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Al Sharpton: “We Know You’re Not Preaching The Bible”

Jim Burroway

January 16th, 2009

Rev. Al Sharpton spoke last Sunday at the launch of the Alliance of Affirming Faith-Based Organizations in Atlanta. During his talk he called out the churches who seemed to be concerned only about one issue:

“It amazes me when I looked at California and saw churches that had nothing to say about police brutality, nothing to say when a young black boy was shot while he was wearing police handcuffs, nothing to say when the they overturned affirmative action, nothing to say when people were being delegated into poverty, yet they were organizing and mobilizing to stop consenting adults from choosing their life partners,” Sharpton told a packed audience on Jan. 11.

“There is something immoral and sick about using all of that power to not end brutality and poverty, but to break into people’s bedrooms and claim that God sent you,” Sharpton added.

… We know you’re not preaching the Bible, because if you were preaching the Bible we would have heard from you,” Sharpton said. “We would have heard from you when people were starving in California, when they deregulated the economy and crashed Wall Street you had nothing to say. When [alleged Ponzi schemer Bernie] Madoff made off with the money, you had nothing to say. When Bush took us to war chasing weapons of mass destruction that weren’t there you had nothing to say. … But all of a sudden when Proposition 8 came out you had so much to say, but since you stepped in the rain, we gonna step in the rain with you.”

Amen to that.

The Alliance was begun by Rev. Dennis Meredith, who recently came out as bisexual. The Alliance also includes Dr. Kenneth Samuel, pastor of Victory for the World Church; Rev. Paul Graetz of First Metropolitan Community Church; Rev. Geoffrey Hoare of All Saints Episcopal Church; and Rabbi Joshua Lesser of Congregation Bet Haverim.

Comments

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Not Preaching the Bible « Deanna’s Ramblings
January 16th, 2009 | LINK

[...] not often that I agree with Al Sharpton about anything.  But I came across this piece on Box Turtle Bulletin this morning about a speech Sharpton gave that I fully agree [...]

James Nimmo
January 16th, 2009 | LINK

I’ve had my own doubts about Rev. Sharpton and his religious background.

However, regardless if one is a believer or a doubter, the contrast Sharpton is pointing out between the alleged beliefs of “god’s children” and what they actully do with ther time and money couldn’t be more descriptive of the divide between progressives and those who live in a time capsule of bible myths and convenient mis-translation of now lost documents.

Ephilei
January 16th, 2009 | LINK

Proof that you don’t need to be pro-gay to be pissed with anti-gays.

Alex H
January 16th, 2009 | LINK

OK!!!

Tell it, Reverend Al.

Trey
January 16th, 2009 | LINK

See there? I never thought I’d see the day when I was extremely proud of one of Al’s speeches…let them know, Al….behind you all the way!

Alex
January 17th, 2009 | LINK

“…yet they were organizing and mobilizing to stop consenting adults from choosing their life partners.”

Ok, I agree that many churches need to re-think their priorities, but no one is stopping us from choosing our life partners. Statements like this do more harm than good.

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