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Church Sues Woman Over Bad Google Review

Julie Anne Smith labeled church a 'cult'

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted May 15, 2012 4:40 PM CDT

(Newser) – An Oregon church is suing a woman who called the place a "cult" in a Google review. The defamation suit is seeking $500,000 after Julie Anne Smith allegedly accused the "creepy" church of "indoctrination," reports the Raw Story. "Don’t waste your precious lives and relationships being held emotionally/spiritually captive by this so-called church," Smith wrote, alleging that the pastor knew of a sex offender in the church but had done nothing to protect kids.

Smith tells KATU that her family was shunned after she left the church. "I thought, I’m just going to post a review,” she says. “We do it with restaurants and hotels and whatnot, and I thought, why not do it with this church?” Beaverton Grace Bible Church pastor Chuck O'Neal posted his own Google comment accusing Smith of "hateful lying slander." "Her many lies and vicious criminal accusations will not stand in the light of day in the Washington County courthouse or in the coming courtroom before God," he wrote.

  (Shutterstock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 56 comments
Blah_Blah_Blah_Blah
May 16, 2012 9:24 PM CDT
Let that CULT waste its time and money with legal fees because this woman is obviously going to win under the First Amendment!
MymoTiki
May 16, 2012 5:09 PM CDT
hey church, if you are a cult which it sounds like you are... deal with it. if someone doesn't like your church as an american with free speech too friggin bad. that's what social media is all about. good luck getting your tithing money ass H0les. I see you are jumping on the bandwagon of frivolous lawsuits to clog up our judiciary systems even more!
polarbearme
May 16, 2012 9:11 AM CDT
Pretty clearly protected by first amendment - don't think the "church" will get much traction in court.
 

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