JSmitty2005:
Me neither. That was supposed to be the point of this thread, not a place for people to claim that anyone who suggests that a Church leader can dissent is therefore a dissenter! I am simply uninformed about these men and concerned for the Church. My motives are pure and not to denigrate anyone. I’m sorry if that’s the impression that any of you have gotten.
I haven’t read this whole thread in detail (I’m a slow reader

) but I see that in this thread you are mostly gathering details.
Others seem convinced that you are “rating” them or second-guessing their appointments but in the skimming I did, I did not see where you were making judgmental statements.
Many of us get very sensitive of course, when it sounds like bishops are being rated and categorized but gosh, we do that all the time. When it gets to the point where you’re saying that bishop X is better than or more suited than bishop Y for the job based on their beliefs, then maybe I’ll become more concerned. As it is, if you are truly gathering information I’m not so concerned.
I’m also not concerned if people develop personal opinions of a particular clergy member. They are human, too, and their behavior has incredible impact on so many people’s lives that I think damage assessments are even warranted sometimes. I’m sorry that I don’t keep good track of what poster has said what, but it took three times through your first post until I failed to see the “judgment” in it. Again, with all these detractors, I’m hesitant to go against them because they might know something I don’t, but in this thread it seems all you did was ask what we know about these guys. A fair question coming from most people – unless we have presupposed your motives or intent on where the conversation will go next. Only you know whether that is fair and I have only to take the words of those involved here.
JSmitty, I will support you to the level that this thread did not start out intrinsically combative, although I don’t cast any support nor doubt on the opinions of others referring to previous threads as to why others may have gotten that impression. The reason I’m being this much of a weasel is that I am going against some of my posting “friends” here (I do remember some names) based on information I claim I do not have. I am also a bit ashamed at how quickly I presumed. Taking a relatively uninformed stab in the dark is usually not my style. (I like to be informed first, then make a blind stab.

)
At peace with this thread for now,
Alan