Did Jesus require a non-disclosure? Mars Hill Church does!

[Rainytown]

It seems there was another scandal involving Seattle's Mars Hill Church last Friday. It wasn't enough that the church forked out $210,000 of the church's funds to ensure Mark Driscoll's one-week visit to the New York Times bestseller list. Oh, no.

One of Driscoll's former attendees decided to scan the non-disclosure agreement he was forced to sign when he left. My husband signs NDA's as part of his job. I have signed them as well. I've never seen anything like this, and it is hard to believe that anyone confronted with the non-disclosure in question does not RUN.

Shorter NDA: Church volunteers are required to sign it. Your spouse is also liable under their terms. They demand you waive your civil rights. That's just for starters. I broke the link because I wasn't sure what the procedure might be.

patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/03/09/a-former-mars-hill-pastor-speaks-out-and-why-others-are-afraid-the-mars-hill-church-non-disclosure-agreement/

[debrand]

Can you sign for someone else? The form says that the person is signing for their spouse, executors, heirs etc. Is that legal? Does number three say that you can't bring charges against any one associated with Mars Hill even for discrimination involving race, religion, gender, disability or sexual harassment? Do I understand that correctly? Is that a normal nondisclosure form?

[artdecades]

Yeah, I don't give a fuck if my spouse, parents, etc signed something if I am a legal adult and something happened to me such as sexual harassment I am pressing charges. Unless they are a conservator or power of attorney they can't sign shit for me.

Also, aren't contracts agreements that deal with things like "won't report law breaking" invalid in court? Like you can't contractually force someone to deal with illegal stuff, right?

[Rebelwife]

Yeah, I don't give a fuck if my spouse, parents, etc signed something if I am a legal adult and something happened to me such as sexual harassment I am pressing charges. Unless they are a conservator or power of attorney they can't sign shit for me.

Also, aren't contracts agreements that deal with things like "won't report law breaking" invalid in court? Like you can't contractually force someone to deal with illegal stuff, right?

Exactly. You can have people sign all the NDAs you want, but it doesn't supersede state and federal laws.

[RosyDaisy]

Maybe Mark Driscoll will be the next fundies leader to bite the dust.

[uber frau]

We can only hope.

I can understand the need for confidentiality(within the limits of the law) when it comes to church staff. However, the rest is just ick.

I have no words for the amount of contempt I have for Driscoll.

[Koala]

1) I am fairly certain you can't sign a legal document on behalf of your spouse and all future heirs (unless of course you have power of attorney) :roll:

2) They can't draw up contracts to Mary's little lamb and the cows come home, but they can't exempt themselves from following the law, and it doesn't matter who signs what. Trufax.

[Rainytown]

2) They can't draw up contracts to Mary's little lamb and the cows come home, but they can't exempt themselves from following the law, and it doesn't matter who signs what. Trufax.

Overlake Christian Church (another local superchurch) tried forcing their employees to sign a contract not only waiving their civil rights but stating they didn't have to pay the federal minimum wage. They got slapped down in a big hurry.

I also find it interesting that Driscoll and his followers paid a lawyer to come up with that contract. I seem to remember it's illegal to write a one-sided contract in the state of Washington. By stating all signers have to submit to arbitration for any disagreement (while Mars Hill enjoys the ability to sue at will) is the definition of one-sided in my opinion.

[FloraKitty35]

He took a page of out Scientology's book. Let's see if he can get $1,000 per hour lawyers just like Scientology after all they go thru a through background check before they can become their lawyer and a lot of information could be used for blackmail by Mars Hill, just like Scientology does. (The are several videos on the You Tube Channel "Surviving Scientology" about COS and their wonderful legal team.)