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After following this discussion, as well as some on lutherquest.org and elsewhere, many people seem to be distressed about the public attention that this is getting (did anyone catch O'Reilly on Fox tonight?) The LCMS has always "flown under the radar". Well, I say that all this is pretty good. Yes, we are going to be ridiculed and berated by the public at large. So what. Millions of Christians throughout history have been put to death for their beliefs, and we're afraid of a little negative publicity? God blesses his church the most when they are under attack - just look at the explosive growth of the church in Thirld World areas such as Asia and Africa. Believers are being persecuted by the demonic forces of Islam everyday in Africa, and yet (if the statistics I've heard are true), there are more LCMS Lutherans in Africa today than there are in America. If the poor downtrodden faithful in Africa can - at the risk of death - stay faithful to Christ, how can we not?

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me." Matthew 5:11

That aside, it IS interesting to note that Benke has now hired a team of lawyers, and a PR firm. How very Clintonian of him. The liberal's true stripes are showing.

Who said it?

My participation in this service was a direct violation of the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions, and consequently, violation of the Constitution, Bylaws and doctrinal resolutions of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. I also recognize that my participation in this interfaith prayer service was a violation of my duties and responsibilities as an elected officer of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

While well-intended, what I did was wrong. I therefore sincerely and publicly apologize to the Synod for my actions in this connection. I assure the Synod that I will not repeat this error in the future by participating as an officiant in ecumenical services.

It was Atlantic District President David Benke, in his signed apology of October 22, 1998, after he had participated in an interfaith prayer service in New York City on September 9, 1998--a service similar to that of September 23, 2001.

Some of you may see nothing wrong with interfaith prayer services. But I trust that you do see something wrong with a man giving his word and then breaking it. Knowing now that Benke has made this previous public apology and assurance to the Synod, what does this tell you when, as soon as the Synod gets a new president that he knows will not discipline him, Benke goes ahead and once again participates in an interfaith prayer service? As I read it, based on his own 1998 apology, Benke stands self-condemned.