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| Flip Benham director of Operation Save America. |
Hundreds of anti-choice activists are currently congregating in New Orleans to stage protests against abortion around the city, an event that’s expected to last all week long. So far, tensions have come to a head in an unexpected place: the sanctuary of a church, where abortion opponents interrupted a service to tell congregants that they don’t have a “true faith” because their denomination supports reproductive rights.
This week’s protests are being spearheaded by the national anti-abortion group Operation Save America, which used to go by the name Operation Rescue National. That far-right organization, frequently criticized for its “militant” tactics, is perhaps best known for being tied to Dr. George Tiller’s assassination. And on Sunday, as part of its week long protest in Louisiana, group members decided to take their message straight to the First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans.
As the Uptown Messenger reports, anti-abortion activists interrupted worship at the church — specifically, disrupting a moment of silence for a church member who recently passed away — to declare that this particular church isn’t a “true faith” and tell the service attendees to “repent.” Operation Save America’s opinion about the First Unitarian Universalist Church is made clear on its website, which refers to the “church” and its “pastor” in scare quotes and calls it a “synagogue of Satan.”
Apparently this Flip Benham character is the father of the two homophobic twins who lost their reality show for their hateful comments recently.
So I have to ask once again, do ANY of these people ever read the New Testament?
As much as I disagree with Christianity, I simply cannot imagine the Jesus of the Bible being cool with this.
I can think of a couple of Catholic priests who would have physically thrown them out of the church and given them something to go on with.
ReplyDeleteAgain, these people need to read The Sermon On The Mount and internalize it! Oh, and Flip? Jesus said not one word about gay people.
ReplyDeleteSeems like the Unitarians have a case of religious persecution against the anti abortion protesters. Their religious freedoms are being interrupted in their place of worship.
ReplyDeleteIronic how they worry about their religious liberties being threatened, but have no problem with snuffing out others. It doesn't matter what they think of another church they can keep it to themselves and be a little more humble.
ReplyDeleteThey're a cult that have chosen to call themselves "Christian," but have nothing to do with the Christianity of 2,000 years, or of Christ.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Flip's cojones are in his left pocket.
ReplyDeleteHe should not be clean-shaven. Isn't that one of them there commandments? Hope he doesn't eat bacon or shrimp and lobster. Hope he doesn't mix polyester and wool clothing. Hope he doesn't masturbate and spill his seed on the ground. Which is it? Old Testament or New because if it's Old then there is no Jesus. Where did they get this warped sense of entitlement that they are better than everybody else?
ReplyDeleteIsn't it interesting that a large number of Unitarians and Universalists were Founding Fathers of our country and generally cited as the essence of the core values of our country? At one time the Unitarian and Universalists were one of the largest denominations in the pre-revolutionary and infant USA? These crazy ass people should thank the founding fathers for without them this country might have named the Anglican church as the state religion.
ReplyDelete“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
ReplyDeleteOne more reason why religious organizations, all of them, should have to pay taxes. Otherwise it is impossible to separate the wheat from the chaff, to use a Biblical reference.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
Just another example of the conservative "Christian" Culture of Disrespect. Given time, they'll end up where Fred Phelps did.
ReplyDeleteWhy are the vast majority of spokespeople against abortion and Planned Parenthood males? I just want to go up and smack them and shout "If you don't have a vagina or uterus, get the hell out of mine, you pervert". (Metaphorically speaking, of course!)
ReplyDeleteAren't there laws against disrupting religious services? Shouldn't 't these people be arrested?
ReplyDeleteThere's a time and a place for everything. I'm pro life, non religious, and still know the difference between what's wrong and right. This shlep "flip" was apparently raised wrong. A human being passed away, and he feels fine and dandy taking the opportunity to show the world his fear of homosexuals, made in God's own image just like "the good book" says.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it, in most instances, fugly men who are anti abortion? Slip a clothespin on it..... problem solved.
While this disruption of a UU church service is certainly questionable, I find it rather telling that Unitarian Universalists "playing the victim" are claiming to have been "terrorized" and are trying to pretend that this disruption amounts to "religious terrorism". For the record, Unitarian Universalists are guilty of similar disparagement of other religions. I am not aware of any UUs actually disrupting the services of another religious group but they have protested outside other churches and have otherwise disparaged other religious groups.
ReplyDeleteWhile UU's do not always live up to their own ideals and that sometimes takes the form of disrespect for another religion. They have never disrupted a service. Terrorism may be a bit strong but not by much. It does show a lack of respect of freedom of religion to think this is okay. Religious Terrorism is not to strong a term the behavior around Planned Parenthood offices.
ReplyDelete