Posted on 08/16/2005 12:57:52 PM PDT by areafiftyone
New York, August 16, 2005 – The General Secretary of the National Council of Churches is urging President Bush to join with Gold Star families and religious leaders in an interfaith prayer service outside the Bush ranch at noon (CDT) Friday,
The prayer service has been called by Gold Star mother Cindy Sheehan “as an opportunity for Americans and others across the world to pray for our soldiers in Iraq, their families and in particular the mothers of our fallen.”
Sheehan, along with United Methodist laywoman Celeste Zappala and other Gold Star mothers, has been waiting outside the Bush compound to meet with the President since his five-week vacation began.
“I urge the President and the First Lady to join this brief and simple service,” said the Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, NCC General Secretary. Edgar visited the Gold Star mothers and their families outside the presidential ranch and conducted a worship service on August 12. The visit was at the invitation of his fellow United Methodist, Celeste Zappala, whose son Sherwood was killed in Iraq.
“This war, like any war, has generated terrible losses, immense pain and sharp divisions in our country,” Edgar said. “Each day we see the pain in the faces of the Gold Star mothers and their families. It’s evident that President Bush, who has faced agonizing decisions in this war, feels the pain as well.”
“Whether or not we agree with Mr. Bush’s decisions,” Edgar said, “and whether or not he agrees with us, we can agree that we’re all feeling a heavy burden of grief. Let’s suspend the rhetoric for a few minutes on Friday and join together – commander-in-chief and families of the fallen – to seek strength from the God who sustains us all.”
In an open letter to religious leaders August 15, Sheehan urged those who cannot attend to host a prayer vigil in their cities. “We ask you to join us in a simultaneous moment of silent prayer to honor all who have been affected by this war.”
The service will take place at “Camp Casey,” an impromptu encampment outside the Bush compound named for Sheehan’s son, Casey Sheehan, who was killed in Baghdad on April 4, 2004. Camp Casey, which displays white crosses named for those who have been killed in Iraq, has become a gathering place for Gold Star families and their supporters.
The full text of the Sheehan August 15 letter to religious letters follows:
Dear Religious Leader:
Family members of fallen soldiers, who have joined me in Crawford, and I invite you to attend a moment of silent prayer at 12:00 noon (Central Daylight Time) this Friday, August 19th at Camp Casey just outside the Presidents’ Ranch. We’re holding this moment of prayer as an opportunity for Americans and others across the world to pray for our soldiers in Iraq, their families and in particular the mothers of our fallen. We have also invited President Bush and the first lady to join us in praying for the troops.
Several family members of fallen soldiers have joined with me in Crawford and will take part in the moment of silent prayer. Outside the President’s ranch we have set up a temporary camp named “Camp Casey” and a memorial of crosses with names of fallen soldiers has been erected, which is where the prayer service will take place.
If you cannot attend our service in Crawford, Texas please consider hosting a prayer vigil in your city. We ask you to join us in a simultaneous moment of silent prayer to honor all who have been affected by this war. You are welcome to contact your local media and inform them of your vigil.
My son, Casey Sheehan, 24, of Vacaville, Calif., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 4, 2004, when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. When President Bush began his 5 week vacation, I decided to camp outside his ranch in hopes of meeting with him to ask some unanswered questions about the war and the needless loss of lives of so many. Thus far the President has refused to meet, but my resolve is strong and I will remain in Crawford until the meeting takes place or his vacation ends.
Thank you in advance for your consideration and support of this interfaith prayer service.
Respectfully,
Cindy Sheehan
Mother of Casey Sheehan
Picture courtesy of Lone Star Iconoclast.
If you plan to go to Crawford, travel logistics provided by the Sheehan support team can be found here
Contact: NCC News, Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2252,
Yeah, the old "I'm a faceless person on the web and I have a degree so I win!" argument, works everytime.
How about just posting the stories about this, they'd make for interesting reading. I just don't know how pertinent they'd be, seeing how we're fighting two very different wars, in very different times, in very different circumstances, in very different media environments, in a country with very different ideological compositions. Other than that, a perfect analogy! :)
Just got back from a Google search, and the only arguable "anti-war" protestor FDR met with was A. Philip Randolph - so GWB and FDR are even so far - if you have a different example, please feel free to let us in on your little secret.
As for the $3 / gallon gas price - you really think that GWB is going to get the blame for that?
And the NCC is against the Israeli security fence. My experience has been that it's only the leftist parishioners who attend these national and international church conferences.
Oh, he's one of those "real, true conservatives," unlike the rest of us, ya know?
FDR's approach to dissidents was to invite them to the White House and treat them to a barrage of charm and awe. He was sublimely good at that, and disarmed most people who dared talk back to him.
W has no diplomatic skills, and his handlers keep him insulated from the public. Everything is staged about and around him. This hurts the war effort, and eventually will hand the White House to the Witch Queen.
And like I said, $3 a gallon a gasoline will be the Republican's death knell. You can bet on it.
An what pray tell is the Donks solution for lower gas prices, being that the entire world is being affected by high oil prices, not just us...Nationalizing the oil industry, Dumping the SPR (didn't work for Clinton, and not enough refineries to use the oil), bringing back the Carter-ian "Windfall Profits Tax"??
Darn near introduced metric clocks too.
Quit reacting and start thinking. Criticism of W's handlers is no threat to you.
I have NEVER been wrong (since Carter) about who was going to win the White House, and I wasn't wrong this last time, either. And I tell you the Witch Queen has it hands down. I'm already offering $50 to anyone that if it runs, it wins.
http://www.ncccusa.org/news/SpeakOutDraft.html
The time has come to say:
- NO to leaders who have sent many honorable sons and daughters to fight a dishonorable war;
- NO to the violence that has cost over seventeen hundred American lives, left thousands grievously injured, and killed untold numbers of Iraqis whose deaths we are unwilling to acknowledge or count;
- NO to the abuse of prisoners that has shamed our nation and damaged our reputation throughout the world;
- NO to the price tag for this war that has rendered our federal budget incapable of adequately caring for the poorest of our own citizens; and,
- NO to theologies that demonize other nations and religions while arrogantly claiming righteousness for ourselves as if we share no complicity in human evil.
Why did the General Secretary of the supposed National Council of Churches feel it necessary to pay a visit to Cindy Sheehan? He didn't have any more pressing subjects on his plate?
Quaker State.
Thank you for your rational comments. A breath of fresh air in this emotional swirl of a thread.
And you've got the neatest handle.
O/T, but say, it's good to see you. I worried about you when I heard about that quake.
Well I believe Rush has the right numbers on the internals of the "polls". Anytime there is a blip on the radar, the cries of "Bush is toast" can be heard.
Our economy is good and unemployment is excellent. I also don't think such a large turnout (support the troops) on very short notice this weekend would have happened if things are as dire as you claim.
exactly! They are true hypocrites, doing the opposite of Christ's work. They are closer to Satan than they will ever be to Christ.
Well put. You've actually said all that needs to be said about this subject. So I'm off! :)
Elitist.
So sorry that the rest of us aren't busy cerebrating at the rate you do. I bow to the PhD master-- NOT
W is a puppet. Anyone who hasn't been befuddled by his staged television appearances can see it. Just watch what comes out of the White House, as opposed to what his image tells you will come out.
FDR could have outsmarted Clinton, and that's saying something.
I do recall waking up that Easter Saturday morning and watching with horror as the swat team moved in on our citizens sitting outside quietly praying for Elian.
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