marriage equality | MINISTRY FROM TWO POLES

Posts Tagged ‘marriage equality

Mar

Religions Put Emphasis on Least Theological Issues

Categories: Economic Theology, Ethics and Justice & Mercy
Tags: biblical authority, Capital, Christ, Christian, Church, conflict resolution, cultural competence, Economy, Equity, Ethics, Faith, GLBT issues, God, inclusive, initiatives, Kingdom of God, Liberation theology, marriage equality, Obama, oppression, PC(USA), poverty, Progressive, reconciliation, society, Theology

Theologically speaking, God can be found in all situations. In even the most heinous of events, we can trust God to be at least suffering with those who suffer, mourning with those who mourn and crying with those who cry. So even in this trying economic time, we can envision God’s concern for those who are worst hit by our unfolding system of commerce – the worst hit, of course, being the poorest of the poor and not particularly those whose fortune may have been trimmed by a few billion. Given this, I find interesting the results of a Pew Forum survey of religious people in which they were asked where President Obama and the legislature should concentrate their efforts. Additionally interesting, although I have yet to find an explanation, is the fact that the categories include only white religious people. We are left to surmise the purpose of that decision.

pew623

Continue reading ‘Religions Put Emphasis on Least Theological Issues’

Feb

No, Please! Tell Us What You Really Think

By Rev Andy Little 1 Comment

Categories: Marriage & Sexuality
Tags: bias, conflict resolution, cultural competence, Ethics, GLBT issues, inclusive, initiatives, marriage equality, reconciliation, writing

If you are looking for the perfect example from which to learn to write a “quirky, snide, and very thoughtless comment” to someone with whom you disagree – look no further. Sen Paul Koering’s aid seems to have the technique down to a fine science, and will gladly send you an example should you want to disagree with the senator on anything.

News from the Minnesota Independent: Gay Republican responds to criticism: Same-sex marriage is a ‘pointless issue’

The office of state Sen. Paul Koering, a gay Republican representing a district near Brainerd, Minn., is responding by e-mail to criticisms over his decision not to vote for the Marriage and Family Protection Act. The gist? Legislators can’t “waste their time” with “pointless legislation.”

The mass e-mail, penned by an impassioned Ken Swecker, Koering’s legislative assistant, concludes with a punchline that shows someone’s got their knickers in a wad over something. Swecker wrote: Continue reading ‘No, Please! Tell Us What You Really Think’

Feb

Is Hate a Mental Disorder?

By Rev Andy Little 2 Comments

Categories: Ethics and Justice & Mercy
Tags: bias, Church, conflict resolution, cultural competence, Economy, Equity, Ethics, GLBT issues, group dynamics, history, homophobia, inclusive, marriage equality, Obama, oppression, PC(USA), poverty, reconciliation, society

We live in interesting times. Since the election of Barack Obama, hate groups have begun growing. Since the economy has tubed, hate groups have begun growing. Hate, it seems, flourishes whenever major change occurs or disaster strikes. According to a CNN article, “Growing Hate Groups Blame Obama, Economy“, hate proponents seem to think they have very rational grounds for their attitudes and actions. As a culture we seem to regard hate with varying degrees of disdain or apathy. Blatant racism is largely disdained, while blatant sexism is discouraged and heterosexism seemingly encouraged. All, however, are based on irrational fears and anti-social behavior. In what way are any to be considered normal responses? Continue reading ‘Is Hate a Mental Disorder?’

Feb

The Nature of Marriage

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Marriage & Sexuality
Tags: bias, Christian, Church, conflict resolution, cultural competence, Equity, Ethics, Faith, GLBT issues, group dynamics, homophobia, inclusive, marriage equality, oppression, reconciliation, society, Theology

I would like to direct your attention to a discussion on Soulforce forums. The discussion is not primarily about same-sex marriage, although it does enter into the discussion, but about the nature of marriage in it’s most basic form. What is it that makes a marriage?

The post was started by 17 year-old Jennifer – one of my favorite 17 year-olds because of the depth of her thoughts and her gentle spirit. The answers have ranged from the almost, but not quite, mundane to purely and simply eloquent. One of my favorites is post #6 from u-dog, one of the other ministers on the boards. Jennifer’s inquiry began:

What is marriage? Continue reading ‘The Nature of Marriage’

Feb

The Nature of God and Salvation in Mormon Tradition

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Sermons & Studies
Tags: biblical authority, Christ, Christian, Church, Faith, GLBT issues, God, history, Holy Spirit, IMAGE OF GOD, Jesus, Kingdom of God, marriage equality, Theology

With the LDS church being under some fire for their role in California’s Prop 8, I thought it might be useful to examine some of the theology behind LDS. I am now curious as to how evangelical Christians and Catholics reconcile the theological differences to form an alliance of the kind it took to wage the war. See what you think.

OVERARCHING QUESTION

“The questions that arose for me are hardly easy ones to ask or to address. The Mormons’ concept of the nature of God seems problematic, as does the relationship between God and humanity. Ultimately, however, the question that repeatedly surfaced was whether the Fall of humankind was integral to God’s plan of salvation – in the Mormon understanding, did God intentionally engineer and/or participate in the Fall and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ? If so, what does this say about the nature of God?”

Continue reading ‘The Nature of God and Salvation in Mormon Tradition’

Feb

Two Poles are Better than One

By Rev Andy Little 2 Comments

In response to some inquiries that have been made about my rather cryptic title for this blog, I am going to unveil at least some of my thoughts behind the choice, and ponder further on the possibilities.

Gestalt – The obvious and, of course, most pedestrian assumption would be that it is based purely and simply on the fact that I am Bipolar. While, admittedly, that gave some impetous to choosing the moniker “Ministry From Two Poles”, it does not explain the rest of the name, “… or Preaching From Both Ends”, or the choice of header art. Continue reading ‘Two Poles are Better than One’

Feb

The Baby in the Bath Water

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

In colonial America, as in other places where water was fetched and heated only with great effort, ablutions were a family process. One by one, beginning with the father, then the mother and continuing through the youngest child, all would bath in the same tub of water. Both parents, as well all the oldest kids, worked the fields and tended the livestock. Of course, children also played outside. Saturday, in order to be clean for Sunday church service, was the proverbial bath night. The old German proverb, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater” had a very real meaning for early American settlers. Admittedly, even though the water was so tepid and dirty by the time the youngest of perhaps a dozen or more children were finished bathing that it would have been easy, it would have been ridiculously rare, if it ever happened at all, to loose a child in the muck. Rather than literal, the saying came to represent a frontier dweller’s value for resources similar to that expressed in the adage, “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” Continue reading ‘The Baby in the Bath Water’

Feb

Power Flower – a Tool Against Tyranny

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Ethics, Feminist theology, GLBT & Queer Theology and Liberation theology
Tags: bias, conflict resolution, Ethics, group dynamics, history, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Kingdom of God, marriage equality, oppression, Progressive, Theology

I am posting this on both my blogs, because it is important (I think). It sets a stage for meaningful discussion about power and privilege. These are excerpts from the full article at my other blog.

Privilege is one of those very strange things. Those who lack it generally recognize it as either something to envy or something to despise. Those who know they have it and are inclined to have more, manipulate it to their own advantage. Then there is the great, largely clueless majority who, if asked, will tell you they don’t have privilege – they are just as downtrodden as women, people of color, GLBT or whatever other group they may name. Sometimes I think that the invisible unflective privilege is the most heinous and insidious.

…

It is important to keep in mind that, just because a constitutional amendment is passed by popular vote, the amendment is not necessarily constitutional. Determining consistency with the overriding provisions of the constitution falls on the backs of the courts, which makes it a highly contentious and potentially unpopular part of the US system of justice. You might say that, when the courts get the most heat from the public, they may have come the closest to doing what they were created to do.

Feb

Presbyterians to Study Civil Unions and Christian Marriage

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Ethics, GLBT & Queer Theology, Justice & Mercy and Marriage & Sexuality
Tags: bias, Church, conflict resolution, Ethics, Faith, GLBT issues, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, marriage equality, PC(USA), Theology

As a friend of mine pointed out, this “study” may already be frought with bias. Since it will study the “relationship between civil union and Christian marriage” can we assume that they will not study the far longer traditions of Christian unions and civil marriages. The study seems to suggest some fairly overt, albeit unreflective, bias to begin with.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Sharon K. Youngs, Communications Coor. February 4, 2009 (888) 728-7228, ext. 5750; sharon.youngs@pcusa.org

GA Moderator announces names for special committee to study civil union and Christian marriage

Committee of 13 will begin work in March

LOUISVILLE-The Reverend Bruce Reyes-Chow, Moderator of the 218th General Assembly (2008) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has selected members for the General Assembly Special Committee to Study Issues of Civil Union and Christian Marriage. Continue reading ‘Presbyterians to Study Civil Unions and Christian Marriage’

Feb

This Broke My Heart – How About Yours?

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: GLBT & Queer Theology and Marriage & Sexuality
Tags: bias, conflict resolution, Ethics, Faith, GLBT issues, homophobia, inclusive, marriage equality, oppression, Progressive, society, Theology

This is a movie from the Courage Campaign in California. It is truly poignant. I encourage all, no matter your thoughts on same-sex marriage, to see this video and ponder the effects of potentially being forced to divorce your spouse.

Or, you can go to http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/divorce

Perhaps this begs a question. If you don’t believe they should be married to each other, who do you believe they should marry?

Feb

Marriage Denied

By Rev Andy Little 4 Comments

Categories: GLBT & Queer Theology and Marriage & Sexuality
Tags: bias, Christian, Church, Equity, Ethics, Faith, GLBT issues, homophobia, inclusive, marriage equality, society

I would like to point you in the direction of a brief article that takes a different tack on the marriage issue.

It is brilliant in it’s simplicity, and makes a cogent point easy to understand.

It can be found at http://www.religiondispatches.org/blog/sexandgender/755/.

Enjoy the chuckle, but give serious thought to the implications.

Jan

Gillibrand to be New York Senator

By Rev Andy Little 1 Comment

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: bias, Capital, Christian, conflict resolution, Economy, Equity, Ethics, Faith, GLBT issues, inclusive, marriage equality, society

Today, I received an e-mail communication from New York Pride Agenda announcing Governor Paterson’s appointment to fill the seat left open by Hillary Clinton. The announcement read: Continue reading ‘Gillibrand to be New York Senator’

Jan

Yes, it’s California, but …

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Christian, Church, Equity, GLBT issues, marriage equality, Progressive

Despite nationwide media attention, I have stayed out of the discussions, on other sites I frequent, regarding California’s Prop 8 and the ensuing Supreme Court battles. The reason has not been due to support or lack thereof, but with the major dis-ease I have suffered over the concept of voting on rights. When rights become the purview of the majority to grant or take away, they are no longer rights but privileges.
Continue reading ‘Yes, it’s California, but …’

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That's too bad - I'm so sorry. Oh, well, just try to make the best of it. What you'll find here is a variety of essays and ramblings to do with things theological, social, whimsical and, sometimes, all three. I don't write to get famous - trust me, I've been told how futile that would be - but to express myself. I love to communicate and browbeat - ummm, I mean dialogue - about the things I find intriguing. Since you're here, and the door's locked, why don't you stay a while. There's a page bar under the header with links to information about us - I mean me. Don't forget to tell me what you think - in a nice way, I mean.