The Inevitability of Rules

I suppose it was inevitable.

The time has come, my friends, to speak of sealing wax and wallpaper paste . . . and rules.

The comment section of this Blog has begun to attract certain folk who think, somehow, that they can say what they want, no matter how vile or outrageous, and reprint as many articles from whatever current source they consider THE TRUTH.

Not.

My dear friend Dave Golub, with whom I rarely agree on matters of doctrine or scripture, is absolutely correct in this matter: This is MY 'living room' and I do have rules and I am able, by the grace of God, to enforce them.

I have absolutely no need to censor anyone's speech or to squash true dialogue, but here is my bottom line, basic rule:

We WILL be courteous and we WILL be kind to each other.

At least that, as Christians who are Anglican - these two minimum standards:

Courtesy and kindness.

I have just this day completed all of my course work for my doctoral program (woo hoo!) - I have one HUMUNGA paper due on July 19th and then I start my colloquium in the Fall. (Don't hesitate to hold back on the applause - or the Maker's Mark.)

All that is to say that I will have a wee bit more time to monitor this site and I promise, on my blessed Grandmother's soul, to pull the comments of anyone who is neither kind nor courteous.

My blog. My call. Sorry. (Not.)

You know, I really don't give two figs what you think the bible really says about homosexuality, or what the Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of all Nigeria (and Exaulted Grand Poohbah of the Universe) REALLY said about the Episcopal Church, and if you want to present your argument about that here, you may.

Even though I'd rather you start your own blog and post your stuff there, I do this because I think it is much more a reflection on you than anything Jesus knows about LGBT people - or you.

If you want to be a disappointment to Jesus, well, as my grandmother would say, "that's on your soul."

But, you will NOT be snarky about what you post. Neither will you be violent. You WILL be courteous and you WILL be kind.

As for the dear lamb, the Roman Catholic woman from New Zealand who invited us all back to Rome: Your note made me realize, even with all the troubles here, how fortunate I am to have left Rome 30 years ago and be an Episcopalian.

I thank you for your note. It made me realize that I wouldn't trade the struggle to rediscover the Via Media of Anglicanism for the certainty of Rome for all the tea I could dump in Boston Harbor.

I have come to realize and am loathed to admit, but we have become two churches. There are several people who have been working very hard over the last several years to make this a reality.

And, now, it has happened.

Conjoined twins, is the image given to us by our new Presiding Bishop Elect.

So be it.

And so, we wait for the morally correct, ethically astute time to perform the long, complicated surgery to make the two whole, healththy, independently sustainable, one.

I really didn't expect (or want) to continue this blog after General Convention. Perhaps I underestimated the power of this form of communication. Many of you have told me how important it has become to you.

Reluctantly, I will continue it for a time, with this prayer:

May this place be the waiting room outside the surgical suite. May it be the place for crucial conversations about the latest piece of information - the latest analysis - the latest diagnosis. May it be a place for the truths we have to tell and the truths that tell more about us than we care to admit. May it be a place of despair and hope, joy and sorrow, confusion and clarity.

Yes, there will be anxiety here. That's really what I hear as I listen in to most of the conversation - anxiety.

It's okay. We all need a place to discharge that anxiety.

This can be that place.

But, you WILL be kind.

And, you WILL be courteous.

Or, you WILL be pulled.

Because, this is MY blog.

You don't like it?

Sorry.

Get your own blog.

Haven't you heard?

It's all the rage.

PS: Want to send a private, personal comment? Don't hesitate to send it to me: EMKaeton@aol.com.

See you in church!