Tuesday, May 25, 2010

And in the purple corner we have ...

Back in the good old days, before Scripture-denying liberals made it commonplace for women to be prescribed pain relief while giving birth - in blatant contravention of Genesis 3:16 - a popular amusement at county fairs and the like involved placing wild animals in a small cage and watching them tear each other to shreds. Now whilst I utterly abhor cruelty of any kind not involving one’s Curate, it's undeniable that Bishop Quinine has a point when he says the prohibition of such honest folk entertainments is just one more indication of how far society has turned its back upon the old values which engendered the kind of respect for one’s elders reflected in the ducking of grandmothers who dared to voice their opinion, or the pressing of witches.

Consequently I am deeply indebted to the Dearly Beloved Sinner who drew my attention to this marvellous blog post regarding AMiA (the Rwandan border-hopping exercise headed up by little Chuck “I’ll do anything to wear purple” Murphy and his band of merry men) having decided to “walk apart” from Bobby Duncan’s sect, for it shows it’s possible to enjoy all the traditional merriment of watching a sack full of cats fight without a single innocent creature being harmed. About halfway down through the comments (I’ve saved a full copy, so if they get removed – which they probably will – let me know and I’ll repost them here) an anonymous faux-Rwandan really starts the fireworks with a marvellous attack on his Conservative brothers:
With the GAFCON / FCA initiative and call for a new province, those who had previously found it so hard to abandon ship were ready to set sail on their new yacht. Now with the opportunity to be called Your Grace (he grins every time he is greeted with that title) and to receive a miter and crosier (I have never seen an AMiA bishop so adorned) Duncan FINALLY steps to the fore. However, the group that would constitute the new ACNA was pitifully small and insignificant (without the now decade old and growing AMiA). So, without pride or prejudice the AMiA welcomed the opportunity to help anybody (even those who hate them) support the Anglican Identity promulgated by the Jerusalem Declaration (avoiding the use of the sticky term “orthodox” here).

A year into the new structure, it is very clear to AMiA folks that ACNA is rapidly becoming a cleaned-up Episcopal church. With visions of future committees, Roberts rules, diocesan conventions, and old arguments …
After a few sharp responses from faithful Duncanites touchingly demonstrating the love felt in return (“There is no way Chuck Murphy will ever accept being anything but The Vicar of Christ in North America. Once there is a "generational change of leadership" (to put things tastefully) theAM will quickly merge with ACNA.”) none other than She-Who-Combs Bobby’s-Wyebrows weighs in. That’s right, Mrs. Psuedo-Primate herself, and let me tell you, Beloved Sinners, hell hath no fury… “I don't mind giving up my husband for the work of the Kingdom but I DO mind reading Crap like this…

Yet that’s only her beginning:
The day the AMia starts doing some church planting is difficult areas will be the day when I cheer you. What about New England? Anyone can plant a church in the South where there is still a church going culture - not so the northeast where they are dying for an orthodox presence. And I don't meann (sic) plant a church 2 blocks away from one already planted an syphon off their people - so your New York City plant doesn't count. No, go into Morris County in New Jersey and try there. Then brag about your expertise and success and I'll be on the front row of congratulations. Right now, be glad I don't know who you are - because you've made me very angry.
To make her point the comment is then immediately repeated: someone wasn’t being a patient little kingdom wife when she was furiously clicking “Publish Comment”, were they? But it takes more than an enraged Pseudo-Primate’s wife to keep an anonymous faux-Rwandan down:
I do not know your husband so I can say nothing of his character. My mention of him is as a representative of the party that treats AMiA like a read-headed step child. The bloggers blame Rwanda for the present circumstances…Rwanda was our advocate and hero from the very beginning when no American was willing to lead. AMiA is accused of being power hungry, yet it is not an AMiA bishop that has been elevated at this juncture... … in your angry response (to a nobody on a blog) you, a member of the archbishop’s own household, have betrayed deep resentment and contempt for the AMiA and bishop Murphy personally. Your response provides great clarity to me about what I have witnessed of the persecution of my friends.
And so the battle rages on, reminding Consuella of the cockfights which were so popular in her childhood village. Honorable mention must certainly be made of the blog’s owner, a Duncanite who well comprehends the importance of keeping the boss's wife happy: “I am sorry an anonymous commentator offended you here. Obviously they do not speak for me. I think very highly of my archbishop. ”. After which is revealed the best window into the love and mutual respect found behind the scenes of the glorious schism through which you’ve ever peeped:
… as for "blaming Rwanda" it is merely a statement of fact that the Rwandan House of Bishops in January objected to the set up of AMiA within ACNA. They were the ones who necessitated this change. For whatever reason they want to keep the AM very close to the vest, while the other overseas jurisdictions who have helped us have cheered the formation of ACNA on and helped Archbishop Duncan and our other leaders at every turn in forming the new province.

And as for "treating AMiA like a red-headed stepchild," the entire Constitution and Canons of the ACNA were constructed with AMiA in mind to insure they could continue to function just as they have. Far from being sidelined, AMiA was right at the center of the process, being catered to a great deal. If anything AMiA was treated like the "fair-haired child" of ACNA!
Indeed: who needs any blood-sports when we’ve got Orthodox fellowship like this to watch? Fox-hunting, bull-fighting, youth fellowship games nights – the lot of them pale into insignificance when compared with Biblical Christianity’s answer to professional wrestling. And the best part is that the show’s only just begun; just wait until you see how exciting things get when all the ambitious men with a predilection for pointy hats realize that as far as Bobby’s concerned his enthronement was like getting a puppy for Christmas (albeit messier and nowhere near as cute) – for life.

I’m Father Christian and I teach the Bible.

26 comments :

Rick+ said...

And the reactionaries continue to eat their young. Sad.

Unknown said...

I was especially impressed by this:

Texanglican (R.W. Foster+) said...
There have been a number of meetings of the committee producing the new Prayer Book for ACNA. I have met the committee members (including the venerable J.I. Packer) they were at St. Vincent's on a couple of occasions in the past . The new Prayer Book will happen eventually, though I am sure it will take a while longer. As far as I know Bishop Iker is fully supportive of the effort.


Now this is a book we are all looking forward to! Removing all traces of modern language and thought is, I'm sure, a difficult and thankless task! Perhaps a new Bible is needed too. You know, one in which the prostitute is actually stoned by the crowd, or something like that...

Rick+ says this is sad. Well, sad and very predictable. How ironically odd that you would compare all of this to a cockfight!

Lapinbizarre said...

Yesterday Jim Naughton pointed out in his first-rate Episcopal CafĂ© post Complicity is too mild a word that "Emanuel Kolini, the archbishop of Rwanda, is so deep inside the pocket of the president of his country that he does not allow men whom the president does not like, including Paul Rusesabagina ["Hotel Rwanda"] to speak from his church’s pulpits, even outside of Rwanda. If Archbishop Williams has a problem with a church that is the maidservant of the state, he hasn’t said so. Nor has Williams raised public objection to the fact that the Church of Rwanda now has more bishops in the United States than in Rwanda".

"...the Church of Rwanda now has more bishops in the United States than in Rwanda".

PseudoPiskie said...

Sheez, +Clumber. Of course it is a cock fight. Almost a contest of pull it out and measure it. Has anyone noticed that these men seem to be quite short?

Unknown said...

Concerning the vertically challenged men... Watch it, Pseudo! Clumber's are not the tallest of breeds, and get their feelings hurt very easily!

I do wonder if they have in mind glomming onto that re-write of the Bible that was mentioned a while back and making that the "Official GAFCON Bible(OGB)®" - that way they could get rid of those nasty liberal compassion parts...

Anonymous said...

And you gaynglicans have so few young to begin with; only 3.4% of those under 25 in the US belong to ANY mainline Protestant church.
Go into any mainline church and see a sea of gray/balding heads.
Enjoy the future!

The Rev. Dr. Christian Troll said...

Brother Richthofen's friend from Seminary is currently determining whether you're my son Brad or just the Saskatchewan loon who's recently been visiting a lot, Anon 2:01, but in the meantime have you ever considered seeking therapy for your fear of those who are clearly a lot older and wiser than yourself?

Anonymous said...

It's not fear, only pity.
We're all going to die, but not all of us are determined to waste the time before that listening to something (and paying for it)that can't be proved.
Nice rhetorical question-clear proof that there's no argument you can make.

The Rev. Dr. Christian Troll said...

Who was being rhetorical? I was bsolutely serious. As I also am when I say I think you may well be the most boringly obsessive individual I've ever encountered.

Anonymous said...

Ole Eyebrows Duncan certainly has a loyal wife.

Anonymous said...

Does she call him "Duncan" or "Your Grace" in real life???

Lapinbizarre said...

"....recent events in America are placing an ever greater strain on the Anglican Communion. The Archbishop of Canterbury is, I believe, in the process of writing a pastoral letter to all the churches, and I don’t want to pre-empt what he will say." From the May 21st
Presidential Address of the soon-to-be ex-bishop of Durham.

[HT Fr Kennedy at SF]

Anonymous said...

Rev Dr Troll
I just wanted to post this comment on the holiest site that I could find, so I chose yours.
Sydney Anglicans are at it again. They are applying a GAFCON strategy to fighting the teaching of ethics in public schools.They want children who don't attend scripture to sit and watch videos rather than discuss ethical issues. Ethics has become the NSW 'leper', like GLBT people are the lepers to GAFCON. Sydney Anglicans are calling all other religious groups to 'man up' and oppose ethics. Everyone in Sydney knows that Sydney Anglicans have absolutely no tolerance for any other religious group except when they need their assistance ie when they need their money for a God campaign or to oppose GLBT secular equality campaigns. Glenn Davies Bishop of North Sydney (and the same man who led the Synod motion to have Sydney attend GAFCON) is the public face of the anti - ethics campaign. Glenn Davies couldn't possibly support the teaching of ethics... not when the Sydney Diocese is remembered for it's most unethical decision to outlay $260 million on a stock market gamble. Obviously these evangelical fundamentalists are worried that their God can't hold his own with the ethics curriculum. Personally as an enemy of the cross and a persecutor of the faithful (ie those who persecute others in the name of Jesus to secure personal salvation ) I think they are justified in being worried. Their curriculum equates to hatred of minorities and dissention. More parents may allow their children to attend scripture classes if the fundamental principle was 'Jesus' love and compassion saves' instead of 'Jesus' blood saves'
I would think things are going to heat up for some in Sydney, as the Anglican Church League is holding some sort of rally against the teaching of ethics, and no doubt some very conservative right wing politicans and media personalities are behind the League. However I don't think this lot really should be discussing morality.It's more about what they can ethically get away with, to prevent ethics being taught in schools.
If it gets too hot in Sydney, Nellie the Elephant aka as Ms SolEmnis should write in to Fr Troll... but only after enlightenment has occurred or 'submission' kicks in!
I'm sure this site is as merciful as it is holy!

For it is written

The Rev. Dr. Christian Troll said...

Upon reading this read this I began racking my brains to recall where I'd heard Bishop Davies' name before. At first I though he might be the fine slumlord whose position has 'nothing to do with the house' he owns and on which he happens to collect rent, but then I recalled that isn't correct: he's the Puritan Prelate pushing for lay presidency who also serves as Canon Theologian to one of your country's most Catholic dioceses.

Surely any man capable of keeping a foot in both of these mutually-exclusive camps is someone who knows all about ethics and how Jesus' blood doesn't so much save as serve as a marvelous ocean upon which anyone anyone interested in obtaining personal power and prestige at the expense of others can float their boat.

My prayers are indeed with all of you in Mordor.

Anonymous said...

And speaking about Sydney Anglicans with a foot in each camp...could this be the same man who now speaks of men praying with open handed gentlenessinstead of a clenched fist? How strange when most of us remember his preaching style as far more prone to having men rise up with clenched fists!But we all know bullies only pick on the defenseless!

Anonymous said...

Now that Sydney Anglicans have joined forces with the Muslims, will they be joining Fr Dave's and The Green's campaign to Save the Sheikh or do they only join forces when they want to discriminate against women, gays and atheists?

Brad Evans said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
The Rev. Dr. Christian Troll said...

Were you trying to say something, little Brad my son?

Anonymous said...

If anyone wants to read a crock of shit then here it is! This crap is holding the Anglican communion to ransom! Well no longer! A message for Peter Bolt...the next Archbishop of Sydney will NOT come from the Moore College! This is as close as you get to Nazi propaganda. Who oversaw this crap? Phillip Jensen? I don't think God is pleased!
Matthias Media NO LONGER drives the vision of the Sydney Anglican Church. The reins have been taken over so enjoy the ride!

Anonymous said...

anti-christian propaganda!

Anonymous said...

And how are members of The Anglican Church League going to explain to the ex Prime Minister John Howard and members of the Australian media and those to whom these lackies work for, that Jesus is not pleased that His church is being used as a political tool by the elitist members of society?
It will be interesting to watch!

Brother David said...

Not only delete the posts, but perhaps now it is time to block the IP, Father.

I, for one, am a bit tired of your honored site being highjacked by the descendants of a penal colony!

Anonymous said...

I am dearly awaiting your commentary on ABC's letter for Pentecost. It surely is a treasure trove orthodoxy.

Fr. Maxwell Smart+

P.S. who dreams up these Word Verifications for posting? Mine was morthric. Sounds like something from the land of Modor!

Anonymous said...

There's nothing wrong with a Penal Colony, Dah-veed. It is a good place to secure undesirables like the Jensen Family, and minor criminals like Dobby. At least it's at the other side of the world.

Anonymous said...

The inhabitants of the penal colony have hijacked most of the Anglican communion, so why not here? If the broader Anglican community had not turned a blind eye to their links with US evangelicals, their encroachment on the rest of the Anglican communion and their empowerment of conservatives worldwide, then GLBT people in some third world countries might feel a little safer.
Evil enters like a needle and spreads like an oak tree. Ethiopian Proverb

Silence is golden. A penal colony proverb!

Lapinbizarre said...

Seems from your avatar, Mr Jensen, that you may be Fr Jass's long-lost twin. Seems to be so much of that around nowadays.