Volume 9: Issue 6
May/June 2005
God and
Politics
Table Of Contents
Cover
Story: God and Politics:
What's So Funny 'Bout Peace Love and
Understanding?
--By: Candace Chellew-Hodge
In our world of continuing war, poverty and greed,
we tend to scoff at people who talk endlessly of peace, love and understanding.
We laugh at them because the idea of peace, love and understanding
seems like a pipe dream in our world.
The Words in Red
--By: John Campbell
If Jesus Himself were to run for president, teaching all of these same teachings the way he had, what would happen? My guess is that given the way the current political climate seems to me, I fear that he would be labeled a "bleeding heart liberal" and perhaps they'd try to have the "Galilean Fishermen For Truth" discredit Him when he spoke of turning the other cheek, making peace instead of waging war,
acceptance of diversity, inclusiveness for outcasts, and love and compassion for all people!
Out of Xanadu
--By: Lori Heine
The
true character of God is revealed to us in Scripture as "He" liberates
the oppressed from bondage and welcomes the outcast into fellowship
with "Him." People whose politics reflect a preoccupation with their
own comfort, security and self-flattery worship something quite different
than the God of Jesus Christ.
A Meditation on Addictive Religion
--By: Bob Minor
Take right-wing
religion's teaching that people are basically so evil and lost that
they deserve eternal, abusive punishment. Add its effectiveness at
convincing people of their innate evil because they're prepared for
it through childrearing methods that punish inherently bad children.
Enforce such messages with political leaders whose solution to problems
is more punishment. The result: adults' desperate need for a fix to
provide relief from self-denigrating, self-abusive feelings.
Religion and Politics
--By: Lawrence Falkowski
How do people
of the progressive Christian movement deal with the very firm political
reality that when you mention religion and politics in the U.S. you
are talking about the religious right?
Constitutional Crisis In The Making:
America On The Edge
--By: Archbishop Bruce J. Simpson, OSJB
God is brought up more now in these political institutions than he is in some churches.
The line of separation between Church and State is gone.
A Holy War?
--By: Lana Phillips
Politicians use God's name in speeches,
claiming to be believers; but sometimes it seems that they're just using
God's name in vain.
God and Politics: Why or Why Not?
--By: Sheila K. Smith
I recently had the opportunity to interview a fellow seminarian to gather
his thoughts on the subject of God and politics.
Homospirituality:
Worship
God Not The Bible:
A Black Gay/Lesbian Understanding
--By: Herndon L. Davis
Literalism or the act of taking a literalist belief, view, and understanding
of the bible is exactly how it has been used in the past to destroy, kill,
enslave, and marginalize human beings around the world. Literalism is
the tool by which Native Americans were persecuted, our ancestors enslaved,
and by which women and gays/lesbians have been kept in cultural bondage.
Being Single, Christian and Content
--By: Anthony Andrews
That hole that we try to fill with meaningless relationships is always going to be a God shaped hole.
The "Mr. Right Now" we settle for brings his own baggage into the relationship and only contorts your relationship
with God.
Gay Fundamentalist
--By: Robert Dooman
God
touched my life many years ago. I learned to have a relationship with
God and morphed into an evangelical fundamentalist. I was an elder
in a church where we all knew gays were horrible evil creatures with
an agenda.
Features:
Raising up Prophets to Society
An Interview with Dr. Robert Minor
--By: Candace Chellew-Hodge
If
there is any message that Christianity has it's that message - this
love is worth whatever it takes, and love is sometimes worth dying
for and we've done it. That's not just being a prophet, but a model,
a Christ, a parable to this society.
Leaving Jerry Falwell:
An Interview with Marc Adams
--By: Rod Gambassi
Nine
years have passed since the release of Marc Adams' first gay-themed
book, The Preacher's Son. In reality, TPS is his autobiography.
At least as much of an autobiography that can be written by someone
writing about their life from age 3 to 23. Now, Marc Adams has released
two new books simultaneously.
GodAssault: Morality as the Ultimate
Game
--By: Lisa Lambert
In
GodAssault, your conscience is not your guide. The Bible is.
Book Review: What's the
Matter with Kansas?
How Conservatives Won the Heart of America by Thomas Frank
--By: Raymond De Vries
Frank
claims that the new conservatives - "the Con Men" - have cornered
the market on this same aw-shucks, down-home demagoguery and are using
it to advance the interests not of the folks who vote for them, but
of the true American elite: the capitalist class whose only value
is money.
The Pope, His Secretary, and Gay Marriage
--By: Miles Christian Daniels
But during the two week media frenzy
that was John Paul's life, death and burial, I was a bit taken back by the
lack of attention given to the late pope and his relationship with Archbishop
Stanislaw Dziwisz - the pope's private secretary of more than forty years.
DignityUSA Sees Challenge Ahead
in New Papacy
--By: DignityUSA Press Release
The leadership of DignityUSA, the organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual,
and transgender (GLBT) Catholics reacted with dismay to the election of
Cardinal Ratzinger as the new Pope.
United Church of Christ's 'Call Me Malcolm' premieres at two
international film festivals
--By: United Church News
The Rev. Michael D. Schuenemeyer, the UCC's minister for LGBT concerns, says Call Me Malcolm is unique among
documentaries that deal with transgender issues "because it focuses on gender identity as it relates to matters
of faith, spirituality, vocation and human personhood."
Letters To The Editor
Same-Gender
Marriage:
The Love that Proudly Speaks its Name
-- By: Lloyd Peacock
The first day I met Bob I fell madly in love with him. I want to assure this committee that I feel no different about him today.
So whatever government decides in respect to same-sex marriage, our love will remain the same.
The Issue of Marriage Equality
-- By: Jerry S. Maneker, Ph.D.
The issue of marriage equality hammers home the need for all people
of good will to fight for the rights of oppressed people. Gay people are
citizens and as such are entitled to all of the rights and privileges
afforded any other citizen, including the right to marry.
Musings on Gay Marriage
-- By: Allie Jo Conkle
It's hard enough
to find affection in this lonely world.
Transgender
Spirituality:
Who Has the Truth?
-- By: Rachel Miller
Most of us claim to believe in a supremely powerful force, God, who
created the universe and set in motion a master plan for humanity. How
can any of us be so arrogant as to assume that we know the mind of God?
How can any human have more than a partial, dim view of God and God's
plan?
From the Pulpit:
Love Makes You Do Stupid Things
--By: Rev. Candace Chellew-Hodge
Love makes us do things we think are stupid - moving to a new place where we don't really want to be,
taking a new job we don't really want, going to a place where we know crucifixion awaits us -
but because we are acting out of love, we're not doing stupid things - we're doing redemptive work.
Who Should I Hate?
--By: Rev. Andy Sidden
Who should we hate?
Mom, dad, the kids? Our sweeties, our mates, our life partners? Our brothers
and our sisters and even ourselves? Jesus said - what?
Bible Study and Inspiration:
Lepers, Loons and Losers
Part 10:
Little Boy, Big Meal
--By: Tom Yeshua
Each of us has been given
food to share with others: the food of learning, a wide variety of talents,
wisdom, humor, compassion, justice, peacemaking, the list goes on and
on.
Examining the Beatitudes Part 1:
At Home in the Breath
--By: Debbie Graham R. N.
Don't be too quick to write off the Beatitudes as pie-in-the-sky ideals that
only the most holy mystics can obtain. Remember that Jesus spoke these words
to rough, poor, politically oppressed people. They lived hand to mouth at
best and had no time for bleeding heart idealism.
Holy
Humor!
You Know You're in a Redneck Church If:
10 Things You Never Hear in Church
