[ed. - Robert Earl Burton claims he and his dedicated followers are humanity's sole possessors of consciousness, and that they alone are destined for immortality. That Apollo "has been reserved for the grand finale of the sequence of civilizations" is an allusion to Armageddon, the final judgment Burton has for decades invoked to gaslight his congregation.]
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Apollo gets a facelift thanks to American taxpayers
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| Above, the heart of Robert Earl Burton's personal fiefdom of Apollo (Oregon House,CA) with the Fellowship of Friends Galleria (left) and Theatron (right). The Galleria is Burton's residence. The grounds are currently undergoing renovations, in part funded by a $200,000 Paycheck Protection Program small business loan. |
On April 6th, National Public Radio reported,
Under the Trump administration, the federal government has already been providing funds directly to churches, synagogues, mosques and other religious organizations. In 2018, the Federal Emergency Management Agency changed its rules to make houses of worship eligible for disaster aid.
The new [Small Business Adminstration's Paycheck Protection Program], however, takes federal funding of religious institutions significantly further. Under the new Paycheck Protection Program, businesses with fewer than 500 employees, including faith-based organizations, are eligible to receive loans of up to $10 million, with at least 75% of the money going to cover payroll costs. The loans are in large part forgivable, so churches and other houses of worship won't have to worry about paying all the money back. [ed. - According to the SBA website, "The loan will be fully forgiven if the funds are used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities."]
Organizations that advocate for strict church-state separation are criticizing the program.
"The government cannot directly fund inherently religious activities," argues Alison Gill, legal and policy vice president of American Atheists. "It can't spend government tax dollars on prayer, on promoting religion [or] proselytization. That directly contradicts the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. This is the most drastic attack on church-state separation we have ever seen."
According to the First Amendment, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
[ed. - Inside sources report that under the PPP program, The Fellowship of Friends secured a $200,000 loan. Terms of the SBA loan mandate that a minimum 75% of the funds be directed to salaries. (The loan money is expected to cover both April 15th and May 15th payrolls. It is uncertain whether funding will apply to the June 15th payroll as well.)
As a loan condition, the Fellowship books will be subject to IRS scrutiny (though agents are unlikely to uncover the Fellowship's legendary practice of keeping two sets of books.)
Coinciding with this "gift" from taxpayers, projects including road repair, renovations, and landscape work were launched around the Galleria. (The Galleria serves as Robert Burton's residence, Fellowship meeting place, private restaurant, and repository for Burton's vast collection of art, antiques, and statuary.)
As one observer commented, "Clearly, Robert Burton is having a great time directing all this activity, just like the good old days."
It is also reported that in early May, Burton resumed hosting fundraising dinners at the Galleria, in violation of Yuba County Public Health Orders. The "invitation only” meals have been limited to ten guests (though not restricted to "household members.") Under Galleria conditions, "social distancing" cannot not be maintained around a single table, placing at risk the health of guests, servers, chefs, and other kitchen and facility staff. According to the county order, no one 65 or older is permitted to attend such gatherings, however Burton is now 81, and it is likely the majority of dinner guests are older than 65.]