“They’re our brothers and sisters. When we stop seeing people that way it’s so easy to start making laws or enacting policies that harm them.”
I’m an Episcopal priest, and I’m trying to imagine how I’d respond to this. The only time I’ve ever had to ask someone to leave was when a, say, mentally unbalanced man came into the church and screamed profanity at me in the middle of the service and told me that I needed the permission of the Korean consulate to preach (this was a white guy in a Navy sailor’s cap, in Hawai’i where I live—not sure what his deal with Korea was). He did this twice over a couple years and I have a person who works with unhoused veterans in my parish who’s told me that she’d been instructed not to interact with the guy because he was deemed too dangerous. So, asking him to leave was a safety issue. But no one tackled him.
I’d like to think that I’d let this guy have his say. If he’s not cussing anyone out or getting violent, I’d probably let him talk and then invite him to hang out and talk some after the service. I sure as shit wouldn’t demand him to “respect my authoritah” or see him tackled to the ground. That is something I can’t wrap my head around.
Didn’t think I’d ever find a priest on here.
It sounds like it happened before the service anyway. So don’t really know what disruption he was causing, unless people thought it was a protest or something.
Is the recording available anywhere? Even so, massive yikes.
More people need to be doing this at churches. Its the easiest way to fix the free speech narratives:
“why are churches trying to ban the words of jesus?” “These are public spaces that get tax breaks for being public spaces, why is there censorship in these places”
Fucking legend.
And when the police arrived they started questioning him about whether he agreed with Trump on deportations and Gaza. The police questioning people on their political views seems to be becoming standard in the USA.
“Why are they saying you pushed a priest?”
“They were trying to pull me away from the pulpit. I grabbed the pulpit and just held on. I didn’t push anyone. They had four guys grabbing me and dragging me off there.”
“What made you want to preach today?” “I’m worried about human beings, our brothers and sisters who live within our midst and are being targeted by the government.”
“What do you consider to be targeted by the government? What class of people are you …”
“Undocumented immigrants.”
“So you don’t agree with deportations and things like that?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Did you say anything like that?”
“I didn’t even get there.”
Looking at a copy of Gillcrist’s prepared remarks, the officer said, “So I see you mention Gaza and Ukraine in here. What’s your message with that?”
“They’re our brothers and sisters. When we stop seeing people that way it’s so easy to start making laws or enacting policies that harm them.”
Yeah, no way We’re letting a long haired, bearded freak into our church…
I wanted to reply with a picture of black Jesus, but holy shit, image searche yields just page after page of garbage AI art. Mostly from etsy. Often without nipples, because AI still can’t figure out brown nipples on brown people
because AI still can’t figure out brown nipples on brown people
I needed that laugh
Don’t let the man get you down
Not even Jesusy.
He has long hair and a beard
*glances around nervously*
"“Look at me, I’m a grad student. I’m 30 years old and I made $600 last year!”
clutches pearls
Seems like some apologies and confession seems to be in order here and not by Jimbo. Wow!
A church to the antichrist. You will treat the sorjourner as your own.
