So wow ... No Comment on DU re: Death of 'The Family's' Leader, Doug Coe?

[mr_lebowski]

Sorry if I missed it but a site search turned up nothing ...

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/22/us/obituary-doug-coe-fellowship-foundation.html?&moduleDetail=section-news-5&action=click&contentCollection=U.S.&region=Footer&module=MoreInSection&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&pgtype=article

This strikes me as a bit of a big deal ... a major right-wing whacko ... and seemingly extremely powerful political operator has passed ... Somewhat akin to one of the Koch Brothers dying ... and not even a discussion on DU?

Again forgive me if I missed it, but otherwise ... discuss!

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Add to this something I just heard early this morning

Retail chain Family Christian plans close after 85 years

Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press Published 6:48 p.m. ET Feb. 23, 2017 | Updated 11 hours ago


Family Christian, which bills itself as the “world's largest retailer of Christian-themed merchandise,” announced Thursday it is closing after 85 years. The non-profit company, employing more than 3,000 people in 240 stores in 36 states, said in a brief statement that the retailer had been facing declining sales since filing for bankruptcy protection in 2015 and had no choice but to shut down.

“Despite improvements in product assortment and the store experience, sales continued to decline," said Chuck Bengochea, the company's president. "In addition, we were not able to get the pricing and terms we needed from our vendors to successfully compete in the market. "We have prayerfully looked at all possible options, trusting God’s plan for our organization, and the difficult decision to liquidate is our only recourse.”

No timetable for the shutdown was offered in the statement. The company, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., did not return calls for comment.

<...>

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2017/02/23/retail-chain-family-christian-plans-after-85-years/98326140/

[mr_lebowski]

4. Sorry for those 3,000 people ... hope they find other work ...

It's always unfortunate when something like this happens to a large US retailer ... even if I'd never shop there myself.

Something like this happening does kinda 'make you wonder', though, doesn't it?

I mean ... they were all 'prayerful' ... and yet ... apparently still 'forsaken'.

Oh well ... At least these folks have that whole "Mysterious Ways" meme ... to fall back upon.

[rurallib]

13. Hmmm...... and americans are leaving religion in droves

I see this as a good thing.

[yeoman6987]

30. Although it'd be nice

I think mega churches having their own shops they run hurt this place at least partially.

[Buns_of_Fire]

14. God gave His answer. It was "no".

If all prayers were answered in the affirmative, 45 would have fallen into a neck-deep vat of pig crap LONG ago.

[HAB911]

15. Can't Dump just order them to stay open?

3000 jobs should be worth his consideration

[get the red out]

2. I didn't know

If there's a hell, say hi to Hitler Mr. Coe, Bannon would like that.

[njhoneybadger]

3. "Somewhat akin to one of the Koch brothers dying" ARE YOU FUCKING NUTS!!!

What kind of shit are you selling?

[mr_lebowski]

5. Apparently you're unaware ... of who this man is, and who 'The Family' are ...

Believe me, this is no 'small deal' ...

[njhoneybadger]

7. Are you trying to get DU not to focus on tRump, Bannon,and the Republican Party?

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Here's some background

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120746516

This organization has been intimately involved in politics since Eisenhower (sponsors the "National Prayer Breakfast&quot .

NBC video summary - http://www.nbcnews.com/id/21134540/vp/23943446#23943446

[njhoneybadger]

10. Thx, but I was a Christian all my life. This is not a big story

And I still question the motive of the original post.

[BumRushDaShow]

12. In terms of influence

within the evangelicals that elected Drumpf, it is along the line of a Falwell or Dobson, etc., except this group is more secretive.

Coe was essentially a proponent of Hitler (and other despots') power.

[njhoneybadger]

17. Listen ,I knew about this guy 40 years ago

[BumRushDaShow]

19. There are DUers who were not around "40 years ago"

or even 20 years ago.

These posts are not directed to individuals but to the group.

[NurseJackie]

21. That was a thoughtful and well-reasoned reply. ESPECIALLY the last sentence. Thank you.

SMH at this entire subthread. Unbelievable.

[Achilleaze]

16. If a person perverts Christianity

and causes it to become a religion of hate, and then deceives others, it's worthy of note. Alas, we have seen a lot of that in the USA.

[truebluegreen]

18. We can multitask

but thank you for your concern.

[NurseJackie]

24. Yes.

[demmiblue]

25. +1

Those kind of comments are always perplexing.

[Demsrule86]

6. meh...

so much to discuss with lawbreaker Trump.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Here is the connection

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/02/01/thrilled-with-trumps-supreme-court-pick-heres-what-evangelicals-want-next/

[Demsrule86]

32. Tell me about it...but I still don't seen why this guy's death is so important.

[BumRushDaShow]

33. Like when a mafioso is removed

it will be interesting to see whether the group will maintain its (apparent) powerful influence over the highest elected officials in our land as it has in the past or whether something/someone else will overtake that role (and if so, who or what?).

Again notably because this group has been intertwined in U.S. Presidencies for the past 60 years.

What is it that makes it a right of passage for a President to attend a "National Prayer Breakfast", in a land where the Constitution has that clause basically prohibiting an "establishment of religion" -although I suppose the technicality is that it says "Congress shall make no law..." (vs the President).

[Demsrule86]

35. Fair enough.

However, I have to note...we have little power, and if McConnell goes nuclear and he will...we get Gorsuch no matter what. Damned unfair...and If we could at some later date...he should be impeached...it was Obama's pick thus the GOP stole it.

[BumRushDaShow]

36. We have to slog it out

and take back our states (which will hopefully help torpedo the egregious gerrymandering that got them in there in the first place). That effort starts with this year's (state-wide) elections.

I hate to say but we have had worse in the Supreme Court (if you are a POC) -

[Demsrule86]

37. No, when we didn't have the courts before...we had no

progressive policy to lose...now we could lose everything we fought for 100 years including civil rights. We really needed to win in 16 ...and things are going to get bad...but we have to more forward and mitigate the worst disasters by winning in 18 and 20.

[BumRushDaShow]

39. We gotta win 2017 first

We can't keep skipping over the off-year (non-federal) elections.

VA and NJ have governors up this year and the winners will be in office during the 2020 census.

[Demsrule86]

40. Good point.

We need to get this DNC thing wrapped up and move...we have a real chance in Georgia.

[BumRushDaShow]

41. 👍

[JHB]

9. Thanks for posting this. DUers have covered The Family many times...

...but the personalities involved were usually pretty faceless except for the politicians they courted.

I will, however, gently remind you that everything posted on DU is done by volunteers. If news about a murky background figure is missed, it's not because someone wasn't doing their job. If you notice something and scoop everyone else, there's no particular reason to focus on why no one else here isn't already talking about it rather than the news itself.

[NCTraveler]

20. Aren't you a member here?

What took you so long on this major item? Shouldn't you look within before projecting outward. Seems calling out members of this board is what is most important to you. It's a shame you feel this is so important yet wait until now to post it.

META.

[SecularMotion]

28. +1

[demmiblue]

22. Wow... didn't hear about that.

The Fellowship has way too influence in politics (and both sides support/have supported The Fellowship to differing degrees).

Here is an article written by Jeffrey Sharlet in Harper's Magazine:

Jesus plus nothing: Undercover among America's secret theocrats

https://web.archive.org/web/20090701011032/http://www.harpers.org/archive/2003/03/0079525

[tanyev]

23. Thank you for posting that. I had not heard it.

[muriel_volestrangler]

26. How much difference it makes is debatable; he had already handed over leadership

and the powers behind the Republicans, like Bannon or the Kochs, don't seem to be kowtowing to the religious right quite as much these days. It's more just about power for themselves.

The Fellowship’s unofficial leader for many years was Doug Coe, who is now 88 and due to health issues has offloaded many of his responsibilities to a handful of other leaders, according to Hunter. Sens. John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) are the chairmen of the breakfast this year, but four people handle the logistics of the prayer breakfast now. Those duties include choosing the speaker, a decision that is not announced before the breakfast.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/02/01/thrilled-with-trumps-supreme-court-pick-heres-what-evangelicals-want-next/?utm_term=.8d3e4b9ad8ac

[blogslut]

27. Thanks for the info.

So much is going on it's hard to keep up.

[Separation]

29. If you ask me

Thats one of the worst things right now going on. I mean, how much news arent we hearing about? Kim Jung murdering his brother is kind of a big deal right now. China has stopped coal shipments with Korea and that is 1/3 of NK export revenue. Expect more to come out of this. What else is being under reported because it is the 24 hr Trump wreck all day every day?

[KittyWampus]

31. The leader is dead but the National Prayer Breakfasts will still go on...

because when you put the word "prayer' into an event politicians have to go and pretend piety.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

34. Not everybody gets the news all at the same time?

[Iggo]

38. Why should I care?

[librechik]

42. Mission Accomplished: Secretive leader goes unrecognized to his death (good riddance)

nobody knows who Doug Coe is. I do.

They better find out before Pence is president.



http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/554986.The_Family