President Trump's controversial foray to St. John's Church on Monday is generating widespread criticism, after police and National Guard troops physically cleared out demonstrators, using tear gas, to allow a photo opportunity outside the church.
The bishop who oversees St. John's is among the critics.
"He used violent means to ask to be escorted across the park into the courtyard of the church," Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington tells NPR's Morning Edition. "He held up his Bible after speaking [an] inflammatory militarized approach to the wounds of our nation."
"He did not pray," the bishop continued.
"He did not offer a word of balm or condolence to those who are grieving. He did not seek to unify the country, but rather he used our symbols and our sacred space as a way to reinforce a message that is antithetical to everything that the person of Jesus, whom we follow, and the gospel texts that we strive to emulate ... represent."
Every president since James Madison has visited St. John's Church, which opened in 1816 and sits across the park from the White House. Despite that longstanding relationship, Budde says her diocese had no warning of Monday's visit.
#1: Lod To: Bill D Berger (#0)
Lod posted on 2020-06-02 22:42:37 Reply Private Reply
#2: Esso To: Bill D Berger, 4um, Cynicom (#0)
I wonder why?????????????
Esso posted on 2020-06-02 22:45:53 Reply Private Reply
#3: Esso To: Lod, 4um (#1)
I think the new terminology is TDS, Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Esso posted on 2020-06-02 22:48:01 Reply Private Reply
#4: Bill D Berger To: Lod (#1)
Calling down God's wrath from the Old Testament or asking for healing and peace from the New?
And it wasn't even his Bible he admitted. No one else finds this unusual to say the least?
Bill D Berger posted on 2020-06-02 23:22:46 Reply Private Reply
#5: Screen Name To: Bill D Berger (#0)
Screen Name posted on 2020-06-02 23:26:11 Reply Private Reply
#6: Screen Name To: Bill D Berger (#4)
Like a dog re-marking his territory after it's been soiled by some strays.
Screen Name posted on 2020-06-02 23:27:28 Reply Private Reply
#7: Cynicom To: Bill D Berger (#4)
Good heavens Bill.
That is grounds for impeachment right there.
Quick call Adam Schiff..
Cynicom posted on 2020-06-02 23:54:13 Reply Private Reply
#8: Esso To: Bill D Berger, 4um (#4)
Trump is just a man, albeit with a great load on his shoulders.
What would you, as one of his advisors, recommended?
I'm no fan of any politician of any stripe, but no matter what he does, it is going to be wrong.
What should he do?
Esso posted on 2020-06-03 00:09:44 Reply Private Reply
#9: Bill D Berger To: Cynicom (#7)
Get a grip - I'm just looking for some clarification.
He never quoted any scripture in his prior speech but then goes out and holds up a bible, and states to the crowd "it's a bible".
What's supposed to be his message?
It was a ridiculous spectacle, virtue signalling to the religious right.
Bill D Berger posted on 2020-06-03 00:11:49 Reply Private Reply
#10: Cynicom To: Bill D Berger (#9)
I recall Bill carrying his personal Bible, Hillary on his arm, entering church on a sunday morning, on live TV. America was enthralled.
Trump hiding in White House cellar was more interesting.
Cynicom posted on 2020-06-03 00:19:08 Reply Private Reply
#11: Anthem To: Bill D Berger (#4)
Hey you! Are you a team player, or not! Fucken thinkin more than the normals. Hammer down that nail.
Anthem posted on 2020-06-03 00:19:49 Reply Private Reply
#12: hondo68 To: Screen Name (#6)
hondo68 posted on 2020-06-03 00:30:07 Reply Private Reply
#13: hondo68 To: Esso, Total Devotion Syndrome, TDS (#3)
Get well soon.
hondo68 posted on 2020-06-03 00:42:10 Reply Private Reply
#14: Cynicom To: hondo68 (#12)
The cops wanted to charge her brother with major crime but never happened.
This broad is a total fraud.
Cynicom posted on 2020-06-03 00:42:50 Reply Private Reply
#15: Fred Mertz To: hondo68 (#12)
She's a kike with a bandana around her neck. Fuck her.
Fred Mertz posted on 2020-06-03 00:47:56 Reply Private Reply
#16: Esso To: Fred Mertz, 4um (#15)
She's not a bad looking gal.
Uh, no, thank you.
Esso posted on 2020-06-03 00:53:27 Reply Private Reply
#17: Fred Mertz To: Esso (#16)
Fred Mertz posted on 2020-06-03 00:54:55 Reply Private Reply
#18: Esso To: Fred Mertz, 4um (#17)
And every American citizen. I can read.
Still, no thanks.
Esso posted on 2020-06-03 00:58:15 Reply Private Reply
#19: hondo68 To: Fred Mertz, New American Satanic Bible (#15)
It's a fake bible, like the one President Donnell has. They must get the Satanic group discount on those things.
Donnell is the more kosher kike, because he was circumcised by the Rabbi.
hondo68 posted on 2020-06-03 09:12:22 Reply Private Reply
#20: noone222 To: Bill D Berger (#4)
The point is: the right to practice one's religion is something he will support.
I am hard pressed to evaluate the posts and responses being rendered here these days as belonging to the same people here a year or so ago ... I think their infantile children inherited their passwords !
noone222 posted on 2020-06-03 09:23:08 Reply Private Reply
#21: noone222 To: hondo68 (#19)
It may be happening but if it is I am not aware of any conservative patriots or patriot bots that are paid to disseminate bullshit. I have now for the first time in a long time had to resort to the bozo filter rather than having discourse that wastes very valuable time.
noone222 posted on 2020-06-03 09:38:05 Reply Private Reply