Tuesday, March 20, 2007

This little light of mine....

Thanks to Mad Priest for this - as a queer Episcopalian, I can relate and agree with MP's comment below. But I don't share his cynicism (he calls his post Christian when it suits). The current treatment of my church toward me and my fellow queer folk doesn't even compare to the behaviour of my government in its murderous occupation of Iraq. I've been a bundle of nerves all weekend alright. But watching the video of the service at the Washington National Cathedral and reading the service leaflet (linked below) have given me time to reflect and ponder my own complicitness in this travesty.

I urge you to watch the video. Especially significant to me was the spot-on witness of Pastor Raphael Warnock of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, the spiritual home of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. If you do anything, listen to him! Move your cursor up to 36:40.

Washington National Cathedral (photos, video, service leaflet): Christian Peace Witness for Iraq Service.

Well, here's Mad Priest's post --
Over two hundred Christians were arrested this weekend after protesting on the fourth anniversary of the Iraq invasion. Thousands of Christians prayed for peace at an anti-war service on Friday at the Washington National Cathedral, kicking off a weekend of protests around the country.

The Christian Peace Witness was organized by a broad cross section of Christian denominational peace groups. Involved were prominent religious leaders and peace activists, including Jim Wallis, Celeste Zappala, Bernice Powell Jackson, and Raphael Warnock.

After the service at the Cathedral participants marched with toward the White House and gathered in Lafayette Park.

About 100 people crossed the street to demonstrate on the White House sidewalk. Police began cuffing them and putting them on buses to be taken for processing.

Protest guidelines require demonstrators to continue moving while on the White House sidewalk.

"We gave them three warnings, and they broke the guidelines," said Lt. Scott Fear. "There's an area on the White House sidewalk where you have to keep moving."

Police said 222 people had been arrested by Saturday morning.

Full story at EKKLESIA.

COMMENT: These figures are not quite correct. At least 10% of the demonstrators would have been gay and, of course, they are not to be treated as full Christians according to Anglican Church guidelines.

1 comment:

  1. Hi
    When my search engine picked up your post it did so without italics and I read "he calls his post Christian when it suits." I came over here ready to bitch slap you, I tell you, only to discover, of course, that you was merely quoting a headline I'd forgotten I'd written. Please accept my apologies for even thinking you would be so crass.

    In my defense, I would point out that with me it's less cynicism and more a complete inabililty not to joke about absolutely everything. It's pathological and drives the missus nuts. In reality I have a prophetic optimism and delight in hearing about good people doing good things.

    ReplyDelete

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