Saturday, December 19, 2009
Protect the Deity!
Nothing is more precious than what one considers divine, which is why we tend to be so protective of our "gods"; but if Something were truly divine, would It need "our" protection?
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
What Sin?
What Sin?
I'm exhausted with the old, lame, feeble, "Hate the sin but love the sinner" malarkey! What does that even mean? Once you've judged me to be a sinner, you aren't open to getting to know me, understanding me, or allowing that my feelings may be genuine and my experiences may give me insights to my life that you could never have. You've judged and condemned me a sinner, so what part of me are you loving? What part of me are you bothering to get to know so that you can love me?
If what has boxed me into the "sinner" category is my same-gender love and attraction, then let me say clearly that I shall remain an unrepentant sinner. If my sin is the experience of human sexuality and my joyful expression of that with mutually consenting partners, then I'm not willing to be anything other than a sinner! If your religious view says that my love, attraction, and mutually beneficial relationships are wrong, then whatever might your religion call "Good"? And why would I be interested?
The divine Energy of Life couldn’t possible exclude or condemn me because the person I share my life with also has a Y chromosome!
Now, a far removed, human-looking deity who prefers one nation above all others, one religion above all others, and one gender over the other...that all too human deity (complete with human prejudices) may well also be a homophobe, but I would consider such a deity to be a false god, an idol to be tossed on the scrap heap of other deities who proved far too human and culturally limited to be of use beyond a limited amount of time.
Greed, hatred, violence, racism, misogyny, lack of concern for those who have been marginalized...these I am willing to call sins...these actions and attitudes aren't life giving, joy producing, or peace making. But covenantal fidelity, regardless of the genders involved in the relationship, could never be a sin in any spiritual system I would be wiling to emprace. Affection, attraction, relationship building, even consensual, adult love-making...any religion that sees these joyous expressions as sins rather than virtues (or at very least morally neutral activity) is heading toward its expiration date (though perhaps not fast enough).
If you want to love me, get to know me...and you can't do that by pre-judging me to be a sinner. Hey...you don't even have to love me; but please stop lying about it.
Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Sunshine Cathedral
I'm exhausted with the old, lame, feeble, "Hate the sin but love the sinner" malarkey! What does that even mean? Once you've judged me to be a sinner, you aren't open to getting to know me, understanding me, or allowing that my feelings may be genuine and my experiences may give me insights to my life that you could never have. You've judged and condemned me a sinner, so what part of me are you loving? What part of me are you bothering to get to know so that you can love me?
If what has boxed me into the "sinner" category is my same-gender love and attraction, then let me say clearly that I shall remain an unrepentant sinner. If my sin is the experience of human sexuality and my joyful expression of that with mutually consenting partners, then I'm not willing to be anything other than a sinner! If your religious view says that my love, attraction, and mutually beneficial relationships are wrong, then whatever might your religion call "Good"? And why would I be interested?
The divine Energy of Life couldn’t possible exclude or condemn me because the person I share my life with also has a Y chromosome!
Now, a far removed, human-looking deity who prefers one nation above all others, one religion above all others, and one gender over the other...that all too human deity (complete with human prejudices) may well also be a homophobe, but I would consider such a deity to be a false god, an idol to be tossed on the scrap heap of other deities who proved far too human and culturally limited to be of use beyond a limited amount of time.
Greed, hatred, violence, racism, misogyny, lack of concern for those who have been marginalized...these I am willing to call sins...these actions and attitudes aren't life giving, joy producing, or peace making. But covenantal fidelity, regardless of the genders involved in the relationship, could never be a sin in any spiritual system I would be wiling to emprace. Affection, attraction, relationship building, even consensual, adult love-making...any religion that sees these joyous expressions as sins rather than virtues (or at very least morally neutral activity) is heading toward its expiration date (though perhaps not fast enough).
If you want to love me, get to know me...and you can't do that by pre-judging me to be a sinner. Hey...you don't even have to love me; but please stop lying about it.
Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Sunshine Cathedral
Friday, December 11, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
International Human Rights Day
MCC's Presiding Elder & Moderator, Rev. Nancy Wilson, has issued a call to prayer, saying, "On this day dedicated to the pursuit of universal human rights, that I ask all MCCers and people of faith around the globe to join me in praying for:
An end to the wars in Iraq, Afhanistan and Pakistan, and for the safety of all in harm's way.
An increase in justice and the extension of human rights for all people,
especially LGBT people, those living with HIV/AIDS, those living in poverty, refugees, and all whose lives have been torn apart by wars. May just and right relationships bring the world to peace.
...[pray] today that:
Every leader around the globe who is charged with making decisions that promise to impact all of us, will do so with the pursuit of peace as their ultimate goal.
Every person and nation trapped in the cycles of violence and counter- violence, from Israel to Palestine to the Congo and Uganda, will find a new way, a more promising path for sharing life together.
Every human being will use each moment as the moment to speak up for and take risks for, and live and act for peace."
In answer to our Moderator's call to prayer, I offer the following prayer:
Abiding Peace,
You long to be expressed in every human heart, in every relationship, and in all the world. We call upon you today to be known and to be experienced and to be shared. May conflicts be peacefully resolved. May leaders value justice and equal opportunity for all people. May human dignity be affirmed in every nation for every person. May the human family finally live together in peace, health, happiness, compassion, and goodwill. This prayer is offered for the sake of peace, for the benefit of all people, and in your many Names. Amen.
An end to the wars in Iraq, Afhanistan and Pakistan, and for the safety of all in harm's way.
An increase in justice and the extension of human rights for all people,
especially LGBT people, those living with HIV/AIDS, those living in poverty, refugees, and all whose lives have been torn apart by wars. May just and right relationships bring the world to peace.
...[pray] today that:
Every leader around the globe who is charged with making decisions that promise to impact all of us, will do so with the pursuit of peace as their ultimate goal.
Every person and nation trapped in the cycles of violence and counter- violence, from Israel to Palestine to the Congo and Uganda, will find a new way, a more promising path for sharing life together.
Every human being will use each moment as the moment to speak up for and take risks for, and live and act for peace."
In answer to our Moderator's call to prayer, I offer the following prayer:
Abiding Peace,
You long to be expressed in every human heart, in every relationship, and in all the world. We call upon you today to be known and to be experienced and to be shared. May conflicts be peacefully resolved. May leaders value justice and equal opportunity for all people. May human dignity be affirmed in every nation for every person. May the human family finally live together in peace, health, happiness, compassion, and goodwill. This prayer is offered for the sake of peace, for the benefit of all people, and in your many Names. Amen.
Conscious Creation
Conscious Creation: Directing Energy to Get the Life you Want (iUniverse, 2008) is a very good book by actor Dee Wallace (Kujo, E.T.). Wallace understands there is One Power and we can consciously choose to cooperate with It to achieve our goals.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Let's Move Beyond the Worship of Violence
When the original followers of Jesus responded to the violent execution of Jesus by insisting that somehow he didn't stay dead, that was brilliant! It filled people with hope, with courage, and with a sense that even the most horrible injustices can't have the last word. What a powerful movement the Jesus Movement started out to be!
Within a couple of centuries of Jesus' execution, the movement was becoming an institution, and by the 4th century CE, it was blended completely with the very state that had executed the Wayshower. Rather than using faith, imagination, ritual and story-telling to overcome violence, the institutional church had started to worship the very violence done to Jesus.
As Emerson said, what we are worshiping, we are becoming. As Christians have worshiped the violence of the cross rather than celebrating victory over the violence of the cross (symbolized by the resurrection narratives), racism, sexism, war, capitol punishment, homophobia, conquest, environmental destruction, and all manner of intolerance have been fueled in the name of the Prince of Peace.
Today, same-gender loving people are killed in Jamaica while churches and politicans refuse to speak out against the violence...as they venerate the violence done to Jesus as being somehow salvific. Today, same-gender loving people are dehumanized and threatened in Nigeria while much of the Church remains silent. Today, same-gender loving people in Uganda face possible legislation that will cost them life and liberty and will also hurt people who make any attempt to defend them. And again, Christians, violent followers of the killing cross, remain silent.
When we worship killing, its no surprise that we become killers and those who remain silent as killing happens. When the most horrific act of violence is our most celebrated act of "grace"...of course wars, torture, state executions, child abuse, and violent language against the "Other" fail to move us.
One day, I hope and pray, Christianity will be defined not by who we hate, who we deny rights and liberty, and how intolerant we are of difference, but rather by Jesus' Golden Rule...to treat others as we would wish to be treated.
Jesus spoke truth to power, and when abusive power killed him, he continued to live in the hearts of the people he had touched with his message of hope and love. They triumphed over violence by insisting that Life had and would always win out over violence. May those who still claim to follow Jesus return to that early message of Life and Hope and Compassion and Justice...a message so unlike what is so often now called "Christianity." May Christianity become (once again) the way beyond, not of, the cross.
- Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Sunshine Cathedral
Within a couple of centuries of Jesus' execution, the movement was becoming an institution, and by the 4th century CE, it was blended completely with the very state that had executed the Wayshower. Rather than using faith, imagination, ritual and story-telling to overcome violence, the institutional church had started to worship the very violence done to Jesus.
As Emerson said, what we are worshiping, we are becoming. As Christians have worshiped the violence of the cross rather than celebrating victory over the violence of the cross (symbolized by the resurrection narratives), racism, sexism, war, capitol punishment, homophobia, conquest, environmental destruction, and all manner of intolerance have been fueled in the name of the Prince of Peace.
Today, same-gender loving people are killed in Jamaica while churches and politicans refuse to speak out against the violence...as they venerate the violence done to Jesus as being somehow salvific. Today, same-gender loving people are dehumanized and threatened in Nigeria while much of the Church remains silent. Today, same-gender loving people in Uganda face possible legislation that will cost them life and liberty and will also hurt people who make any attempt to defend them. And again, Christians, violent followers of the killing cross, remain silent.
When we worship killing, its no surprise that we become killers and those who remain silent as killing happens. When the most horrific act of violence is our most celebrated act of "grace"...of course wars, torture, state executions, child abuse, and violent language against the "Other" fail to move us.
One day, I hope and pray, Christianity will be defined not by who we hate, who we deny rights and liberty, and how intolerant we are of difference, but rather by Jesus' Golden Rule...to treat others as we would wish to be treated.
Jesus spoke truth to power, and when abusive power killed him, he continued to live in the hearts of the people he had touched with his message of hope and love. They triumphed over violence by insisting that Life had and would always win out over violence. May those who still claim to follow Jesus return to that early message of Life and Hope and Compassion and Justice...a message so unlike what is so often now called "Christianity." May Christianity become (once again) the way beyond, not of, the cross.
- Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Sunshine Cathedral
View These Discussions on You Tube
Gay & Christian
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/0/jOesUDnJp7o
Affirmative Prayer
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/1/q9SvRqRX-1U
What Does Atonement Mean for Us?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/2/o1jN3GGVS3I
Why Does God Allow Evil?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/3/74p1k5cNTB4
Does Positive Thinking Really Work?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/4/L5DjW2NhS9U
The Authority of Scripture
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/7/mC4lsnuSfds
Where Do We Go When We Die?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/8/3MHEolRsbWQ
How Can I Be Good Enough?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/9/qgzWdXmk71w
Affirming Gay Outreach
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/13/QINPS3Y4Qa8
Queer Bible Study
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/16/JqzAGelxe_8
Can Gays Pray?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/20/GPjsdnrC1NE
The Integration of Sexuality & Spirituality
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/21/KTOsRSflKO4
What is Progressive Christianity?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/32/Kb-ctsKbvPw
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/0/jOesUDnJp7o
Affirmative Prayer
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/1/q9SvRqRX-1U
What Does Atonement Mean for Us?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/2/o1jN3GGVS3I
Why Does God Allow Evil?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/3/74p1k5cNTB4
Does Positive Thinking Really Work?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/4/L5DjW2NhS9U
The Authority of Scripture
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/7/mC4lsnuSfds
Where Do We Go When We Die?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/8/3MHEolRsbWQ
How Can I Be Good Enough?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/9/qgzWdXmk71w
Affirming Gay Outreach
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/13/QINPS3Y4Qa8
Queer Bible Study
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/16/JqzAGelxe_8
Can Gays Pray?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/20/GPjsdnrC1NE
The Integration of Sexuality & Spirituality
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/21/KTOsRSflKO4
What is Progressive Christianity?
www.youtube.com/sunshinecathedral#p/u/32/Kb-ctsKbvPw
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
