Category: Theological Rant
My Journey Back Into The Church . . .
I have to admit that I am not a listener to bands / groups that identify themselves as “Christian”. I’m not comfortable with the word “Christian” being used as an adjective more than a verb because it is too easy for faith or belief to be a consumer product. That is a blog for another day. My thanks to a friend, Katy McFall, for posting this article on her Facebook page. I may have to listen to Jennifer Knapp’s music given her openness in this article.
My Journey Back Into The Church As A Gay Christian
by Jennifer Knapp | Believe Out Loud | 2/10/12From the moment I began to acknowledge my connection to women, many of my Christian friends began to immediately critique my spiritual standing. The conclusions always jumped to my lack of self-control, some failure of mine to “respond to the Holy Spirit” or that I was willfully sinful, headstrong and purposed to throw out my concern for pleasing God. The thought of my spiritual mentors and evangelical friends always ended with the conclusion that something was horribly wrong with me.
In 2010, I publicly disclosed that I was in a same-sex relationship. Under heavy scrutiny, I maintained that I still considered myself a person of faith. I received terrible emails and letters. I was deleted from thousands of iPods and dropped from Christian retailers and radio stations. Although a painful experience, I was aware that this scenario was on the horizon. But what I didn’t expect was how my inbox began to fill up with stories from other people just like me. I was not alone. I was not the only person in the world that was being silenced by their very own faith community. Click here to read more.
A Catholic Get’s It Right about His church
So, yesterday on “Meet the Press” there was an interesting discussion about the current fake blow up about religious discrimination, contraception, and the Catholic church. This is the murky grey area when religion decides to go into business and expects to NOT have to play by the common rules. It is one reason why I think “Churches” or “Religious Organizations” should have to pay taxes because that would make the tax code clearer, fair, and our nation a little more transparent for all of us. The Congressman in this round table discussion has it right about “his church” and business that is worth noting for anyone concerned about religious discrimination and business. I have some first hand experience with this as my companion’s employer, who thankfully provides medical insurance benefits, changed to a plan that is primarily welcomed at the Catholic hospital system in our town. One of her co-workers, married though that should not matter, found out that birth control pills are not covered in the insurance policy like other medications are covered. No contraception is covered. The argument can be made that when “councils of men” were setting the Catholic church doctrine centuries ago that being able to out number the other religions of the world that one might have to fight for domination some where in the future, was probably the persuasive argument for the current Catholic dogma as any theological one made. Sometimes it seems like some Christian zealots on the right are operating out of a similar conviction.
Romney, and Santorum both would support allowing states to outlaw contraception as if a larger population would drive down labor and drive down production costs. Are they arguing for becoming China, Indonesia, India where “pro-growth” means allowing corporations to do in America what they are allowed to do in these countries? What of human rights? Would they support a state deciding the non-whites are 3/5ths of a human? Is that their vision for America? When I hear “pro-growth” I hear anti-worker and remember the coal wars and the robber barons of history. I recall the day of Lords and Serfs which is what I hear all the white male candidates, with the exception of Rep. Paul, advocating. Rep. Paul wants “liberty” but he cannot define what that means in community. It’s easy to shout liberty, but harder to govern liberty for all.
Watch this episode of the “round table” from “Meet the Press.”