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."
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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.
You betcha!
Didn’t read the article did you????? Didn’t think so.
The priest. He DEFINITELY was according to the article.
Actually he is a Bishop and he is fully invited to attend the event.
Go and pray anyway.
No prayer allowed though, right?
--Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVIII, p. 237.
True but that is not what the title says. It makes it seem like he is TOTALLY not invited and that is NOT true. I just hate article titles that distort the truth because most FREEPERS never read the entire article and only read the title and react to it. It is just very dishonest to me.
Let’s write this in English -
The MAYOR is going - but does not want it to be POLITICAL -
So is DENYING Consitutionally protected Free Speech to RELIGIOUS leaders?
If he is so excited about it being non-political - one can assume - he is staying home?
By his presence he makes it political.
By his actions he makes it political.
His thought process qualifies him for removal from office for being too stupid.
Just because this muzzie sympathizer makes an edict against Christians - doesn't mean he can stop the people from taking over where he forbids the clergy.
If the people attending let this stand without doing something about it - they are as guilty as Bloomberg - and showing the commies once again that “we will obey.” This may be the BEST?LAST chance to put the tyrants on notice that we will NOT let them bury Christianity in a Christian Nation. What part of if we let this stand it is going to get worse don't people understand.
Will there be anybody there, participating in the ceremonies, acting as clergy, praying for our people and our nation?
Yep.
The title says “clergy.” When I read that it’s plural, inclusive, not just referring to this one man.
Again, has the mayor banned clergy from participating in these ceremonies?
If so, the title is accurate.
Why does anybody care what Mayor Jihadberg says?
Show up + pray all you want.
Let President Omoslem + Mayor Burkaberg tackle them on National TV and see how that goes.
There’s one at Lower Manhattan Community Church, with Rick Warren (OK, but he’s doing this and others are not), another one at the Salvation Army on 14th Street, and one at 3 pm at West Broadway and Park Place (Pam Geller of Atlas Shrugs; John Bolton speaking, among others).
There may be other events planned. I have heard that there is an event with people holding hands forming a chain along the West Side Highway.
Seems to me that it is you with a bit of a reading comprehension issue.
He is invited - NOT as clergy - but as first responder. Stated directly in the article. The title may have played loose with the pure facts - but correctly captured Bloomberg’s intent. No prayer.
So is he invited or not? HE IS! Let’s stop with the games. The guy is getting a seat at the party. You are trying to distort the truth for a reason I don’t even know.
Are they allowing any clergy to come there and pray or not?
The Fire Department has its own memorial every year at the Firemen’s Monument, 100th Street and Riverside Drive. I think it starts early, like 7:30 a.m.or so. They play bagpipes and one year they had a piano! They ring a bell as each fireman’s name is called out.
It's not a party. It's a commemoration of the most deadly attack on our nation in history.
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