See, this is part of the problem I have, and I can't help but wonder if I'm not alone in this: I've heard of most of the groups you mention, but I've seen absolutely nothing about them in the press in the last few years. I don't even know who Dorothy Day is, let alone her "type." But there's always, always another crazy screaming on the news that he and only he knows what Jesus really wants us to do to the {fill in: hated group du jour} -- and it always involves fear, loathing, and harming those who are unlike us.
If I hadn't actually read the New Testament and talked to folks I consider to be genuinely trying to follow Christ (as opposed to those who simply label themselves christian), I'd only have the word of the "dominionists" as to what the christian religion was about. Frankly, if they were the only ones who got to define what christianity truly was, it would be almost -- almost -- as bloodthirsty and reprehensible a religion as the Aztec human sacrificers -- and I know I'd be horrified if that happened to my personal belief system.
So yes, I think it's incredibly important that people like Velvetpage get to speak up and be heard as to what christianity truly is. It's their religion -- not the religion of frightened and insecure sick people, you know?
Unfortunatly, that is the nature of being at the fringes. It is like thinkging Michael Moore and Barbra Streisand are the spokespeople for liberalism, or that Rush Limbaugh is the spokesperson for Conservatism. People who actually follow Christ's path? Not newsworthy, unless it is a glurge article.
CPT (they have a website CPT.org) is the Christian group that the Quaker guy who was kidnapped and killed worked with. They go all over the place.
The Quaker Meeting in Brooklyn had a vigil every week for something like nine years to abolish the death penalty in NYS, and would send lobbyists to Albany to do the same. There is even a Quaker envoy to the UN and Quakers were a nice chunk of the underground railroad...Susan B Anthony was raised Quaker. Elizabeth Fox worked hard for prison reform ages ago. They are active with helping out soldiers who want to be conscientious objectors and are active with letting parents know their kid's information is being given to recruiters unless you opt out, and letting people know about CO status before it becomes an issue (in case there is ever a draft).
I am only speaking so much about this because it is what I know about. But I also know the UCC had trouble running its commercials on major networks, but had some success, 30 second spots about how their church welcomes EVERYONE and they simply hinted at letting homosexuals in. There was a pretty big uproar last year when they put it out.
And is it the Anglicans or Episcopalians that may wind up splitting because of homosexual clergy? That gets in the news now and then.
Dorothy Day was an anarchist and a devout Catholic. She founded the Catholic Worker Movement, which still is active here, I think we have a Catholic Worker House here (I forget what it is called) or at least have a presence here in Dubuque (and other places). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Worker_Movement explains it better, I'm not very well versed in what they do, but I hear about the more than I used to in NYC which is mostly Italian and Irish Catholic and more conservative.
I don't think these groups are quiet as much as the conservatives are so damn loud. And I know that in the case of the Liberal Quakers (there are other kinds) they don't believe in evangelizing, so they are loathe to talk about themselves for fear of being what they hate. And yes I have (and others have) debated and discussed how it is not only killing our religion slowly but we aren't doing the good we can do by keeping silent in this manner. Ahhh, religious infighting. Gotta love it! :D
I can't google because for whatever reason, all mediacom customers in Iowa who have cablephone modems are having various sites blocked and mediacom is 'working on it'. So that is why I was confused.
I thought it was CoE there and Anglican here. Shows what I know!
And you're right about them being the ones that may split over homosexuality. The African Anglicans are particularly upset over having the Episcopalians remain if they allow homosexuals as clergy and/or allow them to marry in the church. It's splitting the entire Church of England worldwide.
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(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-15 12:54 am (UTC)If I hadn't actually read the New Testament and talked to folks I consider to be genuinely trying to follow Christ (as opposed to those who simply label themselves christian), I'd only have the word of the "dominionists" as to what the christian religion was about. Frankly, if they were the only ones who got to define what christianity truly was, it would be almost -- almost -- as bloodthirsty and reprehensible a religion as the Aztec human sacrificers -- and I know I'd be horrified if that happened to my personal belief system.
So yes, I think it's incredibly important that people like Velvetpage get to speak up and be heard as to what christianity truly is. It's their religion -- not the religion of frightened and insecure sick people, you know?
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-15 01:10 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-15 01:24 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-15 01:31 am (UTC)A glurge article is one of those icky sticky feel good pieces that would kill a diabetic.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-15 01:37 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-15 01:31 am (UTC)The Quaker Meeting in Brooklyn had a vigil every week for something like nine years to abolish the death penalty in NYS, and would send lobbyists to Albany to do the same. There is even a Quaker envoy to the UN and Quakers were a nice chunk of the underground railroad...Susan B Anthony was raised Quaker. Elizabeth Fox worked hard for prison reform ages ago. They are active with helping out soldiers who want to be conscientious objectors and are active with letting parents know their kid's information is being given to recruiters unless you opt out, and letting people know about CO status before it becomes an issue (in case there is ever a draft).
I am only speaking so much about this because it is what I know about. But I also know the UCC had trouble running its commercials on major networks, but had some success, 30 second spots about how their church welcomes EVERYONE and they simply hinted at letting homosexuals in. There was a pretty big uproar last year when they put it out.
And is it the Anglicans or Episcopalians that may wind up splitting because of homosexual clergy? That gets in the news now and then.
Dorothy Day was an anarchist and a devout Catholic. She founded the Catholic Worker Movement, which still is active here, I think we have a Catholic Worker House here (I forget what it is called) or at least have a presence here in Dubuque (and other places). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Worker_Movement explains it better, I'm not very well versed in what they do, but I hear about the more than I used to in NYC which is mostly Italian and Irish Catholic and more conservative.
I don't think these groups are quiet as much as the conservatives are so damn loud. And I know that in the case of the Liberal Quakers (there are other kinds) they don't believe in evangelizing, so they are loathe to talk about themselves for fear of being what they hate. And yes I have (and others have) debated and discussed how it is not only killing our religion slowly but we aren't doing the good we can do by keeping silent in this manner. Ahhh, religious infighting. Gotta love it! :D
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-15 01:38 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-15 01:44 am (UTC)I can't google because for whatever reason, all mediacom customers in Iowa who have cablephone modems are having various sites blocked and mediacom is 'working on it'. So that is why I was confused.
I thought it was CoE there and Anglican here. Shows what I know!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-15 01:53 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-15 02:11 am (UTC)