John Thomas lied
Thursday, August 02, 2007
I've gotten a few emails since yesterday's post regarding the lies that United Church of Christ President John Thomas and Linda Jaramillo of Justice and Witness Ministries wrote in a letter to the editor of the Evansville Courier & Press. Apparently, it's sacrilegious to call the head of your denomination a liar.None of the emails I received actually challenged the information posted on the site, just that it was wrong to suggest that Thomas is a liar. Just to be clear, I'm not suggesting he's a liar - I'm stating plainly and clearly that he is a liar.
Yesterday's letter to the editor from Thomas and Jaramillo contained a number of lies about convicted terrorist Alejandrina Torres. Specifically:
"This temporary exhibit, sponsored by our national prison ministries office, was brought to the UCC's Amistad Chapel as one way of demonstrating the church's love and concern for those who are incarcerated, as Jesus has compelled us."
Not true at all. The art show invitation claims that it was an "Exhibition commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Political Incarceration". No mention was made at all on the invitation that this event was a demonstration of our "church's love and concern for those who are incarcerated".
"...church leaders have long acknowledged that Torres was convicted of a criminal offense"
Really? Where would you find that? Certainly not on the internet. Again, the art show invitation claims that it was an "Exhibition commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Political Incarceration" - hardly the acknowledgment of FALN crimes which were responsible for more than 120 bomb attacks on U.S. targets between 1974 and 1983.
"Torres served her entire prison sentence..."
Alejandrina Torres did not serve her entire sentence - she was sentenced to 35 years in prison and would still be in prison today if she hadn't been granted clemency in 1999.
"...she has been fully exonerated by law enforcement agencies, the courts and the federal government."
Alejandrina Torres was never "exonerated" by any agency, court or federal government. Torres was granted clemency which means her sentence was reduced, but she was never exonerated of the crimes she committed. She remains a felon.
I'm sorry to be bearer of bad news, but UCC President John Thomas is a liar.
4 Comments:
commented by 
Anonymous, 2:41 PM
Anonymous, 2:41 PM
Liar? Thomas is a postmodernist spin doctor for the UCC. In his mind, his motive of cheerleading for the beloved denomination more than covers any "slight inaccuracies" in his language. To call him a liar implies that he was trying to deceive - he would probably say his motive was to defend truth that the UCC is in all ways good and holy, thus it was "for a higher good".
One might say that all cheerleaders are trying to deceive; they would say they are looking at a higher (or hoped for) reality.
Bottom line in this case... still a warped view of the truth.
"No one lies to you as much as the person you see in the mirror."
One might say that all cheerleaders are trying to deceive; they would say they are looking at a higher (or hoped for) reality.
Bottom line in this case... still a warped view of the truth.
"No one lies to you as much as the person you see in the mirror."
Thomas is a hack. How desperate is it to challenges a letter to the editor?
When will people in other leadership positions within the UCC wise up that, in the words of James Rudin: "Thomas' screed is a stain on a church with a rich moral tradition."
Rudin isn't some sort of crazy conservative either... he is a hard core liberal and author of the book "The Baptizing of America: The Religious Right's Plans for the Rest of Us."
Maybe his next book should be "The Anti-Semitism of the Religious Left"
Rudin isn't some sort of crazy conservative either... he is a hard core liberal and author of the book "The Baptizing of America: The Religious Right's Plans for the Rest of Us."
Maybe his next book should be "The Anti-Semitism of the Religious Left"
That.
Has.
Got.
To.
Hurt.