Ad signed by NCC head says Jesus, Bush disagree
The Layman Online, December 16, 2002
A group of people who describe themselves as “religious leaders from every faith” published a full-page advertisement in The New York Times on Dec. 4 to tell President George W. Bush that Jesus is opposed to a U.S. attack against Iraq.
Ad in New York Times on Dec. 4.“It is inconceivable that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior and the Prince of Peace, would support this proposed attack,” the ad said, quoting a Methodist official.
Although a number of people’s names were listed at the bottom of the ad, the major signer was former Democratic Congressman Robert Edgar, who listed himself both as chair of “Religious Leaders for Sensible Priorities” and as general secretary of the National Council of Churches.
Only one Presbyterian – Thomas C. Gibbons, pastor of St. Barnabas Presbyterian Church in Richardson, Texas – signed the ad. Most of the other signatories were not widely known names.
Readers were asked to cut out a coupon and send Edgar contributions “to continue rallying faith-based opposition to this war.” Some of the money was expected to go toward defraying the cost of the ad, estimated at $40,000.
The National Council of Churches is more than $700,000 in the red for its current budget despite budget cuts and layoffs that have continued since auditors discovered in 1998 that the organization had depleted its reserves and was near bankruptcy.
This was the second time recently that Edgar has been involved in telling government officials what Jesus has to say about public policy. On Nov. 20, he rode in a caravan of hybrid cars (gas/electric) to a meeting in Detroit to declare that Jesus would not drive a sports utility vehicle because of its gas mileage.
The NCC has had first-hand experience in the problems created by using cars that get few miles per gallon. When auditors reviewed the NCC records in 1998, they discovered that the NCC was squiring its officials to airports and important meetings in limousines.
But the NCC’s greatest transportation cost was incurred when Edgar leased a Learjet for a media tour to promote returning Elian Gonzales to Cuba.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) has helped to delay the NCC’s demise by appropriating more than $500,000 annually to the organization, although half of its member denominations – called communions – give nothing. The PCUSA also provided a one-time gift of $500,000 in 2000 to forestall the NCC’s bankruptcy.