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Sergeant Suspended for Imprecatory Prayer Against President Obama
Psalm 109: Pray for Obama Christians Praying for Death
Sergeant Suspended for Imprecatory Prayer Against President Obama
Sergeant Matthew Neu has been suspended for imprecatory prayer against President Obama. This Psalm has been a favorite among certain segments of “Christians” since the President took office. Imprecatory prayer is often referred to as “Psalm 109″. It reads: “Let his days be few – and let another take his office… Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.”
Imprecatory prayer seems to be increasing in popularity lately: Psalm 109 is one of the imprecatory prayers found in the Psalms. “Pray for Obama: Psalm 109″ bumper stickers and t-shirts are very popular among a certain segment of the population.
Sgt. Neu’s co-workers at the Manatee County Central Jail facility in Palmetto, Florida say it was well known that he doesn’t like the President, but what he admitted to doing was shocking. WTSP News in Tampa Bay Florida reports:
A co-worker of Sgt, Neu’s, Sgt. Nash, says a “copy of her bible was on her desk and inside that bible was a handwritten note that said “Obama Prayer.” She says at first she thought it was probably something positive until she took a closer look. “The verse that Sgt. Neu admits to circling in that bible is from the book of Psalm: Chapter 109 Verse 8 which reads, “Let his days be few; and let another take his office.”
Nash said “she felt whoever left the note wanted the president dead and that the supporting verses after that verse support that.” The following verse reads, “Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.”
But Sgt. Neu told investigators it was not a threat on the president. In the report, he admits, “Maybe it was not in good taste.” He says it was never intended for Nash.
He adds that the desk where he left the bible is shared by several co-workers and that there was a stack of bibles on the desk. A stack of bibles that the chaplain hands out to inmates and other employees….”
So he didn’t intend this call to violence for his co-workers, but for violent inmates and other employees. Good to know.
Unfortunately this isn’t an isolated incident. On Fox News Radio (the Alan Colmes show) in June of 2009, Wiley Drake, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park, Calif., and former running mate of American Independent Party presidential candidate Alan Keyes, admitted to using imprecatory prayers against now- murdered abortion provider Dr Tiller.
Asked if there are others for whom Drake is praying “imprecatory prayer,” Drake hesitated before answering that there are several. “The usurper that is in the White House is one, B. Hussein Obama,” he said. Later in the interview, Colmes returned to Drake’s answer to make sure he heard him right.
“Are you praying for his death?” Colmes asked.
“Yes,” Drake replied.
“So you’re praying for the death of the president of the United States?”
“Yes.”
“If he does not turn to God and does not turn his life around, I am asking God to enforce imprecatory prayers that are throughout the Scripture that would cause him death, that’s correct…..”
Usurper. Where have I heard that word in context with the President before?
Sgt. Neu has been suspended without pay for about 26 hours.
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49 Responses to Sergeant Suspended for Imprecatory Prayer Against President Obama
dani
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 11:33 am
We all know where we’ve heard that before
Sarah Palin Glenn Beck fox news tea party.disgusting!_
Sarah Jones
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 11:43 am
When I googled the images for Psalm 109, guess whose pictures kept coming up?
Phil Perspective
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 1:03 pm
The Queen Grifter?
Sarah Jones
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 5:53 pm
Oui.
roddy
Jan. 5th, 2011 at 10:47 am
I wonder why these ppl kept their mouth shut 8 years ago when the real Usurper stole elections or bought them (atever youd like to call it) was in office and he was getting us i this mess none of these same ppl said anything..when they don’t like somebody and the ride gets bumpy…they hold on to their bible…my god is with me all the time in heart and mind…not on paper that reads made in china..well if you scared go to church and stay there…its just pure racism I can believe we got neanderthals that can read
Eykis
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 11:40 am
Actually, the Sgt. should be TERMINATED – this kind of garbage has no place in law enforcement. Religion should be left at home – people who cart around their bibles should be made to keep them out of sight while on duty – at any job – other than a job at a religious setting.
Sarah Jones
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 11:44 am
I agree. And slipping a call to violence inside of a bible meant for prisoners? Yeah, that’s not OK.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Actually its what fundamentalists think of their own bible. A reason for death
christine
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 3:48 pm
You do realize that firing this man would violate his 1st and 5th Amendment rights. Freedom of religion extends to the work place. In addition, he has the right of dissent to be heard and enjoyed by all it’s citizens. I fear more the divisiveness of a nation that can no longer express, debate, and so on. You want your right to express yourself freely, so why is it ok to rob this man of his right to do the same? Have we all gone mad? Is the persecution of religious people or people who disagree the new cool thing? And when Rasmussen reports today that ONLY 26% of US Voters strongly approve of Obama, anyone under oath is required to be one of those 26%?
Sarah Jones
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Your poll numbers are exceptionally inaccurate. Please provide a link.
You are suggesting that there is no difference between supporting a President and slipping prayers to violent prisoners wishing for his death. That is absurd.
I didn’t call for his firing in the article or the comment.
majii
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 4:36 pm
My question to you is, “Why should the “conservatives” feel free to restrict the president’s freedom of speech because he, in a private phone call, congratulated a NFL coach and happened to mention Michael Vick? Nowhere in the conversation did the president say that he supported Vick’s crime, but the rw, and some on the left, went nuts.
The purpose of the call was twofold: 1–to congratulate the coach and the team on their success, 2–to mention his support for employers who are willing to give convicted felons a chance at employment after completing their sentences. Those like yourself vilified the president. Tucker Carlson took it a step further by calling for Vick’s execution.
Not one of you who were attacking the president for encouraging employers to give convicted felons a chance to work had anything at all to say about all of the deaths that resulted from GWB’s personal decision to invade Iraq, a country that was not our sworn enemy and posed no threat to us at all.
Pot, meet kettle.
Please go to the nearest mirror, take a long look at yourself, and ask yourself who is the hypocrite staring back at you in the mirror.
I’m sick of those like yourself having 2 sets of standards for Americans. If you like them, or approve of what they’ve said/done, you give them a free pass. If you don’t like them, or don’t approve of what they’ve said/done, you attack them and wish/pray for their destruction.
You can bury your professed belief in the Constitution in the nearest cemetery. You have no belief in the Constitution if you change it based on whether you like someone or not.
I don’t like what this man said/did, but he definitely had a right to say/do what he did, and others have a right to criticize his words/actions.
Anne
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 5:04 pm
Apparently, it is lost on you that freedom of speech has to be accompanied by responsibility for one’s words. His words are incendiary and all it takes is one fool to act on them. He is supposed to be reinforcing rules and behavior among inmates, yet he is praying for someone to commit a crime against the president. His words and actions are not only hateful, but also sacrilegous.
jeff m.
Jan. 5th, 2011 at 12:17 am
What’s all this talk about responsibility when exercising free speech?
That’s called common sense.
Where were you when Nina Totenberg said that she wished that Jesse Helms would die of AIDS?
Incidentally, she does have the right to say that, but she had no common sense
Hrafnkell Haraldsson
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 11:42 am
All too typical but no less sad. This sort of spiritual warfare is going on all the time, all around us. My own town is full of it (in more sense that one). People driving by businesses and praying against them, holding up their Bibles from the side of the road or a lawn chair and praying, putting curses on people or things, going to the roads leading into a city and trying to erect spiritual barriers against entry (it didn’t keep me out, unfortunately), and of course the old praying to stop abortion and oh by the way, can you make gas cheaper too, O Lord? But this kind of crap when aimed at the president – being that they truly believe it will be effective, is like attempted murder.
Sarah Jones
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 11:46 am
The fellow I quoted who said these prayers against Dr Tiller is a good example of the point of this- if you say it enough, a crazy will grab a hold of it and think they are doing God’s will. That is the point and no one can talk their way out of it, though sadly that guy didn’t even try to deny it.
Hrafnkell Haraldsson
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 4:08 pm
So true, and there is a lot of that “god’s will” stuff going around in the right-wing crazy-dome. Stuff like this should be taken very seriously because they’re serious about it.
majii
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 4:52 pm
IMO, Hraf, the main problem is with them waving the Bible instead of reading it and putting its words into practice. I clicked on the link and was amazed to find that the majority of those commenting were supporting this sergeant and agreeing with him in calling for the president’s death/downfall, and they call themselves by Christ’s name. Not one of them had a viable reason to support their position.
I was just reading in the book of John this morning, and I don’t think these folks know that Jesus told the Pharisees and Sadduccees that even he was not fit to judge others. They fervently believe that they can judge others, even though one would think that, as such “dedicated” Christians, they would follow Christ’s example.
Rich
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 6:18 pm
Actually, God’s Word commands believers to judge with a righteous judgment, to judge people by their fruits, etc. Selective reading of the Bible often leads to a distorted view (i.e., that Christ accepts everyone ‘as they are’…without requiring repentance). People love to quote the account of Christ’s message of ‘let he without sin cast the first stone’…they forget that he also told the woman to “Go…and sin no more”. If that isn’t judging someone by their actions (and their heart), what is it?
dray
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 7:45 pm
The premise that you miss though is that no sinner can judge. Christ COULD judge cause he WASN’T a sinner. When God comes down and says you no longer have any sin in you, AND ONLY THEN can you judge. Its funny how we want the opportunity to judge like Christ, but hate to show the continual love and compassion he also has. Seems very selective to me! JMHO.
Rich
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Sigh. Attempted murder. Sigh.
How does one respond to those sentiments?
You are evidently a big fan of hyperbole.
Anne
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 11:54 am
The sergeant should be terminated because his words are both inflammatory and irresponsible. It’s utterly sickening that these folks call themselves God-fearing Christians, when their attitudes and words are so hateful and ignorant. It only takes ONE kook to act on this kind of toxic nonsense.
Sarah Jones
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
Can you imagine if liberals were driving around with bumper stickers praying for Bush to die, leave his wife a widow and his children fatherless? Putting notes like that in the bible and giving it to prisoners – deliberately courting the violent crazies among us? No, not a joke. A serious effort, something they believe in – a willful attempt to bring this about through prayer and getting the message out to the crazies.
Anne
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 2:53 pm
Remember the skinheads in 2008 who wanted to kill African-American children as well as Obama, but got intercepted? These actions are so far beyond the pale that they defy comprehension. I don’t remember anyone on the left saying these crazy, idiotic things.
Rich
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 6:13 pm
You either have memory loss or have abandoned your Code Pink membership.
Anne
Jan. 5th, 2011 at 5:58 am
As irresponsible as some statements from the left may have been, invoking God’s name to wish death on someone a person hates takes it to a whole new level. Is it really that hard for you to see just how wrong that is?
Rich
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
Actually, I think it was probably an attempt to rile up liberal crazies…and it succeeded beautifully (Exhibit A: this blog).
Shiva (Moderator)
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 6:23 pm
I dont think anyone is riled up here except you. Whats the limit on responding to others by not saying anything before you are considered riled up?
Anne
Jan. 5th, 2011 at 5:56 am
Well, it resulted in their arrest which certainly didn’t cause anyone with a sense of decency to lose sleep. Trivializing something as serious as this reflects poorly on you, because they were also talking of killing innocent kids. Regardless of political affiliation, any decent human being would have found this abhorrent.
Anonymous
Feb. 18th, 2011 at 1:20 pm
Dear sarah, if your last name was palin instead of jones you would be the object of viscious hostility. She gets many death threats from people who are your kindred spirits. They threaten her and her family but she says that she is confident that the Lord will keep them safe. recently michelle obama asked people to pray against the evils spirits in the white house regarding the midterm elections. ??? One thing for sure, bad people want to be percieved as the good guys to get others to trust them. When the Az. killings happened, obama said the scriptures tell us that there is evil the the world. Just who and what that evil might be is very subjective. It depends on the individual’s position. They are good and anyone who disagrees with them is evil. I believe that wicked and evil people know that they evil are because we all have an instinctive knowledge of good and evil, but the evil people are continually striving to appear to be good. People who really are good are continually striving to do what is pleasing to the Lord regardless of what others might think.
AFM
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Boy how times have changed. I remember when I worked at a military base in an office full of men. I was the only woman. They were very respectful at all times and really tried to watch their language. But being around military for many, many years you don’t get offended so easy. But anyway I remember having a Catholic Digest on desk. It’s kind of like the Readers Digest. Well at any rate I would read it when I was on lunch break. The captain I worked for told the sgt major to tell me to take that book off my desk. It wasn’t the place for it. I was shocked by that. But everyone in the office hated him and the demeanor in the office changed as soon as he walked in the door. We use to beg the sgt major to take him golfing. As soon as he left everyone would be at ease. I would literally see grown men shaking because this captain was a bully. I remember when he argue with me on a form that I typed for him. Over a 1/2″ type. Then and there I told him I wish when he jumped from a helicopter I wished his chute wouldn’t openned. He laughted and said his mother said the same thing. Now it seems we have prayer soldiers in the military and it is scary as hell. They are being brain washed.
Terry
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 5:25 pm
Really, why don’t we read the ENTIRE psalm and really look at the meaning of it. God’s Word is exactly that. It is when we give these people the media coverage they want it gets blown up out of proportion. Yes, a lot of people are concerned about Obama, and they are entitled to their opinion. The action wasn’t in the best of taste, but leave the judgement up to God: This isn’t a revenge is mine saith the Lord (but I really want a piece of the action) thing. Let go and let God. He will make all things right when it is in His perfect timing. God loves us all and we should be thankful He does. Follow His path and it will be a whole lot smoother than the way you want to go.
AFM
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 7:44 pm
Well you would think that Palin republicans would realize that GOD MADE HIS CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT. Hello, Hello it was Obama. Get the hell over it. He won fair and square with God’s help and allot of liberal people who believe in god too. Since when is it right that only republicans are christains? They have hijacked anything that is good about Jesus and makes it look bad. Shame on them. If we’re lucky we will vote for him again in 2012. He is the only GROWN UP.
liam
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 5:53 pm
This guy is calling for the murder of someone. Now how is that freedom of speech? It is not, and never should be. The fact he didn’t get fired on the spot is so wrong, and unAmerican I am amazed. What whack jobs can even begin to support this idiot? Obama is a Christian and here are some whacked out christians calling for his murder. Oh, you guys are so religiously pure let worship at your feet. . . you make me sick. You make America sick.
Rich
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Try not to throw up on the rug in the front hall, okay?
AFM
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 7:45 pm
Right on.
Rich
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 6:10 pm
I agree that circling this in Bibles to be given to prisoner is an imposition of one’s own beliefs upon someone else. However, it seems that Sarah is being pretty kooky herself when she gets all riled up over imprecatory prayers. Nowhere in the verse does it mention murder, assassination, etc. There are many causes of death; indeed, several Presidents have died in office due to illness rather than being murdered. You can argue all day long about whether President Obama’s agenda is in opposition to God’s Word, but you are forcing your own interpretation upon the verse, which I interpret to mean that, unless Obama repents, the prayer is for God to remove him. Given his past history of smoking, he could fall dead from a heart attack during a basketball game, which would fulfill the wish of those who pray the prayer. Also…if you don’t think liberals wanted Bush & Chaney dead, you are either naive or a liar.
english saddle
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 6:43 pm
Nice try but he was suspended so obviously it’s not just liberals who have a problem with praying for the death of someone and getting violent criminals to do it. But thanks for letting us all know that you have no value or morals at all and that you stand by this kind of morally disgusting behavior. He’s lucky he’s not in jail. It is a CRIME to incite violence.
Your lack of respect for your President is disgusting. My daddy was in the military and he brought us all up better than that. You mak me sick.
AcidQueen
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
So if I blot Odin and request that he bless you with Gungnir as quickly and expeditiously as possible, and hope that Sleipnir’s hooves trample your nidhling memory into the dirt so that you’re forgotten forever, you won’t object right?
Right?
a.mcewen
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 6:56 pm
Sorry but what the man did was highly inappropriate and he deserved punishment and as for “liberals wishing death for Bush,” the difference is that those liberals would probably be condemned by other liberals unilaterally instead of the “provisos” you seem to be throwing in so as to not totally condemn this man for his bad action.
Danny R
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 7:27 pm
where were all you liberal hypocrits when Bush was DAILY the brunt of hateful, death-wishing, and everything else !?!? I call you hypocrits because you have judged and even “convicted” this seargent by declaring he meant “death” when according to the press report he only focused on the “shorten his days in office..” YOU guys havent judged his heart!!! by declaring his intentions that you couldnt possibly know. I and many, many other people including Christians pray for his “political” days to be shortened (without meaning his death!!!) because he is in our opiniion (in our blood-bought rights to express) ruining our country, with his socialist ideals. Yes, please, LORD, shorten his term in office (ie not his life)
Shiva (Moderator)
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 7:39 pm
I wonder how you can support Bush when he did FAR more to ruin this coutnry than Obama could dream of.
But then christians pray for death such as Bush threw at the world too. SO I don’t put a lot of faith in christians praying for anything.
ccaffrey
Jan. 5th, 2011 at 2:59 am
Ya know, Obama is about as far from a socialist as you can get, but obviously people think if you just say it over and over
and over it somehow makes it true! What I seem to never quite hear from the right are cogent discussions about what
they think makes that true….but then, they don’t have to because all they are really looking for is to stir up hatred and
fear (neither which as I recall are “of God”) and get people emotionally overwrought. Once this is accomplished, all the “leadership” like Beck and Limbaugh need to do is pick a target and point the lynch mob in their direction. They do it
over and over and over. Not an unsimilar tactic as was described to me by a friend who used to be a drill seargent in the
Marine Corps in the ’50′s. Very strategic, very precise manipulation. A related tactic commonly used by the rich and powerful
is to get us to fight among ourselves (easier if you pick people who “look different” from each other) If they get us suspicious of and fighting among ourselves we have no time or energy to pay attention while they amass more and more wealth and power and laugh at all of us stupid gullible “little” people. Wake UP!! Look at the fruits of the spirit these folks create. Anybody who
uses God as a “weapon” is way off the mark IMHO.
aniqu
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 8:05 pm
this guy should be fired immediatley. he is a murderer.
Steven
Jan. 4th, 2011 at 10:10 pm
Thanks for the sensationalism. The verse he circled and referred to called for people to pray for his removal of office, if he had wrote Psalms 109:8-9 and circled it I would agree with you but the facts are clear and your inference is baseless.
1-Luv
Jan. 5th, 2011 at 9:27 am
‘Free speech’ aka joke (usually toted by spineless p.i.m.p.s. like Neu) ends when reckless disregard for the office is/can be perceived as threatening. Anyone who is anti anything would be subject to further scrutinity, especially by those in public office. Neu never thought he would get caught in the web he was weaving around the office; typical cracker/racist mentality.
Jack Stuart
Mar. 15th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
One of the points that is never mentioned about these hateful rantings is the fact that their use of Psalms 109 is invoking the rantings of a man who had a long history of killing and thievery. You might remember the story where he (King David) had a man (Uriah) put at the front of the army and killed in order to remove an embarrassing obstacle to taking his wife away.
However, as we know, anything their side does or has done is forgiven. Just disagree with them, though, and they will call for the wrath of their deity that is so powerful that it needs the government to enforce its will. Just amazing.
Sarah Jones
Mar. 15th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Thanks for that insight; great point.
Reynardine
Mar. 15th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
Now, most of that is old matter, but I never wished for Bush to die, because that would have left us with Cheney. Understandably, though, there came a point when it seemed that if Cheney left for the world above, there might be fewer people at risk of being blasted in the face with a shotgun and then forced to apologize for being in the way.