BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Struggling to confront a worsening homicide rate, the mayor of Birmingham asked pastors and citizens Friday to don burlap sacks and ashes Friday in an Old Testament-style sign of biblical repentance.
Mayor Larry Langford said his "sackcloth and ashes" rally at Boutwell Auditorium was inspired by the Book of Jonah, where residents of the ancient city of Ninevah wore rough fabric and ashes as a sign of turning away from sin.
A pastor who helped organize the rally said Langford purchased 2,000 burlap bags that will be handed out at the event.
"We believe things begin to dramatically change when the mayor, or leader, calls for prayer. I don't think there's ever been a city called to sackcloth and ashes," Green said.
Since he took office last year, Langford has held three prayer rallies as a way of addressing crime and violence. Bibles were handed out at one of the events.
"This city needs to humble itself," said Langford, a professing Christian.
58 comments
Yea, much easier to beg God to solve your city's problems instead of, you know, DOING YOUR JOB AS MAYOR and addressing the issue through whatever means at your own disposal
Prayer instead of action. Yeah, that's gonna' bring change to the city.
Remind me never to go near this place. Ever.
Or perhaps you could do something practical like putting more resources into law enforcement and investigating the reasons for the increasing violence. I'll give you a clue: It isn't atheism, the devil, or sin.
Didn't Jesus speak specifically against putting on sackcloth and ashes?
What's next public stonings in the town square?
Just the fact that this man was elected in and is being tolerated is one step closer to a theocracy.
find a fucking solution rather than wait for god to do it, or make superstitious gestures
I don;t know why, but there may be a reason, look for it!!
where residents of the ancient city of Ninevah wore rough fabric and ashes as a sign of turning away from sin.
...and fashion, haha. Is this their way of proving how non-gay they are?
Reducing unemployment, increasing wages, and lessening overcrowding might be just a bit more effective than symbolic exhibitions, no?
"This city needs to humble itself," said Langford, a professing Christian.
Damn right it does! We all know that the fundie God is blind as a bat, and He's as likely to kill someone living in the same town as He is the sinner himself. Plus, what better way to keep God from punishing you than to punish yourself first. That way, you can get off with wearing sackcloth and ashes instead of being given cancer or wiped out by a tornado. Plus it's a lot easier than actually doing something useful to solve the problem yourself.
@severin:
They are obviously not holding enough prayer rallies then!
By the way, you're looking faint, perhaps you should have a bloodletting.
"Since he took office last year, Langford has held three prayer rallies as a way of addressing crime and violence."
And nobody has clued in yet that it hasn't worked?
>>What an unbelievable shower of imbecilic hicks.>>
Careful, careful there!
While it's loads of fun to chortle at people you assume to be helmet-haired fungivangelists, or daughter-marryin' cast members of Hee Haw...Larry Langford looks rather more like Barrack O.
If this were the mayor of some little town of 2000 out in backwoods Tennessee or something... yeah, I could see a mayor doing something like this. But mayor of a major city? Time for a recall vote, folks.
Isn't this what Jesus told you not to do?
"Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full."
"Hey dude, you wanna go out tonight? We could score some crack, kill a hooker, leave her in a dumpster behind a McDonalds, then torch the McDonalds."
"Well sure, why not? Oh wait- we can't. The mayor put a sack over his head and danced around covered in ashes today."
"Son of a bitch! And here I am dying to gut a hooker!"
"This city needs to humble itself," said Langford, a professing Christian.
I'd go further and say that Christians need to humble themselves. Give up all your worldly possessions and go follow Him.
If you truely believe then it shouldn't be a problem should it? There's no sense in being a half arsed christian is there?
Why don't we have these problems in atheist areas, like Massachusetts or San Fransisco?
"Are you all retarded down in Alabama? "
Yes.
How soon is this guy up for re-election? That might explain some of his behavior--courting the fundamentalist vote in a re-election bid.
Of course, even if that were the case, it wouldn't necessarily mean that he's not a "true believer."
Regardless of his motivations, if things are getting worse on his watch, and he's neglecting his duties to do crap like this, he needs to be removed from office ASAP.
I'd also like to know who paid for the burlap bags and bibles that were handed out.
And where does the free will of those who kill intervenes?. Do you think that because you do that stupid thing they're going to stop?. Wouldn't it be better a more effective gun control, security measures, and better equiped police?. Oh yes, it costs money and the mayor is a total moron.
So, since he's been mayor he's been holding "prayer meetings" to help address crime and violence. However, the homicide rate is worsening.....hhhmmm....doesn't look like it's working.
Living example of the old adage: "Prayer: how to do absolutely nothing and still think you're helping".
Birmingham is one of the fastest-shrinking cities in the US, along with places like St Louis, Detroit, New Orleans, and Cleveland. One would think they'd have better solutions to their problems than this. Is it my imagination, or does this sort of idiocy usually happen in the Confederacy?
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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