A Communication from a Distant Place

Regular readers may recall that I received a message a couple of months ago from a long-dormant theological listserv, one that was attached to an ancient e-mail account at an Ivy League institution in which I studied and worked nearly twenty years ago.  It urged me, in what seemed to be part of a coordinated effort, to mention certain political talking points in my Sunday sermon.

I haven't heard from it since until this morning.  I am now being urged to mention Puerto Rico in my sermon this week and make "Puerto Rico to Trump what Katrina was to Bush".  I would find this amusing, but I know that some of my colleagues will follow this direction and turn Gospel-based proclamation into just another tedious political lecture.

Oh, look.  The media have gotten it, too, it seems:

Some obvious parallels to Katrina here. https://t.co/XzCrRgaSy3

— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) September 25, 2017

Yep. Q.E.D.

Memo went out to the listservs https://t.co/ilz78ONYHj

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) September 26, 2017

Wow, people are catching on. I'm rather honored to have been included among those expected to spread propaganda on behalf of...whom? The e-mail I received was not signed.

This “the White House is ignoring Puerto Rico” line that has popped up tonight is a brazen and cynical lie. https://t.co/vD3FjKtZju pic.twitter.com/r1jNv1L9Ny

— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) September 26, 2017