WATCH THIS ON YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYla5xdPTUg
ABOVE: Rev. John Thomas defending Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Rev. Otis Moss
Dear Ones:
There is a sorry story unfolding 'behind the scenes and under the wire' involving John Thomas, past President of the UCC, the United Church of Christ.
You can get all the sordid details you like here:
"United Church of Christ suspends ministry of former national president"
LINK: http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/01/post_427.html
Thomas is a 'son' of the First Congregational Church of Stamford (FCC Stamford)....One of it's 'shining star's' in the world of Progressive liberal clergy, and an influential one at that up until very recently.
Some 'background' on his growing scandal:
"Former United Church of Christ President Chooses Adulterous Relationship, Divorce; Creates Crisis"
LINK: http://www.reformationucc.org/2010/08/20/united-church-christ-president-chooses-adulterous-relationship-divorce-creates-crisis/
Here's a 'reluctant' UCC LINK:
UCC Forced To Confront John Thomas Issues Due To Finances
And, more recently, a LINK dated Feb 3, 2011:
Why John Thomas Matters...as if thinking Christians, anti-Christians, atheists and agnostics can't figure it out for themselves:
http://www.reformationucc.org/2011/02/03/john-thomas-matters/
John's mother Margaret Thomas was a beloved life-long member of FCC Stamford (also known as 'The First Congregational Church of Stamford') long-remembered for her stalwart faithfulness to our church and it's members, as well as for her 'forward-looking' personal theology embraced by the UCC-at-large.
Rev. Lydia Velika-'the other woman and frequent flyer with Rev. John Thomas'...on whose buck?
Margaret was ever-proud of the influence her son John had for decades on not only our local church, but internationally, as well...heady influence, indeed.
This is not to say that all of us at FCC Stamford agreed with her and her son's convictions, for we did not. Nevertheless, we kept tithing in good and with good faith.
A handful of us would have no part of violation of our second amendment (gun) rights, Black Liberation Theology, politicking in the Sanctuary during Worship Services, blanket right to abortion at all stages, including late-term abortion, comprehensive 'blessing' and 'performance' of same-sex marriages in church Sanctuaries, and--a real sticking point for me: the severe anti-Israel, anti-Semitic sentiment of John Thomas and the UCC-at-large.
LINK: http://www.nysun.com/national/liberal-church-more-balanced-on-middle-east/57212/
LINK: Barack Obama and the UCC: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Church_of_Christ
The few of us balked and still do at various UCC 'resolutions' and 'statements' and refused to 'sign onto' a number of them. But none of that matters anymore, for the precepts above are now fully ingrained into the UCC and FCC in Connecticut and the rest of the country.
What does matter, though, is the IMPACT the Thomas church and theology currently has on the citizens here in Southwestern CT and specifically in Stamford!
Today's FCC Stamford's 'relatively new' pastor Rev. Cari Jackson feeds the flames of the Progressive Lib church culture in the church that John Thomas hails from.
Jackson furthers what Thomas planted and fomented over the decades of his life here in Southwestern Connecticut.
And this same church has increasing involvement with The Interfaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut and The Rev. Kate Heichler, Rabbi Josh Hammerman and others who 'speak for and represent' the 'faith community'.
LINK: http://interfaithcouncil.net/default.aspx and
LINK: http://interfaithcouncil.net/Documents/Flyer-MyNeighborsFaith-2.pdf
Now the 'John Thomas tradition' permeates Stamford's Mayor Pavia's new 'Multicultural Council', as well, which I find to be 'kind of strange' for a so-called 'Republican', Pavia:
LINK: --Mayor Pavia's Multicultural Council of Stamford: http://www.cityofstamford.org/content/25/64/1168/118292/default.aspx
LINK:
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/default/article/Stamford-panel-to-discuss-religious-relations-1031478.php#ixzz1FBQbKPpU
As a TEA PARTY PATRIOT in Progressive Lib Connecticut, I wonder if anyone is looking out for TAXPAYER MONEY with Mayor Pavia's newly-established 'Multicultural Council'?
Have all the 'religious parties involved' with this new council been properly 'vetted'?
I've written before about my concern's for pro-Muslim sentiment generated in Southwestern Connecticut.
And with this piece, I am taking us all 'out of our comfort zones' to address a very real example of the foolishness of mixing 'politics and religion'.
It will be interesting to see if the 'John Thomas Scandal' so in the tradition of Swaggart, Bakker, Long and company ultimately impels the probably well-intentioned-though-perpetually-misguided Interfaith Council of SW CT to 'straighten up and fly right'.
Money talks when all good persuasions cannot. It is not the root of all evil, but the love of money most certainly is.
Let that 'love' be looked into on behalf of TAXPAYERS all over the United States, especially when it comes to 'religious types' preaching 'politics from the pulpit'.
It's the right thing to do and will lessen the possibility that good people will be taken advantage of by those like John Thomas and the ones over whom his vast influence extends.
Not even Thomas's blog makes mention of his years-long shenanigans and recent downfall:
LINK: http://www.ctschicago.edu/index.php/mnusocialmedia/john-thomas-blog/312-the-bipartisanship-we-dont-need
Therefore, I urge all people of good faith to steward themselves, lest they try to proffer forth anything that will mislead the easily-mislead public.
LINK: http://interfaithcouncil.net/Documents/Flyer-MyNeighborsFaith-2.pdf
LINK: http://interfaithcouncil.net/Documents/Flyer-MyNeighborsFaith-2.pdf
"For shame", to those who do otherwise.
When John Thomas got arrested in October 2007 for attempting to storm the White House with a stack of sexual-libertine doctrine, "Thomas reminded the crowd of martyred theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who said, "The church has been a silent partner in evil deeds...We are breaking that silence today".
All I have to say is 'he-Thomas-would know'...and yes I am.
I thank God that Margaret was 'spared witness' of the downfall of her son, but truly he has fooled us all.
May God Bless Us & Show Us His Mercy
Reverend Barbara Sexton
"The Biblical Biochemist-Where Science Meets the Cross"
http://www.dearoneshealingministry.blogspot.com/
UPDATE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/12/samuel-l-jackson-obama-vote-black_n_1271797.html
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