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Blessing the Bicycle
The Institute on Religion and Democracy ^
| 7/03/2005
| The Rev. Paul Borthistle
Posted on 08/18/2005 3:56:38 PM PDT by sionnsar
"The bicycle is symbolic of an ecologically responsible lifestyle, so when we're blessing the bicycle, we're acknowledging that cyclists have made a conscious choice to live in an ecologically responsible way."
-- Rev. Paul Borthistle, an Anglican Priest in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Borthistle took part in a ceremony on the steps of Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver where bicycles were "blessed" by the application of WD-40 lubricant to the bike chain. Riders were blessed by an application of suncreen on their noses. The blessing ceremony included a collective ringing of bicycle bells to "sanctify and promote" bike riding as an ecological choice.
TOPICS: Other non-Christian
KEYWORDS:
1
posted on
08/18/2005 3:56:38 PM PDT
by
sionnsar
To: All
I'm sorry. I enjoy my bicycle, used to cycle-commute on it year round (really good for the heart and wallet, not to mention I got to work and home sooner), but this... is plain stupid.
And I'm not talking about WD-40 as chain lube.
2
posted on
08/18/2005 3:58:24 PM PDT
by
sionnsar
(†trad-anglican.faithweb.com† || (To Libs:) You are failing to celebrate MY diversity || Iran Azadi)
To: sionnsar
Oh, for heaven's sake. I'm sure blessing a bicycle is perfectly nice (in the Catholic church, a cleric can bless just about any darn thing, officially) but this is further additional goofball battiness.
3
posted on
08/18/2005 5:21:41 PM PDT
by
Tax-chick
(Officially around the bend, at least for now.)
To: sionnsar
To: sionnsar
What's wrong with blessing a bicycle? Boats get blessed all the time. I don't see anything wrong with this.
5
posted on
08/18/2005 8:42:55 PM PDT
by
RonF
To: sionnsar
I love these heterodox clergy, whether Catholic, Anglican or otherwise that feel that Christ's message was to stop pollution, save the trees, and conserve energy. I missed all of that in the New Testament.
To: RonF
What's wrong with blessing a bicycle? Boats get blessed all the time. I don't see anything wrong with this.
A) It's enviro-silliness. Most of us cringe at priests so blatantly delving into the political (always leftist politics of course). B) Also, it's a little bit of ridiculous show business with the priest using lubicrant to bless the bikes and applying suncsreen to bless the audience. Sort of a mockery of a priest using holy water or oil to bless people. But then again, I don't expect much from a church founded on adultery. Certainly not that they take Christianity seriously.
To: sionnsar
Is this guy a real priest in a real church?
8
posted on
08/19/2005 5:19:18 AM PDT
by
caver
(Yes, I did crawl out of a hole in the ground.)
To: Conservative til I die
Also, it's a little bit of ridiculous show business with the priest using lubicrant to bless the bikes and applying suncsreen to bless the audience.Hm. I give you that one.
9
posted on
08/19/2005 5:42:20 AM PDT
by
RonF
To: RonF
See #6.
And besides, in this climate WD-40 is a lousy lubricant -- unless you like really dirty chains. *\;-)
10
posted on
08/19/2005 7:30:41 AM PDT
by
sionnsar
(†trad-anglican.faithweb.com† || (To Libs:) You are failing to celebrate MY diversity || Iran Azadi)
To: sionnsar
Well, I personally think that the word "conserve" is in the term "conservative" for good reason. We are called to be good stewards. That doesn't preclude using natural resources; I'm not in favor of living so close to nature that it's hard to distinguish me from it. But I do think we are obligated to do so wisely and with as little waste as is practical to achieve.
11
posted on
08/19/2005 7:54:24 AM PDT
by
RonF
To: sionnsar
Can I get this guy to baptize my Suburban by filling it up with a tank of gas?
12
posted on
08/19/2005 8:29:38 AM PDT
by
wallcrawlr
(http://www.bionicear.com)
To: sionnsar
NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not WD-40! Use IceWax or some other chain specific lubricant. WD-40 collects dirt like a magnet.
13
posted on
08/20/2005 2:58:08 AM PDT
by
irishtenor
(At 270 pounds, I am twice the bike rider Lance is.)
To: Conservative til I die
There are only two mortal sins in the lefty-lib religion: pollution and intollerance toward homosexuals. Everything else is a valid life-style choice.
To: kittymyrib
What about eating Bambi? Shooting Bambi?
15
posted on
08/20/2005 3:13:16 AM PDT
by
irishtenor
(At 270 pounds, I am twice the bike rider Lance is.)
To: irishtenor
NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not WD-40! Use IceWax or some other chain specific lubricant. WD-40 collects dirt like a magnet. Especially in wet environments like the Pacific Northwet! Years ago I wound up with almost a lifetime supply of "White Lightning" and am pretty happy with it.
16
posted on
08/20/2005 8:31:32 AM PDT
by
sionnsar
(†trad-anglican.faithweb.com† || (To Libs:) You are failing to celebrate MY diversity || Iran Azadi)
To: sionnsar
Cool, you are a biker, too? I do the Interurban about 3 times a week.
17
posted on
08/20/2005 10:51:37 PM PDT
by
irishtenor
(At 270 pounds, I am twice the bike rider Lance is.)
To: irishtenor
I used to be a cyclist. Cycle-commuter, actually, with a little recreational riding. Gave up the former some years ago when I bought a house out where it is just too dangerous to ride in. And the latter went by the wayside when I became just too busy.
I recently took the commute bike into work for noontime rides (I'm not far from the eastern terminus of the Burke-Gilman trail), but haven't gotten out very often.
18
posted on
08/21/2005 8:07:05 AM PDT
by
sionnsar
(†trad-anglican.faithweb.com† || (To Libs:) You are failing to celebrate MY diversity || Iran Azadi)
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