More than 30 people have been indicted after Phoenix police raid a church that they say was being used as a house of prostitution, MyFoxPhoenix.com reports.

Police arrested 18 people during Wednesday's raid at the Phoenix Goddess Temple. So far, 33 people have been indicted, most of them are employees.

One of the accuses says he is a spiritual warrior and a healer at the temple where he works, MyFoxPhoenix.com reports.


"To be raided in my church ... it's really sad to see what things have come down to," said 23-year-old Alex Averill.

Averill is in jail, accused of selling himself for sex at the church.

"I say people call me what you will, but at my church, I'm labeled a practitioner. At my church, I'm labeled a shaman," he said.

Averill has been working for the Temple for a year.

"No, I do not charge for sex. I work off donations. I work off of what people can leave me as offerings," he said.

Averill, who goes by the name Zander, admits to charging more than $200 for an hour session. He says he's devoted himself to healing people, including overweight women who need to feel loved. He says he's blessed hundreds.

"Sometimes, people just need to be hugged for an hour and a half. Is there something incriminating about that?"

Averill says despite the charges against him, he'll continue to fight for his ministry.

"'Til the day I'm dead and after that because my faith believes in eternal life."

Several other inmates spoke out about the arrests.

"We're being wrongfully imprisoned and we did nothing wrong," says Jamie Baker. "We are a church and it is a religion."

Holly Alsop says, "I think it's religious persecution plain and simple."

"I came to Arizona because I believe in the practice. I believe in the separation of church and state. I'm mystified I can't believe that grand jury believes there is enough evidence to have us here," says Alsop.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and that more arrests could follow.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/09/10/arizona-temple-worker-accused-prostitution-calls-himself-spiritual-warrior/#ixzz1XZFpiYxO

I watched the video, those people are nuts.

Dang guess I will have to reschedule my appointment now......did they say what temple they were moving to next......nice

That would be my place

I watched the video, those people are nuts.


^this

I don't see any crime committed here. Just people exchanging money for a service. (and he doesn't even charge-he accepts donations) It's so stupid that this is illegal. 'Tis a shame people have to go to Nevada to exercise their right of free and voluntary association/exchange.

What kind of church is this? What religion are they practicing?

they are prolly trying to use laws that protect religious institutions - the only problem I see here is that they belong in a mental health facility rather than a prison

Ho body healers!

Im confused. he should have just gone to nevada where prostitution is legal, what is he a love shaman?

good thing i left that church two weeks ago

did you take a partign gift with you when you left, (check your pants)

And I say to you BROTHERS and SISTERS of the PHEONIX--Thes crabs I present to you today--They ARE HEALING CRABS. Do not treat them, but GO FORTH AND SPREAD the GOOD NEWS!!!!

I agree. I don't understand why the governments wants to make the selling of "sexual service" illegal. I mean if you want to sleep with every guy on the planet thats ok but not if they are giving you money. I think its just because they can't tax you so they make it illegal.

Tantra religion:

Mystic Mother Tracy Elise talks about tantra and the differences between patriarchal and matriarchal churches. In God-based religions, sex and spirit are separate whereas in Goddess-based religions, sex and spirit are one.

Link: Interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiWrOQ8RJZk

being 'good' to others is being interpreted as whatever makes them
'feel' good

Im sure they feel they are not only not harming anyone but actually doing 'good' for many


,,I think its a sad interpretation, but I am likewise not sure why prostition is illegal while promiscuity is not,,,,

oh man, u just solved the debt problem

start charging a sex tax,, oh man, people are so convinced they have to have it these days,, we would take up the needed revenues to get rid of debt FOREVER,,,lol

It reminds me of the sweat lodge one where people died. I'm getting tired of the mish-mash of beliefs to make money, even calling it a donation.

Western society doesn't even understand Eastern beliefs properly, and corrupting it into something else just pisses me off.

Shamans have nothing to do with sex. Tantra in it's true form really doesn't have anything to do with sex.

Tantric sex is a world beyond though,,,,

Tantric sex is but a drop of water in Tantric spirituality/Kundalini spirituality. Picking and choosing the little bits from any belief system is wrong. And in our sex-hated cultural, its even more ironically wrong.