Thursday's post, "Real Marriage" was viewed by more people than any other post since I started the confessions page back in October. In just two days "Real Marriage" has already passed the previous most popular post, "Death Bed Conversion" by several hundred views and continues to grow. Thank you all who read, like, share, and comment - I am very grateful to you all.
When I started confessions, I made several commitments to myself about the page. First, that I would not hold back - I would say my thoughts without fear of what it could cost me. After living through highly stressful situations and crossing the big 50 in years, I really have no desire to hide or play politics. Life is too short not to speak honestly. The second commitment I made to myself was that I would not get into arguments on the page. I knew I would get dissent and I would be open for attacks - but again life is short and I have no time to waste auguring. I hope my posts stand on their own. They are offered not as absolute truth but simply my honest reflections. I have no expectation that any of you will fully accept my thoughts. Regardless if you are a conservative Christian, liberal Christian, practitioner of another religious tradition, agnostic, or an atheist - I at least hope that my posts cause you to think and reflect, which is an important part of any journey or path. One of the major sins of contemporary culture is that folk tend to only read or listen to people they agree with and then demonize people with whom they disagree. This is not healthy and has resulted in a dumbing down of the church and the culture as a whole. All are welcome here. I honor your path, your wisdom, your humanness. I do ask however that no one be demonized just because they have differing opinions. I also ask that no one judge the quality of my Christianity, my love of God and Jesus, my appreciation of the Bible, and please don't damn me to Hell just because I have a different opinion than you.
Looking at the comments and likes from Thursday's post I have the following thoughts. (due to differing privacy settings, I, nor you, can see all the likes, comments, and shares - Facebook does provide reports that provide a count of total reach, likes, comments, and shares).
- I am worried about the future of the church due to the silence of fellow members of the clergy. It's an almost everyday occurrence that a clergy person will talk to me about something on the confessions page yet they feel that they can not like, comment, or share without getting in trouble. Regardless if it's their religious structures holding too tight on the reins of the clergy or the clergy lacking in courage, the world needs some folk to step up to the plate. Christ's vision of a world of justice, love, and peace (The Kingdom) needs you. Fear not. Prophesy. The world has had enough little sermons with three points and a poem. The world needs prophets. Find your voice. For heaven sake, please step up to the plate.
- Thursday's post was my call for Marriage equality. I find it very troubling and a matter of injustice that same gendered couples do not have the same benefits and protections under the law that a opposite gender couple has. I am not gay, so it may not be fair of me to offer this commentary, however I am a little disappointed in my gay male friends for not stepping up to the plate in support of Thursday's post. I saw your wonderful pictures of your nice dinners and cocktails that you put up on your pages, all the while straight Christians, straight agnostics, and straight atheists were out here fighting for you. It took two days and a phone call to get a single like from one of my gay male friends. For heaven's sake, please step up to the plate. Find your voice. The world needs you.
- I am honored that my confessions page is frequented by agnostics and atheists (please see my previous post "A Patron Saint For Agnostics" if you have not). I honor you and your path and I thank you for your participation. However, I have this to say, many of my atheist friends are people that have rejected a narrow, fundamentalist, anti-intellectual form of religion and in the process felt the need to reject any notion of "ultimate reality". Human beings are multi-dementional. While you continue to nurture your intellect, I do hope you will remember to nurture your heart. And by the way, thanks for stepping up to the plate to defend your gay brothers and sisters.
- To my conservative evangelical Christian friends, I am so over "proof texting" which seems to be your primary method of discussion. I say this not to brag, but I know the Bible very well. I'm not going to change my position by someone just posting, "Romans 1:24-27". I have total respect for the Bible as a whole. I have no respect for "proof texting" to prove anything. I can use "proof texting" to justify the stoning of children, to justify slavery, to throw all women out of the city that are on their period, to offer our daughters up to angels for the angels' sexual pleasure, and on and on. Most likely I have read through the Bible more times than the number of years most of you have been alive. Referencing sacred scripture is appropriate, but using a proof text to make your full case is not gonna cut it here.
Again, thank you all for participating with this page. I truly am thankful for your support. While we my not agree and we may wear different labels, I do acknowledge you as my sisters and brothers. Because before we were Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, or Christian; before we were black, brown, or white; before we were gay or straight, male or female; we were human. Peace to you all.
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