don’t know all the reasoning behind his resignation, but yes, we just recently found out about this case.” David Alvey, a spokesperson for Arapaho Road Baptist Church, says church leaders weer shocked to learn about the allegations two weeks ago. He says the girl’s family is devastated. “It’s very painful, very painful. They’re hurting. This was a sacred trust that was betrayed.” Police say the girl’s parents discovered the problem when they found inappropriate pictures on her cell phone. In an affidavit, police say during a bible study swim party last April or May, Earls was sitting next to the girl in a hot tub when he grabbed her hand and put it in his swim trunks. Detectives say the current accusations are part of an active investigation, but they worry other children, who were preyed on, have not come forward. “The church is in the process and has started this week in contacting and letting parents and youth know what has gone on,” Harn explained. “Detectives do suspect that there are other victims.” As it stands, police believe any possible victims were all female and under the age of 17. Apparently perverts run in the family… In addition to Joshua Earls, detectives are now calling his younger brother, Jordan Earls, a person of interest in the cases. Police say they have some questions for Jordan Earls, 24, about other possible inappropriate contact with children at Arapaho Baptist. Jordan Earls now lives in South Carolina, but when he resided in North Texas was listed as an adult volunteer at the church. Jordan Earls is currently in jail on unrelated charge. They need to take both of these muhfuggas into a field and put them down. Image via Garland Police/Florence County Sheriffs Department

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Hide Ya Kids: Texas Youth Pastor Charged With Sex Assault After Forcing 16-Year Old To Touch His Package During “Hot Tub Bible Study”!

American Idol Women: Who Will Win?

Will a woman finally break the hold men have had over American Idol over the past few seasons? If so, it will come down to one of these 10 women, all of whom have advanced to the Season 12 semifinals. There’s the early front-runner ( Candice Glover ). There’s the most polarizing contestant since Adam Lambert (Zoanette Johnson) – and there are 8 others. So with viewer voting set to begin in a few days, we want to know: WHICH AMERICAN IDOL WOMAN IS YOUR EARLY FAVORITE?   Janelle Arthur Aubrey Cleland Amber Holcomb Angela Miller Candice Glover Kree Harrison Zoanette Johnson Adriana Latonio Breanna Steer Tenna Torres View Poll »

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American Idol Women: Who Will Win?

American Idol Men: Who Will Win?

So far, so not very good. Through the opening rounds of American Idol Season 12 , we haven’t exactly been impressed by any of the male contestants. But it’s not too late to turn things around Cortez Shaw , Lazaro Arbos and company. The voting turns over to the viewers next week, so we might as well get it started early. Which American Idol male do you think has the best chance of winning?   Lazaro Arbos Charlie Askew Nick Boddington Curtis Finch, Jr. Paul Jolley Elijah Liu Vincent Powell Cortez Shaw Burnell Taylor Devin Velez View Poll »

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American Idol Men: Who Will Win?

Rihanna and Chris Brown Grateful For "Fresh Start," Gonna "Do This Right," Singer Says

Rihanna and Chris Brown are going to make it work. The singer seems very confident of this fact in her new Elle UK cover story, telling the magazine that her new single is symbolic of their relationship. “‘Stay’ is a story about having love that close and wanting it to last forever,” says Rihanna, who performed it live at the 2013 Grammy Awards. “You don’t have that feeling with everybody. You don’t want to let go of it. I would definitely say that [Brown] is the one I have that kind of relationship with.” Their level of devotion? Pretty high at this point. Rihanna and Chris Brown celebrated her 25th birthday in Hawaii last month, and she accompanied him and his mother to court a few weeks ago. They’ve also been remarkably open and candid about the controversial romance. Even Chris has said how deeply he regrets attacking her in 2009. He also said he’s been forgiven by her (but had to work hard for it), that they’re happy, and that Rihanna is the most beautiful girl in the world. In Elle UK , she’s almost as gushing in return. It’s “a great friendship that’s unbreakable” she says of her man. “Now that we’re adults, we can do this right. We got a fresh start, and I’m thankful for that.” Rihanna also predicts to Elle that she ” will have a kid ” five years from now, though first she wouldn’t mind a good month of vacation before that. “And [five years from now] I’ll have set some things up so I don’t have to tour the rest of my life, even though I love touring. I want health and happiness.” “I want to be healthy and happy in five years.” Seems like she’s on the right track right now. “Stay” may be a symbol of enduring love, but there are other symbols that have gotten her into hot water of late. Namely her controversial gun tattoo. Rihanna describes it as empowering. “Everybody wanted to know what was happening in my life. Is she a drug addict? No. Is she an alcoholic? No. Is she a victim? No,” Rihanna reflects. “That’s why I got the gun. A symbol of strength. I’ll never be a victim .” And, while her mom recently “went crazy” on her in response to a couple of Rihanna nude photos online, she just can’t help herself on Instagram. That too, she says, is empowering. “I Instagram everything about my life, whether it’s smoking pot, in a strip club, reading a Bible verse – crazy, I know! – or hanging out with my best friend, who happens to be Chris.” “That’s why I’m posting pictures of myself smoking pot, to tell the truth about myself … I’ve got so much to think about, why bring all this extra s–t by being dishonest?” That, she will never be accused of being. Rihanna and Chris back together:   Good for them! Love Rihanna and Chris together! I’m skeptical, but it’s their decision. Pathetic and just wrong! View Poll »

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Rihanna and Chris Brown Grateful For "Fresh Start," Gonna "Do This Right," Singer Says