wfn.org | Arkansans Call for Compassion

[owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)]

Reply-to: owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)
"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (580
notes).

Note 575 modified by UMNS on Jan. 29, 1998 at 18:07 Eastern (3930 characters).

CONTACT: Thomas S. McAnally							48(10-21-71B)575
			  Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470		 Jan. 29, 1998

Arkansas church leaders urge compassion;
chastise press regarding Clinton charges

by Jane Dennis*

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- An interdenominational group of church leaders here,
including a United Methodist bishop, called the nation to exercise "care,
Christian compassion and good judgment concerning the multitude of
allegations, reports, rumors, innuendoes and even falsehoods" that have 
gripped Washington in recent days. 
Participants in the Jan. 28 press conference, held at First United Methodist
Church, also strongly chastised the press for reporting information "shaped by
half-truths, falsehoods, unfounded suspicious and wild speculation" 
surrounding allegations of a relationship between President Bill Clinton and
White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
	United Methodist Bishop Janice Riggle Huie of Little Rock and Rev. Ed
Matthews, senior pastor of First Methodist, joined representatives of Little
Rock's Center City Coalition of Congregations in calling for an end to 
"rumor-mongering and gossip."
	"This is fundamentally a moral and spiritual issue," Huie told the Arkansas
United Methodist following the press conference, "and somebody needed to say
that. People need to step back, take a breath and look for the truth rather 
than engage in gossip. And who better to say it than the spiritual leaders of
the city, the state and the nation?"
	The gathering was held at the church which counts First Lady Hillary Rodham
Clinton and daughter Chelsea among its members. The president retains
membership at Immanuel Baptist Church, whose pastor, Rev. Rex Horne was unable
to attend the press conference but relayed his support.
"As religious leaders, we will not stand idly by while unsubstantiated,
unproven and poisonous allegations are made, repeated and speculated," said
coalition spokesman Rev. Wendell Griffen, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church
(different congregation than Immanuel Baptist Church).
	Reading from a two-page written statement from the coalition, Griffen urged
the public to "exercise sound judgment and Christian compassion rather than
yield to the temptation to pay attention to the rumors, innuendoes and lies
now blanketing the air waves and the written pages following events in our
nation's capitol last week."
	As an example, Griffen pointed to the retraction Jan. 27 of a story in the
Dallas Morning News which claimed a Secret Service agent was ready to testify
about seeing Clinton in a compromising situation with Lewinsky. The newspaper
carried a report on its electronic Web site saying the agent had spoken with
independent counsel Kenneth Starr's staff and was ready to testify as a
government witness in the sex scandal besieging the White House. But within
four hours the paper pulled the story and replaced it with a statement that 
the source for the story later said the information provided for that report
was inaccurate.  
	The coalition urged congregants and the community to pray for the president,
Lewinsky, presidential aide Vernon Jordan and their families. "These people
are children of God. They are not pawns in a game," Griffen said. "They
deserve and need our prayers, our best thoughts and our best hopes, not our
prejudices, lowest notions and most sordid fears."
	By speaking out, Griffen said the coalition hoped to send a message that
"what's happening is wrong ... and to specifically ask the media as
professionals to join us in the business of truth."
	"We feel as pastors we've been sort of out there by ourselves" calling for
attention to the truth, Matthews said.
	The coalition is made up of clergy serving downtown Little Rock churches,
including Catholic, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Baptist and United Methodist
congregations.
#  #  #

	*Dennis is editor of the Arkansas United Methodist newspaper.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 This article sent to both the umethnews list <umethnews-request@ecunet.org>
 and also to the Worldwide Faith News list wfn-news <majordomo@wfn.org>
 Look at the header files to figure out which this is.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------