Posted on 04/17/2007 5:19:24 PM PDT by wagglebee
Speakers at the Virginia Tech convocation yesterday called on Allah and Buddha in their efforts to minister to the survivors, family and friends of victims of the shooting massacre at the school – but Jesus wasn't mentioned.
It was left up to President Bush to come the closest to offering a biblical message of hope, when he suggested the school community that lost 32 members to the shootings by an out-of-control resident alien student find "comfort in the grace and guidance of a loving God."
But even he didn't bring Jesus, the only hope of comfort and future life for Christians, into the memorials.
"I'm sitting here watching the convocation service at VT," wrote a WND reader who was given anonymity. "Five minutes ago they had four representatives from the local 'religious community.' The Muslim specifically invoked Allah's blessings… and he didn't shy away from saying the name of Allah. The Jewish rep asked for God's blessings. Buddha was represented. The only name that [was] omitted, of course, Jesus Christ."
And another WND reader cited the speakers, in order:
"BUT NOT ONE EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN PASTOR/PREACHER. NO INVOCATION OF THE NAME OF CHRIST JESUS," the reader said.
"The only thing that surprised me, though, is that they didn't have a rep from the Universal Life 'church' or the 'Church of Satan.' Go figure," said the first reader.
It was up to the president to deliver references to Christianity.
"People who have never met you are praying for you," Bush said. "They're praying for your friends who have fallen and who are injured. There's a power in these prayers, a real power. In times like this, we can find comfort in the grace and the guidance of a loving God."
Most of the other official statements of condolence released also ignored the savior of the Christian faith.
"Today is a day to reflect on our many blessings of family, neighbors, and our Blacksburg community, which includes the students of Virginia Tech," said a statement from the town of Blacksburg, where Virginia Tech is located.
"I urge Virginians to keep these victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers," said Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, a Democrat.
"In time, Americans will learn more about the circumstances of this senseless tragedy. For now and forever after, our hearts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the other students, faculty and staff of Virginia Tech, and their families," said Sen. John W. Warner, a Republican.
"My heart goes out to the parents and families of the victims of this senseless act," said Sen. Jim Webb, a Democrat.
The school has announced a candlelight vigil to honor the victims of the mass killing Monday. The campus also was ordered closed through this week, and counseling services were being made available to students, faculty and staff.
"We come to express our sympathy in this time of anguish. I hope you know that people all over this country are thinking about you and asking God to provide comfort for all who have been affected," the president told the community assembly.
"May God bless you and keep you and keep the souls of the lost and may his love touch all of those who suffer and grieve," he concluded.
He earlier had ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half staff at the White House, federal buildings and grounds, naval craft and military posts through Sunday.
"Our nation grieves with those who have lost loved ones at Virginia Tech. We hold the victims in our hearts. We lift them up in our prayers, and we ask a loving God to comfort those who are suffering," Bush said in the flag proclamation.
Authorities have identified the shooter as Cho Seung-Hui, 23, a senior English major at the school whose class writings were so disturbing he previously had been referred for counseling.
I did not read the WND article, but watched the whole convocation. The Lutheran IS my prob. Gov. Kaine mentioned Jesus and Job. Pres. Bush noted that there is a God. The majority of the coliseum said the Lord's Prayer from memory.
:-) Well Mother Teresa is pretty controversial in some circles, but I get what you mean. I once spent a year going to a church where nearly every sermon was about tithing.
Full article:
http://www.elca.org/ScriptLib/CO/ELCA_News/encArticleList.asp?article=3562
April 17, 2007
ELCA Pastor Delivers Christian Message at Virginia Tech Convocation
07-058-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) — The Rev. William H. King, Lutheran campus pastor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, Va., and staff of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), delivered the Christian message April 17 at the Virginia Tech Convocation where students, faculty and others of the community gathered to remember the victims of yesterday’s shooting on campus. According to the Virginia Tech Web site, at least 33 people died including the gunman.
“We’re gathered this afternoon for many purposes. To weep for lost friends and families, to mourn our lost innocence, to walk forward in the wake of unspeakable tragedy, to embrace hope in the shadow of despair, to join our voices and our longing for peace, healing and understanding which is much greater than any single faith community, to embrace that which unifies, and to reject the seductive temptation to hate,” said King, who also serves as deployed staff of the Department for Campus Ministry, ELCA Vocation and Education.
“We gather together weeping, yes, we weep with an agony too deep for words and sighs that are inexpressible, but also we gather affirming the sovereignty of life over death. At a time such as this the darkness of evil seems powerful indeed. It casts a pall over our simple joys, joys as simple as playing Frisbee on the Drill Field. We struggle to imagine a future beyond this agony. If we ever harbored any illusions that our campus is an idyllic refuge from the violence of the rest the world, they are gone forever. And yet we come to this place to testify that the light of love cannot be defeated. Amid all our pain, we confess that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it,” said King.
“We cannot undo yesterday’s tragic events, but we can sit in patient silence with those who mourn as they seek for a way forward. As we share light one with another, we reclaim our campus. Let us deny death’s power to rob us of all that we have loved about Virginia Tech, our community. Let us cast our lot with hope in defiance of despair,” said King, who invited the convocation to a moment of silence.
- - -
Audio of King’s message is available at http://media.ELCA.org/audionews/070417.mp3 on the ELCA Web site.
I saw a snippet of the service on Fox this evening. Some pansie was talking about all the eyes of the world on the students as they “built community” after the shootings.
“Built community”? WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN??!!!
Full article:
http://www.elca.org/ScriptLib/CO/ELCA_News/encArticleList.asp?article=3562
April 17, 2007
ELCA Pastor Delivers Christian Message at Virginia Tech Convocation
07-058-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) — The Rev. William H. King, Lutheran campus pastor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, Va., and staff of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), delivered the Christian message April 17 at the Virginia Tech Convocation where students, faculty and others of the community gathered to remember the victims of yesterday’s shooting on campus. According to the Virginia Tech Web site, at least 33 people died including the gunman.
“We’re gathered this afternoon for many purposes. To weep for lost friends and families, to mourn our lost innocence, to walk forward in the wake of unspeakable tragedy, to embrace hope in the shadow of despair, to join our voices and our longing for peace, healing and understanding which is much greater than any single faith community, to embrace that which unifies, and to reject the seductive temptation to hate,” said King, who also serves as deployed staff of the Department for Campus Ministry, ELCA Vocation and Education.
“We gather together weeping, yes, we weep with an agony too deep for words and sighs that are inexpressible, but also we gather affirming the sovereignty of life over death. At a time such as this the darkness of evil seems powerful indeed. It casts a pall over our simple joys, joys as simple as playing Frisbee on the Drill Field. We struggle to imagine a future beyond this agony. If we ever harbored any illusions that our campus is an idyllic refuge from the violence of the rest the world, they are gone forever. And yet we come to this place to testify that the light of love cannot be defeated. Amid all our pain, we confess that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it,” said King.
“We cannot undo yesterday’s tragic events, but we can sit in patient silence with those who mourn as they seek for a way forward. As we share light one with another, we reclaim our campus. Let us deny death’s power to rob us of all that we have loved about Virginia Tech, our community. Let us cast our lot with hope in defiance of despair,” said King, who invited the convocation to a moment of silence.
- - -
Audio of King’s message is available at http://media.ELCA.org/audionews/070417.mp3 on the ELCA Web site.
Now I missed that because I turned it off early. My loss.
Who are to blame for this? It is mainly the feminists!!!! We now have a bogus feminazi hymnal and liturgy book shot-through with "inclusive language", and hordes of feminazi and "gay"-friendly pastors and "bishops" who won't even call God Father. Our seminaries have become factories for turning out little ordained feminazis, peaceniks, near-Unitarians, and muslim-kissers.
If ELCA pastors deny the Father, they will also deny the Son. Not only did that ELCA pastor at Virginia Tech leave out the Risen Christ, but the ELCA presiding "bishop", in his message about the tragedy, refused to call God Father. Instead, he used a prayer from the bogus new hymnal, that called God "Holy One" instead. He even touted that new hymnal rather than concentrating on the Virginia Tech community in their dire need.
That is what the ELCA has come to. Lord have mercy!
I doubt you. Someone in WELS or LCMS would know how liberal the ELCA is.
Ditto.
I listened to a lot of it. Gov Kaine did mention the book of Job and Christianity.
It’s a ridiculous phrase for a good concept. A community is supportive, it has open eyes for evil doers and it closes ranks when it is assulted.
Why is this a bad thing? These kids need to support each other. This is a traumatic event—here they are away from home for the first time and they need to feel safe. If they gain strength from numbers, great.
I’m sorry. No offense was meant. To the contrary—it was out of love and concern that I wanted you to know Him personally, rather than know all about Him. That was the problem I discerned. From your many posts to others defending the omission of Jesus in the convocation, I took your words as evidence that you did not know Him. And, Chena, all we have on this forum are words. Common practice is to take a speaker’s words literally unless otherwise noted, e.g. “/sarcasm/”, else we’re lead to believe you don’t believe what you say. It’s true, I don’t know you from Adam, nor am I John Kerry, so I can’t read all the nuances into your posts that you would want. I am sorry for the offense, but not the Gospel Truth.
sorry...I am sure someone will post a transcript.
ROFL!!
It is common FR courtesy to ping the person you are talking about.
Our pastor loves that hymn and it was one of the hymns sang often in our family's Lutheran church when I was growing up.
Then doubt if you must. It matters not to me. I can only tell you that I was raised as a Lutheran and still am today. I don't pay attention to ELCA news nor it's problems. I live in bush Alaska and am far outside of the mainstream when it comes to such things.
I watched the whole thing and a couple things bothered me.
The islamic prayer which was in a foreign language so who knows what he said and the poet who compared the tragedy of the murder of these young people to the killing of elephants for their ivory tusks. That was not the only unbelievable comparison she made but it’s the one that stood out to me at the time. I was floored by the poet’s stupid remarks.
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