January 18, 2011

God good, Father Sky bad?

Graham:  Prayer service turns to rally

Ignoring God and Tucson clergy is appalling mistake

By Franklin Graham
How sad. Father Sky and Mother Earth can do nothing to comfort Capt. Mark Kelly, who had been at the bedside of his wife, Rep. Giffords, wondering if she'd ever leave her bed. Or Mavy Stoddard, who was only alive because her husband sacrificed his life by shielding her with his body. Or the family, classmates, teammates and friends of little Christina, whose life was snuffed out before she could play another season of Little League.

For the sake of these innocent people and for Americans everywhere, I wish someone could have prayed to the One who created all of us, Almighty God. The president quoted from the great textbook of grief, the Old Testament book of Job--always fitting words in times like these. Perhaps the Yaqui tribe representative, the president of the university--someone--could have echoed the words of the Psalmist: "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."

What a shame that the University of Arizona didn't have enough sensitivity to suffering families and a watching nation to invoke the name of the God who is "Father to the fatherless and protector of widows." In fact, any of the 150 chapters of Psalms picked at random would have offered more comfort than the mystical rambling delivered from the stage. My question: Why were the clergy of Tucson--the men of God--excluded?
Comment:  Graham is the same guy who expressed his bigotry against Islam earlier, so you know where he's coming from. His remarks are stupid for several reasons:

1) The Creator invoked by Gonzales is the same deity as the Christian God. Who is also the same as Allah and every other monotheistic god. Duh.

2) Who is Graham to say what kind of prayer would've comforted the victims? It's asinine to claim Christians like only Christian things, Jews like only Jewish things, etc. Graham seems incapable of understanding that everyone isn't a narrow-minded bigot like him.

I've yet to read any quotes from the survivors saying they didn't appreciate Gonzales's remarks at the memorial service. Again, who is Graham to speak for them? Other than a self-serving shill for his own religion, I mean.

3) Obama quoted from the Bible, as Graham admits, so the Christian perspective was adequately covered. Graham seems to be carping because the service wasn't 100% Christian despite the multiple faiths of the people present.

4) To answer Graham's question about why "the men of God" were excluded, try the First Amendment, dummy.

It would've been funny if Obama found a lesbian pastor or some equally unconventional Christian to talk about God. Would Graham and the other conservative crybabies have welcomed that?

No, of course not. When they talk about God, they're really talking about white male Christians like themselves. They're upset because someone other than them got the limelight for once.

For more on the subject, see Apology for "Ugly" Prayer Remarks and Conservatives Attack "Ugly" Native Prayer.

Below:  The only God conservative Christians recognize.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but there are some differences. I don't think many indigenous monotheistic traditions have a history of ordering the people to conquer others, enslaving them, and sacrificing one-half the loot. I can't remember if the virgins are excluded.

One particular problem is that a lot of Indians are almost ashamed of the polytheistic elements of traditional belief systems. I blame Christianity.

Rob said...

For more on the subject, see:

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2011/01/20/franklin-graham-says-obama-tucson-memorial-service-scoffed-at/

Franklin Graham Says Tucson Memorial Service 'Scoffed' at Jesus