Acorns From An Okie

Allen November 11th, 2004

The Episcopal Church that our family attends has a Youth Sunday every year.  While the youth serve in numerous capacities during the year, this Sunday in particular stresses the services they perform for the Church.

This Sunday my 17-year old son will give the sermon.  I strongly recommended that he incorporate the text from the daily lectionary.  I’m generally pleased with his sermon. 

Coming from a Baptist background and once considered being a pastor myself, I am stunned to read this Sunday’s text.  I certainly don’t remember this passage from Paul’s epistle to the Thessalonians:

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Now we
command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep
away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the
tradition that they received from us. For you yourselves know how you
ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, and we did
not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor
we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. This
was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an
example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this
command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some
of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now
such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their
work quietly and to earn their own living. Brothers and sisters, do not
be weary in doing what is right.

So apparently there are apparently three great commandments:

1. Love you God with all your might and all your soul and all your mind.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
3. Get up off your lazy @$$ and get a job already!

• Religion
• Comments(0)

Allen November 11th, 2004

The Episcopal Church that our family attends has a Youth Sunday every year.  While the youth serve in numerous capacities during the year, this Sunday in particular stresses the services they perform for the Church.

This Sunday my 17-year old son will give the sermon.  I strongly recommended that he incorporate the text from the daily lectionary.  I’m generally pleased with his sermon. 

Coming from a Baptist background and once considered being a pastor myself, I am stunned to read this Sunday’s text.  I certainly don’t remember this passage from Paul’s epistle to the Thessalonians:

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Now we
command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep
away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the
tradition that they received from us. For you yourselves know how you
ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, and we did
not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor
we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. This
was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an
example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this
command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some
of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now
such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their
work quietly and to earn their own living. Brothers and sisters, do not
be weary in doing what is right.

So apparently there are apparently three great commandments:

1. Love you God with all your might and all your soul and all your mind.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
3. Get up off your lazy @$$ and get a job already!

• Religion
• Comments(0)

Allen October 31st, 2004

Group: Owa
Celebrant: Taygoo
Group: Taygoo
Celebrant: Siam
Group: Siam
(now repeat faster and faster)

As a converted Epsicopalian, I read Strange Episcopalians with a sense of bemusement and shame.

According to Christianity Today, the Women’s Ministries is promoting a pagan rite worshiping the Mother Goddess:

The plate of raisin cakes is raised and a woman says,

“Mother God, our ancient sisters called you Queen of Heaven and baked these cakes in your honor in defiance of their brothers and husbands who would not see your feminine face. We offer you these cakes, made with our own hands; filled with the grain of life—scattered and gathered into one loaf, then broken and shared among many. We offer these cakes and enjoy them too. They are rich with the sweetness of fruit, fertile with the ripeness of grain, sweetened with the power of love. May we also be signs of your love and abundance.”

The plate is passed and each woman takes and eats a cake.

The rite has since been taken down with this response offered as to why. They were apparently delighted with the response the page raised (snort!), but have since taken it down because of copyright issues. They then defend themselves with these words:

The resources listed on our website are not approved liturgies of the Episcopal Church. These liturgies are intended to spark dialogue, study, conversation and ponderings around women and our liturgical tradition. There is quite a difference in presenting resources for people’s interest and enlightenment and promoting resources as official claims of the Episcopal Church. Only General Convention has this authority.

Ah, yes. These aren’t approved liturgies so it doesn’t really count. And besides, we were just promoting dialogue. Yeah, that’s it. We just wanted for everyone to discuss this further.

How’s this for further discussion? Your hands were caught in the cookie jar and you hope to make light of it.

While I love the Episcopal Church in detail (individual priests and churches in Oklahoma), I truly, strongly feel that the National Church is staffed by a bunch of apostate loons. I fully expect the world Anglican community to break with the English and American branches within 10 years.

Just a closing note: I have heard from my mother-in-law that she has served on boards where some members were concerned that we had too much “Jesus” in our liturgy and programs.

The Episcoal Church used to be seen as Catholic Lite. Sometimes I think we are changing into Univeralist Unitarians with high rites.

• Religion
• Comments(0)

Allen August 2nd, 2004

As some of you may be aware, I am an Episcopalian — which lately means that the only mortal sin is using the wrong fork at dinner.

Be that as it may, here is last Sunday’s reading from the Old Testament and my observations:

Ecclesiastes 1:12-14;2:(1-7,11)18-23
I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem, applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with. I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

[I said to myself, "Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself." But again, this also was vanity. I said of laughter, "It is mad," and of pleasure, "What use is it?" I searched with my mind how to cheer my body with wine-- my mind still guiding me with wisdom-- and how to lay hold on folly, until I might see what was good for mortals to do under heaven during the few days of their life. I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself; I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house; I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.

Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.]

I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to those who come after me — and who knows whether they will be wise or foolish? Yet they will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. So I turned and gave my heart up to despair concerning all the toil of my labors under the sun, because sometimes one who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave all to be enjoyed by another who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun? For all their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest. This also is vanity.

• Religion
• Comments(0)

Allen April 14th, 2004

I was in the shower chamber of meditation this morning, thinking about fundamentalists and reason.

The “War on Terror” is not being waged against Islam, despite the attempts of some to frame the war in that manner. It is a war between civilization and terror — loaded words that some reject. They hear civilization and think Western civilization vs. Islamic civilization.

Perhaps we need to recast the war as between reason and fundamentalism. Between Enlightened Thought and Medieval Thought. Between a world view that centers on the Thoughts and Laws of Man vs. one that seeks out the Precepts and Dictates of God.

If Christian terrorists were ramming airplanes into skyscrapers, I would be just as opposed to them as I am the current crop. If someone shouted, “Jesus Saves,” as they blew themselves up on a crowded bus, I would find the act just as despicable. If a group was attempted to install a pan-(Catholic|Mormon|Episcopal|Non-Denominational|Baptist) theocracy in the world, I would rail against them as well. As would most people of reason.

Read the writings of the Islamic jihadists. Don’t rely upon some talking head to “interpret” their words. Granted, most of the time it is a translation, but at least read the translations. You will find chilling words there. These are not words of reason. These are not words that seek to embrace diversity. These are words that seek to quell all other words.

I’m trying to remember. When was the last time Christians tried to blow up giant statues of Buddha because they were offensive to God? When was the last time you heard of Methodists destroying other churches because they weren’t Methodist? When was the last time you heard of an Episcopalian stoning an adulterer?

I’m not attempting to white-wash the sins of the West. There are many. But when comparing the human rights situation under Rational Western law vs. those under Islamic rule, there is no argument that the West has a better track record.

Well…

No rational argument.

• Religion
• Comments(0)

Allen February 2nd, 2004

The Washington Times has an article on the recent split in the Episcopal Church regarding the consecration of an openly gay bishop. In Heresy better idea than schism?, Julia reports that the diocese of Virginia has experienced a drop of $257K because of 24 churches cutting off funding. 64 parishes in all have reduced the budget by $900K.

In the face of this, Bishop Lee chided the “wayward” parishes by urging them to embrace heresy rather than schism.

Our own parish has experienced a drop in pledges because of this decisive event in the church. A conservative member has urged members to pledge anyway as the withholding of money is hurting our church more than the diocese or the national church.

As a note, most churches in Oklahoma voted against the consecration while our bishop voted for it. At least that is my understanding. The bishop has held “town meetings” to allow conservative members to air their grievances. However, reports are filtering back that these meetings tend to be the Bishop airing his grievances and the members told to shut up.

This whole mess isn’t over yet. I fully expect a full blown split in the Episcopal church before this is all said and done. I would also predict that the Church in England will side with the more liberal party of the Episcopal church. The more conservative African and South American church will align with the more conservative party.

In an attempt to be “inclusive”, the Episcopal church is driving away conservative members. In what way is that being inclusive? You’re just trading one set of constituents with another.

As I’ve stated earlier, it appears that the Episcopal church is becoming the bridge church between most Protestant faiths and the Universalist Unitarians.

[Via JunkYardBlog]

• Religion
• Comments(0)

Allen January 23rd, 2004

Donald Sensing has an article called Manliness and its lack. This essay is a response to Terrence O. Moore’s article Wimps and Barbarians The Sons of Murphy Brown.

Terrence complains that:

It appears to [females] that, except for a few lucky members of their sex, most women today must choose between males who are whiny, incapable of making decisions, and in general of “acting like men,” or those who treat women roughly and are unreliable, unmannerly, and usually stupid.

.

Terrence paints a bleak picture in his essay, Donald responds with what he would do.

In my mind, we should teach our children five virtues. Not only five, perhaps, but at least these five. The first four I lifted from the Army’s Field Manual 22-100, Leadership, from about 20 years ago. Here they are:

He goes on to list Courage, Commitment, Competence, Candor and Compassion. Go read his article for the full details.

I have another list of virtues that every young boy should aspire to: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent.

• Religion
• Comments(0)

Allen January 22nd, 2004

David Flanagan over at Blogcritics.org examine the 1st Amendment and the “Wall of Seperation” that is supposed to exist between the Church and State. In Blogcritics.org: Punching Holes In The First Amendment, his thesis is that the 1st Amendment should be viewed as a restraining order. Quoting:

When you examine the First Amendment clause in light of this comment, you must conclude that the First Amendment was meant to insure that the federal government would remain passive on the issue of religious freedoms. In other words, it prevents the government from taking action against the free exercise of religion. The federal government, then, has no ability to enforce a “no religion zone” on federal and state facilities, public areas, or on any institution which accepts government support. It is a total and permanent restraining order against the federal government, barring it from the creation of regulations that might interfere with the free expression of religion by any citizen of this country.

In context, Jefferson is the author of the famous phrase:

I contemplate with solemn reverence the act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make “no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of seperation between church and state.

The article examines the context of this quote. The Baptists were worried that the First Amendment could be used to prohibit the expression of religion.

It is ironic that Jefferson’s assurances to the Baptists that the 1st Amendment would never be used for those purposes is the central argument used by secularlists to prohibit the expression of religion.

One final note here. Re-reading the 1st Amendment again, we see:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

What is extremely interesting is that the Amendment prohibits Congress from making no law…

Doesn’t say anything about the States. So if Oklahoma decided to create a theocracy (Oklahomastan?), Congress could not prohibit it.

Back in the real world, the 1st Amendment would be quoted as the reason to disallow the creation of Oklahomastan. And such is life under the blurred lines between federal and state powers in US society today.

• Religion
• Comments(0)

Allen January 6th, 2004

The Edge of England’s Sword: Church in disarray

An article describing how the House of Bishops in England have called for Tony Blair to account for himself for removing Saddam.

Perhaps they need to start lining those funny hats they wear with tin-foil. American bishops seem to need them as well.

As an aside, researching for this entry I found the BCP in PDF and formats. Too cool.

• Religion
• Comments(0)