Tuesday, March 13, 2007
"Forgive me Father..."
It has been almost two weeks since my last post.
I am a native of New Orleans, and as a result, though I am not Catholic, I attended Catholic High School. The Jesuit High School of New Orleans (those of you grammarians please let me know where exactly I capitalize "Catholic", because I have no idea).
The Jesuits may have been responsible for my interest in what actually may or may no have happened or at least what was likely to have happened during Jesus' time here on earth. And they certainly may have fueled my radical tendencies. Or it may have just been a teenage feeling that "The Man", in my case, organized religion, was keeping important maybe even scandalous information away from me. These feelings of suspicion towards authority figures were common in the 60's and 70's, but are less common now that kids tend to only think of themselves and what they can buy with their parent's credit cards as opposed to larger life issues such as war, global warming or the effects of steroids on baseball.
The church has changed as well since the 70's, especially with the rise of Christian fundamentalism through the efforts of folks like James Dobson, Jerry Falwell and now, Peter Akinola. The word Christian, thanks to the political and social bastardization of a faith whose foundations are a belief in God and an acceptance and love for our fellow man; now stands for such fine things as intolerance, bigotry and fear.
As a kid, I was proud to be a Christian, proud of my faith, proud of my belief. These days if a person mentions being a Christian people immediately think the person goes to wacky tent revivals, sees the Bible as infallible, believe that God made everything in a week when he had nothing better to do, thinks Katrina hit New Orleans because the city and country are full of sin and finally that if you don't march to the same drummer, then you aren't Christian.
I feel as if I need an immediate disclaimer to my faith, maybe a t-shirt that says "Beware Rational Christian".
The latest example of this is from the more conservative Episcopal churches in the Anglican Communion. Ostracizing gays and women is something we've come to expect from the fringe element, but not from Episcopalians. They are the hip Christians, they are the Desmond Tutu stick it to the man and get rid of apartheid Christians.
Evidently not the ones down in Virginia. Those fine folks at Falls Church Episcopal can segregate and point a finger with the best of them and what of those upstanding members of Truro Episcopal? Don't leave them out, after all how can a gay man or any woman for that matter lead them to God? (There are others of course, but I wanted to mention these two, especially Falls Church, because George Washington, a former member, is spinning in his grave)
Everybody knows God hates gays, right? That's why we have Aids in the world. And women? forget it, that woman in the Gospel of Mark, the one Jesus pointed to and said that she represented the faith so much that she should be remembered where ever the Gospel or "Good News" is mentioned? He was kidding, funny guy that Christ.
While we're taking a whack at gays and women, being good Christians lets just cleanse the world, and get rid of the other non-believers: all you Hindus, Muslims, Taoist, Buddhists, Wiccans, Agnostics...unless you decide to pray like us, love the people we tell you to love and submit to the church leaders we tell you to; regardless of the fact that they bear no spiritual connection to the man who taught us the faith in the first place (shout out to Bishop Akinola bigot and hate monger), then to hell with you (literally).
Come on Christians, we can do this, all we need to do is follow a good example, what comes to mind?
Well, the Nazis for one.
At some point during my more radical period, (age has definitely mellowed me) I wanted to get t-shirts made that said "If Jesus were alive today, he'd be agnostic", I'm beginning to think I wasn't far off.
Tolerance is not a four letter word, but "Christian" is becoming one, because of a lack of the former. In this increasingly intolerant world Christians regardless of their affiliation, need to lead the way in acceptance of all people regardless of what they believe, who they love, or what they think.
We owe it to the man who spent his time trying to convince the leaders of his own faith that everyone deserves a chance to sit at God's table. That forgiveness is more important than retribution and that judgment doesn't belong to us, but to God.
Peace,
RW
It has been almost two weeks since my last post.
I am a native of New Orleans, and as a result, though I am not Catholic, I attended Catholic High School. The Jesuit High School of New Orleans (those of you grammarians please let me know where exactly I capitalize "Catholic", because I have no idea).
The Jesuits may have been responsible for my interest in what actually may or may no have happened or at least what was likely to have happened during Jesus' time here on earth. And they certainly may have fueled my radical tendencies. Or it may have just been a teenage feeling that "The Man", in my case, organized religion, was keeping important maybe even scandalous information away from me. These feelings of suspicion towards authority figures were common in the 60's and 70's, but are less common now that kids tend to only think of themselves and what they can buy with their parent's credit cards as opposed to larger life issues such as war, global warming or the effects of steroids on baseball.
The church has changed as well since the 70's, especially with the rise of Christian fundamentalism through the efforts of folks like James Dobson, Jerry Falwell and now, Peter Akinola. The word Christian, thanks to the political and social bastardization of a faith whose foundations are a belief in God and an acceptance and love for our fellow man; now stands for such fine things as intolerance, bigotry and fear.
As a kid, I was proud to be a Christian, proud of my faith, proud of my belief. These days if a person mentions being a Christian people immediately think the person goes to wacky tent revivals, sees the Bible as infallible, believe that God made everything in a week when he had nothing better to do, thinks Katrina hit New Orleans because the city and country are full of sin and finally that if you don't march to the same drummer, then you aren't Christian.
I feel as if I need an immediate disclaimer to my faith, maybe a t-shirt that says "Beware Rational Christian".
The latest example of this is from the more conservative Episcopal churches in the Anglican Communion. Ostracizing gays and women is something we've come to expect from the fringe element, but not from Episcopalians. They are the hip Christians, they are the Desmond Tutu stick it to the man and get rid of apartheid Christians.
Evidently not the ones down in Virginia. Those fine folks at Falls Church Episcopal can segregate and point a finger with the best of them and what of those upstanding members of Truro Episcopal? Don't leave them out, after all how can a gay man or any woman for that matter lead them to God? (There are others of course, but I wanted to mention these two, especially Falls Church, because George Washington, a former member, is spinning in his grave)
Everybody knows God hates gays, right? That's why we have Aids in the world. And women? forget it, that woman in the Gospel of Mark, the one Jesus pointed to and said that she represented the faith so much that she should be remembered where ever the Gospel or "Good News" is mentioned? He was kidding, funny guy that Christ.
While we're taking a whack at gays and women, being good Christians lets just cleanse the world, and get rid of the other non-believers: all you Hindus, Muslims, Taoist, Buddhists, Wiccans, Agnostics...unless you decide to pray like us, love the people we tell you to love and submit to the church leaders we tell you to; regardless of the fact that they bear no spiritual connection to the man who taught us the faith in the first place (shout out to Bishop Akinola bigot and hate monger), then to hell with you (literally).
Come on Christians, we can do this, all we need to do is follow a good example, what comes to mind?
Well, the Nazis for one.
At some point during my more radical period, (age has definitely mellowed me) I wanted to get t-shirts made that said "If Jesus were alive today, he'd be agnostic", I'm beginning to think I wasn't far off.
Tolerance is not a four letter word, but "Christian" is becoming one, because of a lack of the former. In this increasingly intolerant world Christians regardless of their affiliation, need to lead the way in acceptance of all people regardless of what they believe, who they love, or what they think.
We owe it to the man who spent his time trying to convince the leaders of his own faith that everyone deserves a chance to sit at God's table. That forgiveness is more important than retribution and that judgment doesn't belong to us, but to God.
Peace,
RW
Labels: Akinola, Episcopal church, Gospel of Mark
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Wow.
James Cameron found Jesus' tomb.
Truly amazing stuff, especially when you consider the fact that he couldn't manage to find either a decent script or the will to cut "Titanic" into something watchable. I mean come on, Kate Winslet notcies there aren't enough lifeboats and nobody else does?
The real question is does it really matter if this is in fact the tomb of the Jesus clan?
The answer of course is no.
The foundation of Christianity is the ressurected Christ, defying death and the wages of sin on behalf of all of us sinners. Whether the ressurection actually occurred or not (and as most of you know, I for one do not endorse a 'literal' resurrection), is not important, what is important is what Jesus as a minister and rabble rouser taught to the spritually hungry masses.
Love God, Love each other.
Mel Gibson, in his snuff film of "The Passion", took everything he learned with making "Braveheart" and applied it to his own narrow misguided faith. The tragedy of the film was that it focused on a few relatively unimportant moments in Christ's life in order to generate world wide interest in anti-semitism when all he really needed to do was get busted for DUI. Though he did manage to rake in a whole bunch of money. For being such a good Christian I don't recall him donating the profits.
Hell, Paul Neuman does that and it took him 2o years to make the cash Mel did on one B movie.
I digress, so, back to the question at hand, what do we do with this whole tomb of Jesus thing?
Nothing.
Mainstream Christians gain nothing by confronting the resurrection and folks like me, concerned not only with Christ's teachings but the also the environment in which he taught, don't gain anything by this either. For me, how or where he ended up is truly secondary to the importance of what he said and did.
Now, for a quick retort to those who write to chastise me for "customizing" Christianity to my own needs, why the hell shouldn't I? The early Christian leaders did exactly the same from St. Paul on up. Am I any less than they? If I were living in the 300's as opposed to the 2000's I might even be invited to the big convention in Nicea to help decide just how to customize Christianity for his eminence Constantine I.
I'm sure those folks back in 321 C.E., who mainstream Christians can't seem to realize that they worship more than Jesus, had keeping true to the teachings of Christ at the forefront of all of their decisions.
Un-hunh.
That being said, keep those cards and letters coming.
Ponder this for next week. Since there are various "theories" as to the origins of the four Canonical Gospels, does this mean they aren't valid?
I think it does if you apply the fundamental Christian approach to the theory of evolution.
Peace,
RW
James Cameron found Jesus' tomb.
Truly amazing stuff, especially when you consider the fact that he couldn't manage to find either a decent script or the will to cut "Titanic" into something watchable. I mean come on, Kate Winslet notcies there aren't enough lifeboats and nobody else does?
The real question is does it really matter if this is in fact the tomb of the Jesus clan?
The answer of course is no.
The foundation of Christianity is the ressurected Christ, defying death and the wages of sin on behalf of all of us sinners. Whether the ressurection actually occurred or not (and as most of you know, I for one do not endorse a 'literal' resurrection), is not important, what is important is what Jesus as a minister and rabble rouser taught to the spritually hungry masses.
Love God, Love each other.
Mel Gibson, in his snuff film of "The Passion", took everything he learned with making "Braveheart" and applied it to his own narrow misguided faith. The tragedy of the film was that it focused on a few relatively unimportant moments in Christ's life in order to generate world wide interest in anti-semitism when all he really needed to do was get busted for DUI. Though he did manage to rake in a whole bunch of money. For being such a good Christian I don't recall him donating the profits.
Hell, Paul Neuman does that and it took him 2o years to make the cash Mel did on one B movie.
I digress, so, back to the question at hand, what do we do with this whole tomb of Jesus thing?
Nothing.
Mainstream Christians gain nothing by confronting the resurrection and folks like me, concerned not only with Christ's teachings but the also the environment in which he taught, don't gain anything by this either. For me, how or where he ended up is truly secondary to the importance of what he said and did.
Now, for a quick retort to those who write to chastise me for "customizing" Christianity to my own needs, why the hell shouldn't I? The early Christian leaders did exactly the same from St. Paul on up. Am I any less than they? If I were living in the 300's as opposed to the 2000's I might even be invited to the big convention in Nicea to help decide just how to customize Christianity for his eminence Constantine I.
I'm sure those folks back in 321 C.E., who mainstream Christians can't seem to realize that they worship more than Jesus, had keeping true to the teachings of Christ at the forefront of all of their decisions.
Un-hunh.
That being said, keep those cards and letters coming.
Ponder this for next week. Since there are various "theories" as to the origins of the four Canonical Gospels, does this mean they aren't valid?
I think it does if you apply the fundamental Christian approach to the theory of evolution.
Peace,
RW
Labels: Gospels, Titanic, Tomb of Jesus
