Worshipper's Holy Spirit Fall
Nets Her $80,000 From Church
New York Post, Story filed: 15:43 Tuesday 5th February 2002


A New York parishioner has won $80,000 compensation after falling while a church minister was blessing her.

Sophia Reitan, from Long Island, originally wanted $4 million. She fractured her arm in the fall during the Pentecostal service.

Her lawyer says the Holy Spirit made her fall, but the Upper Room Tabernacle Church should have arranged for someone to catch her.

Andrew Siben told the New York Post: "She was caused to fall by the Holy Spirit but unfortunately there was no-one there to catch her when she fell."

Ms Reitan, 65, said: "God loves me," when she was told of the cash award in the personal injury case.

Members of the congregation frequently tremble during services as a result of the Holy Spirit, then fall back when the minister gives them a push, Mr Siben says.

Court papers claimed the church should have provided safety devices including ropes or cushioning to catch falling worshippers.

The settlement from the church's insurance company represents a very fair and just sum for a substantial injury, Mr Siben says.

He says Ms Reitan can't comment on the case because God had told her not to. "God told her not to speak about the case. If God told her not to speak, she's not going to violate that," he said.

The church has also declined to comment on the settlement. The incident happened during a September 1997 service.


DITC Comment: Does the Holy Spirit injure people?  Does He make them fall down and tremble?  Does the Bible tell us to sue one another as Christians?  This case is just one of many that show the apostasy that has come upon the church.  What does "apostasy" mean?  Falling away.  I bet Ms. Reitan will be a lot more careful about "falling" in the future, but did this incident show her she was "falling away"?