Friday, January 13, 2012

The Right-wing Boycott of Thin Mints


I am not a fan of the Girl Scouts of America.  Not that I think there is anything wrong with the organization necessarily, but I had a pretty lousy experience in my youth with scouting.  Our camping trip had to end early because it was cold, raining and miserable.   The one thing I learned as a Brownie (the precursor to Girl Scouts) was a legal term: embezzlement.  It's a noun that can be used in the sentence: "Susan's scout leader was arrested on charges of embezzlement when the cops discovered she'd taken all the Girl Scout Cookie money collected by her troop." 

Didn't make scouting a particularly fun experience for me.

But I like the cookies:  Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Do-Si-Does.  And they make some good shortbread and lemon cookies, too.  When I worked in radio, me and my colleagues would buy boxes and boxes of cookies as comfort food during the legislative session.  They went really well with coffee or tea.

And it's that time of year again when the young girls and usually one or two moms will set up shop outside a grocery store to help drive down the sales of Pepperidge Farm and Keebler with those enticing boxes of cookies.

So, it was a bit alarming to see the video circulating on the internet made by a 14-year-old girl in Ventura County, California urging the public to boycott the Girl Scouts of America cookie drive.

  
Her name is Taylor, and she's on a tear about the Girl Scouts of America's policy that allows transgender children into scouting.   In a seven-plus-minute video, Taylor manages to rattle off some of the most offensive nonsense and anti-trans propaganda that is out there.   She worries about the sleep-overs if there is a boy who identifies as a girl allowed to be in the sleeping quarters.  She equates this to allowing a male chaperon in the cabin with the young girls.  Because those two scenarios are, of course, the same... NOT.   She worries that the GSA policy toward trans children, adopted when a Colorado child who is MTF asked to join the Girl Scouts, is undermining the sanctity of this "all-girl" organization.   And, after watching all seven minutes and 55 seconds of this scripted and nauseating diatribe, she directs the viewers to HonestGirlScouts.com, where you can join in the boycott of Girl Scout cookies and read more anti-LGBT, anti-abortion material.  Yes, a 14 year-old is a cynical front for right-wing homophobia and bigotry.

The video has now been made "private" meaning that only the select (or is that "the elect"?) can see it.  That's fine.  This kind of unwanted bashing of the trans community needn't be spread around.  Especially since Taylor's crucifix is so prominently displayed around her neck.  Just what Christianity doesn't need: another person claiming the mantle of Christ and then mangling the message to the point of it being unrecognizable as they take another swing at the LGBT community.

Unfortunately for Taylor and her mommy and daddy who likely supported her in this effort, I and many others have now been inspired to add another box of GSA cookies to our shopping lists.  Just what my waistline didn't need! 

Monday, January 9, 2012

Too Much Tebow


Americans love their football, but the worship of a mere mortal as the "Mile High Messiah" makes me want to dump chicken wings and beer all over those who genuflect at the altar of the pigskin.

It hit a new low when I saw the article speculating about the numbers Denver quarterback Tim Tebow posted in Sunday's wild card playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.   Tebow passed for 316 yards.
He set a playoff record with an average of 31.6 yards completed.  And the TV rating for CBS at the time of the amazing one-play, one-80-yard TD pass: 31.6.   These numbers apparently set the wacky wheels in motion:  3:16... as in John 3:16, a favorite of football fans bent on holding proselytizing posters for the TV cameras at football games.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son to the end that all shall not perish, but have everlasting life."   That's your John 3:16.   It occurs in a heady exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus.  And they were not talking about an American football game!

I am beyond fed up with the hype around Tebow and his one-knee-to-the-ground-head-on-curled-fist showmanship of prayer.  I am also annoyed that if one criticizes this public display of prayer some will accuse you of being "anti-Christian."   On the contrary, I am Christian.  I believe in the Trinitarian God.  I also like pro football and I believe in sports as a fun activity, and a break from the every day to cheer on a bunch of grown men who like to run around with an oblong piece of leather and get paid to tackle each other.  I do not believe that Jesus is the reason for the football season, and the Almighty doesn't favor one player or team over another.  So all the religious symbolism being attached to Tim Tebow is ridiculous.  And looking for signs in statistics?  Oh, puh-leeze!

I am a New England Patriots fan.  Our team got off to a slow start against the Denver Broncos last month in their regular season match up.   Hopefully, they won't need to wait so long to bring Tim Tebow back to earth and remind him that there is one Son of God... and it's not him.

NOTE: Tom Brady and the Patriots took care of football business by handily defeating the Broncos in a game that seemed like a scrimmage.  As Boston Globe sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy described the 45-10 game, "It was a beating of--dare we say-- biblical proportions."  Yes, it was.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Baptism and All That Goes With It

The Baptism of Christ by Giotto di Bondone

Today, we marked the baptism of Christ.  The Holy Spirit descends like a dove from heaven as Christ is emerging from the water, and he hears the voice saying, "This is my Son with whom I am well pleased."

Most of us don't get to hear that voice.  Most of us, if we are Episcopalians, were baptized when we were infants and the only thing we might have heard was our own screaming as the priest dribbled water on our heads in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  But implicit in that moment of our own baptism is the same absolute and total love of God for who we are, who we were and who we will be.  No booming voice, and no dove, but the same sentiment is expressed for each of us. It was noted by the rector of St. John's this morning in his sermon that nothing separates us from the love of Christ.  Nothing.

After this period of experiencing death upon death in the lives of my friends, I am keenly aware of this connection between baptism in this life and the resurrection that comes at the end of life in this realm.  One of the things I appreciated in the Roman Catholic funeral service I attended was the explanation that the white pall laid over the cremated ashes of my friend's mother was a symbolic connection to her baptismal gown she no doubt wore when she was a baby. It was a visual reminder that the resurrection is like the baptism into the next adventure and the continuation of our life in Christ.  We go on... only without a body.

So what are we doing with this life while we are in the body and existing between the two poles of  baptism and resurrection?  When we are baptized, our body becomes connected with many others.  We are brought into a larger community with its different members, each of us making a contribution to this body of humanity.  Part of what we must do is to be aware of those other moving and growing parts of the body.  That's more than just within the church community.  It's looking at what's happening in our cities and townships and responding to people who may be hurting or in need, as well as celebrating triumphs and joys.  The body isn't just the body of our churches.  It's everyone we are in contact with in the world.  It's about understanding how what we throw in the garbage can has a potential effect on our planet.  It's about how and where we spend our money effects our neighbors both inside and outside the city limits.  And it's about living.  Living fully, and as people who are free and very worthy of love.  When we live that way, we are more able to love that way.  And when we love that way, we are more reflective of the light of the Divine Love.

Baptism not only marks us as Christ's own forever; baptism requires us to live and love as Christ's own.  Forever.  Nothing can separate us from this love, so let's ride the wave and share our selves with those around us.

Friday, January 6, 2012

The Epiphany of Aging Parents: Marion, Edna, Jacques, and Richard


Above is a picture of Marion Kelley Nudd who, at 93, decided it was time to take the ride of her life in a helicopter over Orlando.  A few days after this picture was taken, she died of a stroke with her family around her, including her youngest daughter and my friend, Donna.  Marion's funeral is this morning.
Her death comes a month after Donna's partner, Terry, lost her own mother, the feisty and funny Edna Geneva Galloway.  Terry and her sisters were with their mother as she slipped away following surgery to unclog the arteries in her neck.
Both of these ladies now join the communion of saints... which includes Jacques, father of my friend Beatrice who died in France this fall.  And before them was Richard, father of my friend, Dona, who passed away on this date one year ago, a fitting date for a King of a man.
I know what it means to lose a parent.  My dad died in 2007, and my partner's father, Arthur, died a little over a year later.  Even when your parents are showing signs of decline, there is an eerie feeling of being un-anchored from the dock when death finally happens.
And still, there is life that comes out of a death.  I sensed that even though my father was no longer here with me in this realm, there was something more that came afterward for him.  What it was, I had no idea.  I just was left with a sense of growth and grace that said this cycle of loss really was OK.   And most importantly, living on earth was also OK; better than OK.  Because the freedom I felt that was there for my father was also available in a different way for me now.  That's the taste of God that is eternal life.
Happy Epiphany.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Prayers Ascending for Friends... Again

This has been a rough several weeks for my corner of the city.   Last month, my friend Terry's mom, Edna, died following surgery in Texas.  This morning, my phone rang.  It was Terry.

Her partner's mother, Marion, was dying.  She'd had a massive stroke early this morning.  They kept her alive on a ventilator for a few hours, allowing family to gather and the last rites.  And then she passed away.

The wonderful thing for Marion is that she went out flying high... literally.  Just a few days ago, this 93-year-old lady boarded a helicopter to get an aerial tour of Orlando.  Life was an adventure and full of family for her all the way to the end.  And that's the kind of life we should all hope to lead.

R.I.P. Marion.  And prayers ascending for Donna and her siblings, and their loving husbands, wives, partners and children.

The Ordinariate Arrives in America. Yawn!

Somewhere... Queen "Bloody" Mary Tudor is laughing.



The Roman Catholic Church, in a move of tremendous concern for the well-being of distressed Episcopalians, has launched a new nationwide diocese that will allow disaffected priests, bishops and congregations of the Episcopal Church, to join the Roman Catholic Church.  The upside for these Exopalians is that the Vatican will allow their married clergy to remain betrothed, and the Pope has said they can use "cherished" passages from the Book of Common Prayer.  The headquarters for this Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, is in Houston, Texas.

I would say, "Houston, we've got a problem," except I don't think we do.  Those who are leaving the Episcopal Church are the malcontent mumbling grumblers who have no use for women in ministry which always begets a string of complaints about LGBT people in the church.  These are people who have been miserable as the Spirit has directed the Episcopal church to open its doors to more people and be the fully inclusive love of Christ in our world.  They are the ones who bristle at the idea that the bishop standing before them in what is essentially a dress may actually be wearing a dress underneath those vestments.  That part of the Baptismal Covenant that talks about respecting the dignity of every human being has challenged them one too many times to face the undeniable truth that the word, "every" means... well... "every."  

England has already been through this.  And it didn't make the Archbishop particularly pleased.

Some may want to crow that this is "proof" that the Episcopal Church is dying, but I predict this will be the beginning of a renewed interest in the church of Richard Hooker's Scripture, reason and tradition that didn't get frozen in the 1928 prayer book, and welcomes anyone wanting to think about what is it that Christ is calling us to do in the world now and put that mission into action.

Good-bye, Exopalians.  We'll leave the lights on for you should you change your mind.   

Sunday, January 1, 2012

More Than A Reading

I have basically been living at St. John's during this Christmas season.  Morning Prayer, two noon day services, the comfort and healing service on Christmas Eve Eve, the late service on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day... and finally this morning.   The head verger, who is responsible for scheduling the Eucharistic Ministers, joked that I would be ready for ordination by the end of today.

Funny joke... especially given what I was assigned to read:


The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them, 
The Lord bless you and keep you; 
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; 
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.
(Numbers 6: 22-27)

This passage is identified as "The Priestly Benediction."   It's one of my favorite dismissals that Fr. Lee Graham would use on Fridays at the noon day service.  Funny, then, that the head verger said that my service today would qualify me for ordination!  I think it will take more than just a reading on the Feast of the Holy Name.