Ah, ’tis the season to be jolly. And for me, ’tis the season to reduce the number of blog posts I write.
This will probably hold true through the month of December. After the finals are given and graded, it will be time to relax a bit. There are some stories or issues that could change that plan but for now, that is the plan.
Let me take a moment to explain the icons in the left hand column of the blog. The first one is my first effort at writing children’s fiction. Over the past three years, I have written three short stories for my son. He has been keen on having me publish them, so the first one is available on Amazon as an ebook. I won’t be quitting my day job anytime soon, but I have had fun writing these stories and most importantly, he likes it.
The next icon is to a book on bullying prevention called Bullycide. Brenda High at Bully Police put this together as a resource for anyone who wants to make a difference. There are prevention lesson plans, articles and vignettes that promote safe schools. Any benefit I get from the sales, I put right back into the Golden Rule Pledge.
Then after the blog admin links, you can search Amazon’s website. Anything you purchase through that link generates a small royalty to my blogmaster, Paul Oyler. The same is true for the B&H Cameras icon. Anything purchased there will help Paul out a bit. And blogmastering is his day job so I like to help him out. He does a good job.
Blessings on everyone this season. And now a little seasonal music for your enjoyment…
@ StraightGrandmother, I am about where you are. I found the articles (parts 1 and 2) of “The Evangelical Blackout of Sexual Orientation Research” extremely helpful. In general, the whole evangelical “block” gets its information from a few vocal, narrow sources that trumpet with authority but ignore the facts, discredit the facts, or simply don’t bother to find out the facts. I changed churches over this issue. The church I attend now is not strident like the former one, but still holds to the occasionally mentioned “fundamental view.” However I can live with it and choose to ignore or occasionally (via email) challenge what is said from the pulpit. I think sticking to the church while pushing for change is the only hope of it ever changing. The bottom line of Christ as the redeemer of the world is true for every straight and GLBTQI person, and the church, somehow, some way, must repent and reach them. Some have. Hang onto your faith, no matter what you do about church–it is the only light we have and the only hope that we can share.
Here’s another little ‘churchy anecdote’ that you might enjoy.
About five years ago, I was attending a synod (a council of the Church); one of the items for discussion was ‘sexual identity’ – always a controversial issue in the dear old C. of E.. The Synod Member seated next to me was from an evangelical parish (a ‘church plant’ that well-known nearly ‘megachurch’ outfit Holy Trinity, Brompton) from just down the road from my own. He stood up and spoke – with great force and profound emotion – about just how deplorable are all forms of unjust discrimination against sexual minorities. I’ll be honest: I nearly fell off my seat!
‘Fundamentalists’ should be ‘on notice’: the Church is changing. Maybe rather too slowly for some tastes (my own included) – but changing it is (as it has always done throughout its 2000-year history); and this may be one reason why the ‘homophobic portions’ of the church are making so much noise just now. For all its many faults, Christianity is a diverse and dynamic affair, and all attempts definitively to trap it in some kind of mean and rigid ideology are ultimately doomed to failure. (And if I didn’t believe that, I would become a virulent opponent of ‘religion’.)
@ Carol
I think a church reaches a ‘healthy place’ when it stops banging on about ‘sexuality’ and instead values people’s ‘essential qualities’. I’m fortunate in attending (and ministering in) a church where a 93-year-old widow of a priest describes an elderly and devoted gay couple as ‘two really lovely people’ (which they most assuredly are) … in other words, she (though in many ways really quite ‘conservative’ in her theological outlook) is looking beyond ‘sex’ and seeing ‘people’.
Richard – I have a habit of saying I am taking a break and then get interested in something. We’ll see how I do this go around…
I get most of my information from gay and lesbian websites. This is where I find out what is really going on as so much that affects them is not covered in the mainstream media. I am a clicker, I click here and that takes me to another location with another link and then I click there. So I was reading at http://www.GoodAsYou.org and they did an article on the American Family Association, they had a link to a radio show. So I listen to the whole darned radio show and they are interviewing a Pastor from Oklahoma who is legitimately complaining about being harassed for some public comments he made at a city council meeting.
This Baptist Pastor talks about about his church and a special group he started called Reclaiming America For Christ. Here take a look
http://reclaimamericaforchrist.org/
Of course during the radio show it was agreed to by all that homosexuality is merely a behavior and it can be changed. The Pastor talked glowingly of Exodus. I can see based on this Pastors website that the next in the hatred line after the gays, are indeed the Muslims.
Here is his church website.
SGM – You can consider this an open thread. When I toss out a blogkeeping post, it often goes in many directions.
Richard, thank you to the link to that beautiful hymn. I have to say that when I watch a video like that I do miss it. I have said before that the Political activism to deny sexual minorities civil marriage rights has turned me off of religion. It really has. The organized opposition to equal civil rights for sexual minorities are the churches and that is a fact. Their opposition has weaken my personal faith, it really has.
Seeing and listening to that hymn brought back memories of what I am now missing. To hear a full beautiful choir sing is simply beautiful. I do get lost in nostalgia for a few minutes during the video, but as soon as it is over I am back to the reality of they way it is, not the way I would like it to be. And the way it is is hateful.
Here’s another little ‘churchy anecdote’ that you might enjoy.
About five years ago, I was attending a synod (a council of the Church); one of the items for discussion was ‘sexual identity’ – always a controversial issue in the dear old C. of E.. The Synod Member seated next to me was from an evangelical parish (a ‘church plant’ that well-known nearly ‘megachurch’ outfit Holy Trinity, Brompton) from just down the road from my own. He stood up and spoke – with great force and profound emotion – about just how deplorable are all forms of unjust discrimination against sexual minorities. I’ll be honest: I nearly fell off my seat!
‘Fundamentalists’ should be ‘on notice’: the Church is changing. Maybe rather too slowly for some tastes (my own included) – but changing it is (as it has always done throughout its 2000-year history); and this may be one reason why the ‘homophobic portions’ of the church are making so much noise just now. For all its many faults, Christianity is a diverse and dynamic affair, and all attempts definitively to trap it in some kind of mean and rigid ideology are ultimately doomed to failure. (And if I didn’t believe that, I would become a virulent opponent of ‘religion’.)
@ Carol
I think a church reaches a ‘healthy place’ when it stops banging on about ‘sexuality’ and instead values people’s ‘essential qualities’. I’m fortunate in attending (and ministering in) a church where a 93-year-old widow of a priest describes an elderly and devoted gay couple as ‘two really lovely people’ (which they most assuredly are) … in other words, she (though in many ways really quite ‘conservative’ in her theological outlook) is looking beyond ‘sex’ and seeing ‘people’.
@ StraightGrandmother, I am about where you are. I found the articles (parts 1 and 2) of “The Evangelical Blackout of Sexual Orientation Research” extremely helpful. In general, the whole evangelical “block” gets its information from a few vocal, narrow sources that trumpet with authority but ignore the facts, discredit the facts, or simply don’t bother to find out the facts. I changed churches over this issue. The church I attend now is not strident like the former one, but still holds to the occasionally mentioned “fundamental view.” However I can live with it and choose to ignore or occasionally (via email) challenge what is said from the pulpit. I think sticking to the church while pushing for change is the only hope of it ever changing. The bottom line of Christ as the redeemer of the world is true for every straight and GLBTQI person, and the church, somehow, some way, must repent and reach them. Some have. Hang onto your faith, no matter what you do about church–it is the only light we have and the only hope that we can share.
“Holiday” schedule? Is Throckmorton admitting that he is not a Christian? Is he part of the War on Christmas?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ln01p1M2cH0
“Holiday” schedule? Is Throckmorton admitting that he is not a Christian? Is he part of the War on Christmas?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ln01p1M2cH0
I get most of my information from gay and lesbian websites. This is where I find out what is really going on as so much that affects them is not covered in the mainstream media. I am a clicker, I click here and that takes me to another location with another link and then I click there. So I was reading at http://www.GoodAsYou.org and they did an article on the American Family Association, they had a link to a radio show. So I listen to the whole darned radio show and they are interviewing a Pastor from Oklahoma who is legitimately complaining about being harassed for some public comments he made at a city council meeting.
This Baptist Pastor talks about about his church and a special group he started called Reclaiming America For Christ. Here take a look
http://reclaimamericaforchrist.org/
Of course during the radio show it was agreed to by all that homosexuality is merely a behavior and it can be changed. The Pastor talked glowingly of Exodus. I can see based on this Pastors website that the next in the hatred line after the gays, are indeed the Muslims.
Here is his church website.
Richard, thank you to the link to that beautiful hymn. I have to say that when I watch a video like that I do miss it. I have said before that the Political activism to deny sexual minorities civil marriage rights has turned me off of religion. It really has. The organized opposition to equal civil rights for sexual minorities are the churches and that is a fact. Their opposition has weaken my personal faith, it really has.
Seeing and listening to that hymn brought back memories of what I am now missing. To hear a full beautiful choir sing is simply beautiful. I do get lost in nostalgia for a few minutes during the video, but as soon as it is over I am back to the reality of they way it is, not the way I would like it to be. And the way it is is hateful.
We’re not quite there yet, of course, so here’s a fine Advent hymn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeLbsmgKCTk&feature=related
We’re not quite there yet, of course, so here’s a fine Advent hymn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeLbsmgKCTk&feature=related
Richard – I know, I know. 🙂
A Happy Christmas to you as well!
And it’s “Baby’ s First Christmas” too, of course!
And now it’s three new posts!
Anyway, a very Happy Christmas to you, dear Warren.
Richard – I have a habit of saying I am taking a break and then get interested in something. We’ll see how I do this go around…
Warren talks of a ‘holiday schedule’, and then what happens? Two new posts in one morning!
What’s this guy like when he’s not on holiday?!
Richard – I know, I know. 🙂
A Happy Christmas to you as well!
And it’s “Baby’ s First Christmas” too, of course!
And now it’s three new posts!
Anyway, a very Happy Christmas to you, dear Warren.
SGM – You can consider this an open thread. When I toss out a blogkeeping post, it often goes in many directions.
Thanks Warren, Happy Holidays to you and yours family. I’ll throw this out there and maybe you will like the idea and maybe you won’t. You might consider throwing up an open thread so that we might entertain each other. When you come back after the holidays you can always close comments on it and resume normally scheduled programming.
Warren talks of a ‘holiday schedule’, and then what happens? Two new posts in one morning!
What’s this guy like when he’s not on holiday?!
Thanks Warren, Happy Holidays to you and yours family. I’ll throw this out there and maybe you will like the idea and maybe you won’t. You might consider throwing up an open thread so that we might entertain each other. When you come back after the holidays you can always close comments on it and resume normally scheduled programming.