The Mitchell Daily Republic reports that someone masquerading as a Christian pastor hijacked the Mitchell City Council’s opening prayer to deliver a nakedly partisan political speech (0:01:55 in the council video):
And we ask, dear Father, that you would look upon our nation and that your hand of protection would rest upon President Trump, and that, dear Father, you would be working to guide that our nation does not become what the leftists desire it to be. That you would preserve and you would enable us to remain a Constitutional Republic [Cornerstone “Baptist Pastor” Calvin Jones, quoted in “Politically Motivated Prayer at Council Meeting Raises Eyebrows,” Mitchell Daily Republic, 2019.11.22].
Jones’s prayer is wrong on two levels.
If prayer has any place at the opening of a public meeting in a pluralistic democracy (and I will contend that affirmations of one particular Deity do not), it must be inclusive prayer, acknowledging the rightful place of all citizens in their self-government. Trumpist Jones does not pray for all Americans; he prays solely for one false idol (who has darn little to do with the practical decision-making the city council must do) and deems leftist opponents as outsiders unworthy of participation in shaping our community.
Jones also betrays the tenets of his own faith. He invokes the Christian God to take sides in a partisan squabble. This is not Christianity.
Mayor Bob Everson expresses dismay at this un-Christian partisan co-opting of what is supposed to be a solemn, unifying moment of reflection:
“That surprised me a little bit, yes. They have freedom of speech, but I hope they use judicious thought when they put them together,” Everson said. “The point isn’t bash one party or another party or one person or another. The point is just to have a prayer at the beginning of the meeting” [MDR, 2019.11.22].
Smart, inclusive city councils would just get rid of these abuses of public meetings to promote one specific religion. But everyone of every religion should agree that, if the city council grants a speaker the privilege of offering a public prayer, and if the speaker instead makes a partisan speech, the mayor ought to rap the gavel, declare the speaker out of order, end that partisan speech, and move on to the people’s business.
It’s a cult of personality and idol worship, not Christianity. Sec. of Energy Perry summed it up in a way that a true follower of the golden calf would understand when he called Trump “the Chosen One.” I don’t know how much further from Christianity you can get than Donald Trump. Maybe when Putin releases the video of the Russian women pissing in his mouth, they will have a revelation. Until then, we will be regaled with the idea that Trump is the Second Coming.
Is nothing sacred? Hell, no! Prayers do not belong in public buildings for public meetings. Go home and pray. Go to yer church, hypocrites.
drumpf doesn’t need prayers. He needs to spend the rest of his deplorable life in federal custody making little rocks out of big ones.
More Sharia Law from the Evangelical peanut gallery. Why didn’t the natives at Plymouth Rock sink that damn ship, they really screwed up.
He also contends that the “leftists” don’t want the U. s. to be a Constitutional republic. His challenge is ti cite one example of that contention.
Yeah, that’s not an invo. That’s a guy obsessed with power, especially the Power of the Pulpit. Some get crazy with that. Some use it for political purposes, some for sexual uses, some for abusive opportunities of all kinds, some for all the above. The large majority, especially in open, minimally hierarchical churches, don’t abuse it.
Baptist denominations, except for American Baptists, are very patriarchal. Like all strictly patriarchal organizations, they’re more prone to power abuses.
Mr. Pay!? What say you? Russian women urinating in somebody’s mouth is on a video? That is disgusting, sir.
The “Christian right” is neither.
I just e-mailed you a copy, grudz.
*change your password daily – BOHICA
Wow. That is disgusting stuff, Mr. Lansing. I am rattled to my conservative core, although I can’t say I’m entirely surprised that you and Mr. Pay watch such movies. Disgusting.
Grudz, I’m sorry about the grossness of the President, too. It’s a shame we have to put up with such filth as our President. The sooner we can get rid of him, the better. I don’t mean to gross you and others out by making a point about the cult that you call the “overgodders.” Trump is also Putin’s “Chosen One.” Everything leads back to Putin, because Putin has that footage, not to mention other blackmail material on Trump.
Grossly Godless. That’s him.
O.M.G.
Here is an appropriate pastor’s testimonial, in a non-government setting, about a candidate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1rQ-38EESo
Yang2020.com
“Trumpist Partisan Speech Instead”
Did I listen to the same prayer?
He prayed for the President, the Military, and the preservation of our constitutional republic. He prayed for police and fire (first responders), and for divisions in our society to cease.
Isn’t your interpretation is right on par with Schiff’s parody of “the call”?
Dale, finally the lord delivered to us adherents of DFP something as annoying as grudzlick; you.
When the Russky urine tapes are released, you will laud them as demonstrative of the correct manner in which one worships the Christian lord.
Certain Inflatable Recreational Devices – “When the Russky urine tapes are released”
Why would I care if a broad pees on President Trump. People are peeing on President Trump every day on national news and it’s not consensual.
For being effective against your senseless, baseless propaganda .. I mean annoying .. do I get a prize? Is it fiat currency that I can use to create a temporary socialist utopia like on Star Trek? :D
They have NEVER had any business saying a prayer before any government business. We are a nation of immigrants. We are not all Christian! This is an affront to all the many other religions and yes, NON religions of this nation. State and Church do not belong mixed together. We founded this county on separation of them and how this slips into public school graduations, classroom pledges to the allegiance of the nation and city council meetings baffles me.
“State and Church do not belong mixed together”
Is it possible that the spirit of the church/state requirements is such that we do not prevent the free expression of religion? Nobody forces you to bow your head at that function. If the Mayor of a town was, for instance, not religious, would he be expected to be able to prevent those in attendance at a meeting from praying?
Not having a religion is a religion. Therefore, preventing a Christian praying is religious oppression by the unreligious.
I’m fine with this. If I lived in a community where the majority elected a muslim mayor and there was a call to Allah in the meeting, I would likely move rather than prevent that free expression of religion given what I know about the hatred and vitriol currently strangling that world view to the point of ultra violence against children. I would not fund it with my tax dollars, and would vote for someone else if given the chance.
I am personally okay with Christianity and do not want to prevent the free expression of that, either, even though I’m not a religious person. I think Christianity, despite it’s own shortcomings historically, is on the right path. As a world view, it could provide a system of morality that could serve humanity well for a long time, and with a couple of key reformations, I might consider joining eventually.
But enough about me.
Enforcement of non-religioun is to favor a religion, and I disagree that we should prevent expression of religion at government events – that would be un-American.
Exactly, Ms. Bollack.
If a religion must be reinforced by governmental actions, it’s not much of a religion.
Un-American? Exhibit A is drumpf and everyone of his followers. Case closed.