Chicago Priest Calls for Murder of Gun Shop Owner

[Zen21Tao]

ISRA Press Release:
Chicago Priest Calls for Murder of Gun Shop Owner

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., May 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released today by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA):

Nobody expected Saturday's Operation PUSH protest at Chuck's Gun Shop & Range to be anything other than a circus of the bizarre. However, nobody anticipated that an address by a Chicago priest would include a call for the murder of a suburban gun shop owner and legislators who oppose gun control.

During an address at an anti-gun rally in front of Chuck's, Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina's Church, exhorted the crowd to "drag" shop owner, John Riggio, from his shop "like a rat" and "snuff" him. Rev. Pfleger went on to tell the crowd that legislators that vote against gun control legislation should be "snuffed" as well. As many know, "snuff" is slang for especially violent murder. (Emphasis added)

The ISRA has a recording of Pfleger's remarks in MP3 format (See link below).

"Certainly Fr. Pfleger has offered Absolution to a murderer or two during his tenure as a priest," commented ISRA Executive Director, Richard Pearson. "That's why it's shocking to hear him actually advocate the murder of a gun shop owner who has never committed a crime in his life. He then compounds the problem by calling for the murder of legislators who disagree with his personal political views -- something I suspect is a felony in this state. Pfleger's comments were disgusting and dangerous. And, I seem to remember that the Fifth Commandment frowns on murdering one's neighbor."

"This week, I'll be penning a letter to the Archbishop, expressing my concerns over Rev. Pfleger's comments," continued Pearson. "I would hope that the Archbishop would reply with words of comfort for Mr. Riggio, his family, state legislators, and all others who were injured by Rev. Pfleger's thoughtless, inflammatory remarks."

The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful, and responsible firearms ownership. Since 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law-abiding firearm Illinois firearm owners.

Story link:
http://www.isra.org/

Link to MP3 recording of Rev Pfleger's remarks (listen for yourselves):
http://www.isra.org/quick/pfleger_calls_for_murder_052607.mp3

 

[30 cal slob]

Message to priest: shut the hell up.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Preacherman

It seems to me that our own Preacherman should contribute to the enlightenment of this poor, misguided soul.

Perhaps he could achieve a measure of illumination.

Clearly, this is one guy whose knuckles were unfortunately spared the attentions of Sister Mary Elephant's ruler.

 

[romma]

Nope, no extremism there! None at all.

 

[Don Gwinn]

Pfleger . . . . that's a name I haven't heard in a year or two. John Birch used to send a letter to the Chicago PD every year trying to get Pfleger arrested for "buying back" guns with no FFL, FOID, background check, etc.

They were not very receptive.

 

[Cosmoline]

He needs to do another perp walk.

The grassroots struggle had seen the South Side priest harassed, arrested, jailed and ridiculed.

Someone's got a little bit of a martyr's complex. What a nutcase. In his favor, I must say he keeps his hair amazingly neat. I don't think Riggio is in any real danger--as long as he doesn't get between Pfleger and a camera.

 

[Bailey Guns]

I wonder how he'd feel about someone saying a member of his congregation should be "snuffed" for attending his church?

 

[30 cal slob]

thou shalt not snuff

 

[imprezagm4]

I went to the church's website, they are oddballs it seems. Their ministry is filled with anti-gun political messages. I hate it when people use Christianity to further their own agendas.

**This has nothing to do with his faith, being a Priest, or being a Catholic... this has everything to do with him being an idiot.

 

[torpid]

During an address at an anti-gun rally in front of Chuck's, Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina's Church, exhorted the crowd to "drag" shop owner, John Riggio, from his shop "like a rat" and "snuff" him.

What's that Mr. Pfleger, you don't have the courage to confront the owner yourself?

 

[skinnyguy]

As I said in the post on this incident in the activism forum, http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=279949

Well now, isn't that awfully "Christian" of him? Personally, it makes me glad I'm an atheist.

 

[SaintofKillers]

Why is it that the most religious of folks tend to be the biggest jackasses.

 

[30 cal slob]

snuff not, lest ye be snuffed.

 

[Crunker1337]

Sue him. Threats, inciting violence, and harassment.

 

[Juna]

For the record, that wacko is a reverend, not a priest. Big difference. I guess media ignorance isn't limited to guns.

 

[30 cal slob]

"father, forgive me, for i have snuffed."

 

[1BLINDREF]

Its OK to kill in the name of God isn't it?
Maybe if Chucks Gun Shop made a donation to the church, the good Priest would focus his attention elsewhere.

 

[Caimlas]

It would've been a great civil service for that reverend to have decided that right then was a good time to go in and drag the gun shop owner out. I wonder what kind of body count the po po would be looking at cleaning up...

 

[Autolycus]

If I remember correctly he said politicians who get NRA contributions should be snuffed out. Didn't Bush get an NRA contribution? Didn't he suggest killing the President?

 

[Duncan223]

There has been a pro-communist/socialist movement within certain religious circles for decades. Not all so-called "Christians" are in favor of a strong America, many are actively working to destroy America through their pulpit.

There is an excellent article by Arthur R. Thompson titled "Islamic Terror: The Red Connection" that details the undercurrent of anti-America sentiment within religious groups.

"...We would also like to discuss the fact that not all ministers of the Christian Faith are what they seem either. When The John Birch Society started it was common knowledge amongst anti-communists that many Christian denominations and seminaries were heavily infiltrated by communists. As soon as conservatives outside the orbit of The John Birch Society were fooled into thinking that communism was dead, they also stopped noticing that some Christian clerics sounded more like Marx than Christ. Also, the influence on the Christian Right by members of the Council on Foreign Relations and other Insidercontrolled organizations through the neo con movement has intensified.

So the influence comes from both directions: From the bottom up and the top down. Some in the Christian Right have been fooled into ignoring the fact that both Christianity (e.g. liberation theology) and Islam had been infiltrated, subverted, and radicalized, as well as the source of that radicalization. In this ignorance, they are ready to accept flawed solutions to our problems, such as invading Iran to stop “terrorism.” Invading Iran will not stop terrorism because terrorism springs from Russia and China — and from the Insiders in the West in league with Moscow and Beijing.

Another problem with some within the Christian Right is that they have forgotten the Constitution. This is obvious by their unwavering obedience to the Bush Administration and the idea that Bush is a Christian and so he must be right, and therefore followed, even when what he proposes is unconstitutional.

Stop and think about it for a moment. The clergy of America collectively are strong enough to lead our nation back to a moral, constitutional path, yet very few do so. The path they are following — to get behind a political leader rather than the Constitution — is fraught with danger, especially when the politician seems intent on abrogating the Constitution and the religious leaders can’t seem to remember what the Constitution says. Some influential Christian leaders have allowed a political party leadership to set the Christian agenda...."

full article

 

[Crunker1337]

I don't really think religion is a good thing, unless you're capable of both doing right by your religion and thinking for yourself.

 

[Titan6]

Shame this is turning into religion bashing, but I suppose it was inevitable. Maybe what he meant was that he should get a big hug?

 

[Neo-Luddite]

If you're from the area, you know Pfleger is (in a more localized way) afflicted with the same loopy need for media attention. He IS a Roman Catholic priest (most don't get in a bunch over being called 'Father' or 'Reverend'--especially in the media). His big claim to fame was becoming an adoptive single father while serving as a priest--it got a HUGE amount of media attention back around 1980 or so. He has gotten away with more than most priests as he has a cult of personality around him.

But clearly, it's time for someone to real him in a bit.

 

[plexreticle]

Many religious zealots expect you to follow their faith yet put little effort into following it themselves.

 

[Pepper46]

What happen to the seperation of church and State?