Posted on 08/14/2005 9:17:15 AM PDT by Chi-townChief
I'll apologize in advance for this vanity post but I need to get this off my chest:
At our 10:30 a.m. mass this morning, our pastor was the celebrant. Today's Gospel was the story of Christ's meeting with the Canaanite woman and the eventual healing of her daughter. Our pastor then followed with his homily where he first related the plight of the Canaanite woman with a woman he knew who called him requesting prayers for an illness in her family which we could relate to since my wife and I are both contending with (minor, we hope) health issues.
The nest thing we know, the pastor is relating this to the "lady camped out in Texas asking for healing AND ACCOUNTABILITY" (the emphasis is my own). We sat there and listened through the sermon as he returned to the Sheehan story a few more times asking us to imagine an Iraqi woman who lost children in the same position.
Thankfully, it was pretty short and we stood for the Creed but then, immediately before the intercessions, the pastor returned to the topic.
This was too much for us so we turned and left, commenting to those around that we don't come to church to hear politics. I handed the usher my offering as we exited.
This is the first time something like this has happened in this church we have attended for the past twenty years or so and I feel pretty horrible about the whole thing.
It's very frustrating when clergy put forth the liberal/leftist POV. As a Jew, I have encountered this in synagogue.
That's true, and I guess in many cases you can chalk that up to being ignorant rather than evil.
I heard that that is exactly what happened in my former parish. Some guy stood up during the sermon and said it. Man, oh man, I wish I was there because I would have stood up and left with him in solidarity.
Isn't it ironic that so many of the voting base support/almost demand that religion plays a role in forming political policy, but will walk out if politics are mentioned during religion.................
Isn't it ironic that there are so many who reject the idea that religion should play any kind of role in politics, yet believe that it is fine to project political views into religious affairs / activities?
The difference is, is that when you are in a church, you are presumably there for moral guidance in your personal life, from a religion whose tenets you have already scrutinized and accepted, or at least as you thought you had.
The public forum, however, is supposed to be a place where ALL ideas are debated, from both the religious and secular, or from anyone.
To this point, our church has been very reasonable, non-political, and generally supportive of America; displaying the flag, singing "God Bless America", "America the Beautiful", "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", etc. on national holiday weekends, fundraisers for support of military families, etc. This is the first time I've heard a reference like this from one of our priests. And, as I say, he was oblique enough for people not following the Sheehan story to think it makes sense. I'm hoping it's a so-called isolated incident.
I agree with you.
Ok what if the priest started calling for higher taxes, legalization of pot or the repel of any number of the amendments to the Constitution of the United States? That's not heresy, so should the congregation have to sit there and take it?
Sooner or later you will have to accept these priests for who they are.
LOL - We have the "fast priest" whose mass I always try to make it to but couldn't today.
Be sure to call or e-mail the Pastor concerning this. He may be unaware that Cindy Sheehan has in fact had her meeting with the President. He, like most Americans, likely gets his news from the major media, and he is probably not even aware of all of the facts surrounding the situation. Educate him!
You did what Jesus would have done.
Actually, God did love Timothy McVeigh, as he loves all of His Creation. But Timothy McVeigh chose to remove himself from the presence of God when he perpetrated his crime against the people in the Murrah building. If he never repented for that, then he continues to be outside of God's Love, and will be punished for all eternity.
It seems that a lot of churches are becoming somewhat liberal and it's hard for me to stomach their views.
I have to disagree on equating Robertson and Jackson, though. I don't see Jackson as any sort of a religious leader at all. He's a crook. Simple as that. Robertson on the other hand at least seems sincere in his beliefs. That they both have political aspirations seems to be the only thing they have in common. However, I believe Jackson's ambition is completely for personal gain.
Trolls find interest in many things
Yes.
And then start going to a different church the following week.
My point (again) is that in the Catholic Church, the sermon is not the reason for the Mass. Sometimes you have great sermons. Sometimes they're boring and awful and you forget instantly whatever mumble-juice came out from the priest. Sometimes they're wrong-headed and offensive (but not heretical.) In any case, you're there for the Eucharist and for the Word of God as revealed in the Bible - neither of which a priest can take away from you with any nonsense he spouts.
I would have left as well.
Why follow people who use their position to promote their personal agenda? Are you familiar with the "God Complex"? Evidently the pastor is.
I would have left much sooner. But I haven't had the stomach for "The Church" for 30 years.
You also bring to mind another question: why do you think President Bush cotinues to belong to the UM church when they appear to be so politically left and serve as part of the religious arm as the democrat party. My father, BTW, also attends a UM church although he's pretty agnostic.
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