Last week's cover story on Phil Aguilar, the pastor of Anaheim's Set Free Church, didn't go unnoticed by former members of what used to be one of the biggest mega-churches in Orange County. As the article explained–although in not as much detail as some might have preferred–Aguilar has a controversial history as a church leader. Accusations of cultishness, mind-control, verbal abuse and physical intimidation led to splits within the congregation and ultimately a mass exodus.
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Well, here' s a typical viewpoint:
“Typical
OC Weekly; make spitheads look like good guys, and make good guys look
like spitheads. Keep peddling your liberal rag…..”
It's unclear who are the “good guys” this commenter is talking about. Maybe the Hell's Angels?
Several readers offered to provide damning details about
Aguilar's tenure at Set Free, as well as put us in touch with other
church defectors, but so far, nobody has followed up on that offer.
Meanwhile, here's a taste of the general reaction so far:
*Why do u guys write about Douche bags….What a clown. He uses god as a front!….I grew up with set free and can honestly say it made me resent god for a long time. He bares a bad witness and should be ashamed of his actions.
*I was a member of Set Free Church from 1991-1993…I only attended church, bible studies, outreaches, etc….I started uncovering countless dark secrets and lies that were being filled into the heads of the women that lived in the homes at Set Free. I was told many times that the men were very authoritative, demanding that the women be submissive and not ask questions…. Pastor Phil is still able to rome the streets and terrorize people by sending his “dogs” to do his dirty work! Pastor Phil hides behind the bible and the people he uses as puppets to claim his innocence.
*I am very happy that you had the huspah to bring light to another glorified, convicted child molester…this zebra will never lose his stripes, as expressed by the additional tattoos applied to his face. if I appear to be a little miffed by this particular individual, that would be an understatement at best.
*Just so you know phil is a piece of shit liar!!! I worked for him and know he's no innocent Christ like dude! He's a clown! He got off easy with his bible full of lies! Fuck OC Weekly!!
Award-winning investigative journalist Nick Schou is Editor of OC Weekly. He is the author of Kill the Messenger: How the CIA’s Crack Cocaine Controversy Destroyed Journalist Gary Webb (Nation Books 2006), which provided the basis for the 2014 Focus Features release starring Jeremy Renner and the L.A. Times-bestseller Orange Sunshine: The Brotherhood of Eternal Love’s Quest to bring Peace, Love and Acid to the World, (Thomas Dunne 2009). He is also the author of The Weed Runners (2013) and Spooked: How the CIA Manipulates the Media and Hoodwinks Hollywood (2016).
SILLY OF US ALL ACTING AS THOUGH WE ARE GOD TO JUDGE…. ONLY GOD COULD JUDGE ME, AND ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE YOU. MOST LIKELY GUYS THAT DONT MAKE THE CUT AS PROSPECT,
RUN OFF SPREADING LIES AND FILTH OF PASTOR PHIL. I’VE SAW WITH MY OWN TWO EYES HE HELPS PEOPLE BUT HE WILL NOT HELP THOSE WHO DONT WANT TO HELP THEMSELVES I WILL PRAY FOR ALL U PROSPECTS THAT MOST LIKE NEVER EVEN MADE IT THAT FAR IN REALITY. YOUR OWN MOUTH REVEALS WHY YOU ARE NO LONGER THERE… YES YOU MAY HAVE TO HUMBLE YOURSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF THE PASTOR OR EVEN UNDER THE ROOF OF ONE OF HIS BLESSED HOUSES BUT HE DOES DO IT FROM HIS HEART REGUARDLESS WTF HE MAY OR MAY NOT DO IS NOBODY ELSE’S BUSSINESS IN REALITY …… ALL I KNOW IS ITS YOUR CHOICE TO STAY OR GO BUT U CAN NOT RUN YOUR OWN PROGRAMS AND YOU HAVE RESPONSIBILTIES AND CHORES POSSIBLY WORK BUT ALL HOMELESS SHELTERS ASK FOR SOMETHING ESPECIALLY A PROGRAM IF U WANT TO CHANGE ITS THE PLACE TO GO BUT IF YOU ARE NOT READY TO LEAVE YOUR WAY OF THINKING AND YOUR BS AT THE DOOR DON’T WASTE YOUR OWN TIME AND ANYBODY ELSE’S PLEASE DO NOT GIVE THIS CLOWN THE TIME OF DAY ..GOOD WISDOM AND GOOD HOPE AND INNER PEACE BE WITH YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES ….. GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND GOOD NIGHT IN JESUS NAMEI PRAY AMEN……. RAYRAY