[Oe List ...] Thank you Bishop (and Ellie)!

[W. J.]

Well . . . sorta.
One wonders why Bishop Spong doesn't finally bite the bullet and strengthen his own personal witness by just coming out himself--confessing that his internalized homophobia and desire to maintain his public image have kept him in the closet all these years.
Marshall



________________________________
From: John Cock <jpc2025 at triad.rr.com>
To: Order Ecumenical Community <oe at wedgeblade.net>
Sent: Saturday, October 17, 2009 7:30:17 AM
Subject: [Oe List ...] Thank you Bishop (and Ellie)!


“A Manifesto: The Time 
Has Come!”(condensed)
 
I will no longer seek to slow 
down the witness to inclusiveness by pretending that there is some middle ground 
between prejudice and oppression…. Church unity can never be a virtue that is 
preserved by allowing injustice, oppression and psychological tyranny to go 
unchallenged…. I see no way that ignorance and truth can be placed side by side, 
nor do I believe that evil is somehow less evil if the Bible is quoted to 
justify it…. I make these statements because it is time to move on. The battle 
is over. The victory has been won…. The battle in both our culture and our 
church to rid our souls of this dying prejudice is finished. A new consciousness 
has arisen…. I do not tolerate racism or sexism any longer. From this moment on, 
I will no longer tolerate our culture's various forms of homophobia…. Indeed I 
feel the Christian Church should not only apologize, but do public penance for 
the way we have treated people of color, women, adherents of other religions and 
those we designated heretics, as well as gay and lesbian people…. I am unwilling 
to argue about it or to discuss it as if there are two equally valid, competing 
positions any longer. The day for that mentality has simply gone forever. This 
is my manifesto. ~Bishop Spong, weekly newsletter, 
10/15/09, via Ellie Stock
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