:: January 28, 2003 :: Convicted child abuser says he should have been "given a medal" instead of jail time Rev. Arthur Allen Jr., leader of the "House of Prayer," ended his three-month jail sentence last week for whipping children in his church. But three months in the cooler hasn't changed the arrogant preacher. Allen said, "I should be congratulated. Given a medal," reports The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Apparently the jury didn't agree. They convicted Allen for "cruelty to children" and "aggravated assault." The "House of Prayer" leader still has ten years of probation ahead of him. Allen says, "[Probation] doesn't allow me to preach all the Bible, so that's just ungodly." Apparently the preacher forgot to read verses within the New Testament that enjoin believers to obey civil authority. [Posted by Rick Ross at 09:49 AM][Link] ... « Hot book or hoax? | Main | Judge warns cult membes that children are not chattel »