Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!
“I come to bury Pastor Bob, not to praise him.”
“The evil that men do live after them.”
(With apologies to William Shakespeare)
I generally subscribe to the maxim “de mortuis nil nisi bonum” – concerning the dead, say nothing except good…
However, in the case of the Right “Reverend” (sic) Robert Meneilly I’m willing to make an exception, given the legacy of hatred and division he left behind.
No one in the history of Kansas City did more to split the community along racial and religious lines. He was particularly adept at stirring up fear and resentment of evangelical Christians among Jews. He was almost as skilled at encouraging rich WASPS to regard working class conservatives as intellectual and social inferiors who could be put in their place by their betters voting for Woke Democrats.
Perhaps the most repugnant aspect of Pastor Bob’s church militant was his ability to twist words in a form of thought control. For example, politics was no longer defined as the contest of liberals versus conservatives. Instead, according to Meneilly and company, it all came down to “Moderates” (the Mainstream Coalition) against “Right Wing Extremists” (anyone to the right of Kamala Harris).
Thus, by definition there could be no such thing as a left-wing extremist because everyone left of center was effectively redefined by Meneilly as a “moderate.”
I think the best indication of this “champion of love and compassion’s” true character was a cartoon from the Mainstream Messenger. It mocks Pat Robertson’s Christian Coalition’s dispute with the IRS, comparing it to Christ’s suffering and death on the Cross.
This is not only blasphemous—particularly by a minister—but it is viciously, sadistically cruel.
Pastor Bob
Gone but not forgotten
Of course, what do you expect of someone who said at a 9-11 Memorial Service that Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell were “the real religious terrorists,” not Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda.
To use another Latin maxim, “Res Ipsa Loquitur”, i.e., “the thing speaks for itself.”
The foundation myth of the cult of Meneilly is the idea that he single handedly built the vaunted Village Presbyterian Church into a major institution.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
The national leadership of the Presbyterian Church recognized that Johnson County, Kansas right after World War II was fertile ground for a new church. They sent out young Pastor Bob with $100,000 (in 1949 dollars) to start a parish. 282 people showed up for the first service and Village Presbyterian was off to a running start.
I’m not mentioning this to be cruel.
I just think that the legend of Robert Meneilly and his stewardship of the Village Presbyterian Church is a false one. It was carefully fabricated by his allies on the Left and the truth should prevail. That despite the exercises in disinformation that the obsequies in uninformed places like the Kansas City Star reflect.
I admit that I have very strong feelings on this subject because Meneilly and his supporters personally harassed my family and I.
The attached email – one day before an election vote – shows his orchestration of this campaign on behalf of his Mainstream Coalition.
I don’t think it bespeaks compassion and tolerance:
“What is the Mainstream staff doing?” it begins. “We’re fielding calls from many in north Johnson County concerned about automated calls they received last evening from Dwight Sutherland, representing himself as a Mainstream spokesperson, and disparaging Dennis Moore.
“Of course, Sutherland can in no way speak for us, or Main*Pac, which is the only Mainstream entity that endorses candidates. He is the deep-pockets of the underhanded ultra-conservative campaign machine. Sutherland is known for his last minute ‘dirty tricks’ and this is just another one. It’s really a dirty shame that he can’t direct his considerable energy and intellect in a more positive way.
“Main*Pac is unwavering in its support for Dennis Moore.
“The media will probably not pick up this story, despite our attempts to expose Sutherland. Sadly there are plenty of last minute ‘dirty tricks’ to go around, and the media have rules about avoiding negative campaign news within 24 hours of an election.
“The best we can do to counter this blatant attack on our integrity is to spread the news to as many as we can. Use your email list today to forward this message and ask others to do the same.
“Oh, and it wouldn’t hurt to call Sutherland (we hate to call him Mr.) at his home and office to register your disappointment.”
The kicker being Meneilly’s hit squad then included both Dwight’s home and office phone numbers…classy.
The fact that anyone still follows the fables and fairy tales of a 2000+ year old book will never cease to astound me. Charlatans/hucksters/hypocrites/grifters litter this country and beat people over the head with their “religion.” Most would wholeheartedly welcome a theocratic state of government as long as it was THEIR theocracy.
That sounds pretty harsh, Big Jim….
I’d be fine with whatever people wanted to believe if it stopped there. Live your life by whatever tenets you want. Just don’t tell me I need to live by them or put them into law/schools or the public arena.
In Evelyn Waugh’s novel “Scoop”there is a Murdoch-like press lord who is always coming out with dubious pronouncements.His long suffering aide tries to humor him by saying: “Up To A Point,Chief !”
That is my reaction to your comment,Jim. If your point is that politics and religion should not be too closely linked,I agree. No religious denomination should be identified exclusively with a particular political party,for example. Otherwise you get the bitterly sardonic gibes that derive their power less from their wit than from their truth,e.g.” The Episcopal Church is the Republican Party at prayer.””Reform Judaism is the Democratic platform with holidays thrown in.”
Where I differ with you is your apparent view that religion should not be a basis for ethics or morality as embodied in public law.Without recognition of Good and Evil,societal mores are mere artificial constructs,reflective only of the society in which they are held. Put another way,without a belief in some transcendent being the temptation is to make up the rules as you go along.That way leads to disaster, whether you call it moral relativism ,situation ethics,etc. Dostoevsky said it best:”Without God,all is permitted.”
My humanity or morality isn’t predicated on the belief in some sky god. I could give you an endless list of “church-goin’ folk” that praised their lord on Sundays and went home to people that they owned like property. Or made them drink from a different fountain. Or made them go to separate schools. Or only allowed them to live in certain parts of the city. Or preached about homosexuality being a sin. Or milked their congregations for millions and millions of dollars. Or preached the gospel while banging hookers. Or, or, or…..
There isn’t anything about organized religion that makes anyone a better person because they fear the consequences of a vengeful god.
Trying to live a honest, charitable life and treat others with respect doesn’t require a 2,000 year old manual filled with violence and wrath. If others choose that path, great. It’s just not the compass for my life.
Good to know you’ve risen above the lowly “human condition” and can share examples of how other people fall short of the mark regardless of whatever good they may have done…
Whereas you have only taken the high road.
Then again, pretty much across the board people have generally been considered as human and while we all have our proverbial Acilles heels, good deeds and ideas remain as examples we can all learn and benefit from…last time i checked anyway
1) The idea that the Bible is useless as a guide to life because it is 2,000 years old is laughable. Do we throw out Homer,Dante,and Shakespeare because they were written centuries ago?
2) If someone doesn’t practice what they preach,is what they preach flawed or is it the preacher?
3) Yes, a vast amount of evil behavior has been done in the name of religion. The operative phrase here is “IN THE NAME OF RELIGION”,I.e. the real motive is envy,greed and tribal hatred.
4) What is the basis for morality or ethics if not religion? Maybe you think like Justice Anthony Kennedy who said in Planned Parenthood v. Casey that;”At the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence,of meaning,of the universe,and of the mystery of human life.”Who among us is able to figure out the meaning of life on his or her own? I can’t. Can you?
I can think of a number of 2000-year-old books that are useful guides to ethics and morals, such as:
1. The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, here: http://files.libertyfund.org/files/2133/Aurelius_1464_LFeBk.pdf – and
2. The Annals of Tacitus, here: https://ia600208.us.archive.org/16/items/annalsoftacitusb00tacirich/annalsoftacitusb00tacirich.pdf
There is much in both of the works above to recommend them almost 2000 years after they first appeared.
As to the Christian God being a fearsome character, it can’t be said and keep a straight face. He’s widely regarded as an old softie, full of love and forgiveness, as witness the vain oaths taken by people who profess to be his followers, even his children, as they swear vain oaths and tell outrageous lies, invoking his name. If you want fearsome gods, of whom you might have a well-reasoned fear in swearing vain oaths upon, I recommend Thor and Wotan. “May Thor strike me by lightning if I am lying” isn’t the sort of thing you’d want to do during thunderstorms, especially on Thursdays – and the same for Wotan, especially on Wednesdays…
Another big lie from the right! Unable or unwilling to actually listen to and respond to the public the right always is the victim, persecuted for racist, insurrectionist activities the snowflake whining is loudest from the right. Aligning with religious hate mongers for one reason, to lie to them for their votes, Goldwater was right. Yep condemn those who care about the undeserved non white, non hetro voters and work to lift their life’s. Now is the time for the insurrectionist to respond with more of the hate he and his ilk have promoted for decades.
Huh?
1)”Another big lie from the right.” My post is an opinion piece in which I expressed a conclusion I had drawn and the basis for that conclusion. You may not agree with me but that does not make it a lie.This fundamental confusion is widespread on the left.
2)”The right is always the victim.” I don’t see myself as a victim because I’ve been doing this long enough to know that politics is a dirty business.My aim is not sympathy but rather to point out the sordid reality behind Dr.Bob’s undeserved saintly reputation,promulgated by hyper-partisan enablers like the K.C.Star.
3)”Barry Goldwater was right.”You may be surprised to learn that I’m in full agreement with you and my earliest political hero on this point,I.e. too often the leaders of the religious right say stupid and bigoted things. I have called them out repeatedly on this.(See my post “Up On Brownback Mountain”) I hope you feel that same way about extremists on your side of the aisle,e.g.Al Sharpton,Illan Omar,etc
I don’t understand your insistence that I’m attacking Meneilly and Company for standing up for non white and non “hetro” (sic)people and lifting up their”life’s”(sic). My objections are to his actions,not his beliefs. I would never harass anyone at their home or business because I differ with them politically,let alone try to get them fired from their jobs or lose their professional licenses. Meneilly did all these things and more. Are you saying these tactics are acceptable if used against conservatives?
your post is shit! Old men die…the clock is up!
To have touched just one life!
Nice touch, Dwight…
I think witch Hazel needs to get a life!
The meaning of life? You go ahead and knock yourself out dedicating your existence to figuring that out. Those of us on the anti-talking snake side of the aisle dedicate our time to HOW we want to live our life and not WHY are we even here.
I clearly stated that anyone can live their life believing whatever they want. It’s no skin off my back as long as you don’t expect me to do the same.
You missed my whole point.If you have a faith,it provides inspiration and guidance on how to live your life,i.e. you don’t have to figure it on your own,which you and Justice Kennedy apparently think is the best approach. Anyone can live their life believing whatever they want? That they are entitled to whatever they want because they are superior to the rest of humanity? Good luck with that,Comrade Stalin.
Laws should never reflect religious values? Laws against murder have to go then because they sound suspiciously like “Thou shall not kill.”Same with laws against perjury(“Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor”)and theft(“Thou shall not steal”).
Yes, exactly. I don’t need a sky-daddy to provide me guidance and inspiration. If you do, fine. I don’t cook for the homeless for any other reason than I want to help out those less fortunate. I don’t fund raise for cancer for any other reason than trying to help those impacted by a horrible disease. I don’t give to a number of charities other than I feel like I should give to causes because I have been pretty successful and fortunate in life and I have an obligation to give back.
I’m Stalin because I don’t believe what you do?
How arrogant and self-righteous do you have to be to think you can’t be a good human being without belief in a higher power? Love, charity, respect, honor, honesty, et al are not exclusive to those who pray to whatever god they worship.
Dwight, ditto! I look forward to the next one.
Cheers!