Should Mariann Buddy have remained neutral?

RosiesMaw2

loopyloo

In a way this shows how great America is.
A Bishop can put forward her Christian view point on tv and the President listens to it.

I think Thomas à Becket beat her to it -only we didn't have tv in those days.

It was Henry II who wanted rid of "this turbulent priest" Thomas Becket and he was duly assassinated.

dotpocka

budde

Predictive text.

In the circumstances her speech was justified, Christian church should remind polititians about the consequences of their policies
Uncomfortable, I hope so, I would expect a similar speech from a UK bishop.

silverlining48

I don’t think it shows how great America is. Trump certainly didn’t appear to find her words of any interest, so let’s see what happens next.

It doesn’t show any “great” about Trump and his ilk. It was a speech given to counter his awful speeches and actions.

Yes she was right to speak out and it was very brave of her.
Trump was obviously not happy as nobody is allowed to question his decisions.
He talks about God allowing him to live to make America great again. I don't believe he has any godliness in him as some of his decisions in the last few days show.

The question of whether Mariann Budde should have "remained neutral" or used the national prayer service to express her Christian views is subjective and depends on one's perspective on the role of religious leaders speaking from a position of leadership in their own church.

The OP displays an anti-Christian bias although I do accept it may have been constructed to be pro-Trump rather than an attack on a Christian leader expressing the Christian views on humility, selflessness, and service.

It is the duty of one of the church's leading ordained leaders - or their equivalent in any faith with strong moral principles - to point it out to powerful secular leaders whenever their policies are against the ethos and teachings of the God they claim approves of what they are doing and spared their lives so that they could do it.

In answer to the O/P I don't think this was a political "point scoring". It was asking for mercy in proposed legislation. It sought to present no alternatives or requesting the legislation be withdrawn.

Full text of speech

“Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you and,

as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God.

In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.

There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families, some who fear for their lives.

The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings; who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants; who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals.

They…may not be citizens or have the proper documentation. But the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurudwaras and temples.

I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away.

And that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here. Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land. May God grant us the strength and courage to honor the dignity of every human being, to speak the truth to one another in love

and walk humbly with each other and our God for the good of all people in this nation and the world. Amen”

Elegran

It is the duty of one of the church's leading ordained leaders - or their equivalent in any faith with strong moral principles - to point it out to powerful secular leaders whenever their policies are against the ethos and teachings of the God they claim approves of what they are doing and spared their lives so that they could do it.

I think if you hold a service in a church, mosque, temple, synagogue, with the religious leader taking that service you shouldn't tell yourself you are not doing the same thing as buying a chat show host.

I agree. She sounded like a Christian to me and in her position, and in that church, with a prominent Christian Leader, what did anyone expect?

My worry is that 'he who must not be crossed, who seems to believe he may wield the power of a King, may, indeed follow in the footsteps of Henry VII.

shouldn't should

Er, it wasn't Henry VII, it was Henry II...

I assumed that the OP was asking for a discussion of the role of the Church in politics.

It no longer has one officially, but the role of the Church is still to speak to believers about the issue of the day. Trump presents himself as a Christian (and yes, it is debatable whether that translates into deeds rather than words) so it was, IMO, appropriate for her to use a service to ask him to show compassion.

MaizieD

Er, it wasn't Henry VII, it was Henry II...

It crept in MaizieD.

She has been outspoken against Trump for some time so one wonders why she was chosen for this event?

Presumably because she is Bishop of Washington.

That would seem to add up …

25Avalon

She has been outspoken against Trump for some time so one wonders why she was chosen for this event?

I wondered the same thing.

Doodledog

I assumed that the OP was asking for a discussion of the role of the Church in politics.

It no longer has one officially, but the role of the Church is still to speak to believers about the issue of the day. Trump presents himself as a Christian (and yes, it is debatable whether that translates into deeds rather than words) so it was, IMO, appropriate for her to use a service to ask him to show compassion.

I thought about 'the role of the church in politics' and then I thought about all those bishops sitting in the House of Lords.

If they have to be there then I would have thought that they should be bringing a christian ethos to their political decisions.

pascal30

silverlining48

I don’t think it shows how great America is. Trump certainly didn’t appear to find her words of any interest, so let’s see what happens next.

well he's certainly made his feelings clear in a late night rant last night..

Not best pleased!!

Was that on X (where he often writes late at night)?

I just hope this brave woman doesn’t suffer any adverse consequences.

I think it was on Truth Social. I've seen reference to it on BlueSky earlier today.

25Avalon

She has been outspoken against Trump for some time so one wonders why she was chosen for this event?

I wonder whether he was testing her? Expecting her to validate him.. it makes her doubly courageous if that was the case..

Who is she, what is she, why is what she did significant?

M0nica

Who is she, what is she, why is what she did significant?

Oh, MOnica. Do you mean that?

She's the bishop of Washington and she gave the address at the church service to 'celebrate'(? or what? bless?) the new president. She asked for compassion for minorities, refugees, etc. Basically all the people Trump has said he's going after.

There's a link to it on the other thread on the Religion forum

Here's a report that goes into the controversial issues but its lengthy and hard to "Tease out" the influence of the total 25 religious seats out of Jan 25, 799 members.

lordslibrary.parliament.uk/lords-spiritual-in-the-house-of-lords-explained/#heading-6