The politics of news sets off political firestorms

The politics of news sets off political firestorms

By Derek Joy

     Another Easter Sunday has come and gone.

    Yeah, three days after Good Friday.

    It was a time to focus on the religious community – Christian denominations in particular.

    No. It wasn’t sole attention given to the world’s more than one billion Catholics, who are still enamored with recently elected Pope Francis I, the first Pontiff from South America.

    And no, it wasn’t all given to Pope Benedict XVI, who became the first Pope in 600 years to retire from the papacy. All the others served until death.

    So get up on this.

    Okay. Good Friday and Easter are celebrated by Christians as the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  They are marked as Jews celebrate Passover in commemoration of the Exodus of Israelites from Egypt.

    Timing was a winner for Bob Scheiffer, host of CBS’ Face the Nation. He hosted a diverse panel of religious leaders under the theme, “The State of Religion in America.”

    There they were:  Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, Episcopal Bishop Marianne Buddy, Bishop Harry Jackson, Imam Suhaib Webb and Rabbi David Wolpe of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles.

    Sure  there  were  any number of interesting and valid points made by each panelists.  They even addressed the recent barrage of priests who perpetrated sexual abuse on minor male members of the church, how the cases were handled and what Pope Francis I should do.

    Granted such conduct is not only immoral but criminal.

    Of course, there are some dastardly deeds, while not criminal, are very de-finitely moral transgressions.

    It was just such considerations that gave a resounding echo to Rabbi Wolpe’s assessment of “The State of Religion in America.”

    Yes, the transgressions in the Catholic Church demand top billing. But for a moment, reflect on a few transgressions that people of color saw in their respective churches.

    Pastors at New Providence M.B. Church and St. Mark M.B. Church – both in Liberty City – were summarily fired for inappropriate conduct with and toward sisters in their respective Congregations.

    Meanwhile, no such changes at 93rd Street Community Baptist Church in Liberty City where the Pastor, who is married, allegedly fathered a child with a member of his Congregation.

    Now, mull on Rabbi Wolpe’s considered opinion.

    “Maybe institutional self- reckoning is what we need to make us better,” Rabbi Wolpe said.