Religion News Blog — The assistant pastor of Sound Doctrine Church in Enumclaw, Washington, charged with two counts of first-degree rape of a child, has plead not guilty to both counts in King County Superior Court in Seattle.
Scottish newspaper The Herald says former Scott
Malcolm Fraser, 39, is said to have repeatedly attacked the girl while he and his wife were staying with her family.
He was arrested after the alleged victim, who is now 17, made a report to police in Enumclaw, Washington.
Former IT worker Fraser moved to the US 12 years ago and is the assistant pastor of Enumclaw’s South Sound Doctrine Church, which has had to fight claims from locals that it is a “cult“.
April Chan reports at Patch.com that
In addition to his duties with the church, Fraser was also listed as a staff member of WinePress Publishing in Enumclaw, which was where police arrested him.
Following his arraignment Thursday, Fraser, his supporters and Carey all declined to comment. However, Sound Doctrine Church on its website issued a statement of support for Fraser that was dated March 28: “Malcolm has been a member of Sound Doctrine Church for over 10 years and is a loved and valued member of our leadership team. He has shown nothing but the utmost of Christian love and devotion to his ministry, his work, his community, his marriage, and extended church family.”
Athena Dean, former owner of WinePress Publishing, was in attendance and offered that the alleged victim is the daughter of a close friend and the allegations came about as the girl was undergoing counseling.
The girl’s family had been a part of Sound Doctrine Church at the time Fraser and his wife stayed with them but they have not been church members for about seven years, Dean said.
Athena Dean, the woman who started WinePress Publishing and helped start Sound Doctrine Church, tells her story of the 12 years she spent with the church in her blog, Not Afraid To Tell My Story: “One Woman’s Searingly Honest Blog About Breaking Free from Deception.”
In 2009 Sound Doctrine Church was in the news in relation to a custody ruling involving a female member of the church.
The Temporary Custody Ruling
in the case shows that friends and family members of the woman and her estranged husband consider the church to be a cult.
The beliefs promoted by Sound Doctrine Church include many unbiblical teachings and, taking practices into account as well the church can be considered to be, theologically, a cult of Christianity.
Note the difference between sociological and theological definitions of the term ‘cult.’
Research resources on Sound Doctrine Church
Sound Doctrine Church/WinePress Publishing — Malcolm John Fraser charged — 1st degree rape of a child (Includes comments by current and former members of Sound Doctrine Church)