And for the reasonably sane in Wisconsin, that cross would be Father James Altman.
The fiery, unhinged priest, as you will see, is clearly giving my usual target, crazed evangelicals, a run for their money:
A local priest whose public condemnation of Democrats as “Godless hypocrites” sparked both outcry and defense last fall has now drawn new attention for his anti-vaccine rhetoric and largely maskless services.
A community member last week shared with the Tribune a photo from Easter Services at St. James the Less Catholic Church where Father James Altman presides, showing a crowded church, and a page from a church bulletin calling vaccines “an experimental use of a genetic altering substance that modifies your body — your temple of the Holy Spirit.”
The flyer, which was posted to the church’s website as of press time and reviewed by the Tribune, states it is “diabolical for anyone to virtue-signal/shame/compel you to take such an experimental drug, making you nothing other than a guinea pig,” and also says those recommending inoculation are “lying to your face.”
“God is still the best doctor and prayer is still the best medicine,” the missive closes.
During his Palm Sunday mass, which was apparently attended by a large number of parishioners in contravention of Covid regulations, Father Altman railed against the public health measures designed to protect the public:
“You’ve all heard the horror stories, all because godless vermin fed us fear and instituted godless, Nazi-esque controls on all of us and on those we love,” Altman said.
“Let us be clear, God damns every single one of those godless moves, whether it be in civil government or worse, in the complicity of many in the church. In fact, if hell itself has many levels,” Altman said. “The lowest, hottest levels are the final burning place for those shepherds who were complicit in the godless restrictions.”
Later in the sermon, Altman said, “The godlessness of what has happened over the past year, the godlessness of what Fauci is now promoting in double masking, is damnable in the hottest fires of hell, and I’m not joking.”
Altman condemns those in the church adhering to COVID-19 precautions, including leaders, calling it “damning,” and encourages the audience to “do all that we must” to make sure the government never “restricts our life of faith again.”
“Their authority ends at our door,” Altman said.
You can see the good father in full rhetorical high dudgeon in the following video. I suggest you only watch about four or five minutes of it. More than that may see you feeling the fires of hell licking at your soles and souls:
Unless he did it himself, somebody must have given him an English translation. This sermon is a recycled and updated version of the one they delivered in 1348.
ReplyDeleteVery good, John. I have a feeling that Father Altman would have felt quite at home in that era.
DeleteFather James should be preaching in the Greybar Hotel chapel.
ReplyDeleteTo quote my old friend Hamlet, "Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished," Mound.
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