Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » Another preacher sticks foot firmly in mouth
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
Another preacher sticks foot firmly in mouth

Friday, Jun 1, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

I know it may seem like I’m keying in on the clergy lately, what with all the goofy comments from preachers recently about state legislative matters. I’m not. They’re citizens like everyone else and they have the right to inject their opinions into the public debate. But when they do, they need to remember that they’re open to criticism just like everybody else in the arena.

The latest attempt by a coalition of 24 religious leaders from throughout the state to oppose casino expansion and address the needs of the poor, school children and those without health insurance started off innocuous enough..

A group of clergy appealed Thursday to lawmakers and Gov. Rod Blagojevich to act morally in drafting a state budget by adequately funding education, health care and human services.

“We must and we can do a better job,” Sen. David Koehler, D-Peoria, said at a Statehouse news conference. Koehler is a minister for a rural Stark County United Church of Christ congregation.

“We call upon our leaders to reach beyond mediocre solutions to acts of moral leadership,” said the Rev. Alexander Sharp, executive director of the Chicago-based Protestants for the Common Good. He and others in the group, Faith Leaders for Fiscal Integrity, oppose an expansion of state gambling.

But then, as always seems to be the case these days, it devolved into weirdness…

“I think the governor made a pact with the devil to get elected,” said the Rev. Larry Greenfield, executive minister of the Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago, who jokingly offered to perform an exorcism.

Somebody could make a lot of money providing media skills training to these guys. What the heck is accomplished by crud like that?

       

10 Comments
  1. - Anonymous - Friday, Jun 1, 07 @ 10:00 am:

    There’s craziness among the ministry all around when it comes to politics. Note this recent letter to the editor by Bishop Trotter regarding criticism of Todd Stroger (published in the Star Newspapers) -

    An unfair media attacks Stroger

    May 31, 2007
    There is a new negative trend developing within the Chicagoland media. It is to scrutinize noteworthy and well-qualified African-Americans who are seeking highly visible governmental appointments. Never before have we witnessed this new dilemma as we have within Cook County government.

    While Cook County Board President Todd Stroger may not have been the choice of numerous newspaper editorial boards, he clearly was the choice of Cook County voters. However, it appears that many of the newspapers have chosen to manipulate President Stroger’s appointments by offering biased news reports and one-sided editorials. Never in the history of the county board has the media inflicted a direct attack towards the appointments of past board presidents. Nor have any of these local outlets offered the same scrutiny of appointments made by the mayor, governor or any other statewide or county official.

    As much as we, as African-American clergy, civic or government leaders have a responsibility toward fairness and to be unbiased in our duties, so does the media. Insensitive and politically motivated viewpoints by opinionated columnists do not sit well with the African-American community. Our community is enriched with the best of professional minds and talents. Clearly the African-Americans who have been appointed by President Stroger are highly qualified for their respective posts. In many of these appointments, the appointees were promoted from one county post to another. But unlike other city, state and countywide elected officials, President Stroger has yet to receive the same media courtesy as his counterparts.

    This is not a clarion call for media passiveness as it relates to issues of concern for taxpayers but is merely a plea for fairness and balanced reporting.

    Bishop Larry D. Trotter, senior pastor, Sweet Holy Spirit Church of Chicago; presiding prelate of the United Covenant Churches of Christ International


  2. - Lula May - Friday, Jun 1, 07 @ 10:05 am:

    I love it. That’s just too funny.


  3. - Sango Dem - Friday, Jun 1, 07 @ 10:08 am:

    Yes, what a ridiculous comment. We all know it wasn’t Madigan who got Rod elected.


  4. - Leigh - Friday, Jun 1, 07 @ 10:13 am:

    It was an inappropriate comment at best, but more to the point, do Baptist ministers perform exorcisms?


  5. - S. Illinois - Friday, Jun 1, 07 @ 10:13 am:

    Didn’t the Rev. Greenfield get the memo that God has already weighed in on Rod’s side in this year’s budget debate? Rod told us so!


  6. - Ghost - Friday, Jun 1, 07 @ 10:52 am:

    Reminds me of an old tale about domiciles constructed of glass and the hurling of hard substances formed of mineral matter.

    Worhol would be proud of these guys.
    Speak crazy = 15 minutes of fame


  7. - Patriot - Friday, Jun 1, 07 @ 11:44 am:

    God is love;
    Love is blind;
    Stevie Wonder is blind;
    Stevie Wonder is God.


  8. - i d - Friday, Jun 1, 07 @ 12:19 pm:

    Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
    Bible: New Testament Jesus, in Matthew


  9. - A real minister................. - Friday, Jun 1, 07 @ 12:53 pm:

    Would not have made such a comment as he knows that final judging is in the hands of the Almighty and no human authority can top.


  10. - fedup dem - Friday, Jun 1, 07 @ 1:31 pm:

    Let us all now pause and pray for Bishop Trotter, so that the Good Lord forgives Trotter for spewing such utter nonsense!


Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.


* Coverage roundup: Krishnamoorthi launches bid for Durbin seat
* 12 Million: The Number Of Care Hours Illinois Seniors Need And Aren’t Receiving
* Roundup: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to visit Springfield
* Powering Illinois’ Energy And Economic Future
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some Statehouse news
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Live coverage
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
May 2025
April 2025
March 2025
February 2025
January 2025
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller