Let it snow....somewhere else

Okay- the snow is at about 16 inches and still falling here in Santa Fe. We're hoping it stops so that they can plow the roads and start flying out of Albuquerque again. Since our flight isn't scheduled until 2:20- then we have to make a connection in Dallas- if the airport hasn't been torn up by tornadoes. Its beautiful snow fall and all, but it does have its drawbacks- like closing down the airport. Here's a picture of the boys that made the Los Alamos Monitor...world wide publication that it is...Ok- hopefully we'll make it back for New Years!

monblogomy

I've decided I might just be a one blog women. Trying to keep two sites up to date seems ambitious, especially this time of year- Yeah. All of this navel gazing is fun and all- but I also have those more temporal needs of figuring out what the heck I'm getting everyone for Christmas- better get to it for Santa waits for no man!

Here is a fascinating link concerning Christian community and living out the gospel. This is a group in the San Francisco Bay area- so take that with a grain of salt (all in all, I admit that San Franciscans strike me as braver than the average American in their unwavering ability to be individuals- that is not always the easiest task). They are not limited to the Bay, however- they are looking to branch out. We could start a chapter here. What captivates me about this site is the idea of "What if we actually put together a group of people and lived as close to the Gospel as we could. What if we transplanted a first century Christian home church/community to 2006 and made it work?" Somehow, that really gets me amped- its a radical and crazy idea- one that just might work! I'm going to find out some more before I get too enamored with the idea- but just think- let's stop just talking and playing the Church and just get on with being the Church. The simplicity principle here is just blowing me away. Check out the Jesus Dojo section, and what an "Apprentice" of Jesus believes. Radical. Cool. Worth a thought.

Do not operate heavy machinery

OK- so up until now, noone read my blog, and so I could just wax on philosophically about any old thing. If people start reading it, however, I'll need to get much better about making my point with less words. See, this is how I made it through college with a decent GPA. I have rarely been unable to express in 25 words what could be expressed in 5. (This last sentence being a great example, I could have just said "I'm very wordy.") It was a talent that has served me well, between college papers, end-of-year reports, writing recommendation letters and so forth. If I didn't think it would have led to suffocation in some Potomac basement, I probably would have looked for a career in writing those easy to understand government documents. I would have been good. Anyone who can find great humor in the recitation of the back of a cold medicine box warning label has to be off center. Of course, at the time I was also taking the cold medicine, so that may account for why it seemed funny. Or maybe its just that warning the general population to not operate heavy machinery seemed a little alarmist. Hey, I'm not taking any cold medicine today- I should go find a bobcat, or bulldozer to ride through the neighborhood! Or maybe I'll just get some chocolate and let that impulse pass.

Quantity vs quality

Always a balance between breadth and depth and I have figured out that I write posts that are too long. Probably because I wait so long to blog. A beautiful fall this year- coming in at a good rate- not too fast, not too slow. Temps about right, leaves beautiful, blue skies. Finally got the patio in. Rock was delivered Thurs. They put most of it in place for us, so George and I only did rearranging and filling in. I'm pretty impressed. And, for a far less price than a contractor's fee. The Aerial View

If Bible translators had known better, they would have used Y'all.

Interesting article here on Evangelicals, along with most American Christians, fearing the loss of their teenagers to this present darkness of a culture we've got going. 5 years after the big 9/11 wakeup call, everyone is back to a pretty steady hedonistic lifestyle. Simply put, we're back to being selfish. If every ecosystem has a harbinger of ill health, the canary in a coal mine, the shellfish in the marsh, etc, then I'd venture to say our teenagers are our view into the future- and its a pretty bleak one. One where the needs of an individual are elevated to such new heights as to be idolatrous.

Anyway, that leads in an odd way, to my subject today, which is this ongoing tension in American Christianity between individual and community. One way I see this getting played out is in this dialougue between Evangelicals and Emergents. The Emergent Church movement has a gotten a good amount of press lately, and some of it I see as self published, but then again, I've been reading a lot of blogs- and the blogosphere is notoriously populated by postmoderns and millenials, without alot of modernists to challenge. Anyway, I stumbled upon "open source theology", an interesting site. I don't want to give it a whole review, because I don't think two visits would be any stretch make my opinion definitive, but my first impression did seem to be one of a lot of divinity school drop-outs throwing around big words. I do believe in the neccesity of such forums, where we wrestle with the clash between kingdom and culture, or celebrate the union of the same, but just because you know terms like eschatological and parousia, do they help the everyday person understand the conversation? At some point we move from dialogue to navel-gazing. Turn off the computer and go work for an hour at the soup kitchen (she says while engaging in the same behavior she decries).

But I digress. One thread was focused on the relationship between the emergents and evangelicals. A delicate knot to untie. The majority of emergents I have heard sound a lot like mainline protestant social justice folks, but ones who actually know the Bible and believe Jesus said those things. I have resonated with this message quite well, as a mainliner who desparately wishes her denomination would come to know Jesus. I am particularly struck with how most often the message seems aimed to those with a great deal of evangelical experience, trying to get them to go out and be a force of change. "You've been saved, so go and change the world." Rob Bell was making the point of differientiang between personal sin and Institutional Sin. He used Billy Graham and Martin Luther King to represent the two- Billy calling you to repent of individual sin, and MLK to get a country to repent of an institutional sin. Both important, both worthwhile, both a part of the gospel.

Its a great example. Always these two extremes that Christianity gets to walk in between- threading the needle. So, Evangelicals to me, represent that call to the personal- to a real faith, to deal with your sin, to share the process with another. There is the quote "Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread." And so, for me, the Emergent movement is alot about the community- about dealing with some institutionalized stuff and reimaging the entire creation- all in a communal context. Maybe Evangelicals become the capitalists, and Emergents the communists. Those are loaded words from years of contextualizing- but think of them more as you did when you first studied forms of government in 8th grade, and you'll see where I'm coming from.

So, in doing this little exercise, I was reminded of the ways in which we read scripture, and read into it, and how English fails us. So, much can be said about the community and times in which the scripture was written(big word to use here is "hermaneutical"). I do think it is of value to understand that context- it only deepens my faith to do so. As with everything though, we can go too far and spend our time only looking at what the text would have said to someone of that day, and not letting the Spirit breathe into us, and the text, and let it live and speak to us today. So that is my point of diversion with many mainline preachers. Too academic- great that this passage meant such and such to Marcus Flavius Uno, but what of its call to us today? Evangelicals rush in at this point- providing as an alternative a wealth of personal application of scripture. Here is what you need now and today. Run in such a way as to get the prize. You are the light of the world. Work out your faith with fear and trembling. We(yes I count myself an evangelical) take all these as personal instructions and we work very hard to make our individual lives conform to an ideal of prayer, and behavior, and piety- by ourselves- in our quiet times.

But study any other language, and when you read those passages in that language, you'll see that those commands are most often in second person plural, not second person singular. The real translation of Colossians 2:17 should be Christ in Y'all, the hope of glory. Paul was writing to whole communities, not usually to individuals. (Timothy and Titus being the exceptions). As was Peter, James, and John. So what does that mean? And can Emergents put a face on that? Something that gets beyond the post-apocalyptic-eschatology of pneumatological gobbledy-gook? Will this new call to communal living play out? Will we be better able to understand the Y'all nuances versus the individul focused approach? Will their call to communal living and journeying rise above a neo-hippie socialism? I wait to see, as I also hope fevertly so...because if a group of people can actually live out the Gospel in a real life way in the midst of a real life culture, I think the world as we known it might end...if the kingdom has, like the crest of a wave, been slowing folding into reality...then that might be an actual tsunami moment of transformation. I will keep dreaming. And restrain myself from using big, unneccesary words.

A change of seasons

So, I've been reflecting on the rhythms of my life and kind of a Benedictine way of life- where everything is oriented around set parts of the day- there' s a time for working, some for praying/spiritual growth, time for recreation/exercise, and a time for rest. At least I think I have those right- there may be another, like a time to study I think- yes, that is so. Anyway, I was reflecting on the coming of Fall, and September in general. It is a short month to begin with (30 days hath September...) and then with eveything that goes on, it always seems to fly by. October doesn't seem so fast, because I'm waiting for my birthday. (I neither delight nor dread its coming anymore, its just a fixed date and I can mark the rest of the month by it). I was thinking of how everyone goes back to school in the fall, new classes, new shoes, new pencils and textbooks, new teachers, new year. It struck me how we like to make each new season a new beginning.

For me, though, it has always meant an end of summer, and a beginning of work. Studies were never that hard for me, so school work was just that, mostly work- deadlines, things to create, important dates of tests, etc. It also happens that my first day of "real" employment- my first real job as a youth minister, was 9-9-90. It was a Sunday, and an easily memorized date. Eight years later, that date would take on different connotations concerning the labor force, as it is the birthdate of my oldest child, 9-9-98. September is also always Labor Day- the day celebrating all those employed (and oppressed by the 'man', but we'll save that for another day). So fall becomes my season of work- time to get down to business, to knuckle down and get in there and get the hands dirty- work.

Then I go backwards and think about the beginning of summer- not a June 1st goes by without me remembering the start of summer camp. It has been a part of my life in one form or another for 17 of the last 23 summers. Some of those meant intense work for me, but there is always an element of being at summer camp that is just flat out fun. Even though as a director especially, and in other capacities too, I have worked my tail off for the summer, it is by-in-large fun work. There are always moments to act silly, sing songs, be in skits, laugh with friends, watch a sunset and enjoy a special corner of God's kingdom known as camp. So, for me, summer is the recreation/exercise/play season.

Then there's spring. Spring isn't spring until Easter for me. Easter (and Lent somewhat) represents a major spiritual growing season. It is both a time of reflection and great joy- Easter is the center of my faith, and it does bring new life and birth. There is something that reverberates in the depths of me- my spirit awakens with the warm weather. (I also find I am tied to a seasonal calendar in my temperature preferences- I hate being cold and do much better in warmer climes). So, Spring becomes my season of prayer, reflection, and spiritual growth and depth. I usually awaken from spiritual lethargy, and aspire to greater devotion- it is a return, a rebirth and new life in my spirit.

That leaves winter. Most people have new beginnings in the winter- the new calendar year, resolutions, etc. Not me so much. Holidays are OK- but are sometimes loaded with family dynamic landmines and negotiating the pleasing game becomes overshadowed with the materialism/ greed of my kids and then January and February just get lost in a desire for warmer weather. I would have to say that if I could have it any way I wanted it, Winter would be my season of rest- in particular sleep. I could seriously hibernate. It makes getting stuff ready for Christmas kinda hard- all that hustle and bustle- getting presents, wrapping them, getting a tree, decorating- and really I'd just like to curl up in bed and snooze. There's the whole S.A.D. and lack of sunlight and all that- plus my body doesn't tolerate the cold so well. So, even though I can't always have it that way for the whole season, let's call winter the resting season.

That leaves study. I'd like to think I am a student all the time. That's partially true and mostly a load of manure. I have very little free time for reading and true study. I do reflect, think, ponder, feed myself snippets of ideas and chew on morsels of information- but the true meaty work of studying doesn't happen much. And so, I am way excited that I am about to start a Bible study- and maybe be leading parts of it- since in preparing for leading Bible studies has almost always led to my greatest studying (albeit narrowly focused on the lesson for the day). While I don't see myself as a PhD candidate at any point in my life, I do feel as if I'll be moving a little closer to fulfilling the study piece of my Benedictine life. There's some joke around here at the moment about a monastery and me and my husband- but I'm not finding it. Substitute your own here now.

emergent community

I was going really well and got sidetracked by some deck steps and a lego birthday party. On the plus side, I now have new steps coming off my deck downstairs, preparing for my eventual installation of a patio….when $5,000 can be better spent. I will probably come out of this for a total of about $1500- I should give 3500 away somewhere. Goodness knows it’s needed. I have this thing about spending so much money on houses etc. I mean, almost noone inherits their parents’ houses and lives in them…they sell them because they live in another time zone and don’t want to live in their parents’ house. So I guess we spend all this money upgrading so we can eventually sell it…sad really. Anyway, when 47% of the world lives on a dollar a day, I can skimp on the patio.

Not really where I started with this blog, but oh well. I have about 3 ideas running around in my head. One is for a blog about the Emergent/pomo church movement. One is on wal-mart, capitalism, my part in it, Ecuador, world poverty etc. And then there’s the one about the charismatic movement and where did that go? But, for tonight I think I’ll go with my topic on generations and the differentiation between individual and group.

I had a great convo today about the whole Emergent/pomo church movement, and in the process, the person I was talking to said “I think it’s a fad” to which I responded, yes, but some will fade, and I think some of it is showing us a new direction in church. He started talking generations and typical Gen Xers- and their disdain for absolute truth. He said what do they expect to find when life deals them bad hand and death, disease and discomfort set in- they will have no absolute truth to resort to- (if there are no goods and bads, it makes it hard to argue for justice when there is not standard of what’s just. ) My quick retort was that they are putting their stock in community- counting on relationships with others to carry them through. He responded that even community lets us down…true, I said, but that is what so many of these new communities are striving to do- build authentic community to really be the body of Christ. Something different than a well-wishing group of people connected by locality or common bonds. I think the phone rang and we were interrupted at this point….but it brought to mind lots of thoughts.

So, pomos do really value the relational. I see it everywhere, and the millenials and beyond are following in this way. What else is all this IMing, texting, cell phoning and “My Space” about? Connecting- being on a buddy list, knowing the minutiae of everyone’s life- worthy of blogging or not (mine being case in point). (Pause here to have meaningful discussion with husband as to nature of responses to 9-11- great convo). But will the community they make withstand the trials of life? Is the bond strong enough to walk through colon cancer with someone? Or alzheimers? Repeated drug abuse? A drunk driving homicide wreck? When your friends on My Space find out you were arrested for child pornography, do they stay by your side? Did they challenge you on the behavior beforehand? When they saw the signs? Is virtual e-community anywhere near as strong as physical community? Hard to answer all those. I do think it is possible for a community to walk through any of those scenarios with someone. I am just dubious that all the people who think they are in a community are actually in a community. How many substitutes for community are there? And the problem with E-community is that you are only who you represent yourself to be- and that can even be someone of a different gender, age, hometown, etc.

The other piece is how friends, and by extension community, have taken the place of immediate family. It is easy to see this change between my parents generation and mine. I like to use the example of driving 2 hours one day to visit for a few hours with some friends from high school, and ending up in my sister’s neighborhood. I had a great visit with my friends, but didn’t have time to call my sister or go by and see her. I had to get back for VBS that evening- another community commitment. So, what does that say about family vs. community in my life? And in good pomo fashion- I'll just end it there, for the conversation never really ends, despite the amazing lack of comments on my page.

It must be the mulch…

OK- new blog. So I finished another reunion- this one from camp- and a great time was had by all. It really was fun to see old friends, share memories- deep conversations and fun ones. Always picking up just where we left off- but understanding we’ve changed and grown and not expecting anything more than for us to just be ourselves. There is a little pressure to be as entertaining or outrageous as you used to be, but not usually- just warmth, gladness and a reclamation of a great community.

Otherwise, I got a great chance to get a question answered that’s been bouncing around in my head. I realize I have asked this from a very consumeristic and uneducated viewpoint- but it seems to me to be counterintuitive that organically grown produce (as well as meats) cost more than their ‘regular’ counterparts. I mean, how is it you can put less chemicals, pesticides and steroids in something and have it cost more? I used to think it had to do with the distance to ship it- as there weren’t that many organic farms that close. Another factor I put in was labor- but then a good portion of our food comes from the USA- minus some off season fruits & veggies- maybe some seafood. And, the US is going to have a fairly uniform labor pay scale. I did think though, that those who go to the trouble of being good stewards and grow organically also like to pay more than the bare minimum in wages. Still, I had trouble making it all compute.

My friend Nancy- who is wise beyond wise and shares my penchant for theory making and deep thinking around the dinner table- she enlightened me on a few things concerning organics. Her brother is currently involved in a program to enhance organics in the Eastern Carolina area- to promote sustainable farming initiatives- to get rid of tobacco dependent farming. He (and Nancy) spend a good amount of time trying to broker local crops to grocery stores and doing education about organics. So, first of all, while it is true there are less pesticides and chemicals, it doesn’t mean there are none- there are some approved organic sprays, or in lieu of those you have to pay someone to go pick aphids or the like off the crops by hand. Secondly, organic seed costs more- to ensure no genetic tampering and no radiation or coating with fertilizer- that makes for more expensive seed. Lastly, there is the issue of soil prep. Organics need much more composting, working and conditioning the soil before you even plant. More stuff in the soil, more labor to do it- there you have it. That partially answers my question- still seems like there can be a lowering in price, but then demand is rising and for now I imagine supply is staying put.

So that brings me to one of my favorite rants: Wal-mart- or how one corporation found the scotch-irish cheapskate in all of us. They are poised to go after the organic market- offering organics in their grocery sections. They are promising to keep prices reasonable, and I imagine they will ply their usual tactics on the suppliers to keep it so. Seeing as how they are unlikely to make inroads on an industry that has been set for years, my theory on this one is that they will go a different direction and cause a degradation in what meets the standard of “organically grown”. I mentioned this to George Sunday and the next day in the paper, there is an article about how the gov’t is looking to change the definition of “grass fed” beef- so it can make it broader and easier for farmers to slap that label on the package. Watch what happens when Wally-world gets in on the action- I foresee a whole line of “almost-organic” products coming to aisle 4 at a superstore near you! Makes you want to throw rotten veggies at someone- wonder where we could find some?

Carpools and precision lawn mower parades

Not sure what else I wanted to say in the last post- I held onto it to edit- but I think I’ll just post it. Probably thinking about why I titled it the past and the present and then only talked about the past. Yeah- we’ll go with that.

I’m sitting in the carpool line at the moment- watching a big ol’ storm over Paris Mtn. Seen about 4-5 classic sky to ground bolts- thunder counting says they are still at least a mile away- but I’m not excited about the idea of people standing out in the driveway with walkie-talkies with lots of electricity around. The fact is that it’s to our south- which should mean it will be moving away- but no guarantees. Some will think this is associated with Tropical Storm Ernesto- and I can’t see that. I haven’t checked today, but I think the center of circulation is probably still in Fla. somewhere.

So this is a week between reunions. Next weekend is the Cheerio camp reunion. I’m looking forward to it and not. There are people to see- but those I was very closest to- not so much. I am sure I will get asked lots of questions about folks I should have been keeping up with, but haven’t really. I don’t even know what Jen’s baby’s name is! (Or anything about it really…shame heaps itself on my head, rolling off into my consciousness like a big plop of mashed potatoes with gravy on top). Of course, now it looks like it just might rain all weekend. Whoo-hoo!

There is some story George wants me to write down- and I’ve asked him twice now and forgotten it. Something that happened in Live Oak. Can’t seem to lodge it in my head. It looks like the storm s moving to our east- not so much thunder. Whoops- spoke too fast- big lighting bolt. Seems like their going to move the line now- hard to drive and type.

Now I remember the story- I asked George for a third time. When we were in Live Oak, we occasionally watched the Annual Christmas parade. Now, several times, it was only because we forgot they had blocked the road and we tried to go to the grocery store. One year, though, we actually made an effort to go, I think Burke was about a year old. We loaded up and found a spot near the Kmart parking lot. It was what I considered a typical small southern town’s attempt at a parade. City officials in the back of convertibles, pickup trucks with cheerleaders in the back, you know the lot. Then we started to notice that a few churches had ‘floats’- large flat bed trailers being pulled by big honkin’ pickem-up trucks. A few had speakers and music playing- I think one had a band- some Christmas carols. One had several people in sort of a live nativity. But one I remember well, because as they went by (each float probably averaged 2 mph) they threw hard candy out to the onlookers. Mostly they got it all the way over to the crowd, but several misestimated and candy landed on the ground and on the road- once kids figured out there was candy- it was much like the scene when the piñata breaks- kids scrambling onto the road to pick up candy off the ground. I wouldn’t have been letting my kids do that, but it didn’t seem like such a horrible thing until I saw which entry followed the church candy float. It just happened to be followed by the precision lawn mower drivers from the local lawn and garden shop- and they were all driving zero-turn-radius mowers making patterns with swirls, turns and the like- all while wearing festive Santa hats. Now, they didn’t have the blades engaged, I’m sure- but they were also so intent on executing their ‘routine’ that they didn’t exactly pick up on the fact that small children were darting out into the road ahead of them. I did not see any road carnage that day- but the potential was so high and the situation so inane I just had to laugh very hard….sick of me I know. Can’t you just imagine the headline the next day?
“Child maimed by precision lawn mower during parade” LIVE OAK.Fl. A small child whose name is withheld to protect her identity, was seriously injured when she tried to retrieve a piece of Laffy Taffy from the annual parade route and was sideswiped by a zero-turn radius mower, sponsored by John’s Lawn Equipment. Although warned not to enter into the path of the parade, citizens often ignore the warnings and cross the street in front of the slow moving floats. “Candy is what’s to blame,” said Ms Jenga Dunn, an onlooker….oh I could write the whole piece right now! For some actual articles from Live Oak that are just as amusing, but not nearly as well written- check out www.suwanneedemocrat.com. On Dasher, on Prancer, on Toro and John Deere……

The past and the future

So- for a slightly different thing- I just got back from my 20 (ish) year High School Youth Group EYC reunion. It was concurrent with the St. John's 50th reunion/celebration- so my mom came too. What a great thing. In an easy world (not a perfect one) I would write great thank you note to those who organized it, and email all those folks I finally caught up with. The truth is I might get an email/thank you or two out and that will be about it.

It was fun finding a balance between listening and talking- and with a live band (nice thought with old EYC members and all- but hard to talk over) most conversations got no farther than spouses, children, home towns and jobs. There were the occasional "Do you remembers" but not as many as I thought- and besides 1 other scrapbook from the library I think, I was the only one that brought pictures. I have to resist the urge to think about how I would have run the event and just focus more on how much I enjoyed it.

I think it was fun to also see the older crowd, who were supposed to be in another room, gravitate to our area- lots of parents and advisors too. It will be interesting to see what re-connections are made, if any- for we all live hectic lives and most have kids and jobs. I particularly liked to see the old advisors- especially Beth L. I miss them! I don't think I did a very good job explaining what an impact they had on my life- so maybe I can do that by email. It was always good to see Paul- Wendy too-didn't realize they'd been off on mission field.

Hated to have to leave this morning and come back to St James- promised Debbie we'd do the song "Abre Los Cielos" from Ecuador. It went surprisingly well. I really need to tie up all the loose ends from that trip- and that's a subject for another blog.

In some ways, reunions are so hard- because you have to rekindle a relationship based on who you were 20 years ago. It was hard not to think of myself as 17 again- at least, not to think I was being viewed as a 17 year old again. In other ways, this was a perfect community for a reunion- those who were with me at the start of my faith journey- who nurtured me, led me, supported me and sent me out. What a wonderful thing to return and revisit. I do wish there had been more time- or maybe more structured activities- a quick game of drop the ashtray? Maybe more like do you love your neighbor. Then I really would have felt 17 again!

Rant on, Part 2

So it’s time to finish that rant. I hope to write more frequently than I have so far- but life does have a tyranny of the urgent. (I think that’s a fancier way of saying the squeaky wheel gets the oil). So here we are with this socially sensitive and justice minded group of people. They wouldn’t presume to export democracy- or support a war that alleges to foist one culture’s values upon another culture. AND YET this same group of folks, in the name of inclusivity and sensitivity to a particular sub-set of American culture, has said to the other cultures associated with it within the Anglican communion, “We know more than you. We are prophetic and farther along in our understanding of God’s ways. We will take this course of action- ordaining gay clergy and bishops, and blessing gay marriages- and you should accept it and allow us our choice in this matter.” My only feeling towards this is horror when I consider how amazingly arrogant it is. Because of the nature of the Anglican communion, we are intertwined with other cultures- all under this self-identification as Anglicans. And yet, when the VAST majority of Anglicans world-wide say that the ordination of homosexuals does not reflect their views and understanding of what God has called them to do, PECUSA simply shrugs and says “You are from a backwards culture- you don’t know as much as we do- we are smart, rich, well educated Episcopalians. You are poor Africans or Asians surrounded by animist cultures that just don’t know how life really is.” (reference the Bishop of Newark’s remarks concerning the chicken dinner at Lambeth 1988).

Admittedly, no self respecting Episcopalian would ever say that sort of thing. And yet, it is just this inability to step outside our own culture and see ourselves from a different perspective that is the very behavior we decry in the international policy of US politics. Arrogant- that is my rant. To say to the rest of the Anglican communion that we disagree with you is one thing- to say that we are right and we won’t apologize for stepping outside the norms- that is another thing. To say to bishops who struggle to stay alive amidst Muslim populations who will kill anyone caught in homosexual behavior “Part of your church that you are trying to represent sees this behavior as laudable.” I mean, I can’t imagine what the average Muslim thinks when they find out that Anglicans in the US are ordaining active homosexuals. I’m not trying to say that the Muslim perspective on homosexual behavior, or women for that matter, is right and that I agree with it. But when I put myself in the place of someone trying to explain Christ and the church to a predominately Muslim culture- oh my goodness! What a mess. And to have my brethren in the US be totally unsupportive….even working against me. The same could be said for electing a female presiding bishop.

Let me touch on the election of Katherine Jefferts-Sciori for just a second. I have no knowledge of this person- I haven’t read anything she’s written or even know that much about her. So, that is out there. What I think is that about 90% of the delegates and people in the church at large saw her as the token female on the slate. Since we talk a lot about inclusivity and such- it would look bad if our entire slate of PB candidates was all white 50 something men. And the slate was a lot of white 50 something men- plus Jefferts-Schiori and one Hispanic. Taken along with her experience (she has only been ordained a little over 12 years) and her diocese (one of the smallest and not very representative of the church) I don’t think many saw her as a serious candidate. And what happened? The portion of the church that likes to be ‘prophetic’ and ‘cutting edge’ and in my opinion likes to stir up trouble- they saw a chance to make yet another statement to the international Anglican communion without issuing a statement from committee. (A statement that resembles someone thumbing their nose). And once Jefferts-Sciori got a foot in the door so to speak- people jumped on the train and away it went. Now, I’ve already said I wasn’t there and I don’t know much about it. But if I understand blogging just right- it doesn’t matter- it’s my opinion. Feel free to comment.

So, my major complaint with PECUSA is that they are unbearably arrogant, insensitive to anyone who doesn’t think as the majority does, ready to discount, or even oppress anyone who doesn’t agree with the majority rule. Doesn’t sound so open minded and inclusive after all, does it? There again I have written more than enough for a day (or a week as the case may be). So now what?

the latest rants; installment 1

So my latest rant (and by far the largest) has been over my on-going relationship with the Episcopal church-USA. There have been the headlines with stuff about gay ordination and so forth and so on. My basis for ranting is a rampant hypocrisy and a lack of vision that astounds me. Steve Taylor has a line in a song that says "You're so open minded that your brain fell out." It has always made me chuckle- and partly because I have seen it in action.

A little background- the national Episcopal church is a small bunch- we number 2 million nationwide. That represents something like less than 1 % of the US population. Within that narrow margin are several divergent opinions- but they can be boiled down to two or three at best. And every three years, they get together to vote on what the majority of them think. It is unfair to use broad brush strokes on any group- but I do so after watching "the majority" rule. Over the past 30 years most Episcopalians could be characterized as middle class, well-educated, socially liberal (more democrat than republican) but fiscally conservative (more republican than democrat). Given that they created their own insurance company to handle the assets and retirements, they have in large part, focused more on larger American social policies. (so they focus more on the socially liberal part since the fiscal conservatism is taken care of) They are usually found on the side of the democrats- and I mean that in a good way. )I also firmly believe that Jesus really meant what he said by things like "feed the poor" "Love your neighbor" and "Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me." My rector has a bumper sticker that says "I'm pretty sure that when Jesus said 'Love your enemies' He meant don't bomb them") There seems to be a preponderance of Episcopalians in the northeast (the legacy of the 13 English colonies) and they are by in large liberal folks.

So you end up with a church full of social activists- people who are interested in setting right those things wrong in the world- standing up for the oppressed- respecting the dignity of every human being. These aren't bad things...they just fall short in practice. The Episcopal church was one of the first in the world to ordain women, they have effected change in the condition of coal miners, taken stands on holding conventions at hotels with racist views (Adams Mark) and embraced those who stand outside the norm- those with AIDS, divorced persons, etc. etc. etc.

I think if you did a survey, a majority of Episcopalians would be against the war in Iraq- and you'd hear them say "Its not right for us to force our views of democracy and societal norms on other cultures- we need to respect their right to self-determination and to decide their own destiny. "

I just realized how long I've been ranting. I will have to make this into multiple entries. So that's enough for now.

Lets get started

Well...I've been blogging in my head for years now, and my friends and spouse have been victims of my verbal blogging...so now I inflict it on the rest of the world~ oh yeah. I guess my title tells a lot of the story. I get a good deal of grief for my theories on life, on the existence of Iowa, on my book ideas- you get the picture. So, now I have a place to put all that and spare my husband the pains of always having to agree with me, because, I make really good sense sometimes! Always a little behind the curve, but never resistant. Alrighty then.