Since it’s become clear we have a Royal Rumble of Episcopalians vs. the lone gunman here, I’ll sign off. This is not fruitful at all. I will close with a few remarks.
If you read my post, know me at all, bother to get to know me, you’ll see that I have been very bold at criticizing my own Church, especially on matters of sexual abuse, homosexual clergy, and the cover-ups I feel have gone on. I have taken a lot of hits from my own fellow churchmen for it. And I know an Episcopalian in this forum who was thinking of becoming Catholic recently. I IM’d him, got to know him, and my advice after getting to know him is that he should stay Episcopalian for a while, study deeply and get to the know the Catholic Church, and make sure it’s right for him. I’m not an apologetics maniac trying to seek and destroy and convert. I’ve said the same thing to personal friends.
I was an Episcopalian for seven years. I have been to Episcopalian parishes, got to know the church quite well. I’m not a yahoo who just read a few David Virtue posts and jumped off the deep end of the pool.
My former rector (and the parish is now ACNA anglican no longer TEC by the way) and I have locked horns about homosexuality. I have personally argued with him that it’s easy for him to attack gays during sermons and yet openly condoning divorces and remarriages of couples sometimes two and three times. I think a person commiting pre-marital sex is morally as sinful as gay sex. I think an adulterer is as sinful as an active gay man or woman. It is easy to paint me out to get all gays and being a one-trick pony. I have more depth than that. In fact, I know that homosexuals struggle with themselves greatly. I would say to a gay Catholic that we DO want you in our Church. And sometimes a gay man might fall and have a gay encounter. Is he doomed? Of course not. He needs to admit he sinned, go to reconciliation, and repent, live anew. And if he falls again, make use of this sublime sacrament and dust himself off, stand up spiritually alive again. I’m not a gay-basher or hater. I condemn the lifestyle, not the man. I condemn the behavior of an adulterer or promiscuous teen just as much as an active lesbian. I know these people struggle, need God’s mercy and should be loved. HOWEVER, where I differ with liberal Episcopalians is that none of these sins should be condoned, nurtured, allowed to blossom, and be told that these sins are normal for those people. They are not told to struggle, repent, confess, and fight the good fight. They’re told to give in, it’s ok, it’s normal, live and let live. In fact, God wants it that way. I disagree.
My rector didn’t like me saying to him that I think his sermon blasting gays was unfair because he just got through making excuses for divorce. Jesus actually went out of His way to condemn divorce, not homosexuals per se. So it’s hypocritical to some degree. Gays are a soft, easy target.
I’ve been blasted when I criticize the coverups in the Church, what I see as cheesy liberation theology in places like the Diocese of Los Angeles, and I’ve been ripped to shreads at times when I say that the Vatican has covered this stuff up as well.
I have defended my Orthodox friends in CAF when I felt they were being unfairly accused of silliness and when I felt my fellow Catholics were warping history or taking something out of context. I have defended my Anglican friends when the goofy Henry VIII divorce smears come toward them or when they talk about how Anglican orders are null and void. I don’t happen to think Anglican orders are worthless and void.
I have gotten some people hot when I said I don’t like Sarah Palin. I’ve gotten some mad when I said that health care needs an overhaul. I’ve gotten flack when I’ve said I think Republicans and Democrats are equally vile at this point in history and I deplore Tea Party stuff as much as this Move
On.org mumbo jumbo. I try to call it like I see it, stick up for what I think is right, and I’m not a smear master. You boys think what you like. I know who I am, God knows as well. I’m not playing the victim, I’m just telling you who I am. May God bless you all.
. I also have no idea whether you’ve been to an Episcopal church, but I’m pretty sure you’ve never been to mine which you seem to want to cover with the same sweeping statements as all others. Yes, this is a Catholic Forum and I fully came here expecting to learn and share, not really be repeatedly attacked. Funny thing about starting a thread about Episcopalians—some actually show up. Who did you expect to talk about differences?
