Friday, August 29, 2008

O Canada!

One of the many things I dearly love about Scripture is the way it makes some issues, such Eucharistic liturgy, or Clerical Vestments, absolutely clear-cut, while leaving us plenty of wriggle-room in the case of others, such as theft.

In fact instead of being just one sin, stealing should really be considered as covering a broad continuum of circumstances, some of which - such as, for example, taking a person’s brand new plasma TV – are unquestionably sinful, while others - like bringing home stationery from the office – should be more appropriately considered as sensible management of one’s personal resources. Especially if your boss is not a Christian.

This is even more applicable if you're leaving one job for another. Instead of the usual few pens and a ream of paper, changing work-places has long been justification enough for taking a dozen printer cartridges and that forgotten lap-top. Calling this sort of self-awarded remuneration “theft” makes as much sense as saying that the parish discretionary account isn’t to be spent on indiscretions: some things are simply given to be taken.

This is why I, like many other Christians on the internet, am so shocked by the actions of the Canadian Diocese of New Westminster, which has commenced steps to reclaim properties taken by clergy who’ve quit their jobs with the Anglican Church of Canada. Granted, taking the Rectory, Church, and all associated parish buildings might have been a bit bolder a swipe than just pinching that scanner which will come in really useful for digitizing those treasured old polaroids, but surely the principle is exactly the same? The fellows were leaving for different pastures and simply grabbed themselves some going away presents in the process. It wasn’t really their fault that these happened to include the odd parish hall, and asking for them back now is just plain bad manners,

After all, it’s not as though Big Pete Akinola would mind if someone took a few buildings with them when leaving one of his parishes, would he? And little Pete Jensen’s generosity towards those wanting to escape from his theological thumbscrews is legendary. Nor can anyone fault the help +Iker and +Duncan would almost certainly offer to anyone feeling entitled to a little real estate when leaving to join the MCC. So how dare those wicked liberal Canadian Bishops act in such an uncharitable way towards a few Bible-believing clergy whom just happen to understand that the eighth commandment is nowhere nearly as binding as commandments one to seven and nine to ten. Which I believe all explicitly prohibit homosexuality. Don’t they?

I’m Father Christian and I teach the Bible.

6 comments :

Frank Remkiewicz aka “Tree” said...

Fr. Christian,

Is it not true that under Shar'ia law a person who steals, forfeits one or both hands? How come they get to have all the fun? We just have to sit back and allow our pockets to be picked?

Erika Baker said...

I don't know how anyone can think that stealing and homosexual behaviour have anything in common.

A thief can spend all the money, then repent and be forgiven.
A homosexual is always a sinner, because even if he repents we won't believe him.

But in this case the issue is even more clear cut.
Jesus clearly calls us to unity, so as far as property is concerned, all Christians are part of the same family.

Some may be leaving for other Christian oversight, but only an apostate would not recognise their right to take their property to the new Christian organisation. After all, it stays in the family, so there's no problem.

Problems only ever occur when there are open gays in the family, and then it's always their fault.

Leonard said...

Thank goodness we are viewing SOME righteous and civilized defense of of Christian values in our little world...arrogance amongst religious Queers must be stopped...think of what happened in Uganda, where/when those "foreign Gays" came in with all their money/limp-wristed and high-pitched voices (except for some of the Lesbians and Bi's) with their preaching/distributing of feel-free-to-sin hell-free-"chits/promises" as they established a LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER to minster to the outcasts, abominated, rabble/filth...oh, they know how to face this DIABLO in Uganda...they destroy, steal, humiliate and/or incarcerate to stop such homosexual wickedness/outreach...such FUNDAMENTALISM is now being exported to the U.S. and Canada, not a moment too soon. It's time to CRUSH the evil of promoting Christianity for ALL human beings, especially the really sick ones...imagine, homosexuals being considered full fledged Anglicans/Christians at The Body of Christ?

Orombi, Akinola and Vacables got it RIGHT...seek out, plunder the assets/destroy and then clean out the house!

The Rev. Dr. Christian Troll said...

Your quite right, Two Cents, but since this is a matter of Church Leadership and Authority I'm not sure what exactly Jesus' opinion has to do with anything. After all, isn't this more a question of chest-thumping power and penis size than any of His mamby-pamby values?

Cany said...

You are so wise, Fr. Christian. Of course they should take what they want... the assets, all of them whatever!

And on the ten commandments, I never realized they were ALL about homosexuality. Thanks for teaching me that. I went through them all, and I see what you mean.

You're always so wise and helpful.

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