Islamophobic Pulpit? Oostburg, Wisconsin

In the most recent issue of Time, Pastor Wayne DeVour, First Reformed Church of Oostburg, Wisconsin is quoted, and if the quote is accurate (and I hope it isn't), it reflects the sad state of affairs for this man's ministry and casts doubt on the integrity of his pulpit.

Let there be no doubt - American pulpits across the land are evidently churning out junk right now about Islam and President Obama. I suspect pastors of more sane and truthful understanding are as bewildered by this as I am.

Pastor DeVour likely received a solid Reformed education and would have learned something of church and world history, and to say something as reported, he either has to have forgotten everything he learned or is simply lying to the congregation.

Here's a copy of my email sent to Pastor DeVour today. If you agree, please copy and send a note to him at: wdevrou@frcoostburg.org

Dear Pastor DeVrou,

Just read your comment in Time about Islam ... "The political objective of Islam is to dominate the world with its teachings ... and to have domination of all other religions militarily."

I surely hope this ISN'T what you said.

But if you did, I'm deeply saddened that a man of the Reformed (Calvin) cloth would perpetrate the lies and ill-will currently being directed toward Muslims in America.

Surely you know the history of the Crusades and how the West has consistently sought to dominate the Middle East, and how Europe and America have sought to "dominate" the Middle East militarily and religiously via our missionaries, many of whom were nothing more than cultural emissaries of Western values.

Surely you know about the Ottoman Empire's rule of the Middle East for a 1000 years - a rule generous toward Jews and Christians, and Islamic Rule of Spain produced centuries of peace and learning. Of course, Islam spread militarily, but so did Christianity. Christianity and then Islam, religions with a high level of missionary zeal, have always had a partnership with the sword, so your comment, if that's what you said, is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.

I'm a '69 grad of Western Seminary, a '66 grad of Calvin College ... I presume you're a Western grad, too.

I hope Time's quote was inaccurate, and I hope that your pulpit proclaims the truth in these matters.

Faithfully in Christ,

Tom Eggebeen, Interim Pastor

Covenant Presbyterian Church

Los Angeles

God is found upon many, many, paths, God be praised, but not every path leads to God. Greed and cruelty lead only to dust.