Crosses to disappear from Switzerland's largest cemetery because they offend members of non-Christian religions

In 1991, when Appenzell Innerrhoden became the last Swiss canton to allow women to vote, renowned cultural observer Christopher Milner said that the move presaged further cultural decline. He was right, as reported by Robert Spencer in Jihad Watch, January 24, 2022 (link in original):

People of “other religions” have been in Switzerland since time immemorial, with no problem. There has, however, recently been an influx of people who believe that the cross is an insult to the power of Allah (cf. Qur’an 4:171). Many of these people are intransigent to the point of violence. Are Swiss authorities trying to appease them?

“Basel bickers over Christian symbols. Crosses to disappear from the largest Swiss cemetery,” translated from “Basler zoffen um christliche Symbole. Kreuze sollen aus dem grössten Schweizer Friedhof verschwinden,” by Rene Hildbrand, Die Weltwoche, January 20, 2022:

There has been a dispute about the cross for years. Time and again, the symbol causes controversy, even though Christians see it as a sign of reconciliation, tolerance and love of one’s neighbor.

There is currently a dispute about this in Riehen, the second largest town in northern Switzerland, with a proportion of foreigners of around 28 per cent. Switzerland’s largest cemetery is located at Hörnli in Riehen.

According to the administration of the central cemetery, more and more people of other faiths feel disturbed by crosses, Christian murals and even chapel names during funerals and ceremonies. The Catholic Church of Basel-Stadt is even showing itself to be compliant.

The spokesperson for the church council told the newspaper Basler Zeitung: “If there are people who consider Christian symbols disturbing in the process, it should be possible to cover them up or carry them out.”

The Protestant Reformed of Basel see things differently. Their church does not need any religious symbols. Nevertheless, the president thinks: “Those to whom these symbols are important should be able to experience and see them.”

There is strong resistance to the displacement of Christian symbols. The SVP party Riehen is fighting to preserve the cemetery culture. In a petition, it calls on parliament and the government council to stop such plans.

The representatives of the Basel Catholics complain: “If the basic furnishings of a chapel are to be without Christian symbols, this is a worrying trend.”

In 2018, the newly elected Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder had a cross hung in his Munich state chancellery in one of his first official acts. Ten years earlier, when he was secretary-general of the Christian Social Union (CSU), Söder had made a mess of things with a single sentence: “Crucifixes belong in classrooms, not headscarves.”

HT: Dracul Van Helsing

Backlog: Good riddance to Ernest Angley

The death in May 2021 of televangelism's most buffoonish charlatan was barely mentioned in the media, but Ernest Angley had no trouble attracting attention when he was in his heyday in the 1970s and '80s. Without mentioning him by name, Gary Larson based a Far Side cartoon on him, and comedian David Brenner, in a talk show apperance, referred to Mr. Angley when he said, "There's a guy who heals people on TV--and he wears a toupee. I don't get it." While Howard Cosell's wigs aged along with him, Mr. Angley's wigs remained forever young, as shown in the following photos.

As reported by Bob Dyer of the Akron Beacon Journal, May 7, 2021 (updated May 8, 2021) (bold, links in original):

Controversial televangelist Ernest Angley has died at age 99, according to an announcement Friday on the Ernest Angley Ministries website.

"Pastor, evangelist and author Rev. Ernest Angley has gone to Heaven to be with his Lord and Master at 99," the announcement reads. "He touched multitudes of souls worldwide with the pure Word of God confirmed with signs, wonders, miracles and healings. He truly pleased God in all things."

A native of Gastonia, North Carolina, Angley moved to Akron in 1954 and eventually turned into an internationally known figure, thanks largely to the syndicated TV broadcasts he launched in 1972.

His sometimes-outrageous faith-healing claims drew sharp criticism from many, including officials in Munich, Germany, who arrested him in 1984 on charges of fraud and practicing medicine without a license, and officials in Guyana, who in 2006 blasted him for claiming he could cure AIDS.

Angley's odd speaking voice, mannerisms and toupee made him an easy target for comedians. Superstar Robin Williams mimicked Angley with a character named "Rev. Earnest Angry." Williams also spoofed the preacher on "Saturday Night Live," on a comedy album and in the TV sitcom "Mork & Mindy."

But while the comics and critics were piling on, Angley was spawning a megachurch that brought in so much money that by 2005 he was able to buy a $26 million Boeing 747, which he used for overseas mission trips.

Angley's debut in Akron 65 years ago came inside a huge tent in the Ellet area. Followers of his non-denominational, fire-and-brimstone presentations rapidly grew in number. Within months he moved into an old theater on West Market Street, then into a small building next to Ellet Memorial Cemetery, then into a big new structured nearby, naming it the Temple of Healing Stripes.

Within four years of his arrival in Akron, Ernest Winston Angley had more than 3,000 followers.

He bought Cuyahoga Falls television station WBNX (Channel 55) in 1985, and in 1994 bought the Cathedral of Tomorrow on State Road in Cuyahoga Falls from fellow televangelist Rex Humbard and moved his main operation there.

The church does not release attendance figures, but observers say attendance at the 5,000-seat cathedral has dwindled significantly in recent years.

Part of the drop in membership can likely be attributed to a six-part Beacon Journal investigative series in 2014 in which 21 former church members detailed accusations of wrongdoing by Angley.

They claimed the church is a dangerous cult where pregnant women are encouraged to have abortions, childless men are encouraged to have vasectomies and Angley — who preached vehemently against the "sin" of homosexuality — was himself a gay man who personally examined the genitals of the male parishioners before and after their surgeries. They also said he turned a blind eye to sexual abuse by other members of his church.

Angley agreed to an interview before that series. During a 90-minute meeting in his office, he vehemently denied all of the accusations, claiming everyone was lying.

Four years later, one of the people mentioned in the series, former Assistant Pastor Brock Miller, filed a lawsuit against Angley and the church, claiming that Angley had sexually abused him off and on for nine years. Miller said he finally quit his job in 2014 because he could no longer handle the abuse.

Angley and the church countersued for defamation. An out-of-court settlement was reached in February 2020 for an undisclosed amount.

And in early 2019, a former church member gave the Beacon Journal a 1996 tape-recording of a telephone conversation in which Angley admitted to having sexual relations with a male employee. The person on the other end of the call, the Rev. Bill Davis, a former longtime Angley associate, confirmed the tape was genuine.

Former close associates say Angley was never quite the same after his college sweetheart and wife of 27 years, Esther Lee, or “Angel,” as he called her, died in 1970 at the age of 49.

Angley spent significant time dealing with lawsuits.

The final installment of the Beacon's 2014 series drew the attention of the U.S. Department of Labor. After an investigation the following year, the department sued Angley for $388,508 for back wages and damages. The suit alleged violations of minimum wage, overtime, record-keeping and child labor laws involving 238 current and former employees.

Angley appealed, saying the employees were volunteering to do "God's work," but in 2017 a judge upheld the ruling, and Angley shut down the buffet a few weeks later.

In 2018, however, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that ruling and sent the case back to the district court for potential further action. A three-judge panel disagreed with the district court's assertion that restaurant employees were "coerced" into working for free, making a distinction between "economic coercion" and "spiritual coercion."

Click on the links below to see other items from the Akron Beacon Journal about Mr. Angley.

Through the years with Rev. Ernest Angley

Falling from Grace, part 1: Ernest Angley’s Grace Cathedral rocked by accusations involving abortions and vasectomies

Falling from Grace, part 2: Sexual assault claims stay in church walls

Falling from Grace, part 3: Church calls departed Grace Cathedral associate pastor a liar, adulterer and drug addict

Falling from Grace, part 4: Former Grace Cathedral member says of Ernest Angley: ‘He divides and conquers families’

Falling from Grace, part 5: The Rev. Ernest Angley - Modest house, big plane (Boeing 747)

Falling from Grace, part 6: For-profit Grace Cathedral Buffet using volunteer labor again after feds said to stop

Former pastor says Angley abused him

Ernest Angley blasted his associate when he left

The Rev. Ernest Angley admitted sexual encounter

Split with Ernest Angley tough for his assistant

Settlement reached in lawsuit by ex-minister against Ernest Angley, his church

A typical televised performance service of Ernest Angley, from 1978:

Pope Francis caves in to sodomites as part of reorganization of doctrine office

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Romans 1:24-32

Pope Francis keeps providing ammunition to critics within the Roman Catholic Church who regard him as an antipope; as reported by Heather Bair of Newsweek, January 10, 2022:

Pope Francis on Monday demoted Archbishop Giacomo Morandi, the No. 2 official in the doctrine office, due to the belief that he is responsible for the controversial document that bars blessings for same-sex couples.

Morandi is believed to be behind the March 2021 document that declared the Catholic Church would not bless same-sex unions because God "cannot bless sin." The document stated that Francis had been informed and "gave his assent" to its publication.

The document outraged the gay community, to which Francis has since made several gestures of outreach, including to the gay Catholic community and its advocates.

He also wrote a recent letter to an American nun, Sister Jeannine Gramick, on her 50 years of LGBTQ ministry. He wrote a letter to Michael O'Loughlin, an American magazine national correspondent who is a gay Catholic, and commended him for reporting on the Catholic response to the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Morandi was named bishop of the Italian diocese of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla, which is seen as demotion, since he currently has the title of archbishop and will not be going to an archdiocese, but rather a small diocese. The Vatican said, though, that he would retain the title of archbishop "ad personam," meaning the title was granted to him personally.

Morandi joined the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) as an under-secretary in 2015. He was promoted to secretary, or No. 2, in 2017. The CDF is considered one of the most important Vatican offices, as it interprets doctrine for the universal Catholic Church, sanctions dissenters and handles cases of clergy sexual abuse of minors.

The CDF is currently headed by the Jesuit Cardinal Luis Ladaria, but he is expected to retire relatively soon since he turns 78 in April, three years beyond the normal retirement age for bishops.

Aside from Morandi, there are two "additional secretaries" in the CDF, including the American Archbishop Joseph Di Noia, who also is due to retire soon since he turns 79 in July. The other is Archbishop Charles Scicluna, but he has a full-time job as archbishop of Malta.

The impending retirements and transfer of Morandi suggest some management changes at the office, though they probably won't be announced until Francis releases the blueprint of his reform of the Vatican's overall bureaucracy, expected sometime this year.

By their vax mandates ye shall know them

As evidence of the deadliness of the Covid-19 "vaccine" mounts, some churches are showing their true colours by making acceptance of the death shot a condition of fellowship. As reported by Israel 365 News, December 29, 2021 (link in original):

During a CNN segment on Christmas Eve, CNN’s ‘faith contributor’ Father Edward Beck declared that “the unvaccinated” should be barred from attending church services.

Yep. I said it. I don’t think unvaccinated people should be gathering in churches for Christmas Eve / Day Masses. “Love thy neighbor,” says the Savior.

“There is no supply chain shortage of love and compassion. I think that what we’re trying to say to people is they you have a social responsibility if you do gather, you know Christian churches many are gathering this evening and some are still not requiring vaccination, which I disagree with,” Beck added.

“I think part of caring for one another, the dictum of Jesus who we celebrate his birthday, is love one another. Show compassion. Show mercy to each other” he said.

“So I think the lesson is that if we want to act like Jesus in these kind of times we take care of each other and if we’re going to gather in celebration we have to do so safely, comfortably and we have to give to one another that gift of peace and part of that is health and feeling like we’re gathering in a healthy environment.”

“I don’t think there’s a reason to say I’m not going to get vaccinated, maybe for a health reason, then you can’t come to church,” he continued.

"Father" Beck is not alone in equating forced submission to an experimental medical procedure, which in the 1940s was punished as a crime against humanity, resulting in the execution of the criminals, with obeying the Lord Jesus Christ's commandment to love your neighbour as yourself. This can also be found in other churches, as reported by John Longhurst of the Winnipeg Free Press, December 21, 2021:

One southern Manitoba church is now requiring proof of vaccination for its in-person Sunday services.

Elim Mennonite Church in Grunthal, located about 28 kilometres southwest of Steinbach, made the decision this month in order to accommodate members who were afraid to join community gatherings amid the COVID-19 pandemic, said lay minister David Wiens.

"We knew of members who wouldn’t come because of fear for their safety," he said, noting this includes elderly people and those with compromised immune systems. One is a resident of a personal care home who is not allowed to go to places where unvaccinated people might be present.

"We wanted to make sure we looked after the most vulnerable in our church," said Wiens, a local dairy farmer, noting everyone who attends the services also needs to wear a mask and follow social distancing guidelines.

While Elim, which is part of Mennonite Church Manitoba, has been doing online services through the pandemic, "That’s not the same as in-person fellowship," he said.

As soon as in-person services were permitted by the province, the church started meeting again, following public health guidelines — but not asking about vaccination status.

That changed at the beginning of December, when members were asked to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to enter.

Since almost all of the roughly 70 members of the congregation are fully vaccinated, most are very supportive, Wiens said.

However, a few "aren’t happy with our policy," he said, acknowledging the decision will exclude those who have chosen not to be vaccinated.

"We are exploring ways to make it possible for unvaccinated people to be included," he said, noting it might mean alternating between vaccinated and unvaccinated member services. "We don’t want to exclude anyone."

Whatever approach the church takes, "We want to be consistent in our understanding of what is a positive Christian witness," said Wiens. "Right from the start, we wanted to honour and be respectful of the mandates and protect everyone."

At the same time, the church isn’t "trying not to make a big statement about vaccinations. We’re just trying to do what is right for our church. We’re not trying to pass judgement on the unvaccinated."

For Erika Dueck, a deacon at Elim, the decision was about what is best for local seniors.

"They haven’t been able to meet in person, they’re feeling isolated and disconnected," she said. "The pandemic has been very hard on older members."

By going to vaccinated-only, the church wants to "rebuild a sense of community."

While the decision has made most church members happy, reaction outside the congregation has been less so.

Some people "are angry. They think we are rejecting people or in cahoots with the government," Dueck said.

Transitional interim pastor at Elim, Norm Voth, said, as far as he knows, it is the only church (of roughly eight) in Grunthal to move to vaccinated-only in-person services.

"I expect this will be a topic of conversation at the next ministerial meeting," he said, adding Elim’s decision seems to have generated a "fair amount of conversation" in town.

The issue continues to be a lively one in the church, too, he said, noting there is a lot of discussion about ways to "maintain the unity of the congregation."

Through it all, the church’s goal is to "fulfill the commandment to love our neighbour as ourselves," Voth said.

"If we take care of ourselves, including vaccinations, the mask-wearing, the social distancing, then we are caring for others."

The Orwellian use of language by the leaders of Elim Mennonite Church is breathtaking, but is increasingly typical of what passes for North American Christianity in 2021. Look at the phrases used--"we're not trying to pass judgement on the unvaccinated;" "rebuild a sense of community;" "maintain the unity of the congregation;" "fulfill the commandment to love our neighbour as ourselves"--and look at the actions that are taking place. By denying fellowship to those who refuse the vaxx, they are in fact passing judgement on them. To have separate services depending on one's vaxx status would be to create an unbiblical division between believers, which destroys, rather than builds, unity and community.

There are biblical reasons for denying fellowship to professing Christians, such as leading an immoral life (I Corinthians 5) and being a heretic (Titus 3:10, Revelation 2:2-3), but these church leaders want to deny fellowship to people who are healthy and want to remain so. I for one, refuse to allow an experimental toxic substance to be injected into me by people whose motives I distrust. The evidence is mounting that the "vaccine" isn't saving lives, but taking them, and is much more dangerous than the illness it's allegedly supposed to prevent (The blog Vox Popoli, for one, has numerous posts on the subject). The people who've had the shots are the ones who are getting sick and dying, yet those of us who merely want to maintain our health status quo are treated as criminals and threats to public health. For church leaders to say it's "loving your neighbour" to promote a crime against humanity is something that God will hold them accountable for.