King Edwin is pulling out all the stops, doing his best to marginalize anyone standing in the way of his vague Cedar Creek Parkway improvements, which still includes a 19,000 sq. ft. playground located in a flood zone, with absolutely no provision for maintenance or supervision. His First Lady, Lisa, has launched a Facebook page attacking the "doom and gloom" crowd who've expressed concerns about little things like the city's complete refusal to produce a final plan. She gives detailed instructions on bringing kids and signs to meetings, too, and suggests using them as media props. But that's nothing compared to what happened on Sunday. Moody Bible College graduate Pawlowski has played the God card.Life Church Pastor Randy Landis and Third Day Worship Center Pastor Charles Olmeda, heeding a plea from King/Saint Edwin, called on their flocks to attend Thursday's city council meeting to support their angelic mayor's efforts to build a 19,000 sq. ft. playground, in a flood zone, for differently-abled children. Let's face it. All of Cedar Creek Parkway is in the flood zone. I hope these servants of the Lord pray for a few inner tubes and handicapped-accessible life rafts, too.
Of course, West End residents opposed to Pawlowski's Playground are depicted as NIMBYs threatened by minorities and differently-abled children. These preachers never bothered talking to those who have concerns. Had they done so, they would have learned no one opposes this concept. The only questions have been about size, location, lack of citizen input and the city's refusal to provide for supervision.
I have spoken to some of the sheep in both of these flocks but will decline to identify them because Saint Edwin is a vengeful Lord. I then tried calling both pastors to discover why they were furthering Pawlowski's political agenda from the pulpit. No living person could speak to me at Life Church. Just recordings. At Third Day, a very nice receptionist spoke to me, but told me Pastor Charles takes off every First Day.
Despite taking the day off, Pastor Charles did take the time to send a mass email yesterday. "I am going ask that my name and the churches [sic] name be kept out of whatever disagreement and / or concerns you have with the Mayor of Allentown. Unless there is a CLEAR understanding of what was said and in what context it was used, it should not be addressed in public emails for the sake of your opposition and / or stance on this Cedar Beach issue."
Wait a tic. I already have a clear understanding. If Pastor Charles wanted his churches [sic] name out of the conversation, then why did he cast thunderbolts at those bigoted and handicapped-children-hating West Enders from his pulpit on Sunday? If he has the time to send a mass email, don't you think he had the time to return a simple phone call? I won't hold my breath.
Frustrated by this unwillingness of two evangelical preachers to speak to me, I decided to call God on his cell. Father Alex gave me the number. The Almighty One was in a foul mood yesterday because He was playing a round of golf with Moses at the time I called him, and was down six strokes.
"Jesus Christ, can't you people ever leave me alone? I'm half-tempted to send a lightning bolt up your ass right now, but you'd probably like it, O'Hare. Hey Moses, who the Hell are Pastor Charles and Randy, anyway?"
"Never heard of them."
Then the Omnipotent One put me on hold and continued playing his stupid game, draining my cell batteries until my phone died. Hope He had a good laugh. By the way, He cheats at golf. Buddy Christ told me that a year ago.
Pawlowski may think the Heavenly Father is on his side, but I got news for King/Saint Edwin. God's got leagues against the archangels on Thursday night, and Allentown City Council will be the last thing on His Heavenly Mind.
Even God moved out of Allentown.
ReplyDeleteGood for exposing them. I bet both of these churches are getting something out of "old Pay to play Pawlowski" to do this favor for him. Its a shame the churches should stay far and clear from politics. Hope they learn their lesson now.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they are offended by your avatar!
ReplyDeleteA small price for city funding for midnight basketball.
ReplyDelete"Maybe they are offended by your avatar!"
ReplyDeleteGod, I hope so.
I like to rhyme,
I like my beats funky,
I'm spunky. I like my oatmeal lumpy.
I'm sick wit dis, straight gangsta mack
but sometimes I get ridiculous
God is in Bethlehem busy at Musikfest and playing the slots at Sands. He's not interested in the "Playground on Steroids."
ReplyDeleteDude, the good pastor doesn't want to deal with you because he knows you and what you are all about.
ReplyDeleteBernie, I don't understand. Let me get this straight, there are people out there who don't support the park and they yell and scream and come to a meeting and it is ok. They are rallied by crazy mm and person's with a Republican political agenda and it is ok. The Mayor and others rally people to come and show the support they have for the park to come out and they are not ok? Sound like the typical Bernie double standard.
ReplyDeleteI also think you are low for attacking people on the basis of faith. I know the Mayor and his wife and they have a strong faith and your criticism of it is moronic and show as complete lack of respect for Christianity and people's privacy, but why should today and last week be any different then the crap you have been spewing for years.
I know that someday you will go to far and someone will actually challenege you in court on some of your lies and craziness. But I also hope when that day comes and you are down and out that a good Christian is thier to lift you up and comfort you.
"I know the Mayor and his wife and they have a strong faith"
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how someone with that much faith can be the snake and crooked politician that he is ???
While even a pastor has the right to an opinion, utiling his/her pulpit to preach it is wrong. Shame on these two pastors. Is this appropriate for nonprofit,
ReplyDeletenon-taxed entity.
BO,
ReplyDeleteI know many will believe what you wrote is borderline blaspemy, but as the "son of a Preacher man" (great song by the way), I HAD to smile. One thing I have to say is that I am DEFINITELY impressed by how this issue is causing people to band together and get INVOLVED. People from all walks of life, political affiliations, and cultures are coming together and cooperating (no matter what side of the issue they are on) and THIS is how things truly get done.
When the smoke clears, it will be interesting to see how the landscape of Allentown looks, and I don't just mean physically.....
Alfonso Todd
www.umclv.piczo.com
bernie, you write that nobody opposes the concept, it's a matter of size and scale; that is true for all the 125 or so citizens i heard speak in the last three meetings, but not for me. i oppose the concept for the city of allentown. i will not elaborate on the details, but the special rest and changing room is designed to accommodate the entire spectrum of disabilities. the rightful expectation of cleanliness of these facilities far exceeds allentown's capacity to fulfill. it would require a full time custodian. there is tremendous responsibility involved with such an invitation. visit the special olympics and witness the amount of support necessary. i have no issue with a small playground with special features and equipment for those children with disabilities, but a Destination Playground for Special Needs should be left to those organizations with the necessary expertise.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to what the voters decided. http://www.lehighcounty.org/Departments/VoterRegistration/ElectionResults/tabid/445/language/en-US/Default.aspx
ReplyDeleteBernie,
ReplyDeletePlease look into and report to us, Lehigh County's nearly $500,000 secret contribution to this playground since hardly anyone knew about it.
"The Mayor and others rally people to come and show the support they have for the park to come out and they are not ok?"
ReplyDeleteYou don't use the church to rally people for a political cause. There's this little thing called eparation of church and state. Churches exist for bingo and stuff like that, not Pawlowski's politics.
"I know the Mayor and his wife and they have a strong faith and your criticism of it is moronic and show as complete lack of respect for Christianity and people's privacy,"
ReplyDeleteFrom where I'm perched, Pawlowski et ux strike me as born-again hypocrites. There is nothing private about the way they wear their religion on a sleeve, making pious public proclamations while shutting down small businesses and invading poor people's residences w/ systematic inspections. Buddy Christ called these people Pharisees. And in this country, we're not crazy about theocracy, even if it's Christian.
"Please look into and report to us, Lehigh County's nearly $500,000 secret contribution to this playground since hardly anyone knew about it."
ReplyDelete$500k was awartded to A-town by LC Comm'rs, $300k of which is for Cedar Creek. Don't know where the other $200k goes. Nothing was done secretly.
The citizens of Allentown have been betrayed by King Edwin.
ReplyDeleteThe very people he claims to support he discriminates against.
He has failed to introduce policies that will enable them to have decent jobs and earn a sustainable income.
These are the people of zip code 18101 and 18102.
What has succeeded for this straw mayor in Allentown? The brew works and only King Edwin's confessor knows how long that will be around.
King Edwin is not any different from Lord Afflerbach.
Randy Landis has forgotten his roots. At first he developed a church and now he wants to grow a political machine.
Look out Monroe County.
He remembers not his beginnings and where he came from. He has forgotten who really was behind it all. He has walked out of humility into the valley of hubris.
The park will go through. In a few short years of its completion, the very people who have fought so hard to support it, will refuse to go near it.
Thursday night should be interesting to see. King Edwin, his court of jesters and opening prayers and blessings by the Most Holy Bishop Landis (self proclaimed).
Onward Christian soldiers.
Ok Bernie,
ReplyDeleteYou say that the church's position is politically motivated but the local regulars such as MM are simply concerned for the well being of our city? Preachers and Church folk can't care for their town?
Where is the consistency?
Last time I checked, MM was no preacher. Our nation is founded on the principle that preachers keep their noses out of politics. I don't need some cleric telling me how to vote or getting himself involved from the pulpit in a local political controversy, especiallly when he is ill-informed. If these churches want to do that, they should lose their tax exemption.
ReplyDelete"I know many will believe what you wrote is borderline blaspemy,"
ReplyDeleteBorderline is not enough.
" Hope they learn their lesson now."
ReplyDeleteI doubt they will they are always after that almighty dollar.
What doesn't the Christian church understand? Twice not just once TWICE
ReplyDelete(1) The constitution declares separation of church & the government. In this regards the government is respecting the Church's rights then Church for the government's.
(2) About 2,000 years ago Christ (the very "foundation" of the church stated “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s”
Matthew 22:21
Now if church wishes to ignore Christ's words and that of our constitution, that's all fine and dandy. But for those churches who chose to crawl in bed with the government, let them render unto Caesar. Put up, or shut up. Can't have it both ways. These want to be separate only on their own terms, when it suits.
If they want to interfere politically, at least minimally respect your church leader's wishes and to do it outside the Sunday worship service. And even that is questionable in my mind.
SEE: The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense founded on the Christian religion
"Now if church wishes to ignore Christ's words and that of our constitution"
ReplyDeleteAll too frequently, Church leaders thumb their noses at Christ's admonitions. In the meantime, the homeless stay that way and the poor remain hungry.
It's ironic that Rs are accused of being religious zealots and treat church campaigning as if it was the plague, so as not to feed a stereotype.
ReplyDeleteDs, on the other hand, can't seem to get out of churches during campaigns. I recall Hillary's "step 'n' fetch it" impersonation and Al Gore's affected "blaccent." Obama had to ditch the church thing when it turned out he prefers the gym to Sunday services and his pastor and priest friend were hateful bigots anyway.
God wants steroid-fueled parks. God wants universal health care. God wants infidels dead. God hates fags.
I get the feeling God is less the problem than the flawed humans who use God as a sales tool for whatever they're peddling.
These ministers took an oath to the federal government that each would conduct his church business in an ethical and above partisan political manner. Each failed. Hope they are as forgiving of their parishioners' failings as they seem to be of their own.
ReplyDelete"Good for exposing them." ditto
ReplyDeleteMaybe Pawlowski promised these pastors each could preach at Destination Playground on rotating Sundays.
ReplyDelete"The Mayor and others rally people to come and show the support they have for the park to come out and they are not ok? Sound like the typical Bernie double standard."
ReplyDeleteIt's hard for me to believe that this anonymous poster doesn't understand the difference between rallying people for a cause and abusing the separation of church and state. Since when is any church an extension of a mayor's political agenda?
Oh that's right - since the beginning of time. Politics, like religion, is used as a way of amassing power and fortune. It is not surprising to me to see this played out on the local political stage. What does surprise me, however, is the clear lack of stealth involved in the mayor's methods. Usually, politicians are MUCH more sneaky when it comes to using the church for political purposes. Witness Karl Rove in the 2000 and 2004 elections! Now, there was the master of manipulation.
Politicians LOVE to use the flock of churches, since these folks are more likely to fall in line and do as they're told. The worst part of this scam is that the church-goers THINK they're doing what is RIGHT and GOOD, when really, they're only being used as pawns in a resume building game. It's sad, and a total abuse of a pastor's powers over his/her congregation.
I resent having local churches attempt to manipulate how MY tax money is spent. I hope this story continues to build, as it seems logical that tax exempt status for these particular churches is certainly debatable.
These pastors should resign. Each has placed his church in violation of federal law. They need to go. Churchgoers trust their pastors to tell the truth and to conduct themselves in an honorable fashion. These two pastors have betrayed that trust.
ReplyDelete"Last time I checked, MM was no preacher. Our nation is founded on the principle that preachers keep their noses out of politics."
ReplyDeleteSo you are acknowledging MM's motives are politically motivated.
Thank You
Of course they are. But unless he is the exec director of a nonprofit or taking tax breaks at some church, he can express himself to his heart's content. My problem is when the Mayor of Pa.'s third largest city grabs religious leaders and induces them into promoting his own political agenda from their churches. Is that so hard to grasp?
ReplyDeleteThe law of god and the law of man are often confused. They should be seperate and never come together. This politcal stuff happens from the pulpit all the time. It is sad. Take that tax exemption away and those preachers and see how fast they quiet down.
ReplyDeleteI also was told that God has to cheat because Buddy Christ has a 20 handicap. That is a stroke a hole plus two strokes on the hardest holes. God a a scratch golfer so he has to give Buddy Christ 20 strokes a round. I would cheat too.
Great post Bernie!
Never trust anyone who is religious or goes to church. They're all crooks.
ReplyDeleteJews and Christians have built churches, schools and hospitals that are tremendously beneficial to society.
ReplyDeleteThey, despite being an overwhelming majority have largely insured, by law, protections for believers and non-believers as well.
Anti-God political extremism is as distasteful as zealotry in the other extreme. Some would rather poor people starve or get government assistance rather than support a program that requires listening to a sermon and saying grace.
God has always been on coins and currency and buildings and all sorts of other public institutions. There is no separation of church and state. There is the freedom to not go along when you think either side is playing you.
God was pretty upset with me because I gave out his personal mobile number. FYI, give it to whomever you want, because God got the number changed already. Can you believe it? They made him renew his contract for another two years. I told him to get that looked into. But there aren't any good lawyers in heaven?!
ReplyDeleteWhose face is on the coin? Render to Caesar what is Caesar's.
Peace, ~~Alex
You know that reminds me of a priest joke:
ReplyDeleteA priest dies and goes to Heaven. Upon entering the gates, St. Peter is there to greet him and charge him of his duties. He advises the priest that he has to say liturgy three times a day, seven days a week. And he has to go to the sick and shut-ins twice a day. And he must be available at any time for what needs arise.
The priest says to St. Peter, let me think about it.
So the priest journies down to hell. At the gate, an evil minion is there to greet the priest. The priest is welcomed into hell. But on his way in, he asks the guard, what are my duties? The minion says to the priest, there are no duties. The priest asks, do I have to say liturgy. The guard says, no. But if you really want to, you can say mass once a year. He asks about visiting the sick and being on call. The guard said, you have NO responibilities. The priests asks why is this so? Up in Heaven, I practically must work non-stop.
The guard remarks, here we have a lot of priests.
Peace, ~~Alex
Very good!
ReplyDeleteGood one! You should hear my repertoire.
ReplyDeleteA visiting priest is hearing confessions when a man confesses to .....
The punchline is "two bucks and a candy bar!"
ReplyDeleteImagine this one. My Bishop has me undergoing a very rigorous education with the religious order, The Order of Preachers (Dominicans.) These guys are beyond intelligent. It is almost very scary.
ReplyDeleteSo I stick out a sore thumb when we all gather together for lessons.
I asked one of the brothers, "How do you make holy water?"
He became all philosophical and starting to explain the rituals and sacred laws behind it. But I told him there is a more simple way to proceed.
"You have to boiling the HELL out of it."
I started to bust out laughing. And he asked me what I was laughing about, because he didn't understand my "preposition." (Preposition is from our logic classes regarding language and philosophical equations.)
I said to him that maybe one of his brothers could explain it to him. And I ran off!
Peace, ~~Alex
if he wanted to fix the buget in allentown he & his staff should cut ther salary and take his wife credit cards away and stop useing tax payer dollars like its his vacation account he is the reason we are falling behind...
ReplyDeleteAnyone who is very religious or wears it on their sleeve is hiding something and is usually bad news. Studies have shown that rates of rape, incest, sexual abuse, alcoholism, physical abuse are all higher among the Religious right. . It's no secret, and quite ironic that prostitutes always make a lot more money in the city where the Republican convention is as opposed to the Democrat because of the religious right. That's always my favorite news report during every election report and I've seen it repeat. People cling to God when there's guilt over sinful behavior they can't control.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty siunful and i don't cling to God. I guess there are exceptions, eh?? :-)
ReplyDeleteI find your anti-Catholic jokes and atmosphere disgusting.
ReplyDeleteThen leave!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAnti-Catholic venom is alive and well on this blog.
ReplyDeleteActually, I despise religious phonies. So did Jesus, now that i think about it.
ReplyDelete