RI Clergy Group Defends Jessica Ahlquist


The Christians in Cranston, I’m pleased to report,
Are not all the threatening, violent sort.
Some are the meanies we rightly belabor
But some, strangely, follow the creed “love thy neighbor”
They gathered together to make us aware
There are Christians in Cranston who really do care
They look on their peers in dismay and in shock
At the sort of behavior that came from that flock—
The threats and the taunting, the language, the signs,
The bile that the radio DJ opines,
And to top it all off, all this loathsome behavior
Is done in the guise of protecting their Savior
Or really, a message to Him, on a banner,
Which bids them behave in a Christian-like manner.

So now that the word has come down from the top
Will we witness the good Christian bullying stop?
Will the Christians remember that Judgment is God’s?
….I saw the town meeting. I don’t like the odds.

Religious group defends Ahlquist: wpri.com

I’ve often read it around these parts–when moderates stay silent, the voices of the fringe are allowed to represent the whole. It is not enough to simply not join in with the others taunting Jessica, it is the duty of thoughtful Christians to decry the deplorable actions of the members of their faith who have bullied, taunted, and threatened in defense of a banner.

And now some have done so. Representing what I truly hope (and honestly expect) is a much larger silent majority, a group of Rhode Island clergy gathered yesterday…you can see it all in the video.

Two things. One:

Executive Minister Reverend Dr. Don Anderson says he decided to hold the meeting because of emails he has received asking them to stick up for Ahlquist.

I hope and expect that the emails he received were from members of his congregation. If they were from atheists, that would be sad.

and can anyone tell me what this is supposed to mean?

“Must we always kill the prophets and stone to death those who sent us,” says Rev. Betsy Garland.

Is Ahlquist a prophet now?

Lastly… My goodness, but these newscasters are an interesting lot. The vocal inflections, the editing, the word choice and emphasis… I expected to see horns on Jessica, in her obligatory dark and grainy footage.

Comments

  1. Randomfactor says

    Update: tonight’s well-attended meeting of the school board apparently emptied out pretty quick when it was announced that they would NOT be discusssing the banner appeal until February 16.

    All they were talking about tonight is the disposition of millions of dollars in taxes for the coming school year’s budget.

    So, no big deal.

  2. unbound says

    About friggin’ time the so-called moral leadership stepped up to decry the poor behavior of their sheep. Hopefully it is more than just a few of them…it should be all of them.

  3. Ray, rude-ass yankee says

    I’m waiting for my chance to be officially an “evil little thing” too! Maybe tomorrows mail? IhopeIhopeIhope

  4. Steersman says

    Nice poem; a succinct summary of the situation.

    But nice to see that some of the townspeople decided to back the sheriff in another high noon for atheism, or at least the separation of church and state. Maybe it will be a little easier for others to do the same in the future.

  5. hotshoe says

    Rev. Dr. Don Anderson
    danderson@councilofchurchesri.org

    I sent an email thanking him for supporting Ms. Alquist and standing up for justice and civility.

    The RI State Council of Churches has a facebook page and that’s another possible place to thank them for showing that the christian moderates don’t always let the fanatics get away with hatred unopposed.

  6. brian says

    Why do “non believeing” Atheists invoke God more than believers do? What are they so afraid of?

  7. brian says

    Funny how my comment is still awaiting moderation because it’s the only one that doesnt agree and sympathize with this evil little Brat.

  8. Cuttlefish says

    Funny how you think that. Your comment, and 19 spam comments, were awaiting moderation because I was not yet online. But now I am, now it’s approved, and now everyone can see your brilliant comment, phrased in the classic “have you stopped beating your wife?” form.

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