My Response To The HOB Statement

Last night, I reacted to the statement of the House of Bishops in the comments of other bloggers, such as Richard at Caught By the Light and Fr. Jake at Fr. Jake stops the World. In the light of the morning, what I said last night deep in the comments does not look bad, so I hope that Richard and Fr. Jake don't mind if I steal my own words.

From Caught By the Light:

Grandmère Mimi said...

"Richard, I spent today in a glum mood, because the number of troops that have died in Iraq turned the 3800 corner and because I expected the statement that actually did come out of the HOB meeting.

They cannot have it both ways regarding our LGBT brothers and sisters.

They cannot say this:

We proclaim the Gospel that in Christ all God's children including gay and lesbian persons, are full and equal participants in the life of Christ's Church.

and this:

'to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion.' The House acknowledges that non-celibate gay and lesbian persons are included among those to whom B033 pertains.

and this:

We, the members of the House of Bishops, pledge not to authorize for use in our dioceses any public rites of blessing of same-sex unions until a broader consensus emerges in the Communion, or until General Convention takes further action.

and expect us to believe that the first statement and the two latter statements can be true at the same time.

That they probably could not have done very much more, makes it no easier to swallow.

Just as with the war in Iraq, in which only the troops and their families and friends pay a price and are asked to sacrifice, with the rest of us living our lives as usual, so too, with the HOB. What sacrifice do the bishops make, even as they ask their GLTB brothers and sisters to bear the brunt of the sacrifice?"

8:15 PM, September 25, 2007

And then, when I read at Fr. Jake's that some of my virtual gay and lesbian friends felt that this was the last straw and that they would be heading out of the Episcopal Church, I issued this plea from my heart. I don't blame them at all, and I have no right to ask them to sacrifice themselves, but I did anyway:

From Fr. Jake Stops the World:

"...all of you GLTB folks here, you should not have to ask for recognition of your humanity. It's unconscionable. And that this request comes from those who are responsible to God as your shepherds makes it all the worse.

I won't tell you what to do, but I will tell you that I need you to stay. It's your choice whether to stay or whether to go, but I will be diminished if you go.

I believe this fight is for now and for those who come after. Time is on our side - maybe not enough time for many of us as individuals - but as MLK said, 'The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice.'

We need your help in the fight. You are witnesses as I can never be a witness. I have not ever experienced cruelty or prejudice as you have. I have only your words and your presence to bear witness for me."

Grandmère Mimi | Homepage | 09.25.07 - 9:53 pm | #