You know, I was brought up in the church

[CatWoman]

but turned away as an adult (for reasons of my own). One day I want to return. But crap like this only serves to push me away even further.

Church Members Join KKK at Rally

Reported By: Jon Shirek
Web Editor: Tracey Christensen
Last Modified: 9/26/2003 2:03:42 PM


A self-proclaimed Ku Klux Klansman joined forces with an unlikely ally during a rally Friday outside the Barrow County courthouse.

The Klansman brought in African American church members who are part of the controversial House of Prayer in Atlanta. The church's pastor and several congregants have been convicted of beating children.

The rally's organizer, J.J. Harper, calls himself the imperial wizard of the KKK in South Georgia. At 11:30 a.m., he started the rally in support of the Ten Commandments display inside the courthouse.

http://11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=37162

[GOPisEvil]

1. Underpants has pictures!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=227944

Sigh...I don't know what to say. There are so many good church-going folks out there that have their good works ruined by proseltyzers and charlatans (and the KKK, too!! :crazy: )

[CatWoman]

2. Don't forget that demon Alan Keyes

:grr:

[GOPisEvil]

4. Gack!

He and his ilk have a spot reserved in an inner ring of Hell to be sure. :grr:

[GainesT1958]

14. As I mentioned on UNDERPANTS' thread...

I think that "church" is non-denominational. As in: the only denominations the "pastor" of that "church" cares about are $20s, $50s, $100s, etc.! :eyes:

B-)

[wryter2000]

3. Don't give up on religion

I'm not a believer, but I have great respect for religion when it's done well.

I've been reading a book about non-Jews who saved Jews during the Holocaust. So many of them were nuns or priests. Others were very devout Christians and Muslims. They felt that their faith told them they had to rescue people in need. Many of them died as a result of their bravery.

[noonwitch]

5. This "House of Prayer" group sounds like one we once had up here

In the late 80s, there was a compound of african americans called the "House of Judah" living in a farming community between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo (in Hopkins, if memory serves me). They beat a kid to death, and following the conviction of a couple of members for that, the group resurfaced in Alabama at one point.

[ZenLefty]

6. Someone please enlighten me

Could someone please explain the relevance of this information in the above story?

The church's pastor and several congregants have been convicted of beating children.

I read it a couple times, and I just don't understand how that fact is applicable to any of it. :shrug: As if this story could get any more bizzaro.

[Iris]

9. This happened recently. The church has been in the local

(Atlanta-area) news almost constantly. At one point, the Dept. of Family & Children had to forcibly remove the children from their homes because of the abuse the church was inflicting upon them.

I'm sure the writer was just giving background info. because so many people would be familiar with this church.

[ZenLefty]

12. Ah, thanks.

I figured it was some information that everybody else knew but me. :dunce:

[Rabrrrrrr]

18. And it's relevant because thats the reason the church was there

protesting - because they think that they should be allowed to beat their children, because it is "Biblically mandated" - so the KKK and the church people were protesting together against what they see as government interference in their religion.

[tnlefty]

7. maybe it's the violence that brought these groups together

Disgusting and to think that that man can still put his hands on that kid.

[Chovexani]

8. I hear ya Catwoman

I was raised in the church too, but I think *it* turned its back on *me* and not the other way around. It was when I was a young teen though. Back when I considered myself "born again", I was kicked out of youth group. We were going to one of those huge "megachurches", you know with the Pastor that has the radio and tv shows and speaks at Promise Keeper rallies, etc. The youth pastor told me I was kicked out of the youth group for "asking too many questions". I didn't "have enough faith" (he meant blind faith, IMO), and was "causing others to backslide". :wtf: That's when I parted ways with the church, but it was actually reading the Bible that caused me to give up on the whole shebang. I went searching for a while, and found a belief system that actually made sense to me and seemed relevant to my own life.

I'm not ever going back if I can help it.

[tnlefty]

10. maybe it's the violence that brought these groups together

Disgusting that he can still put his hands on that kid.

[Iris]

11. Watch out CatWoman.

I was brought to task in a thread on DU for alienating Christian Democrats.

But, to be honest, the news reported this story a bit differently last night and implied that the KKK and Christian Coalition were protesting on the same day.

At any rate, someone took offense that I maligned the Christian Coalition even though I've always understood that they were a right wing organization.

[CatWoman]

13. Heh

I can handle it :hi:

[Iris]

15. ain't that the truth!

[AndyTiedye]

16. The Was also a "Church" that did "Faith Healing" in Wisconsin

that suffocated an 8-year-old autistic boy to death last month.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

17. Brought up in the church, too

Paid wa-a-a-y to much attention to all the Sermon on the Mount stuff ("blessed are the peacemakers") and not enough time to all the "stone the infidels" stuff in the Old Testament. I left the church for about twenty years before returning -- same denomination, different congregation -- about fifteen years ago.

Honestly, if you're "that way" and inclined toward religion, there's a congregation out there that will complement your social views. Keep searching.

[KG]

19. oh, i thought you left the church coz you hate getting up before noon

on Sundays! :)

:hi:

[KG]

20. oh, i thought you left the church coz you hate getting up before noon

on Sundays! :)

:hi:

[Character Assassin]

21. The Klan and the HOP? Loonies like other loonies. It's pretty simple

Next issue, please.