Recently I received a forwarded email entitled, "Chilling." I originally chose not to respond to it, because it appeared as if the email was sent more out of shock value than it was to actually disseminate information.
Later I was prompted, wondering if I had seen the email and if I had responded.
I initially had not responded to the email. I had received it, and read it. However, I rarely respond to emails that are composed in order to engender fear and panic.
However, after a tearful afternoon – I decided I had to respond. And so I will. I responded to the initial recipients of that email and I will respond here. I will first post the initial "chilling" email. But you are only invited to read it – if you also commit to reading my response. The initial "chilling" email is filled with hateful rhetoric in an attempt to stimulate patriotism on the back of false information non truths. I share it because I am committed to sharing "all sides." (I did however remove the formatting of the words in the original email in order to save space.)
Read (ALL OF IT) and respond as you wish.
(Beginning of forwarded email)
This is chilling ...
In
1952
President Truman
established one day a year as a
"National Day of Prayer."
"National Day of Prayer."
In
1988
president Reagan
president Reagan
designated the
First Thursday in May of each year as
First Thursday in May of each year as
the National Day
of Prayer.
of Prayer.
In June
2007
(then)
(then)
Presidential
Candidate Barack Obama
Candidate Barack Obama
declared that the USA Was no longer a
Christian nation.
Christian nation.
This year
President Obama,
cancelled the
21st annual National Day
of Prayer ceremony
21st annual National Day
of Prayer ceremony
at the White
House under the rouse
Of "not wanting to offend anyone"
House under the rouse
Of "not wanting to offend anyone"
On September 25, 2009
from 4 am until 7 pm,
a National Day of Prayer
for the Muslim religion was Held on Capitol Hill,
Beside the White House.
Beside the White House.
There were over 50,000 Muslims that
Day in DC.
Day in DC.
I guess it Doesn't matter
if "Christians"
Are offended by this event -
We obviously
Don't count as
Are offended by this event -
We obviously
Don't count as
"anyone" Anymore.
The direction
This country is headed
Should strike fear in the heart of every Christian.
Especially knowing that the
Muslim religion believes that if Christians cannot be
Converted they should be Annihilated
The direction
This country is headed
Should strike fear in the heart of every Christian.
Especially knowing that the
Muslim religion believes that if Christians cannot be
Converted they should be Annihilated
(LAP - I MUST INTERJECT AT THIS POINT AND SAY THAT THIS INFORMATION ABOUT THE MUSLIM RELIGION AND ITS REGARD FOR CHRISTIANS IS ABSOLUTELY AND 100% NOT TRUE.)
This is not a Rumor –
This is not a Rumor –
Go to the website
To confirm this info: ( http://www.islamoncapitolhill.com/ )
Pay particular attention to the very bottom of the page:
"OUR TIME HAS COME"
I hope that this Information will stir your spirit.
To confirm this info: ( http://www.islamoncapitolhill.com/ )
Pay particular attention to the very bottom of the page:
"OUR TIME HAS COME"
I hope that this Information will stir your spirit.
The words of 2 Chronicles 7:14
"If my people, Who are called by my Name,
Will humble themselves And pray,
And seek my face, and Turn from their Wicked ways,
Then will I hear from Heaven
And will forgive their Sin and will heal Their land."
We must pray for Our nation, our communities,
Our families, and especially our children.
They are the ones that are going to suffer the most
If we don't PRAY!
May God have Mercy...
"If my people, Who are called by my Name,
Will humble themselves And pray,
And seek my face, and Turn from their Wicked ways,
Then will I hear from Heaven
And will forgive their Sin and will heal Their land."
We must pray for Our nation, our communities,
Our families, and especially our children.
They are the ones that are going to suffer the most
If we don't PRAY!
May God have Mercy...
IN GOD WE TRUST.
Please pass this on,
Maybe someone, somehow can figure out a way to put America
Please pass this on,
Maybe someone, somehow can figure out a way to put America
back on the map as it was when we were growing up,
a safe place to live and by
The Ten Commandments and Pledge of Allegiance.
(Beginning of my reply email)The Ten Commandments and Pledge of Allegiance.
Yes. I did see this email. I see all the emails that you send me. I also TAKE TIME TO READ ALL OF THEM. Most of them I choose NOT to respond to because at one point you asked me to stop discussing politics.
I see the website that this email referenced and visited it, and read it. If anyone would have visited it – you would discover the following things:
- The president of the USA, Barack Obama, who is a confessed Christian, follower of Jesus Christ, and member of the United Church of Christ, a sister-denomination of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), DID NOT plan this event in any way shape or form, nor attend it.
- There is ABSOLUTELY no correlation between the events that the White House plans, and events that a separate third party plan. This event was planned by a third party, had no endorsement by the White House. The third party who planned this event has the same freedom as Christian organizations do, to plan an event that takes place on the Capitol Hill steps.
- There were five tasks for this day of prayer and Islamic unity, one of which was to FORM BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THOSE IN ATTENDANCE, BOTH MUSLIMS AND NON-MUSLIMS.
- A quote from the website: "We intend to inspire a NEW GENERATION OF MUSLIM to work for the GREATER GOOD OF ALL PEOPLE. We shall serve ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF RACE, RELIGION OR NATIONAL ORIGIN.
- One of the speakers, Sheikh Ahmed Dewidar, "stood shoulder to shoulder with US President George W. Bush and UN Secretary Kofi Anan at Ground Zero as Imam of the Islamic Center in Mid-Manhattan to speak on behalf of the Muslim community to CONDEMN the September 11 attacks."
Have you also forgotten that Barack Obama continues to surround himself with spiritual advisors? SHARON WATKINS, THE GENERAL MINISTER AND PRESIDENT OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST) IS ONE OF OBAMA'S SELF-PROCLAIMED SPIRITUAL ADVISORS, along with Joshua DuBois, Denis McDonough, Rashad Hussain, Melissa Rogers, Joel Hunter, and Lt. Carey Cash.
- http://www.kansascity.com/2010/03/19/1825034/obamas-spiritual-cabinet-shapes.html
- http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/marchweb-only/20-31.0.html?start=3
- http://www.religiousherald.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4024&Itemid=53
- http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctpolitics/pastorsspiritual_advisers/
- Prior to the George W. Bush administration, MOST presidents did exactly what Obama did in 2009. They issued proclamations, but did not host prayer services INSIDE the White house. The proclamation President Obama issued on 2009 asked Americans to pray on this specific day, however Obama did not meet with religious leaders or hold events INSIDE the White House.
- George W. Bush held specifically Christian prayer events on this day, 'in the "East Room of the White House."
- Obama is open about his prayer life, and supports national days of prayer.
- He spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast – but it was not at the WHITE HOUSE – it was at the Washington Hilton. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-national-prayer-breakfast
- Barack Obama spoke at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast – but it was not at the WHITE HOUSE – it was at the J.W. Marriott in Washington D.C.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-esperanza-national-hispanic-prayer-breakfast
- He spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast – but it was not at the WHITE HOUSE – it was at the Washington Hilton. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-national-prayer-breakfast
- "The President [Obama] is somebody who prays each and every day and – whether it's national prayer day or not.
- I researched these things and used these additional briefings from the white house to inform my understanding.
- I also used the following articles, from both the left and from the right to inform my understanding of what ACTUALLY happened.
- http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/07/obama-tones-down-national-day-of-prayer-observance/?fbid=dhGvjvLtFUk
- http://www.examiner.com/x-4383-Portland-Progressive-Examiner~y2009m5d7-Obama--No-public-ceremony-for-National-Day-of-Prayer
- http://www.rightpundits.com/?p=3871
- http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/national_day_of_prayer/
- http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1724544/obama_cancels_national_day_of_prayer.html?cat=9
- http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/07/obama-tones-down-national-day-of-prayer-observance/?fbid=dhGvjvLtFUk
I do not wish the United States to be a Christian nation.
I desire the United States to be a FREE nation, in which individuals are free to follow their own calling in life.
While I hope that the leaders of the country are religious and spiritual, I appreciate a separation of the secular job they do – serving the USA - from their own religious life.
If I want religious freedom to worship when, where, and how I want to – then everyone in this nation should be granted the same thing.
The events described in this email are not chilling. What is chilling is our flagrant misuse of technology and information. Technology and information are there to be used responsibly. Continuing to send emails that appeal more to visceral fear and panic, than honest disseminating of information – THAT IS CHILLING. Emails that spread hatred and fear are chilling.
Laura
Rev. Laura A. Phillips
"It is in our lives and not our words that our religion must be read." - Thomas Jefferson
(End of Email)
My heart hurts. My gut hurts. This kind of response pains me. I don't spout these words back in hateful yelling. Rather, I plead you to listen to them, tears in my eyes, voice cracking because I'm struggling to breathe.
Hatred and disgust for the "other" is exactly what lead this world to turning their eyes when one man decided to exterminate an entire race of people.
Misunderstanding and no genuine knowledge of "the other" is what lead people to accept that hatred and disgust.
When will we EVER learn?
2 comments:
Thanks so much for sharing this! My husband received the same email from a family member and responded in a similar fashion. Thanks so much for your research and fact-finding! I particularly appreciate the end of your reply. Right on!
Oh my! I got this e-mail about a week and a half ago, too. Mine was from a congregation member. I, too, am not one to usually respond to these sorts of things because it is usually more trouble than it is worth. I did this time, though. I couldn't let it go. The misinformation about the event that happened and the one the was "cancelled" was too much. The hate was too thick. And the woman who sent it to me isn't usually like that. I couldn't stand thinking that she may have been swayed by this "chilling" and completely inaccurate mass mailing. I responded with a note quite similar to yours. I haven't heard anything back.
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