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Apologetics Press, the Montgomery, Ala.-based church organization that has waged a quarter-century battle against atheism and the theory of evolution, has fired its longtime director, Bert Thompson, amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

Interim executive director Dave Miller said the organization, which has a $1 million annual budget, intends to proceed #8220;undaunted by Satan.#8221;

#8220;We are deeply grateful for Dr. Thompson's longstanding warfare against the sinister doctrine of evolution, with his eloquent affirmation of the biblical account of Creation,#8221; Miller wrote in an open letter to Apologetics Press supporters.

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A 36-year-old church member, who grew up in Alabama, said he was among alleged victims who gave statements to the investigators.

The member, who preferred not to be identified publicly, told the Chronicle that Thompson started sending him cards and letters when he was 13, then pressed him to go out to dinner after he turned 16, the legal age of consent in Alabama.

At the meal, Thompson invited the teen to go home with him and watch a movie, the member said. Thompson's family was not home, and the member said Thompson lured him to a bedroom, disrobed and touched him inappropriately. The member said he later met two other young men who told of similar experiences with Thompson.

The member voiced concerns that church leaders who gathered evidence against Thompson wanted to keep the accusations quiet.

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Last year, Apologetics Press published two articles making a biblical case against homosexuality and listing the authors as Brad Harrub, Thompson and Miller. Both articles remain on the organization's Web site, but references to Thompson as an author have been deleted.

#8220;I think we just decided to remove those because of the hypocrisy,#8221; said Miller, indicating that he and Harrub had written 98 percent of the original articles.

Phil Sanders, minister of the Concord Road church, Brentwood, Tenn., said Thompson's work blessed thousands.

#8220;I will still place a measure of confidence in what he has written,#8221; Sanders said, #8220;but I am deeply disappointed that he has permitted this sin to enslave him.#8221;

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