Tracy Elise. 2010
Whisper It's Sexy. 2010
Grand Wizard Jimmy. 2010
Anonymous. 2010
An update to last year’s photo essay documenting the men and women of the Phoenix Goddess Temple. Opponents of the temple where quick to label it as a “sex church” and nothing more than a new age front operating as a brothel. Last week Phoenix Police, arresting 18, raided the temple making it a national new story.
CNN:
Arizona church is house of prostitution, police say
September 09, 2011 By Michael Martinez, CNN
During a Wednesday search of the Phoenix temple and two church-related sites in nearby Sedona, police seized evidence showing that “male and female ‘practitioners’ working a t the Temple were performing sexual acts in exchange for monetary ‘donations,’ all on the pretense of providing ‘neo tantric’ healing therapies,” Phoenix police said.
The alleged brothel generated tens of thousands of dollars a month, Martos told CNN.
A history of neighbor complaints, a recent Phoenix newspaper article, and the temple’s website were among the factors prompting authorities to conduct the undercover investigation, Martos said.
“What’s unusual is that they were trying to hide behind religion or church, and under the guise of religious freedom, they were committing acts of prostitution,” Martos said.
“We certainly respect First Amendment rights. However, religious freedom does not allow for criminal acts,” Martos said.
Regarding the Goddess Temple’s website, he said: “What they would talk about would seem to be religion. At the same time, they were implying or intimating that they were giving sex therapy.”
The website says at one point: “Sex is a holy, sacred and divine healing force at the core (of) our beings. Once we embrace this force instead of deny it, we become successful, happy and powerful manifestors.”
The website also features unclothed women, listed as residing in several states, under a “Goddesses” section.
The investigation focused on the alleged crimes, said acting Phoenix Police Chief Joe Yahner.
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery added in a statement: “Freedom of religion does not allow individuals to trade sex for money, no matter how the transaction is portrayed.”
The alleged madam, Tracy Elise, who is in her 50s, was arrested and charged with prostitution, illegal control of an enterprise, pandering, and operating a house of prostitution, police said.
The images were originally published in the March issue of Phoenix Magazine and selected for the American Photography Annual 2011 (AP 27) for the year’s best in editorial photography. All photographs are available for licensing. Click the jump for additional images and original article. Go here for variations of the final edit.
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