Chaplain Compares NYC to "Plantation" at de Blasio's Inauguration

"Let the plantation called New York City be the city of God, a city set upon the hill, a light shining in darkness"

A chaplain who spoke at incoming Mayor Bill de Blasio's inauguration ceremony sent his listeners into shock mode when he compared the city to a "plantation" and called for its return to greatness.

"Let the plantation called New York City be the city of God, a city set upon the hill, a light shining in darkness," said the Rev. Fred Lucas of the Brooklyn Community Church, during public remarks at Mr. de Blasio's incoming ceremony, The New York Daily News reported. Mr. Lucas officially serves as the city's Department of Sanitation chaplain.

Comments

[On The Road To Mandalay]

Some more civil religion by yet another religionist. Ever notice that public statements with reference to religion never really refer to any religion in particular, but always invoke the name of God? American politicians (especially U.S. Presidents) do this all the time, and have been doing it for decades.

The remark is especially tailored for Chaplains (regardless of religious affiliation) because it covers a broad spectrum of religious beliefs. No doubt there are Jews and Muslims employed by the NYC Department Sanitation, and the reference to God only (and not Jesus, or Moses, or Muhammad) fits the bill.

Civil Religion is widely used in the United States. Of course it probably offends atheists, but then atheism is a religion in itself. Who knows what Hindus or Buddhists think about it, although there must be at least one of each employed by the NYC Department of Sanitation.

[albo]

but then atheism is a religion in itself.

If atheism is a religion, baldness is a hair color.

[gcavener]

Atheism is blind faith in the belief that there cannot possibly be a creator. Sounds like a faith based religion to me.

[tag]

only when you pigeonhole atheism as a belief against something, its simply a lack of belief, ergo the baldness comparison

[tag]

not believing there is a higher being is not the same as believing there is no higher being.

[ubik]

New York City's Department of Sanitation has a chaplain? WTF!

[albo]

A big city dominated by unions and Democrats has questionable positions on the public payroll? I'm stunned.

[Homple]

Given that there is such a thing as chaplain to NYC's Sanitation Department, this is exactly how I'd expect him to think and talk.