I'm still thinking about about the Robinson Ordination. It's a topic that keeps popping up on the GTNG boards. When I first heard about his election all I knew was that New Hampshire elected a gay man to be their bishop. Not knowing anything about NH or Gene Robinson I immediately approved. I guess because I don't fear the system being challenged by the "new thing."
I did worry about how the conservatives would react, and the reaction was pretty much as I expected it to be: everyone made Robinson's sexual orientation the main thing, well, everyone but Robinson, who worked hard at keeping the focus on God, as a Bishop should. I learned that NH was considered to be a very conservative state politically and religiously, especially the Episcopalians, and if they called an openly gay man to serve, then I fell into the "who am I to doubt them" camp. Actually I was in that camp almost immediately, and learning of the conservarive bent of the area I was further entrenched in that camp.
When the debates started and people threatened to leave the Church because someone else was being "schismatic" I waited for a valid argument against Robinson's ordination. Most simply said it was against scripture, but I haven't seen them produce any evidence. They said it was against the cannons of the Church, but I haven't seen any evidence. I'm still waiting  ¶ 12:01 PM 0 comments

  I have been wondering a few things lately:
If you believe in predestination, why act in a moral manner?
If God is unchangeing, how can we explain the discrepencies between the Old and New Testaments?
If God does not interact with the physical world, as Spong implies, then why pray for others? What is the use of intercessory prayer?
When did the idea for Judgement right after physical death come to being? I thought the ancient Jews believed that we all slept in Sheol until the end of time.
  ¶ 1:46 PM 0 comments

  In the series Babylon 5, Londo Molari is told that he will have three opporutinites to save himself. One of those moments comes when the Vorlons come to destroy his planet to destroy the Shadow influence. Londo has destroyed the Shadow base on his planet, and killed the Shadow's representative. When Vir points out that Londo was influenced by the Shadows and they did find Londo to be an ally for a while, Londo's love for his home world and civilitation was greater than his desire to live. He tells Vir to kill him, and tell the Vorlons that the Shadows are truly gone.

In this moment of salvation, Londo is not being asked a question. He faces a dilemma, sure, but it is his true character that comes out. Any facade that he has built are torn away in that crisis situation and the Truth about Londo surfaces. Londo is willing to die to save his civilization, despite the fact that Londo knows a few things about his future and they had not happened yet in the story.

Londo's moment is closerl, I think, to how slavation occurs. When the rubber hits the road do you act out of selfish love or higher love? I don't think it happens on any time schedule and I don't think it only happens once, nor do I beleive that it happens to such a great magnitude that it comes down to life or death situations.

We can face these tests almost everyday and not notice them. If we notice them too much and dwell on them, then mental injury is sure to follow.  ¶ 9:09 AM 0 comments