Hnaef is most upset about a church that has pronounced an anathema on Anglicans everywhere. I've been trying to calm him down by pointing out that they have also pronounced anathema (or is it anathemas? I've never been quite sure) on just about everybody else. All these churches are more liberal with regards to homosexuality than said Orthodox Catholic Schismatic Ukrainian Church.
But now it's me that is upset. For the Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley have probably more active members than the Ukrainian people (I count as "active members" everybody who has visited this website in the last 12 months, a bit like the C of E Christmas count). And yet we're not worthy to be included alongside the Scottish Presbyterians, the German Evangelicals, the Mormons, the Bishops' Council of the USA and the Uniting Church of Australia.
So I'd like to state for the record our view that gay people are made in God's image, impaired as it is, just as much as everybody else. And sexual orientation is no bar to anyone being Archdruid of the Beaker Folk. Although I suspect that a mere liking for the music of Liza Minnelli might be enough to get an anathema from this lot.
oh, oh does that mean I'm a member- wow, I'm a Beaker Folk, should I take a Beaker name...hmmm, now let me think...
ReplyDeleteOh yes, our church email has received one of those anathemas too. Who do they think they are?
ReplyDeletehmm, we Methodists seem to be anathema free, so far....
ReplyDeleteNo we're not. On two occasions I've visited churches where I've been told that we Methodists 'don't worship God properly' (I take that to be a polite anathema), firstly because we don't make the ladies wear hats in church, and secondly because we baptise infants. I've also heard a preacher describe us as 'the false church'. So don't worry, we can be quite certain where we're all going when we die.
ReplyDeleteI loved that website. Brilliant concept. You'll never run out of things to blog about, given the thousands of churches around.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Eileen, the plural of anathema is anathemata (ἀναθέματα).
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ReplyDeleteOf course, sexual orientation is no bar anywhere, it's lifestyles that are being objected to. No-one ever quite explains what they are, but they are certainly anathemas, anathemae or even, most severely, anathemata.
ReplyDeleteActually Erika, even orientation is enough to get the big A from this bunch. Even humming a few bars of "Candle in the Wind" would be enough. Even saying orientation per se is no bar, would be a bar.
ReplyDeleteHolger, thank you, and welcome back. Of course, just like diademata. Except that "anathemata" isn't such a snappy hymn tune.