Mad Man or Martyr? Retired minister sets self on fire.

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 18:33:09 -0400

This happened a while back, but after reading it, I think it is pertinent to the shootings by racists, and in Charleston this week. As much as I hate racism, I wouldn't go this far to try and send a message to America, which has been long forgotten or unknown. Poor man's dreams haven't come true yet. One of things about racism is it hasn't been addressed properly. Instead of talking about it AFTER a crime like in Charleston happens, It needs to be an ongoing discussion, throughout the years, to keep it in the forefront of Americans. It needs to be debated on National TV. Every time something like this happens, everybody's sorry, and we should do this or that to stop it. It won't stop until Americans are aware of what these murderers think about, and why there is so much hate towards Black Americans. People should be educated, over and over until it sinks in and they really want it stopped. I've always said the speed of the leader is the speed of the team. Our government needs to get a committee together to study why these are still happening, and try to come to a conclusion how to prevent it. It irks me when I think about government funded studies on why frogs hop, or why there is air, and BS like that. This is my opinion. What are yours?

One Monday in June, 79-year-old Charles Moore, a retired United Methodist minister, drove to Grand Saline, Tex., his childhood home town some 70 miles east of Dallas. He pulled into a strip mall parking lot, knelt down on a small piece of foam and doused himself with gasoline.
Then, witnesses said, he set himself on fire.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/16/79-year-old-retired-reverend-set-himself-on-fire-to-inspire-social-justice/?tid=trending_strip_2

A Texas minister set himself on fire and died to ‘inspire’ justice

"There is one thing I have absolute control over: that is, the manner of my death," wrote the Rev. Charles Moore.

Response by SrA Jonathan Carbonaro made Jun 19 at 2015 6:36 PM

SrA Jonathan Carbonaro — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 18:36:50 -0400

How about just plain old Stupidity?

Look you want justice, tell your congregation as a minister that you support the carrying of firearms in the congregation, and if some ass hole wants to come shoot up your church, you want him on his way to the pearly stinking gates for judgement day.

You want to set yourself on fire, go ahead but I'm still going to call you stupid.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jun 19 at 2015 7:01 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 19:01:32 -0400

Well SGT Private RallyPoint Member, Buddhist monks have generally been the ones to set themselves or fire in support of one cause or another from injustice in Vietnam in the 1960's to Tibetan monks more recently. Self-immolation is in keeping with Buddhist belief while killing others in conjunction with suicide is in keeping with Wahhabi teaching of Islam.
Christians are not called to martyr themselves on the contrary mature Christians periodically experience the death of desires which are contrary to our faith as God reveals them to us and replaces them with desires He knows are best for us.
Hopefully this man had some mental illness which lead him to kill himself and that he was not like Jim Jones did so many decades ago encouraging others to accompany him in death.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Jun 19 at 2015 9:56 PM

SSG Roger Ayscue — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 21:56:32 -0400

Koo-Koo for COCO PUFFS

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Jun 19 at 2015 11:02 PM

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 23:02:52 -0400

Thích Quảng Đức burned himself to death at a busy Saigon road on 11 June 1963.
This shortened the Vietnam War by how many weeks?

Response by SGT Richard H. made Jun 19 at 2015 11:17 PM

SGT Richard H. — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 23:17:42 -0400

I hate racism too, but lighting yourself on fire is just bat$h1t crazy.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jun 20 at 2015 12:33 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 00:33:35 -0400

I think his ideology drove him insane.

No rational person thinks that becoming a crispy critter solves any problem.

Mother Teresa helped others and moved the needle.