The Episcopal Church Self-Destructs over Homosexuality

VirtueonLine ^ | 7/15/05 | Allan Dobras

[notigar]

Right there bother.

[notigar]

Hey, a great solution for you. Don't convert.

[GOPJ]

Indeed, Jim. Even atheists are people of faith - believing fervently (with no proof) that there is no God...

Sounds like an agnostic or a Christian before the leap of faith..,

[Allegra]

Even if it's not a real word, I like it and am going to start using it amongst my friends and see if it catches on.

Great idea! I'll start casually dropping that word into comversations beginning right now.

When I get that "vapant" expression from people, I'll make up some definition that sounds really cool. We'll start spreading it around.

[Allegra]

Of course, I meant "conversations." My typing sucks.

(I hope I didn't just make up a new word...YIKES!)

[Lazamataz]

Well, it looks like the Moderator came a'harvesting.... but he or she left our Wordquest unmolested!

Thusly, the Admin Moderator has joined us on our Wordquest!

Long live vapantity and daneliness!

THE MOTTO OF THE WORDQUESTERS....

"Two words to rule them all, two words to find them.
Two words to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them."

"Atta quetta durbatulûk, atta quetta gimbatul.
Atta quetta thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul."

[Lazamataz]

Behold, stout cleric, let thine eyes rest upon the scroll posted above. Join us, thy noble warrior, in our Wordquest?

[Carolina]

It is indeed a sad thing to see a church self-destruct. I had not expected to convert because we thought we had found a spiritual home in Anglicanism 20 years ago. But we never quite felt comfortable with its praxis. Too many people kept saying, "Oh, you can't believe everything in the Nicene Creed." So why recite it? "Oh, well, it's all a journey. Anglicanism is a big tent."

So we became part of the legislative structure early on to try and make a difference. But it was exhausting work--difficult to hold on to orthodoxy and fight for it. We kept losing resolution after resolution. Via Media kept slamming us right and left, that middle way that Anglicans are so attached to (not the least, the 3-legged stool--Scripture, Reason, and Tradition, good ol' Hooker). In the middle of one convention, I thought what insanity this was that we voted on what is Truth. It was our 16-year-old son who looked at us and said, "Via Media doesn't work. Either Truth is or it isn't." (This was after a parish meeting to discuss the Windsor Report where the self-congratulations abounded...whatever you believe is your truth, and what I believe is my truth...let's all embrace each other because that is the true gospel...how can we turn away from each other at the Lord's table?)

Out of the mouths of babes. How could we stay after that? We couldn't go back to our Southern Baptist roots, didn't particularly want to go to a breakaway Anglican church 50 miles away that was dwindling. What's an Anglo-Catholic to do but to go down the same path trod by Newman himself.

[patriot_wes]

The final condition of "the church" was described in the Revelation. In the church at Laodecia the church was doing its thing just fine or so it thought, but where was Jesus? On the outside knocking -

Rev 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Yes the foundation and center of the church standing on the outside asking for entrance.

[Carolina]

You know what was maddening? On matters of theology, a lot of clergy that I knew would just shrug (then clueless lay people would just play along). But oh, boy, on matters of canon, you can bet these same people could cite article, canon and section down to a subpoint with a fervor that was breathtaking.

[Free Baptist]

The following quote from the article is also confusing:

"The EC (USA), having weathered many storms in the past that left it intact but drove its membership into mass exodus, appears to have finally reached the end of the road, and a major breakup of the denomination seems inevitable."

I would not say that driving its membership into mass exodus is leaving the EC intact, would you?

I confess ignorance of the remaining connection between the Anglican Church and the Episcopal Church in the USA. I knew of the historical links and doctrinal links, but had no idea that what happens in the EC (USA) still must be defended in England. I thought that had ended more than 100 years ago. Just not read up on those churches.

Well, "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." Proverbs 14:23. "Any people" includes churches! REPROACH!

[Dane]

Well since I invented the word, I get to make it's definition.

vapant: adj. trivial, unimportant, self-centered, self-absorbed.

Now it is time for an end this vapant chit chat being promoted by you on this thread and get to back to the subject of a once noble Church being destroyed by modern PCism.

[muir_redwoods]

If Christianity is the common thread here, perhaps a bit of generousity, humility and restraint wouldn't hurt. I'm not a moderator and have no wish to be one but the tone of many remarks to one another is getting just plain rude. Remember, there are sins besides those of the flesh. Anger and pride are among them.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Agreed. Issues of abortion, the homosexual agenda, U.S. sovereignity, eliminating the IRS, and etc are being taken by the Constitution Party folks.

Many (not all) in the Republican party leadership seem to be content with not rocking the boat.

Don't be delusional concerning the virtues of the Constitution party. They're just as human as the Republican party. Remember the last election when the Constiution party (and Buchancan) ran against Bush--not Kerry. It was despicable and I will never support them again.

[Lazamataz]

Now it is time for an end this vapant chit chat being promoted by you on this thread and get to back to the subject of a once noble Church being destroyed by modern PCism.

Okay, but you have to promise to stop impugning the character of fine, upstanding Freeperettes.

[Dane]

Okay, but you have to promise to stop impugning the character of fine, upstanding Freeperettes

Agreed, but if you look at my reply #41,

Jeff, why don't you concentrate on something more important to your, IMO, vapant life, like playing cat and mouse bedding Xena

My main criticism was of jmc and I should have put the word trying after the word mouse in the above passage.

And one must admit that jmc, you, and Xena have thrown innuendo to others and amongst yoursleves.

That said, I'm now done with the trivial sidetrack on this thread.

[jmc813]

vapant: adj. trivial, unimportant, self-centered, self-absorbed.

Oh. I thought it meant I had sex with a lot of chicks. Shoot.

[jmc813]

And one must admit that jmc, you, and Xena have thrown innuendo to others and amongst yoursleves.

When you're as hot as the two of us, it's hard not to.

[Xenalyte]

Reality check, little man.

YOU were the one who dragged me into this.

I was nowhere near this damn thread until you began defaming me.

[Xenalyte]

Then I'm sinning right now, because I am still VERY DAMN angry at Dane for insinuating that I am sleeping with someone to whom I am not engaged.

And I shall continue to sin until he apologizes for the aspersion.