Posted on 09/05/2011 8:02:03 PM PDT by EternalVigilance
In a sad display of anti-Christian censorship, Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City has banned clergy from participating or praying at the 10th anniversary 9/11 memorial ceremony honoring the victims of terrorist attacks from September 11th, 2001.
Today I spoke with Bishop Dan Johnson, a 9/11 first-responder clergyman who ministered to the dead and dying in New York City on Sept 11th, 2001. For the last nine years, Mayors Giuliani and Bloomberg invited Bishop Johnson to the annual ceremony, but this year he was told by Mayor Bloomberg's staff that he cannot attend "in his capacity as clergyman," but only in his capacity as first-responder. And he dare not pray aloud.
"It's unbelievable," says Southern Baptist leader Richard Land. "We live in a country where the overwhelming majority of people identify as Christian or have a religion, and clergy were some of the first people to respond on 9/11 to minister to victims. Why aren't they welcome today?"
"I'm stunned," said Tim Wildmon of the American Family Association. "This event affected the whole psyche and soul of the country, and you are going to have no prayer? What's a memorial service if you are going to leave God out of it completely? It seems kind of hollow."
Mayor Bloomberg warned on a radio show that the event "cannot be political" and said it would offer a "poem or quote or something that each one of the readers will read" with "no speeches whatsoever."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A PRAYER TO ALMIGHTY GOD,
and
A PETITION TO NYC MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG:
Dear Sirs:
We the undersigned respectfully petition you to please invite clergy to pray publicly at the 9/11 memorial ceremony, and honor the religious values of the victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. Clergy represent the religious freedom of America, which was attacked by enemies of religious tolerance and free speech on 9/11.
By banning clergy, especially by Christians from participation, you mollify the enemies of liberty and silence the religious expression of millions of Americans, including the faith held dear by most of the 2,996 victims of 9/11 themselves.
Please restore the right to pray publicly at the 9/11 memorial ceremony, and invite clergy to fully participate in honoring the dead, especially since clergy were among the first responders to the tragedy of that memorable day. Do not neglect America's freedom of religious expression, but remind the enemies of liberty that we stand for free speech and free worship, even in public.
We are one nation under God, and we pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Yes. And he doesn’t want the first responders there, either. So. Bloomberg is a retard, as well as a really bad mayor? This is what happens when you put a silver-spoon, trust-fund baby with NO concept of the real world in power...we sure ducked a bullet with Gore, didn’t we?
Perhaps it is time for REAL Americans to show up to these leftie shindigs. I would LOVE to see the ministers and priests, the families, and the first responders show up, surround Ground Zero, and during Bloomie’s gassy speech, stand up, hold hands, say a prayer and break into the Star Spangled Banner. Wouldn’t THAT be a wonderful sight!
Now THAT would be a classic American thing to do.
So no first responders, no clergy. Who do they want there? Other pond scum pols? “Celebrities”? I’m officially ignoring their “memorial service”.
I don’t think these events are appropriate. Clearly, they are being run to advance current political/special interest agendas. Then you have orgs like the NFL seeking to horn in ultimately for no other reason than to assuage their guilt over playing games on Sept 11. Just play the games and skip the guilt trip “ceremonies.”
What happened on that day was horrible and will always BE horrible and the idea that an “anniversary” can be made of it and then used by slimebags like Bloomberg to advance their secular fantasies...
No.
Who’s memorial is this anyway?!?! Bloomberg is turning this into a politically correct event which means he has politicized it, which in most peoples’ view is a sacrilege ... tell ya what, how bout some devout believers in the area go and kneel in silence, as a group, and sincerely pray that blue ice falls from the sky and smacks Bloomberg in the head...
Everything I ever needed to know about the death cult's DUmocrat appeasers, I have since learned...
I’m not going to participate in a 9/11 memorial of any kind. Soros and the Democrats and their lying media have completely destroyed any sense of shame or honor in this country.
Oh no you don’t... NJ is not taking Bloomberg. We have enough problems here without that jerk.
Some traditions should most definitely be revived.
That’s one.
Invited or not, I hope the clergy and faithful of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, which was destroyed in the attacks, and then had the land it stood on destroyed by the Port Authority “rebuilding” efforts, even though they don’t own it, show up in force.
Bloomberg is a secular, non-believing Jew who harbors a visceral hatred for Christians and Christianity.
:-(
I suggest that everyone (like an orderly flash mob) start sneezing on cue, and the others respond by saying “God Bless You.”
The title as always is a lie. I really get sick and tired of distorted titles of articles. The man was invited.
Someone in the audience should start singing the Battle Hymn of the Republic or something alog those lines. Get a hundred people singing... how are they going to stop that?
Who was invited?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.