The church about which this man is ranting? The church he says is going down a path of immorality for accepting (*gasp*) gay people as members of the congregation, as priests, as leaders? That would be my church.
We are not particularly religious people, Bill and I, but we do attend an Episcopal church we love for its open and accepting arms, its global justice work and its liberal outlook. Though I am very often offended and outraged by the things people do in the name of religion, I often have distaste for organized religion, and I question faith on a regular basis, I am proud of my church. It is not a church of fire and brimstone. Not a church of living in fear. Not a church of mindless recitation of verse. It is about doing good in the world. It is about peace. It is about all people supporting and accepting each other.
I am proud that the top official of my church is a woman.
I am proud that another high ranking leader of my church is an openly gay man.
I am proud that in my church, doors are open to everyone.
I am proud to stand, with my church, for what is right.
As for going down a path of immorality. Well. During the Civil War, those who disagreed with the Episcopal Church's stand for freedom and racial equality, used many of the same arguments as those who, today, turn away from acceptance of gay men and women. Though I don't believe in the concept of Hell, in a puppet-master God who looks down and judges, or in "sin" for that matter, I believe I have an idea of where the immorality over this issue lies.
The writings most often cited to justify such prejudice are very much open to cultural and language interpretation. Those who choose to interpret such writings as a basis for an anti-gay agenda are, literally, choosing to do so. And choosing to exclude? Choosing to decry? That's not my church, I am proud to say.
I don't know that I've ever stood up for my church before. I am more likely to be the one questioning and wondering and not quite certain that church is the place for me. Many times church is not the place for me. But, right now, this church, the church standing firm on issues of social justice, the church doing what is right, the church shouting that the one set of teachings not open to interpretation are those of acceptance: this is a church of which I am proud.
At our particular church, we end every service with the following words:
Remember, there is a tired and hurting world out there that needs you.
There are words of kindness that won't be spoken, unless you speak them.
There are works of compassion that won't be done, unless you do them.
I wonder, with what words does this man end his services?
Monday, December 10, 2007
This Is My Church
Posted by Jennifer at 1:53 PM
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23 comments:
Good for you for standing up for your church. Good for your church for its open and accepting nature. I love the closing words that you say there, and the message it sends.
Hear Hear. More of us on the "religious left" need to stand proudly for our faith and values while continuing to hold out our hands in peace to people who disagree with us. Kudos to you for doing this.
Great post!
Great post. I posted about my difficulties introducing my children to religion recently,
http://badnessjones.blogspot.com/2007/11/gospel-according-to-dora.html
and your post really hit home.
Thanks.
Fabulous! If religion wants to continue to play a role in people's life, I truly believe that *this* is the path to take. The open and inclusive path.
Thank you!
Heidi :)
And for us vacillaters out here there are these...
"For those of you who see a God, may God go with you. And for those of you who see the right path, may you have the strength to take it...."
e, I love that quote. Perfect. There are definitely times I believe in some type of God (more of a spritual energy than a Father Figure) and times I don't. I think my husband and I would be best classified as "agnostics who attend church". But even when I lean toward the believing, I never, ever think God is "the only way". I can't imagine being presumptuous in that regard.
Heidi, you are so right. If we didn't have a church with open arms and an accepting heart, I very, very much doubt we'd attend.
Preach on, sistah! I was sooo wondering if you were going to blog on this when I saw it this weekend! =)
"Agnostics who attend church"...perfect! That's what I wanna be!
(I'm still church hunting locally, BTW. Yours seems a little too far for the commute...) *grin*
The politics of this in our (Episcopal) church are a bit, well, dicey. And I am very curious to see how it all nets out here. We have a conservative head rector and a liberal assistant rector. So we have gotten mixed messages about the whole thing. But I am totally with you. I wasn't raised Episcopalian, but was talked around to joining because it was such a "liberal" church. And now I am totally second guessing myself.
brava!
I am lutheran, and although we are very close to the episcopals, you are worlds ahead of us on the gay/lesbian issue. my church keeps "studying" the issue. for about 12 years now. Ack!
obviously there is a wide range of people within all denominations, but I am proud of the episcopalians at the higher level for doing a lot of things right (women, gays, etc)
and I LOVE what your worship services end with. love it.
OK... so i just clicked on that link... and while we are lutherans we briefly attended an episcopalian church IN THAT VERY DIOCESESE for a while after leaving the church my husband worked at. We knew at the time that they were part of a big conservative movement and would likely break with the national church over this issue, and it appears as if that time has come
and... um... excuse the extra letters there at the end of diocese
;)
V, have we chatted about the Unitarian church before? Bill and I have attended there and we liked it very much. Since I grew up in the Episcopal church, I ended up missing some of the structure there that feels familiar and comfortable for me, and we ended up finding an Episcopal church that fits us. But, if not, I think we'd be Unitarians. (I actually think R would love it there!)
Chichi, I'm so sorry for the turmoil you're going through with this issue. Second-guessing, about something like this, can be so defeating. The Episcopal Church as a whole is very liberal and forward-thinking, but there are always more conservative individual parishes. I would say that I'm sure you can find a more liberal leaning parish near you, but up and switching churches isn't always easy. I will be looking forward to any thoughts you have as the issue pushes forward.
PM, you snuck in while I was posting. Interesting that you attended church in that diocese(se). (Hee.) Yes, the "breaking away" has been a long time coming. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
And yes, the end of the service is my favorite part. (My kids' favorite part too, because it means church is OVER. Ha!) It actually gives me chills every time.
Amen. your church sounds lovely, and the other guy...well, he's so boring, isn't he?
I don't attend a church of any kind or believe in organised religion BUT those words you speak at the end of your service are universally true and very wonderful.
As for that man, well, I wouldn't even give him the time of day.
Vx
I love your closing words...I think all religions could stand to reflect on them a bit. Now, I do come from a church that is extremely conservative but I do believe that all should be welcome within it's walls in order to learn God's word. Judgment should not be a part of that.
J - I don't think we have spoke of the Unitarian church, but I've taken that "online poll" - answering questions of morality, life, death, etc., and it tells you what religion most fits you. It always comes up Unitarian or Jewish. =)
Also, R. would join a *cult* if they spoke eloquently, had music and talked about historical figures. We're keeping an eye on him. *grin*
Kudo's to you!
I love the "agnostics that go to church" comment. My cup of tea. ;)
Why is the world becoming so stressful?? Models are to skinny, Santa is to fat (sorry...jolly), Santa can't say Ho-Ho-Ho anymore because it may offend someone, we can't put up a nativity scene at work because it may offend those of other religions. We are spending so much time trying to be politically correct that everyone's own beliefs are being ruined. What happened to freedom of ____?? I'm not offended if I see other religious decorations or people celebrating their own things, why can't everyone be that way??
Ok...off my soapbox. hehe
:)
Nicely put Jennifer, good read!
sing it, love,.
be proud of your church and its principals.
be proud of yourself.
Loved your post. I did not know about all that is happening in your church. I made the move from Southern Baptist (My Dad was a preacher) to being Methodist because they were more inclusive. Women have a voice (the church I grew up in there was a man that actually told my Dad he needed to make His Wife (my mom) sit down, shut up and know her place... that stuck with me, made me VERY angry!).
I don't like to put limits on God.
Just now read this and Amen. We are on the same wavelength in so many ways, I think. Thank you for these words, especially the ones you quoted at the end. I may use them the next time I have to do a church service . . . If that's okay? :-)
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