By Katherine Weber
An Episcopal church in Pasadena, Calif., has been receiving a rash of hate emails for opening its doors to participants of the upcoming Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) Convention in December.
The Rev. Ed Bacon of All Saints Episcopal Church told CBS Los Angeles that the emails are “toxic stuff,” ranging from “scapegoating Muslims, totally misreading what Islam is all about, telling us we can’t call ourselves a Christian body because we’ve allowed Muslims into our church.”
“They’re saying we have abandoned our Christian roots, that we are gullible and being used by terrorists, all of which is totally unfounded,” the Rev. Bacon told CBS.
Read more.
Comment by Eric Lytle on December 11, 2012 at 11:05 am
Has it crossed anyone’s mind that some (or all) of these hate e-mails might be generated by (1) members of the church, (2) Muslims, (3) liberals who heard about the gathering at this church? All three groups would have a motivation to cast traditional Christians in a bad light. I don’t say it’s impossible that Christians could have sent some of these e-mails, but over the years I’ve learned that liberals are willing to lie and deceive in order to further their agenda, such as documented cases of liberal churches having their rainbow (i.e., gay) flags stolen (by mean old conservatives), when in fact they removed by people in the church, who blamed it on “reactionary” types.
Just a thought. We do have enemies, and many of them lack scruples. The people who depict us as “haters” draw on some very deep wells of hate.
Comment by Daniel O'Rourke on December 14, 2012 at 3:00 am
This kind of intrigue saddens me and I find it incredibly un-Christian and incredibly divisive. You are promoting a fear-based political movement under the guise of religion from the look and smell of what I’m reading on this website so far.
It further compels me to a low opinion of your motives that you’re based in DC.
If you choose to go down a negative and fearful path with your heart and mind you will find exactly what you’re looking for–everywhere.
I don’t purport to know all of what God’s will is.
I just know God wants me to love and to forgive and to not live in fear.
I encourage you to do the same.
I strongly urge you to repent and change your ways.
Find your way back to Christ.
Clearly, what I’m reading here on your site is anything but.
I would simply hope you reconsider your position.
This is not Christian.
This is divisiveness and fear.
Comment by Alex Soderberg on December 15, 2012 at 9:31 pm
I’m picturing a schoolmarm with her lips pursed, “Shamey, shamey.” However, you’re not addressing a group of third-graders, you’re talking to people who take their faith seriously.
I think when you say “divisiveness and fear” that translates as “how dare you dimwitted traditional Christians question the motives of your intellectual superiors, the Politically Correct saints who run the Episcopalian church.” (Or, based on membership figures, “ruin” as well as “run.”) The only ones with “fear” are the mainline denominations who fear having it pointed out that their bureaucracies and clergy have a habit of conforming to the secular world and sucking up to whatever ideology seems to be on the rise, which in the present situation is Islam. You call it “inclusiveness” to reach out to Muslims. I think the word “cowardice” fits. Maybe if you sing Kum Ba Yah with a few imams, the National Council of Churches hq won’t ever get bombed (but don’t count on that – terrorists aren’t really that kind to appeasers). Instead of waiting for them to convert Riverside Church into a mosque, do a pre-emptive strike and hand them the keys. Maybe you can include the Prophet Muhammad in the calendar of saints.
You have a lot of nerve trying to browbeat Christians with your sanctimony. If you want to go into details about what is “un-Christian and incredibly divisive,” let’s talk about your trashing of every Christian moral tradition in the name of “inclusiveness.” You push for same-sex “marriage,” and make a hero out of a bishop who violated his own marriage vows – ever notice the irony there? Maybe you haven’t noticed, but the reason the Episcopalians are “divided” is the same reason Martin Luther was “divisive” – he wanted a church that was more Christian. I don’t see the growing Anglican Church in North America as being the “divisive” party. They left the Episcoplians because they weren’t welcome in a left-wing political action committee that still uses the name “church.” Give them a few years and the “splinter” group will be larger than the “plank” it came from.
Your definition of “repent and change your ways” is “be liberals.” Sorry, but having read the New Testament in the original, I’m aware that metanoia, translated as “repentance” or “conversion,” doesn’t mean “be re-born into Political Correctness.”
I can’t speak for the website, but your “low opinion” of the website’s fans won’t cause us any loss of sleep.
You want us to “reconsider our position.” Great. I did. I think it’s stronger than it was before I read your scolding. But thanks for your input. I especially liked your statement, “I don’t purport to know all of what God’s will is.” I think we could figure that out on our own. And since you’re clueless about God’s will, no point in trying to to bring us into conformity with your politicized religion, is there?
I hope the Episcopalians enjoy their appeasement-fest. Nothing brings that supernal glow to a liberal’s cheek like a public event where they can show more warmth to people of other religions than they would to other Christians. Something about that exotic mix of skin tones and robes and facial hair that makes for the ideal liberal photo-op.
Comment by J S Lang on December 17, 2012 at 5:43 pm
What is this “intrigue” O’Rourke is referring to? Likeminded Christians communicating with each other? Horrors!
Comment by Eric Lytle on December 18, 2012 at 8:33 am
It’s funny that O’Rourke thinks there’s something sinister about IRD being based in DC. Where does he think would be a more appropriate place for a group with DEMOCRACY in its name? Podunk, Montana? I’m sure Mark Tooley is aware that the great (sarc.) Jim Wallis spends as much time as possible in DC, preferably in a photo-op with Obama, but of course it’s OK for theo-liberals to do that. You can’t read a page of any of Wallis’s self-congratulatory books without noticing his attitude about that awful Religious Right. if there is any “fear-based” movement in the churches, that would be Wallis and his tribe. Christians scare them silly, yet they’re willing to sip tea with Muslims and lecture us about our many sins.