Comments on: Reformed Church makes nuanced response to Lutherans

By: toujoursdan

toujoursdan — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:41:27 +0000

No. Organized religion is not “nothing but bad news”. It was organized religion that built most of our universities and hospitals (including the Univ. of Toronto, Ottawa, Bishop’s as well as the Ivy Leagues, Georgetown, Northwestern, USC, etc. in the states) and in most American cities the majority of hospitals were built by the major Christian and Jewish denominations. These groups are also disproportionately involved in the building and running of homeless shelters and foodbanks which are increasingly important given the decline in state aid.

Organized religion, like organized government and, well, organized everything, is a mixture of good and bad because human beings are a mixture of good and bad, and when we get together those good and bad traits become magnified. It may be trendy to bash them nowadays but it’s rather silly to ignore the vital role they play[ed] in shaping what we like best about modern society.

By: Paul in Canada

Paul in Canada — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:31:28 +0000

So here’s the problem I have with the ever-increasing complexity of ‘negotiations’ amongst the larger religious institutions…. they’re ever-increasing complex. And, they distract believers from Christ’s message: a simple child-like faith and personal (not organizational) relationship with the ‘father’/creator.

I just don’t get why religious institutions have so much attraction. I understand the need for ‘community of like-minded faithful’ but doesn’t history tell us that organized religion is nothing but bad news?

By: TampaZeke

TampaZeke — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:04:05 +0000

Heterosexism is widely used to mean heterocentrism. As sexism is to gender, heterosexism is to sexual orientation.

I’d also like to point out that MOST of the Reform Church joined the Evangelical, Congregational and Christian Churches to form the United Church of Christ in 1957. Like some of the Congregational churches refused to join the UCC but kept their “Congregational” name, some Reform churches refused to join the UCC but decided to keep their “Reform” designation. Unlike Reform churches, many of the churches today that are known as Congregational, are in fact UCC’s. The UCC prefers that they include “UCC” in their name but some don’t.

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 19:34:49 +0000

OH POOP

Jason, yes, I meant heterocentrism.

Please ignore what I said above.

By: Jason D

Jason D — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 19:05:35 +0000

Timothy,
“heterosexism is the practice of seeing things only from a heterosexual perspective (and often includes the assumption that this is the only acceptable perspective.)”

I always thought that was Heterocentrism

By: Richard W. Fitch

Richard W. Fitch — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 18:57:23 +0000

With regard to ownership of church property, I think you will find that the vast majority of American Protestant churches are based on a congregational polity. Essentially they are autonomous entities which create charters of voluntary association with the larger state and national bodies. As such, they retain ownership of real estate and fiduciary components in the event of a decision to break from the larger groups. On the other hand, the Vatican essentially owns all Roman Catholic property, both tangible and intangible. As a hierarchical structure, the Anglican/Episcopalian churches hold their property in trust for the provinces of which they are a part. When an individual congregation or a diocese votes to separate from the diocese/province, their holdings revert to the higher governing entities.

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 18:44:29 +0000

homophobia is not strictly a “phobia” in the sense of a fear. Rather it includes animus and plain ol’ bigotry.

heterosexism is the practice of seeing things only from a heterosexual perspective (and often includes the assumption that this is the only acceptable perspective.)

For example a card shop whose wedding cards all assume heterosexual couples might not have any animus at all. It just may have not occured to them to have gay-appropriate cards.

Heterosexism can be arrogant and dismissive, but is also can be benign and unintentional.

By: Soren456

Soren456 — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 17:47:14 +0000

I’ve always thought that heterosexism is a tangent of plain sexism. That is, discrimination in favor of heterosexuals, and a dismissive arrogance toward those not apparently heterosexual.

This could include homophobia, but I think it’s larger.

By: Ben in Oakland

Ben in Oakland — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 17:01:12 +0000

“Heterosexism is homophobia, essentially.”

A lot of people say, “I’m not afraid of homsoexuals. I just don’t like you.”

That’s heterosexism.

By: T.J.

T.J. — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 16:55:32 +0000

“…this alliance may prove to be the beginning of a unified Christian repudiation of homophobia within the faith.”

I can only hope and pray that this is true, Tim. The RCA is very conservative and I would not be surprised if this wasn’t just the desire not to further splint Protestant cooperation. Time will tell, but I remain cautiously optimistic.