A LETTER TO THIS EDITOR, 2 MARCH

A new letter to this editor reflects on the destructive effects of exclusive religion in light of the recent vote of the Methodist conference:

Letter to the Editor,

A friend of mine had suggested, a while back, that I write my thoughts and experiences down concerning the schism in the Episcopal Church in S.C. She thought it would be useful to others because of my particular experience, which provided me with an unusual point of view. I am a clergy spouse who, due to circumstances beyond my control, has been on both sides of the chasm created by the schism. We have been in churches on both sides and were literally caught in the middle of the mess. I have seen families stop speaking to one another and friendships torn apart. I personally have had to fight through disillusionment, heart-ache and spiritual struggles. Because of all of this I had as of yet been unable to get anything solid on paper. I had just recently come to a place where, due to my now geographical distance from Charleston, I had finally begun to gain some emotional and spiritual perspective and was feeling the slightest beginnings of healing. I was beginning to be able to "shake the dust."

I am now putting pen to paper, not to recount all my feelings and experiences, but because I have once again been stirred and disillusioned by the recent actions in the United Methodist Church. I again feel I have a peculiar perspective as I was a "p.k." (preacher's kid) in the Methodist Church. I was brought up by an earthly father who modeled our Heavenly Father's grace for me. The lack of grace and therefore lack of love being shown through the recent UMC actions and the S.C. schism is so evident to me that I am constantly confused as to how this is happening.

Walt Whitman once said, "Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul." I am left to wonder how a climate of exclusivity, judgement, and self-righteousness does not insult the souls of Christians and more importantly those who lead them.

I obviously am not as closely familiar with the exact goings on in the recent UMC decision process, but I do know enough to know that in both the S.C. schism and the UMC decision, there are many half truths and many things being "spun." (Way too many for me to go into, but this blog has done a wonderful job of pointing them out as far as the S.C. schism) That being said, the blaring one to me that no one seems to want to address, is that what is basically being pushed is a "separate but equal" situation. Come on people, this nation has been down that ugly road before...

Wake up churches and church leaders, examine what you are being told, examine the climate, examine your souls and do what you've been called to do! Be a light, exemplify love and grace!

____________________________________

Thank you writer for this eloquent letter.

All I can do here is speak for myself. Condemning people to hell because their sexual orientation is different than one's own insults my soul and I think it insults the souls of a lot of good people in South Carolina.

What do you think? Put in your two-cents' worth and I will post it (if it is printable). Let us hear from you. Use the email address above.