cantdog
Waybac machine
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2004
- Posts
- 10,791
It's probably unfair to begin a thread just at this time, since I'm about an hour from hopping in the car to leave for the weekend. All the same.
My pastor works Sundays, you see, so she takes Fridays off. A woman came in today, just a minute ago leaving again. She had two things to talk to the pastor about. Firstly, in this woman's mind, she wanted to talk with a real woman pastor in this denomination to see what impression she could gain of that experience.
"I'm going into the ministry myself," she announced to me. "I'm one exam away, right now."
The other thing she had was political. Maine has a vote coming up, a gay rights thing. She had flyers and a poster about opposing the gays. She wanted to enlist our church to spread the word.
"People should know that the bill will actually legalize homosexuality! It's not about discriminating or anything, it's just that the whole thing will legalize it."
Well, I have no authority here; I refuse all attempts to invest me with any. An atheist has no business assuming authority in a church. So I waited until I was walking her out to the car.
"You feel a call to ministry."
"Oh, yes."
"Most of the denomination really detests seeing a woman in the pulpit, you know. They can't stand it. Those same people feel that homosexuality is contrary to Christian teachings."
"What?"
I'd been nothing but polite and had encouraged her to speak, in the office.
"If you become a minister, you'll be benefiting from liberal forces. Until recently women never were allowed. It seems ungenerous of you to turn and bite the gays, now that you personally have been liberated."
"I'm not trying to discriminate!"
"Believing without loving is what gives religion a bad name. Believing without loving turns any creed into a weapon of oppression. You should think about this more, in my opinion. I'm no authority on theology, but I do think--"
The rest of the conversation was a barrage of excuses and explanations interspersed with my voice repeating myself to no discernable benefit to either of us.
The Flyer and the note she wrote will be on the pastor's desk Sunday.
Your turn.
My pastor works Sundays, you see, so she takes Fridays off. A woman came in today, just a minute ago leaving again. She had two things to talk to the pastor about. Firstly, in this woman's mind, she wanted to talk with a real woman pastor in this denomination to see what impression she could gain of that experience.
"I'm going into the ministry myself," she announced to me. "I'm one exam away, right now."
The other thing she had was political. Maine has a vote coming up, a gay rights thing. She had flyers and a poster about opposing the gays. She wanted to enlist our church to spread the word.
"People should know that the bill will actually legalize homosexuality! It's not about discriminating or anything, it's just that the whole thing will legalize it."
Well, I have no authority here; I refuse all attempts to invest me with any. An atheist has no business assuming authority in a church. So I waited until I was walking her out to the car.
"You feel a call to ministry."
"Oh, yes."
"Most of the denomination really detests seeing a woman in the pulpit, you know. They can't stand it. Those same people feel that homosexuality is contrary to Christian teachings."
"What?"
I'd been nothing but polite and had encouraged her to speak, in the office.
"If you become a minister, you'll be benefiting from liberal forces. Until recently women never were allowed. It seems ungenerous of you to turn and bite the gays, now that you personally have been liberated."
"I'm not trying to discriminate!"
"Believing without loving is what gives religion a bad name. Believing without loving turns any creed into a weapon of oppression. You should think about this more, in my opinion. I'm no authority on theology, but I do think--"
The rest of the conversation was a barrage of excuses and explanations interspersed with my voice repeating myself to no discernable benefit to either of us.
The Flyer and the note she wrote will be on the pastor's desk Sunday.
Your turn.