Gay and Christian in the World of Today II

[the Bri Guy]

This weekend I'll be marching with a gay Christian group at the parade in Long Beach for this year's Pride.

[the Bri Guy]

It is sad seeing the May 21 rapture kooks getting so much spotlight.  Nevertheless, at least they have an eschatology.  In my own Church, it is only with great effort that we talk about the resurrection.  And as far as talk of the Second Coming goes, that pretty much never happens.  Sometimes it seems like the evangelicals and fundamentalists are self-righteous modern day Pharisees.  However, we Catholics can often be gloomy, worldly, unimaginative, unhopeful modern day Sadducees.

But it is easy enough to criticize the Church, which has always been a mess.  The challenge is not to continually diagnose problems, but to somehow be part of the solution.

Any ideas?


Bri Guy

[huntinbuddy]

Hi Brian, great to see you here again!   I'm with the rest of the choir in that without Rance things are just not the same here.  Rance knew how to keep this thread lively, and did it with a humor and wit I sure do miss.

[the Bri Guy]

Hey there. Great to be back. 

St. Therese of Lisieux once said "I will spend my heaven doing good on earth".  So, who knows?  Maybe Rance is up to mysterious, interesting things right here in our midst, only in a hidden way.  But yes, its tough not having him here in the conventional, immediately palpable way.  I must give Marty a call some time to see how he is.  I'm sure Rance would want that.

I had a good time yesterday at Long Beach Gay Pride.  I marched with a gay Catholic group called Communidad.  Everyone we passed by on the parade route was very supportive and friendly, which was great.  There seems to be a real hunger out there with regards to members of the LGBT community wanting to connect with God.
There almost seemed to be an unusually strong hunger.  Perhaps being a social outcast, in some sense at least, makes you more spiritual.  Who knows?

Well, sorry for being away from the thread for so long, but there were issues in my life which needed to be addressed.  I hope that things will get more lively around here soon. 

Alright, I'm off for my morning jog.

PEACE

Bri Guy

[DaveinPhilly]

Hey, Brian, Good to have you back. Things are very very quiet here on this thread!

[the Bri Guy]

It's great to be back in contact, Dave.  Keep me in your prayers. (I hope things will liven up...we'll see :-)  )


Bri Guy

[the Bri Guy]

So Richard Dawkins apparently wrote an atheistic "pro-science" children's book.  There's even a rainbow on the cover.  I don't remember what the real title is, but I think he should call it "McEnlightenment for Kids".

[Sandy]

Can you provide a link?

If it's simply pro-science, it doesn't have to be atheistic. And even if it's atheistic, it need not be antagonistic. After all, for a true atheist, knocking God in a textbook would just be a version of a straw-man argument.

[the Bri Guy]

http://www.good.is/post/richard-dawkins-has-a-new-science-book-for-kids/

[the Bri Guy]

Well, I shouldn't even be lampooning a book I haven't read.  As far as I know, he doesn't present a theory of religion in the book.
It is pretty well known, though, that he despises religion as well as the alleged existence of the God in whom we believe.  Someone on a thread on facebook threw out the term "McEnlightenment" and I just thought that was rather funny.

Some time back Dawkins actually stated that a Catholic upbringing/education was in and of itself a form of child abuse.

Bri Guy

[the Bri Guy]

well, I'll be gone for the weekend.... take care, guys 

[the Bri Guy]

Wow-- this thread really has slowed down! 

[the Bri Guy]

Obama is no better than Bush and the world continuously moves in the wrong direction.  Our imperialism abroad and erosion of civil liberties at home astound me.  And yet I should not be so surprised, as my Faith tells me that under the antichrist all humans of goodwill shall be persecuted (with, unfortunately, no Rapture to help us when the going gets tough).  A servant is not greater than his master, and like Christ we shall be sheep led to the slaughter.  It always seemed like such a far off thing, and yet the final trial does not seem distant any longer.  The pope is asleep at the wheel, with an impoverished eschatology; he's trying to save "Western civilization", rather than proclaim that "He shall come again in glory to judge the living and the dead."  What fools were the "May 21" people, and yet the mainstream Churches have forgotten how to preach the Second Coming altogether; so what better are we than them- at least the kooks have an eschatology.  What can I take refuge in, other than that nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ?

Bri Guy

[the Bri Guy]

Wake up, little Suzie. Wake up....

[Sandy]

Bri, if you could narrow down the topic of your previous post, we might get a discussion going.