Twenty Comments about God's Love for Goths ...

It will soon be the 6th Anniversary of the fire that destroyed the Building housing the congregation of Minnedosa United Church. A new building has replaced the old, but the congregation has never been allowed to truly heal ...

I marvel at how prophetic the advice received by an American pastor I contacted after reading his book about a Church fire he experienced truly was ... he cautioned that the fire would, if handled poorly, be the least of the problems the congregation and I faced ... hmmm, six years on I look back and see the painful truth in those words - words offered in love and care and faith ... words that the leadership waved aside and ignored.

In 2007, in response to an internet site that claimed God condemns and hate those with Goth leanings, I offered a reflection on what I believe in this regard. This posting (found here) continues to generate responses from people who follow the links from that hate-filled (and unfaithful site) through to my reflection. This past week I discovered the TWENTIETH comment offered. The comment (copied at the bottom of this posting) reminds us that issues of faith are seldom easy, and challenge us to grow past the status quo.

Yearning for things that are comfortable and familiar is not in itself a bad thing, but when we stand in a place of trauma we need to embrace the fragments of the comfortable while being open to the dynamic change that is possible when we experience the transformation faith promises. God calls us to much more than we can imagine ... in Minnedosa six years ago, we were offered the opportunity to cast aside the past and embrace the future ... but anger settled in, and the response within the community was often not that different from the nonsense sputtered by web pages that claim that God hates Goths or anyone else who is different than the writer. In the case of Minnedosa, the hatred was masked with a civil smile and couched in the bureacracy of the Institutional Church ... the end result remains the same - some are acceptable and accepted, while others are rejected and discarded ... In both cases though, God weeps and trusts in the work of the Spirit to continue to transform our world despite the best efforts of humanity to the contrary.

Over and over, I continue to marvel at the truth held in the simple statement: "With God ALL things are possible."

Comments like the one that follows reminds me to trust in God not in human creations like the Church ... thankfully, the Gospel calls us to embrace all, not just a select few. Regretably, this sentiment is too often forgotten in the Church ...

I do not consider myself emo but many if fellow students call me emo. I am a strong Christian. I feel that when many people who claim Christianity don't reach out to the other gothic and emo kids they are not dong there duty to share the love of God. Infact most "Suburban Gangsters" and "normal kids" make fun of me for not listening to Eminem or Lil Wayne. These kids normally cka Christianity. I try to explain that I don't worship Satan, cut myself, or any of that stuff. I just don't like dressing Un neon colors and listening to Hip-Hop. I'm glad that a minister (other than my dad) thinks I'm (not) just going to hell. And GOD BLESS YOU REV.

Our God is a God of Love and Acceptance:

It is coming up on almost six years since the fire that destroyed the Church building in Minnedosa, and disrupted the lives of many ... since then life has moved on, people have forgotten the lessons that were offered, and many have simply turned their back on the horrendous events of that terrible night, and the ongoing repercussions that continue to resonate throughout the community of Minnedosa and the lives of those affected by the fire and the loss of the building.

For some, things are 'all better now', while for others (and I'd dare to say that this group far exceeds those who say 'it's all better') the effect is still being felt ... they say time heals all wounds, and while that might be true, untended wounds fester and become infected and in time can kill thier host ... Pretending it's all better serves no one, particularly the Church we are called to be ... moving on and ignoring the hurt and pain of our neighbours doesn't bring healing, it just means things linger and fester ...

Fortunately though, despite the best efforts of the willingfully blind, healing (the very Grace of God in action) comes and we that receive it are better for it ... Time does heal all wounds, but ONLY when there is honesty and openness ...

This week I once again found a comment on the posting I offered in 2007 when someone took the example of the fire and said it was 'proof' that God hates Goths ... this notion of God hating any one continues to be a ludicrious affront to all things Faithful, and shows the misuse of faith that people are capable of when they are overwhelmed with fear.

Our God is a God of love, and despite our best efforts to the contrary, our God will never be thwarted by our shortsightedness, our fears, and our insecurities ... the fire in Minnedosa and the events in the five years since underscores the folly that is experienced when people fail to surrender themselves to God ... fortunately, God's whisper continues despite the best efforts of those who fear the light (a reader's comment from the blog posting of Jan 21st 2007):

I do consider myself goth as well as catholic. Thank God for people like you, who understand that god is a force of love, not hate and that those who preach hate in his name only make the faithful look bad. Admittedly, I can be a bit violent at times (being a gamer, a goth, and asexual means that I'm an easy person to hate, and the large amounts of bullying at an early age have caused me to be a little to quick to cure intolerance with a knee to the crotch)and I do not go to church as much as i ought to (the intolerant fools sorta do a good job in scaring people away). Honestly, internet being what it is, these people are one of three things.

1) Hateful fools who I desperately hope god will cure.

2) Forum trolls being offensive, in need of psychiatric help to deal with underlying emotional conditions.

3) Intelligent people making a stealth parody of the above two and just did too good of a job. (yes these sorts of things are way more common than people realize)

ps, the odd name comes from a WoW alt

To those who claim "it's ALL better now" ... one day you WILL be called to account for your actions ...

Five years later, the effects still linger ...

It still amazes me that I get responses to a posting I made over four years ago in response to a web page that cites the Church fire in Minnedosa as 'proof' that God hates anyone - in the case of the Church fire, it is Goths. The very notion that God hates anyone is laughable to me, but also sad because there are those folks out there who believe God hates anyone ...

However, I am encouraged by the periodic comments that are left on that posting from January 2007 that express appreciation for my comments. (God doesn't hate Goths)

Last week, I found the comment copied below. I can only say a humble thank you, and offer the hope that one day the greater Church will stop promoting the erroneous belief that God has the capability of hate ... perhaps one day the egos of frail and frightened human beings will stop resisting the love and grace of God, and the world will finally become the place it is meant to be ...

I'm overwhelmed with joy that this was posted. I'm a Goth but I'm also a Christian. I saw the website that said that god hated Goths and instantaneously my stomach sank. It scared me. The part that killed me the most was "Every time a Goth dies, God laughs at their pain". As soon as I read about it I looked up if god hated Goths and found this. I believe this is much more convincing. I feel guilty for ever having doubted God. but I was genuinely afraid... Thank you for posting this. I have my reassurance and your acceptance of the Gothic sub-culture is dearly appreciated.

Aw Shucks ...

I got an email from a friend and a reader of my blog that I felt compelled to share ... it made me blush, but also helped me appreciate the deep care and support this friendship has brought to my life in the last ten years ... So, good, bad or indifferently here's what was offered by an old friend who has been there through thick and thin:

Just thought we'd write and tell you we think you are already a Blue Jay .

Only a couple of items didn't ring true......obnoxious and stunningly beautiful ( sorry)
But you ARE bold, have a loud booming voice when you want to use it, you love to eat and you are intelligent.

So you more or less fit the bill.

Sparkles of Grace along the way ...

I have been feeling a heaviness of heart and soul this week ... and I know why ... it is more than the typical February Blah's and it is more than just utter exhaustion from working nine part-time jobs to try in vain to make ends meet economically ... I feel a heaviness of heart because we are drawing closer to the anniversary of February 12th 2006, when the 105 year old Sanctuary of Minnedosa United Church was consumed by fire, and I began the painful and devestating journey that has lead to my marginalization from ministry and from life in Western Manitoba ...

I can not approach the anniversary of this date with any thing but deep and profound sorrow at the gaping wound that remains in the wake of this senseless act of destruction ... There are those who are convinced that everything is fine, and that it's "all better" now ... they have closed thier eyes to much, and nothing I say, and nothing any one else says will change that. And they have powerful allies who take delight in reminding me that I am the sole problem and that the "community" has healed ...

Yeah ... selective vision is a marvelous thing ... too many voices express pain and sorrow and frustration for me to even pretend there has been anything remotely healthy or healing here ...

Yet, in this heaviness I find moments of Grace that leave me smiling ... sipping my coffee listening to CBC radio, watching my dogs play in the snow, enjoying the laborious walk that delivering papers requires, and knowing that even though I am utterly bone tired by the end of a week - I can look in the mirror and know that I have done everything that has been asked of me by God, by my conscience and by the Church - and the sting of rejection that I continue to live is NOT MY PROBLEM. I'm not the one who looks panicky when we meet in the mall, I'm not the one avoiding me downtown, I'm not the one wrapped in a cloak of righteousness and trembling in fear lest the secret that the "emperor" is wearing no clothes escapes ... I can walk with my head up and my conscience clear because I am not the toxic one any more ...

So, when I'm asked - "how are you?" I'll answer honestly - "BROKE, TIRED, bordering on homeless, hurt, angry, lonely, and feeling deeply rejected by the ONE body that should know better - the place that claims to welcome in ALL people unconditionally, and without hesitation ..." I won't lie any more and offer a fake smile and say - "Fine," and pretend it's all okay when it's not.

But having said that - I can honestly say that I am glad to be where I am ... I enjoy my beautiful children, I have new friendships and relationships that are exciting and life-affirming, and I know that the economic poverty I am experiencing will eventually pass, and I will look back on this time as a yeasty time of growth, reflection and Spiritual energy that moves me to a better, healthier and more Christ-Like setting ... and I find that whisper of hope in the quiet sparkles of Grace that I find periodically along the way ...

Today I found a sparkling gift of grace - it came in the form of a comment left on the posting for September 9th 2008 entitled "and now a word from a reader"

Cat The Goth wrote the following:

"I was googling some goth related search, and the little square graphic with the few facts about goths came up, and I saw it was on a site with a very Christian name and my initial reaction was going to be "oh no, another site claiming we're all a bunch of Satanists" but decided that I wasn't going to judge before I read. I'm very happy I did read, because I was proved completely wrong. It's nice to see common sense from the openly Christian because the most vocal 'Christians' I meet don't tend to be very good at following the teachings of Christ and very good at condemming. I was stopped in the street by street-preacher the other day, who, despite the fact I was wearing a rather obvious Celtic cross, decided to harangue me about my supposed 'Satanism'. No chance for me to explain about being a choir girl at St. Mary's... Thankyou for being open-minded and tolerant and for putting something on the web that shows to other Goths out there that Christianity has not placed itself as our enemy - that is the action of a rabid minority, not a faith, and certainly not God."

I am called to a ministry that is far bigger then the closed minds who would try to tear me down can ever envision ... I'm called to a ministry that welcomes and includes ALL people, not just the chosen few we are comfortable with ... I'm called to a ministry that embraces those the "good church people" would prefer to reject and cast out ...

I'm called to Ministry ... and A BIG piece of that call is what I've done here for the last few years ... Like Pope Benedict said a couple of weeks ago: BLOG !!!! For the love of God - BLOG!!!

And the feedback continues ...

On Monday an anonymous visitor left the following comment on my posting of January 21st 2007 where I responded to the hate-filled link that cited my blog and the experience of the Church fire in Minnedosa as "proof" that God hates Goths ... my reply then, as now remains - "I don't think so ..." I doubt God hates anyone ... I will acknowledge that there are no doubt many in the human family who disappoint God greatly ... for now, one of God's beloved ones has offered her opinions:

"Thanks soooooooo much people keep saying god hate goths and I'am a goth and I don't belive it true at all. It just makes me sooooooooo mad."

God Doesn't Hate Goths revisited yet again ...

It's funny - in a very very sad way - I get criticized by those "righteous voices" within the Church who don't want things to be pushed and changed, for being too opinionated and outspoken, and yet from the world outside the Church, I am frequently praised and thanked for being opinionated and outspoken ... It causes me pause, and makes me wonder who is being faithful in all of this?

o

Those who defend the Church and want it to stay the same without the stress of change and upheaval, or those who stand outside the Church calling to for something spiritual, and yearning for something more ... I will not even suggest and answer to that question, lest I bring down the wrath of "God's Annointed Ones" yet again ... I'll leave the judgement up to my readers and to our God ... AND I will continue to speak my mind and push at the boundaries and I WILL CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE THE CHURCH TO BE MORE THAN IT IS !!

-

Today I found yet another comment posted on the original God Doesn't Hate Anybody posting from 2007, that helps to underscore the importance of the medium and the message I convey in this place:

k

Thank you for writing what you did. its good to know someone out there is accepting towards goths. i consider myself goth even though, no, i do not wear black all the time. not all goths do-contrary to popular belief-just as not all goths are depressed. often they just look at things differently than most people. as for the belief that all goths are atheists ( im not even quite sure what that means :I ) i was raised christian, mant goths are christians are goths, or vis-versa, as well as other religions. however, sites like GODHATESGOTHS just turn more people away from the lord. i was. at an early age i was a very strong believer in christ. later, after seeing how mant of faith rejected lifestyles such as mine and my friends, i began to lose faith in god. so i think your site is very good for those who believe they will only face rejection from god and chruch. thank you and keep writing! :)

j

j

A word from our readers ...

In response to my posting on the Anniversary of my ordination, I found the following comment:

"Sadly in the Church today, many of those in leadership positions believe they are doing the will of God, and can not, and will NOT open their eyes to the possibility that they have been simply, utterly and breath-takingly WRONG !!!"

To my anonymous reader - Thank you ...

God doesn't hate Goths ...

Periodically people stop by here after having been directed to my blog from the website that erroneously claims God hates Goths ... fortunately, they take time to read my feelings and thoughts and from time to time they leave their response.

It is something I always appreciate.

Today I found the following comment posted in response to my posting from January 2007:

its good someone is speeking out against the "god hates goths" website. whoever wrote it seems to have no respect for anyone throughout the whole article and i felt exstremely sick when i read the website. reading this article has made me feel a whole lot better

To read the original post click here: God DOESN'T Hate Goths.

And now a word from our readers ...

I found another reader's comment about the God Doesn't Hate Goths posting from January 2007, that I noted in a post last night ... This young person's comment inspired me - people like Kelsey are WHY I blog ...

All I can say is - Thanks Kelsey !!

Hey! I found myself feeling very uplifted when reading the above article. I am an athiest, but I in no way hate peacefull Christians, or any other religion for that matter. I am so used to recieving words of hate from Christians! At school, I am sometimes frightened to tell people that I am a non-believer, because I know that I will quite possibly be made fun of or yelled at. It's really nice to see that all religions and non-believers (because Atheism is NOT a religion) can get along and accept our differences, knowing that what matters is what is inside.-Kelsey, 14-

DAYENU!!!! A reader comments ...

Tonight when I signed in I was wrestling with the - WHY? of blogging ...

My life is in a place of unbelievable uncertainty. The Gospel of I DON'T KNOW, is what undergirds all that I am doing right now. I am happy and content, but I have no idea what is in store for me, or where my path is leading. I have before me, some enormous decisions that will affect not just my life, but the life of others around me ...

Recently I was asked in a less than friendly tone - "why do you blog?" and I will honestly say I struggled for an answer ... I blog partially for a release ... I blog for the creative exercise it represents ... I blog because I enjoy it ... and I blog because I feel that what I have to say from my reading, my reflection and my experiences is worth sharing.

In short - I blog for those who happen by here to read what I have to say.

After 2200 or so posts, I have had quite a lot to say about many things. Sometimes I've been thoughtful and reflective, other times I've ranted and roared and raged ... and I've hit almost every point in between. I will not apologize for the rants and the rages - they are what they are, and they have come out of circumstances that gave rise to them.

Looking back there are few postings that I honestly wish I hadn't written. The one notable exception that came in the wake of feeling beaten and rejected by a Group of people that I had foolishly and unwisely given TOO MUCH of myself was pulled ... it still exists, but is no longer for general consumption or posting ... I wish I hadn't written it only in so far as it would colour the opinions that many had of me subsequent to it ... instead of looking at the causative (some of them long standing toxicities) factors that lead to the posting, instead the finger of judgement came to rest firmly on me, and I was tired, convicted, crucified and left to die for daring to speak out and state that something was broken in "the kingdom."

I have no doubt that my blog irritates many ... I kind of enjoy that ...
I have no doubt my blog is a causitive factor in feeling feared and rejected by some within the church ...
and I have no doubt that my blog is regarded by many vested in the structures that are The Church, as an irritant, a foolhardy way of communicating, and a waste of time (yet these same people seem to be repeatedly drawn back like a moth to the proverbial flame !! - Go figure !!)

But the reason I persist in Blogging is because I have come to realize that I am NOT your average, run of the mill, milque toast, warm pink fuzzy preacher ... I am an exceptional (I'll leave it to my readers to drawn their own conclusions here about WHAT kind of exception I may be) preacher with a formidible intellect and I will NOT be cowed into submission for political expediency. I will bite my tongue for only so long ... I was raised in a family who call a spade a spade and will readily point out foolishness and stupidity, while accepting the redirection of fingers back in our own direction. I also know I can and will ask the questions others are thinking, but NO ONE DARES to ask for fear of offending others ...

My attitude is - To hell with it, either piss or get off the pot ... if you say it BLOODY DO IT!!! or shut the hell up once and for all ...

To me it is all about consistency - live your faith. (period - full stop !!) Hypocrisy has no room in my world ... don't put on airs and don't pretend to be above reproach when your closet is full of skeletons you dread having exposed !!

It's THAT simple.

I blog because I want to share my ideas and say to those outside the Church we are not all wishy-washy, hypocritical, wimpy, nerdy, political animals ... some of us are real people.

I write for the real people in ministry - the tribe who moves amongst the politically ambitions whilst they posture and strive for prestige and privilege and pats to their fragile egos.

But most of all I write to share with others - mainly those outside the church who deserve to hear that the Church is not what they think. There are new thinkers who love to dance outside the box and celebrate their faith without fear, hesitation or the nonsense that has marked the journey for so long ... I write to proclaim to the world thatthe prophetic message that has echoed throughout history is ALL ABOUT welcoming in ALL people, not just the few deemed worthy by those who fill the collection plates.

I KNOW that idea offends many - the one Bill Hicks poked fun at in his comedy when he said - "look at me, I have alot invested in this - look at the lines of worry on my face ..." - they need to be offended so they realize that they have become like Amos' fatted cows of Bashan who crush the widows and orphans (both figuratively and literally) under thier heels ...

I BLOG to share my ideas with the world - and you can like em or leave em ... it won't change my ideas ... and treating me with anger and contempt merely proves the close mindedness of the Church I rave against ... I BLOG to proclaim a faith of openess and dialogue, NOT dogma and adherence.

But tonight I found a readers comment that reminded me why I BLOG. A young man from the states paid me a strong compliment when he wrote the following in response to my posting from January 2007 entitled - God Doesn't Hate Goths:

You know, it's people like this Rev RG Green that give Christians a bad name.

It is people like Rev RG Green that are part of the reason for so many youth are straying for the church these days. It's people like him that give God a bad name.

One of my gothic friends told me about the website one day, and the instant I opened up the first page, I couldn't stop shaking. I couldn't believe that somebody who calls himself a Man of God could say hurtful things to these people and to take scripture and use it for evil, and who takes the name of the LOVING God and turns it into HATE! It sickens me!

It's people like You, however, that give Christians a GOOD name. You've shared with the world that god loves everybody no matter who they are. God does not care about the way anybody looks or dresses unlike humans who base everything based on outwardly appearance (1 Samuel 16:7).

People like Rev RG Green need to get their facts straight, and realize that God loves the whole world of people!

I thank you so much for your encouraging words and hope that others that have become victims to this godhatesgoths.com website will find your website/blog and will read and realize the truth.

Thank you.
Your brother in Christ,
-Wesley-

I BLOG because it is about THE TRUTH, not the status quo, and one day I won't have to explain myself, nor defend myself because those ardently defending the status quo will realize the stupidity and futility of their actions ... in the mean time: Thanks Wesley, I appreciate your kind and wise word ... you myspace site is worth a visit by my readers !!

Blessings upon YOU my brother!!!

Rev. Shawn

Thanks ...

Today I got a comment left on an "ancient posting" ... it was SO nice I had to bring it forward:

"My MIL always said she wanted to come back as a Turkey Vulture. She died on Feb 16th and for the first time this spring, yesterday, we saw a lone Turkey Vulture high upon the currents near our home.This caused me to look into Turkey Vultures as totems and thus found your blog here, which I enjoyed very much. Deb "

Thanks Deb - I hope you stop by again ... glad you enjoyed it.

Oh, and for my other readers - the posting Deb visited is here.

A picture is worth a THOUSAND words ...

It is said that Albert Einstein once quipped- "The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." I can't help but wonder if he was speaking of the anonymous critic who left comments recently on my posting about the discussion of homelessness.

Since I started blogging the anonymous criticisms that have been offered have been unbelievably critical and harsh. The accusations that have been lobbed my way have been numerous and seldom accurate. What unites them all is the veil of anonymity that these small minded petty fools hide behind ... initially these comments found their mark and hurt. But as I've moved through the last three years and witnessed first hand what the "good church people" at the local and Presbytery level are capable of, and as I've experienced repeatedly the hypocrisy of people who would smile to my face but think nothing of sinking a dagger in my heart and soul, I can only laugh at the pathetic attempt to feel good about one's own self by undertaking anonymous criticism of another.

The first comment about the language used in passing in my newspaper article is unfounded simply because - had they read the article AND The Christmas Carol by Dickens, they would see that I was using Dickens' phraseology. Throughout his 19th Century text we find Scrooge challenged to embrace "MANKIND" as his business. And unless I'm mistaken, mankind is STILL the accepted phrase to speak of humanity's universality. The politically correct neutering of the English language is fine, but grammatically incorrect.

And the second comment about my current job arises simply from utter and breath-taking ignorance.

The anonymous poster (and here I assume both comments came from the same person trying to be both witty and cutting) clearly failed to understand the content posted, much less the work, vision and mission of my position and the Steering Committee I work with. Obviously, their desire to take a shot at me and try in vain to pull me down took precedence over embracing the blindingly obvious.

Homelessness is a problem in Brandon. Not the traditional shelterless style of homelessness that we see in the large WARMER urban centres like Vancouver. In Brandon, there are a dozen or so individuals, who by the season choose to be shelterless. But the bigger more ominous problem in Brandon are what scholarship has dubbed the "precariously housed", or to use the more common parlance - "sofa surfers".

While the shelterless might number around a dozen or so on any given day, the sofa surfers may currently number upwards of 800 in Brandon - a number seemingly verified by work done by employees of the Regional Health Authority.

Yet, rather than naming the need of the entire community to address the housing crisis that is gripping the city of Brandon and much of West Man, the anonymous poster delights in taking a truly ignorant swipe at my position (one that has preceded me by almost 10 years), and the work that all of the Homelessness Coordinators have undertaken on behalf of Brandon. In his editorial, Mr. O'Connor raises some important issues - I've sent him a letter saying as much - but the appropriate response to his column by myself, by him, and by our community is to get to the bottom of the issue and address the housing crisis with affordable housing, appropriate supports and the lobbying of Government to improve the necessary services that the poor and marginalized NEED to survive.

Rather than taking a swipe at me, the anonymous poster should volunteer at Samaritan House and Helping Hands and see first hand the reality that the "at risk" population in Brandon are facing day by day.

I enjoy my current job. I can look back over the last 11 months and see the things that the Steering Committee and I have achieved, and feel good that we have made a difference, even in small ways, for those at risk. Yet there is much still to do ... just because one editorial raises concern about an exaggeration offered by one who's heart is committed to helping the less fortunate, doesn't mean there are no homeless in Brandon.

In truth there is EVERY indication that the homeless problem in Brandon is about to get worse before it gets better ... BUT, thanks to the dedication of the Steering Committee, who have representatives from all three levels of Government, and the agencies serving the less fortunate, the City of Brandon has the ability to stay ahead of the trend and minimize the impact that the current economic downturn coupled with the ongoing housing crisis would have ...

Yet, my anonymous poster self-righteously sits at their computer screen smirking with delight at their own wit, offering pithy criticisms of my postings - postings I SIGN MY NAME TO - and seeks to build themselves up by pulling me down ... to that I can only say - NICE TRY.

The comments remind me of hearing my classmates at Theology College reject the writings of Karl Barth because of an off-handed comment by one of our professors.

The comment was - "maybe we shouldn't consider what Barth had to say about women as valid because of his troubled relationship with them ..." She was of course referring to Barth's personal life and a troubled relationship with his mistress and other women in his life.

However, my class mates - UNIVERSITY educated people - broadened the comment by rejecting Barth's theology because "Pam said 'he has a problem with women' " I took my concern to Pam herself, and she was shocked and dismayed that her comment would be so misused, yet this was not uncommon in the highly charged overly politically correct environment that was Theology College.

It underscored for me the sad reality that possessing an "education" sometimes does little to dispel ignorance and stupidity ... My anonymous critic falls into a similar category.

In offering their two-bit opinions they've managed to prove Einstein correct ... Genius has it's limits, but ignorance and stupidity are boundless ...

As a parting thought - I offer a quotation I found this morning that pretty much sums up my feelings about anonymous posters who haven't got the courage to identify themselves while offering their ill-informed and mis-guided opinions:

"Never argue with an idiot. They will only pull you down to their level,

then beat you with experience"

I Wonder ... Jesus and the Temple ...

Michael Smither

Born 1939

Christ driving the money changers from the temple 1972

oil on hardboard 121 x 169.6cm

Victoria University of Wellington Art Collection

(Click here to learn more about this painting

and scroll to the bottom of the new page)

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One sunny morning everything was fine. The priests were in their garb and performing their duties, sacrifices were being offered, religious practises were being observed - everything was fine. The worship services at the Temple were continuing as they ALWAYS had ... everything was just fine ...

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Then suddenly this yahoo from Galilea shows up with his little band of followers and starts kicking over tables and picking up baskets of coins and tossing them in the air ... He kept shouting something about "My Father's house is not to be a den of thieves ..."

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The authorities rushed to stop him and mayhem ... there are rules to be followed, teachings to be observed ... They cackled amongst themselves - "Who is this whacko to think that he is right ??? We've been doing things this way for decades, we've been very happy with the way things are, how dare he show up and start telling us that 'This is NOT a healthy happy place'?"

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Yet Jesus and his merry little band continued ... he kicked over the tables and drove out the money changers who had gotten in the way of worshipping God, not through right sacrifice and proper offering, but through a faith of the heart and soul ... that day Jesus stood as a very outspoken, very outrageous and very vocal minority who was COMPLETELY opposed by the "Powers that Be" and by those, who vehemently maintained not just the status quo, but the delusion that "things are FINE" the way they are ...

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On the surface the worship at the temple was truly fine - it worked, everyone involved was happy. The Romans got their share, the priestly cast was supported and maintained, and the hangers on - "the money changers" to use Jesus' own terms, were making a comfortable living exchanging the provincial offerings for perfect untainted substitutes ... YET, this moment is foundational for the Christian Church. It marks the moment when Jesus stood up and said - "there is a different way to worship God."

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I doubt Jesus intended to start a new faith movement. I think his point was to say to the Temple Authorities that a lamb or kid carried from Galilea from the flocks the great God Yahweh had blessed a family with, is MORE than adequate for sacrifice at the temple. The devotion that saw them carry it carefully along during their pilgrimage more than makes up for some tiny "flaw" that rendered it unsuitable for sacrifice ...

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Jesus truly spoke as a lone voice in the wilderness challenging the perception that "everything is fine" ... he spoke out and spoke up from the fringes ... he faced condemnation and judgement, and I have no doubt that if he was among us today he would be told the exact same things I hear when I point out the folly that has been Minnedosa ...

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The people are happy.

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The worship is fine.

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The rules are being followed.

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Things are okay.

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No one is complaining.

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... and on and on it goes ...

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I don't have to wonder where the anonymous critics who offer their opinions here would be that day in the temple when Jesus showed up and started driving out the money changers ... they wouldn't be tossing the tables alongside the Master ... they would be hiding behind the flowing robes of the priests denouncing the foolishness of this Yahoo who won't see that "everything is fine ..."

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I think that realization alone is what saddens me the most ...The Church - the Body of Chirst, has become the VERY thing that Jesus fought against in his life and ministry ...

From a touch down to a mis-kick ...

If I doubted for even a moment the failure of the "powers to be" to grasp the reality that is Minnedosa United Church the comment left on my blog tonight is ALL THE PROOF I need.

Years ago one of my colleagues stood up at a Presbytery meeting and said - "when did we let the lawyers take over the Church?" ... and we engaged in an ongoing conversation about the legalism that had settled in over the Church.

It is that same legalism that dotted ALL the appropriate 'i's and crossed all the appropriate 't's, and that continues to set the agenda for any conversation about the Future of the Church ... I was tempted to just ignore the comment that I will copy below when I found it because it is obviously written by someone from within the United Church who stands in condemnation of me without knowing the full story of Minnedosa and what has transpired there ... for what it is worth the blue text is the anonymous comment - the green is my reply ... (***editor's note - I've changed the colour scheme so as not to confuse some into thinking that I presume a messianic complex for myself ...)

If this were yesterday's Grey Cup, this comment would rank as a major missed field goal ... too many assumptions are being made, a complete failure to grasp the complicity of toxic people, and defending the indefensible underscores what BOTH Blake and I and others have been saying for years ... The Church is dying ... and people like this anonymous poster are just interested in rendering palliative care ...

I don't see it in your comments, but I'm sure you reminded your correspondent that the plans for the new church were developed and finalized under your leadership. (Shall we discuss the lame-duck role I occupied on the Building committee and the complete inability to provide ANY input to the conversation??? The Building Committee was driven by a very narrow agenda that sought to build an edifice future generations could be proud of ...) Undoubtedly you reminded him/her that there were imposed deadlines based on a series of dates related to you and significant dates in your life. (Actually, the dates were NOT being set by me ... my suggestions were being overlooked and ignored - the BFM was driving that particular bus ... I was (both figuratively AND literally) hanging on for dear life ...) And, considering your stated understanding of the church of Jesus Christ, that you used your pastoral and prophetic skills and concerns to assure your correspondent that the church is not the building, it is the gathered people of Christ - who presently gather in another building, continuing to be the church and to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ. (CONTINUING TO BE THE CHURCH AND TO BE FAITHFUL ??? You can't be serious ... that statement alone misses the WHOLE point of what I've said ... and it definitely misses the point of what my friend Blake wrote ... there is little faithful in the actions of the leadership of Minnedosa United Church - that line got crossed when the Board Chair responded to a major crisis by DOING NOTHING and caving in to toxic people who wanted their way imposed on everyone else.)

As for the 12 who seem to have followed you to Neepawa, I do pray that you are taking your responsibility as a minister of The United Church of Canada seriously and are discouraging them from leaving their community of faith to follow a person who is not Jesus Christ. The boundary issues evident when a minister does not discourage such action are legion. (I have never actively encouraged anyone to leave their faith community, nor would I. What I have consistently said here is that the "Faith Community" has left them ... these twelve are NOT alone in being abandoned by thier church. I have not encouraged them to leave, but I will listen when I once again hear of a Congregation that slaps on a happy face and pretends everything is alright when the evidence to the contrary is not only compelling it is BLINDINGLY OBVIOUS) It seems to me that your responsibility is to use your pastoral skills to encourage those people to worship in Minnedosa and for you to share their names with the incumbent so that person can follow-up with them. (My responsibility is the The Church - NOT the United Church of Canada and NOT to Minnedosa United Church, but to The Church as the Body of Christ, and the incumbent in Minnedosa would know who these people are if he/she took time to get to know the community of faith and to HONESTLY listen to the people. I will encourage them to worship in Minnedosa, or Brandon, or Neepawa - to worship where they feel comfortable and welcome - I will no longer encourage ANYONE to confine themselves to a United Church if it is NOT a place they feel at home.) To do anything else is to encourage a personality cult (and from what I have read in some of your writing, that is not your stated vision of the church) and to inflict pain on the body of Christ in Minnedosa and Neepawa. I see no evidence that those folk have been silenced, the only evidence is that by following you they are silencing themselves and harming the well-being of the Minnedosa congregation.(They are not being silenced - they are being IGNORED ... the leadership of Minnedosa United Church is remarkably good at that - they did it in the early 1960's with a minister that they ran out of town then, and the children of the Board members who enacted that sacrifice learned from their parents and 30 years later DID IT AGAIN. The harm to the congregation of the United Church in Minnedosa is being invoked by the leadership, not by those who have spoken out, only to be ignored ... I have thier letters that were written to Presbytery, Conference and some even to National ... and not one of them was ever answerer with any thing other than empty platitudes ... they have cried out to stop the harm and they have been ignored!)

I could go on about the effects of grief and the responsibilities for those who are ministers within the church to provide both and pastoral and prophetic care to those grieving the loss of the building at Minnedosa and the loss of your ministry in their lives, but your writing leads me to believe that you have not yet dealt with those realities and, as a result, are not able to provide that care to others. (The funny thing is - when the fire happened I contacted the ONE person who had written on Church fires and he offered to come and help us in our journey ... I tracked down every resource I could find on the effect such happenings have and found people willing and able to come and help ... it was NOT I who rebuffed any of it - it was a leadership who assumed the stance of an ostrich and said - "we're fine - it's only a building" ... I carry deep grief over the loss of that beautiful building, and over the loss of many other things that departed from my life from that horrid day in 2006 ... I continue to seek healing and wholeness ... I have never sat in the ashes and simply wept for what was ... but I also have not slapped on a happy face and pretended everything was all better ... Having said that though, I will never ignore the call of the wounded and the hurting wherever they may be. My willingness to help is 90% of the problem that lead to my FIRING - I shall not speak of the toxic family I crossed paths with in Minnedosa and ALL that they did by using and manipulating my willingness to help ... suffice to say - I've learned from that horror) I would suggest that the healthiest reaction to the correspondence is not to be humbled but to be saddened - saddened for the person who wrote, saddened for Minnedosa United Church and saddened by the fact that you have not been able to provide effective pastoral care to enable this person to move on and move into the renewed life of Minnedosa Church. (I carry great sadness - but it is not sadness for the people who have walked away from Minnedosa United Church. It is sadness that the Church in Minnedosa has been so insensitive to THEM, that those twelve, and the dozens of others I've spoken with have found no alternative open to them except to walk away ... they've moved on - AWAY from the Church, not because the Church is unimportant to them, but because they remember the others who have experienced the SAME thing from the SAME church - it's been a generational thing - each generation has learned its lesson well and repeated it - over and over and over. My sadness is for the Greater Church failing to have the leadership and courage to stop the abusive cycle and give the Church back to the faithful people rather than the political ones - but the anonymous commenter will never understand that because they can't step outside their narrow field of view and see the big picture ... I was not the first minister to be treated this way. I am not, nor have I ever claimed to be, innocent - I made some huge mistakes, and I did some stupid things - but I have been called to account for MY actions ... There are many others who have never been called to account for THEIR actions - and until THAT oversight is addressed, NO ONE will be able to move on ... the toxicity will continue to fester until the next time ... until the toxicity is gone, there will be no renewed life in Minnedosa - just a dying congregation, a vacant lot and the dillusion that "everything is all better and ALL our problems are his fault" (meaning me) And that my friend, is what ALL of us should be most sadden about - Minnedosa United Church is being killed by its own people. I wonder though - after re-reading your comment if you would have been one of those who told Dr King to "wait" in his call for justice? - would you have been one of those he wrote to from his Jail Cell in Birmingham? And would you be one of those who saw NOTHING wrong with the white churches in South Africa supporting Apartheid? Legalism is a dangerous place to stand my friend - for as Augustine reminds us - "an unjust law is not a law at all" and in all of this - the legalism has only helped destroy a congregation ... but even as I write this, I know in my heart the anonymous commenter will never understand what it is that I'm writing because they are more concerned with preserving the status quo than seeking justice and faith ... and that is the saddest thing of all ... the loss of what could be ...)

It's time to open our eyes to what is before us ... I pray it may happen before it is too late ...

A CHALLENGE to Assiniboine Presbytery ...

I was going to begin this posting as a direct and open challenge to the leadership of Assiniboine Presbytery to stop ignoring the blindingly obvious, and take time to hear the voices that are crying out in Minnedosa from pain and grief and who remain ignored by the leadership of both Presbytery AND Minnedosa United Church.

I was planning on citing the twelve wonderful individuals who traveled this morning to Neepawa to hear me preach, and who offered much more than hugs when the service ended. I was planning on comparing that faithful dozen to the twelve who gathered around Jesus way back one ... I was going to say to Presbytery - "LOOK at these 12 individuals who are hurting and who feel alienated from their church ... look THEM in the eye and tell them that their feelings don't matter, tell them to their faces that the hurt they have borne is irrelevant ..."

Then I was going to reflect on what Jesus managed to do with his 12 disciples and a little event called a Resurrection ...

I'm a firm believer in the power of the Resurrection ... I've lived its presence in my life ... I've witnessed its presence in our world ... I've seen what The Resurrection can and does do regularly when have the faith to Believe.

I planned on challenging Presbytery to have the courage to fulfill the OTHER half of the 333/363 review that ended my ministry amongst the people of Minnedosa, and HOLD THE BOARD and ALL of the Committees of the Pastoral Charge accountable to the SAME LEVEL of discipline that you held me accountable. I was going to publicly challenge Presbytery to be a place of leadership to a community in distress before it is too late.

Things are NOT fine in Minnedosa.

Things are not ALL BETTER now.

Things have NOT been resolved.

Nor are they swept under the rug ...

I wanted Assiniboine Presbytery to hear ALL of this, and have the courage to FINALLY do something about it!!

Okay, I didn't actually expect Assiniboine Presbytery to DO something about any of this because I wrote a posting on my blog ... I know the anal-retentativeness that has settled in at Presbytery lately and I KNOW that the only way to get their ear officially is by sending a letter with no less than 10 signatures from members in good standing stating that the Pastoral Charge is in an unsatisfactory state and they want Presbytery to act.

But I wanted to write ALL of this because I know there are fellow Presbyters who visit this blog and who hit print when I write something outrageous, "offensive" (their opinion NOT mine), or something they feel fails to maintain the "peace and welfare of the church." I know they sit and wait for me to cross some ambiguous line they've established so they can pounce with an all-knowing "A-Ha!!" and proclaim with delight and glee - "now we've got him !!!" and they seek to finally rid the United Church of my presence in Ministry ... as though keeping me from any pulpits, and marginalizing me from their midst isn't enough ...

I will openly say that I wanted to ruffled feathers of those who already obsess over my words and mind every 'p' and 'q' and who are concerned about every dash and tiddle - because perhaps as they read what I offer here the seed of truth might finally begin to stir and grow, and as the Advent Journey begins they will embark on a journey to Holiness in our midst that is active rather than passive. Perhaps rather than outrage at me "going too far" or finally "crossing the line" they will instead recognize the folly of thier obsession, and at long last hear the whispered weeping that resonates through Minnedosa ...

I had plans to write a great deal about what lies in my heart tonight after being so warmly greeted by a congregation of the United Church of Canada, and by dear, cherished old friends who ALL encouraged me to keep preaching and ministering the way I have amongst them for 8 years, because it is how they want their church to be ... I had plans that all stopped when I found an anonymous comment posted on my blog ... a comment that is well worth sharing, and that Assiniboine Presbytery ignores at their peril ... It is a voice that speaks a painful truth, and that identifies the heart of what ails Minnedosa ...

So - to the members of Assiniboine Presbytery - read the following comment, and tell the anonymous poster, and the OTHERS in Minnedosa who grieve the nonsense that has transpired that their feelings and their opinions and their presence in The Body that is the Church is simply meaningless ... because my friends - that's the message that has been perpetuated thus far ... and if it continues, the vacant lot on Main Street in Minnedosa will remain vacant for a VERY VERY LONG TIME ...

Thank you to the anonymous poster who wrote so eloquently and offered the following:

Forgive me for not signing my name, it is for reasons you may or may not understand..and I would understand if you chose not to post this as a result.

You do speak a very real truth.. so much so that at times it brings a tear when I think of what has been lost here.. I know Minnedosa has treated you in the worst possible of ways; and although there are a number of us who couldn't change the hands of fate--we wish we could have.

But today, we remain a dying congregation. We drive by daily and see our empty church lot, being parked on, littered on, loitered on, being used for just about anything except what it should be used for. But it's all about bigger and better.. they couldn't have used the insurance and fundraising money they had to build us a new church..no, we had to go big, and now there isn't enough money for the "big" church! So again, we continue to remain homeless, in a sense. I didn't need big and fancy, I just needed my church back. I don't care how expensive the paint and pictures are or how beautiful they think it needs to be, it should be the people in it and the message delivered inside that counts.

We've lost you as our minister, our mentor, our leader and friend; and now with each passing day, it feels as though we've forever lost our place of worship. I know I am not alone in my thinking. Sadly, more than just a few have given up the hope, and are no longer going to service, even in our temporary home. And just as many have said they wouldn't bother going back to the United church even when or if it is rebuilt because they've lost their faith--in all of it.

Continued good luck, and blessings to you and yours.

I am utterly humbled by this ... and I pray tonight, and in the coming days that the "powers that be" will finally have the courage to hear these voices and stop ignoring the REALITY that is playing out in Minnedosa ... there are atleast 12 ... or 20 ... 0r 50 people there who don't like what's become of their church, and they have lost their voice ... and no one other than me seems to care !!!

The United Church of Canada prides itself on being a welcoming and inclusive place ... why is Assiniboine Presbytery a notable exception ????

New to my neighbourhood ...

A comment left downstream from Blake my brother and friend in the struggle, has lead me to an interesting new blog that will definitely be on my daily visit list from here on in ...

The Naked Pastor is created by a blogger from New Brunswick who admits to being an artist trapped in the body of a pastor ... The content of the site is brilliant, hilarious, thoughtful and most importantly thought-provoking ... I would invite my readers to check it out ... with more and more voices joining the chorus chanting "CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE" a spirit-filled revolution is on the horizon!!!

Come Holy Spirit Come !!!!

A Blast from the past ...

The problem with using sarcasm in a humorous way, or at least trying to be humorous with sarcasm, is that when people take it personally, they tend to retaliate and attack the one offering the sarcastic observation, even if the comment is 100% accurate.

Recently I quipped that anonymous posters here would benefit by re-reading, or perhaps reading for the first time the Gospel material on Jesus found in the Bible. I drew my observation from 18 years of work in the United Church, and countless studies that tell us that MOST people are Biblically Illiterate, and even regular Church attendees seldom, if ever read the Bible beyond what small doses they are fed in Worship.

I couched my comments with a sarcastic comment about the Bible being the big black leather bound book that is seldom or never read ... it clearly touched a nerve with some, and the response has been interesting. While I apologize for the format of the comment, I will not apologize for the implication that many are Biblically Illiterate.

I find it funny though, that over 25 years ago Amy Grant, offered the song "Fat Boy" that dripped with the same kind of sarcasm as I offered ... and I doubt many attacked her for her cutting and astute observation of what can happen when Faith is less than a lived and dynamic experience ... The words of her song follow ... but just before the written version there is a video version of the song for you to enjoy ... I can't help but think that one of the problems be-devilling the Church today, be it left or right in its orientation, is the proliferation of "Fat Babies" ... give a listen, and let me know what you think ... (remember - thinking and an open mind are good !!)



I know a man
Maybe you know him, too
You never can tell
He might even be you
He knelt at the altar
And that was the end
He's saved and that's all
That matters to him
His spiritual tummy
It can't take too much
One day a week
He gets his spiritual lunch
On Sunday he puts on
His spiritual best
And gives his language
A spiritual rest

[Chorus:]
(He's just a fat)
He's just a fat little baby

He wants his bottle
And he don't mean maybe
He's sampled solid food
Once or twice
But he says doctrine
Leaves him cold as ice

He's been baptized, sanctified
Redeemed by the blood
But his daily devotions
Are stuck in the mud
He knows the books of the Bible
And John 3:16
He's got the biggest King James
You've ever seen

I've always wondered
If he'll grow up someday
He's momma's boy
And he likes it that way
If you happen to see him
Tell him I said
He'll never grow
If he never gets fed

[Chorus]

REMEMBER: It's ALL about feeding our heart, our mind and our soul ...

Jump For Joy ...

Today has been a fabulous day ... it was rushed but wonderful ... then I came home and found the following comment on one my postings:

"We need more churches like that, and more preachers like YOU."

How can you NOT feel good finding a comment that ends with that kind of sentiment ...??!!

Then I turned to my friend Blake's Blog and was delighted to find a posting wherein he mused on a communion and what was written on it ... The words 'This guy welcomes sinners and eats with them" seems about right to me ...

Check out the full posting by clicking here.

AND, check out the comments (both postive AND negative) that have been left on my blog posting from the other day by clicking here.

What would Jesus Do ... you might be surprised ...

Yesterday, yet another anonymous reader left the following comment on one of my postings:

"It makes sense to me that people comment anonymously to your blog because you get so angry and nasty about most comments that raise any question about your vision of the world."

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As I read these words I thought about a couple of things. The first is that frequently, what I have said is regarded by others as angry, and as the writer has said - "nasty" because their point of view and mine are different. I grew up in a world milieu where critical thinking was not only accepted it was encouraged. From my home, to my home congregation, through all levels of schooling I was surrounded by people who were not only willing to offer critical reflection on events and happenings around them, they actively engaged in the process.

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So, yes dear reader, my words may be regarded by the insensitive and the thin-skinned as angry and nasty when they raise questions about my "vision of the world" particularly when they are questions based on what could be easily dismissed as ignorance.

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Having said that though, I think the anonymous commenter, and many who regard my reflections and musings as "angry and nasty" are missing a wide swath of Church tradition that is largely overlooked in the modern era.

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I would invite the anonymous posters (ALL OF THEM), and any one else to spend some time today with the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They are, just to be clear - the first FOUR books of the New Testament. That's the piece at the BACK of the Bible ... You know, that's the big black leather bound book on the shelf that YOU likely NEVER READ!!

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Open the Bible today and READ - really read - the Gospel accounts of Jesus life and take note of HOW he deals with those who do not share, or who actively work against, or who our right OPPOSE his vision of the world ...

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There is NO "gentle Jesus meek and mild" in the Gospels.

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The Jesus you find there curses a fig tree for not having fruit - the fact it was the WRONG season is somewhat overlooked ...

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The Jesus of the Gospels calls those who oppose him a nest of vipers ...

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The Jesus of the Gospels calls down one of his closest friends, calling him "h'satan" for failing to grasp the message he is offering ...

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The Jesus of the Gospels calls the religious authorities of his day "white washed tombs that look clean on the outside but are filled with rotting stinking flesh ..."

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The Jesus of the Gospels rebuffs those who will not engage in active self-sacrifice to follow him ...

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The Jesus of the Gospel welcomes the children, placing them on his knees while offering a resounding verbal back hander to those who would question him ...

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The Jesus of the Gospels is the guy who was almost thrown over the cliff in his HOMETOWN for offering a sharp tongued commentary on the text of Isaiah one sabbath morning in temple ...

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The Jesus of the Gospels is the one who kicked over the tables in the Temple and proclaimed that the TEMPLE was not to be a market place filled with deception and deceit ...

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The Jesus of the Gospels is the guy who was anything BUT meek and mild ...

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Yet for some inexplicable reason, the radical transformative movement that he founded with a cluster of a dozen of so men and women who stood firmly on the out side margins of society has been transmuted into an flaccid, insipid social club that is more concerned with niceties and comfort than it is with dealing with the very concepts Jesus spoke about AND DIED FOR!!

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Let's NEVER lose sight of why Jesus died.

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He was a rabble rouser and a rebel.

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He was not killed because it was simply the "will of God that he died for our sins." He was KILLED by one of the most horrid means imaginable BECAUSE he pissed off the authorities of his day and the ONLY way they could deal with him was by beating him, mocking him, then hanging him on the cross as a warning to anyone else who might try to emulate him.

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He died a criminal - and his crime was insubordination against the RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES of his day.

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The greatest sin of the modern Church is to have BECOME the very religious authorities that our founder once railed against !!!

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So, my dear reader, if my words are regarded as angry and nasty - GOOD !!!!

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Ask yourself - WHY ??? Why do these words strike you as angry and nasty??

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Ask yourself if you were in ancient Jerusalem when this wandering ascetic rabbi named Yeshua and his followers from Galilee were about - where would you stand???

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Would you stand with the outspoken, caustic Jesus? Or would you cast you lot in with the safety of the Sadducees, Pharisees and the others who were trying to maintain the status quo ???

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Let's be realistic ... no where in the Gospel material do you find Jesus responding to his opponents - those who do not share his "vision of the world" in a soft way that offers a warm pink fuzzy hug and a gentle - "there, there" pat on the head ... His words were sharp and harsh and the comfortable people of his day used anonymity to destroy him.

Seeing a parallel here???
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I'm not comparing myself to Jesus. I have no visions of grandeur that I am a modern Jesus. But I do see my ministry firmly in the tradition of the prophets who dared to share the Kingdom of God despite the opposition of the powers that be ... it's a LONG and honourable tradition ... one I'm proud to be CALLED by God to share in ...

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Remember that the final condemnation of Jesus did NOT come from his opponents standing in the full glare of scrutiny, but rather it was the MOB - the collective anonymity of a large group manipulated by a few key individuals - who chanted - "CRUCIFY HIM!! CRUCIFY HIM!!"

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Just because the MAJORITY said - "CRUCIFY HIM!!!" with passion, doesn't make the outcome justice nor right ... Mob rules leads only to anarchy and chaos ...

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Over the last three years the supposed "majority" within the United Church have had their opportunity to chant their cry "CRUCIFY HIM!! CRUCIFY HIM!!" ... and it doesn't make THEM right.

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The time for the Church to operate with warm pink fuzzy hugs has passed ... the people I talk to day in and day out are tired of empty hallow platitudes that are meaningless ... they are tired of Church leadership who are pale reflections of REAL people ... they are tired of the Institution of the Church ... They want something MORE ... They want TRUTH ... they want consistency between the words proclaimed from the pulpit and the actions engaged not only on the Street, but behind closed doors ...

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To be blunt and harsh - over and over, I have heard people not only in Minnedosa, but across Western Manitoba and indeed across the world saying clearly - "we want something MORE than the modern Church is offering ..." and regrettably, NO ONE in the Modern Church cares enough to listen ... instead we keep shuffling the deck chairs and kicking the ice aside while we watch the beautiful iceberg recede into the distance and think about what it will be like when the Titanic we're sitting on makes it to port ...

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We're closing our eyes to REALITY.

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So, yes, dear anonymous reader - MY WORDS can be regarded as angry and nasty when someone doesn't share my vision of the world ... but that interpretation is in the eye of the proverbial beholder ... Jesus and many who have followed in the prophetic tradition were just as "angry and nasty" - reread the writings of Gandhi, King, Mandela, Tutu ... go back and read (REALLY READ) the Old Testament Prophets (is 'fatted cows' a pleasant term to you???) AND THEN ask yourself - WHY ???? WHY are these words harsh to me ???

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The answer will likely surprise you ...

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I'm not saying I'm perfect, or that I'm always right - far from it ... but I am willing to raise the questions no one else dares to ask - and in the Modern Church, the true MAJORITY (those who have abandoned the ship to make it to the Carpathia) want those questions asked and they want the warm pink fuzzy BULLSHIT abandoned ...

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The United Church and it's leadership ignores this reality at its peril ... and the outcome of this ignorance is what is being felt in the pews across Canada today ...

and I for one refuse to tolerate it ...

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We're called to a better way ... and to some who are closed to the transformative vision of this way it is a harsh, angry and nasty place ...

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