The United Church and Blogs ...

In the next couple of weeks the Annual General Meeting of The Conference of Manitoba and North-Western Ontario will be debating the following proposal:

WHEREAS The United Church of Canada has established Ethical Standards and Standards of Practice for Ministry Personnel; and

WHEREAS maintaining a Blog, or online journal, is becoming a common practice for ministry personnel; and

WHEREAS the established Ethical Standards and Standards of Practice for Ministry Personnel are silent on the practice of Blogging, and other online journaling; and

WHEREAS the practice of many employers is to set guidelines regarding Blogs and other online journals;

THEREFORE we propose that the Executive of General Council direct the appropriate body to include guidelines for maintaining a Blog, or other online contributions, within the Ethical Standards and Standards of Practice for Ministry Personnel.

I'm proud to say that THIS proposal was the DIRECT result of THIS BLOG and my unwillingness to stifle my opinions and my online voice here.

NOW, the leadership of the United Church of Canada in Western Manitoba - now pause to remember that the United Church of Canada has a very long and storied history of Social Justice and Social Action decisions ... We were the first to ordain Women ... we were the first to apologize to First Nations People ... we were the first to begin the conversation about the place and role of Gays and Lesbians in the Life and Ministry of the Church ... we have been among the first in many of the MAJOR liberal movements of faith and theology in the last 85 years - our legacy and heritage has been one of intelligent, enlightened and inspired debate and decision making leading us to bold new territories of faith and action ... BUT today we are heading to a conservative reactioary morass that is guided by fear, ignorance and close mindedness that would make even the most hard core Luddite proud !!

With this proposal, the Church leadership in Western Manitoba has decided that rather than dealing with the realities of the new technologies, it is easier to stifle free expression and silence those voices that ruffle feathers and bring much needed discomfort to those who have grown complacent in their faith. It is far easier to censor and silence than it is to recognize that SOME OF US are NOT ashamed to speak our minds openly and to lob much needed criticism to those who have become completely hypocritical in their faith stance.

But MOST IMPORTANTLY, there are still some of us out here in cyber-space who refuse to engage in the process that would hide behind closed doors and engage in a star-chamber decision making process that serves only to include the "right kind of people" and consolidate power in the OLD GUARD families and individuals who fear change and those who propose it. Instead we want to throw open the doors, and tear down the blinds and let the full glare of truth and openness pour into the dark hidden corners of this United Church of ours ...

Unfortunately, it would seem that voices like mine are destined to be muzzled like dear Hannibal ... our propensity to make the "good church people" uncomfortable has lead them to demand not only a pound of flesh, and our heads on a silver platter - but now they want our voices silenced as well ...

AS for ME - I'll have NONE of it ... This is a free country ... my father's name is etched on not one, but three permanent memorials to those who have fallen in the Service of this Country preserving the FREEDOM of its citizens ... I've taught my children to use their minds and to question as they learn ... I have read widely and learned much ... and I have an IQ that is pretty much as high as you can get ... SO, if this is the ditch I die in - so be it.

It's a ditch worth dying in ... It's time to claim back our church from the lawyers, the hypocrites and the fear-filled leadership that wants NICENESS to be the order of the day ... If Jesus lived among us, he DEFINITELY would be a blogger and his words would make EVEN ME uncomfortable !!!!!!

It's time for the church leadership to see the folly of their short-sighted, small mindedness !!!!

Oh, and if this posting offends you - GOOD !!!!

If you don't like what you read here - GO AWAY !!!!!

You're clearly NOT ready to think outside the tiny little box you've created for yourself, and your universe isn't ready to expand with thought and differing opinions - and THAT is the WHOLE point of "why do you blog?" for me !!!!

The world is about experiencing ALL that it has to offer ... asking questions ... getting messy ... and HAVING A HELLUVA A GOOD TIME along the way ... and in this place - this humble little blog that's what I try to do ... speak my mind ... ask the tough questions ... point out the messy little dark corners ... and just have fun !!!!

SO, if you can't handle the TRUTH, and you don't want your feathers ruffled once in a while - BE GONE !!!!!

As for me ... I'm ready for THIS FIGHT ... stay tuned ... and check out a couple of other places where I've raised this:

Over at United Online (click here)

and at WonderCafe (click here)

My only question to those who have come up with this and think it is a GOOD idea is this:

What's next ??? Will we be required to submit our sermons to a central authority for approval BEFORE we preach them???

Will our libraries be subject to searches to ensure that only APPROVED books and resources are found on our shelves????

Will having read books like 1984, Animal Farm, Mein Kampf, The Satanic Verses and others works deemed inappropriate be subject to disciplinary actions as well???

Will we be able to blog ONLY if we post pictures of puppies and kittens and muse about what a wonderful, warm and inclusive place the Church is, and avoid mentioning things like dissent, incompetence, hypocrisy and other things that would cause people discomfort???

Tell me - tell ALL OF US - WHAT'S next in the censorship you're trying to invoke ????

BECAUSE this is reactive nonsense at its absolute worst ... instead of dealing with the reality of the situation you blame ONE PARTICIPANT and tried in vain to drive him to his knees in repentance ... remember this - Galileo was eventually vindicated too !!!!

My sin around this little blog of mine, has been daring to speak a truth ... and I WILL NOT BE SILENCED, not now, not ever !!!!!!

Censorship has NO PLACE IN THE CHURCH !!!!

And this proposal is CENSORSHIP plain and simple ... and people of faith should have NONE OF IT !!!!

Peace all !!!!