Posted on 02/15/2009 8:52:34 AM PST by SmithL
He may be the Second Coming to many San Franciscans - but one local Catholic priest wants a popular prayer candle with President Obama's picture on it pulled from a local gift shop, saying it "mocks Jesus" and "depicts our beloved saints in a not so saintly way."
The Rev. Tony La Torre of St. Philip the Apostle Church, in ever-hip Noe Valley, is so riled up that he's calling for a boycott of the neighborhood's Just For Fun card and novelty shop, which has been selling the $15 candles at a fast clip.
The candles feature the president's halo-adorned head plastered onto the crucifix-clutching body of St. Martin de Porres, the Peruvian-born friar regarded as one of the first black saints in the Americas.
"I am appalled that in such a family-oriented neighborhood, any retailer would be so bigoted and so hateful (as) to carry such merchandise just to 'make a buck,' " La Torre declared recently in the parish newsletter.
Store owners Robert Ramsey and David Eiland say they've sold more than 700 candles since putting them on display over the Christmas holiday.
And while the candles are a big hit, Ramsey says they're not much different from the line of gag gifts they've been selling without complaint at the store on upper 24th Street for the past 22 years.
"Believe me, there is a lot of nasty stuff you can sell - you can get it down in the Castro," Ramsey said. "This is just fun stuff."
Besides Hula Hoops, Barbie lunch bags and Valentine heart trinkets, the novelty store stocks such joke religious items as Jesus pencil erasers, "Beware of Nunzilla" wind-up toys and, most recently, the Obama devotional candles.
But to La Torre, the candles featured in a big window display were "the final straw" for a store
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Oh my....
this one sits squarely on the parents from the “make love not war generation”. I can’t tell you how many parents ask why I ‘force” my kids to believe in one faith, and how I should wait til they grow up and decide for themselves like they are letting their kids do. Jesus, come quickly.....
I wonder what Obama themed items are available in the Castro district?
Needless to say these parents who wanted to let their kids decide for themselves now are all over the place in whatever they believe.
Part of the price you pay for having images I guess. My church never has that problem.
I wonder how many b hussein has on his own mantle.......
I wonder if having to take a mark is far off.
exactly, hence the st obama candle not causing outrage, but selling as a joke, as tre religous beliefs are to them
And once again, as a child I could not grasp how people would think a person was The Messiah.
You know, ironically, I used to think “How could people fall for it when the Bible tells you it is going to happen? Why wouldn’t you just know? The guy who is said to be The Messiah, is the one you ignore?”
I guess I didn’t take sarcasm into account. It is said with mock fun, but it’s not really.
I just can’t believe for thousands of years people have been told to look for it and I’m frightened and in awe that I am seeing it.
Well, I never could imagine how someone could come in pretending to be a “False Prophet” or “The One”, but now I see.
I still haven’t figured out what the mark is, although I have read one theory is that the “Mark” is Islam.
If you don’t take Islam (Sharia Law/Financing-which is already in a lot of businesses, Caribou Coffee, Church’s Chicken, etc...) you can’t “buy or sell” anything.
The Obamamessiah worship continues.
We just got back from St. Thomas where we spent a week for our Honeymoon.
Obambi shrines were everywhere. Every local native with a shop had a shrine devote to the ‘O’. Plastered with posters, plates, coins, hats, clothes, etc.
What’s really scary? They couldn’t even vote for president. And we saw the same thing in the BVI (British Virgin Islands)
Either that or his image. I’m sure there are enough die hard fans out there who if given the incentive, would merrily get Obama tattoos and then peer pressure will induce others to do the same.
Of course, it would have to be visible of course, to ‘prove’ that the bearer isn’t lying about having it by saying that it’s on their back or leg and can’t show it right away.
Bookstores 
This Obamessiah stuff is getting really creepy.
It is idolatry and blasphemy.
Incredible first hand witness. Thank you.
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