Friday, November 16, 2012

Separate, not equal, and slapped in Dio GA

The Lead is all over the story that the Bishop of Georgia has decided, grudgingly, to allow same sex blessings in his Diocese.  But not using the Rite approved in GC:  oh, no.  Not THAT.  Something altogether different, a paragraph of unwilling prose shoved into a regular service and hopefully no one will notice if the rector races through it in one breath.  Which he could.

As if that's not bad enough, the hoops any couple must leap through are large. (PDF)

And if that's not bad enough, they must also sign the following: (PDF)

"We, ________________________________________________________,
desiring to receive the blessing of God in the Church and having committed ourselves to
a life-long relationship characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection, respect,
and holy love, acknowledge and understand that this Rite bestows upon our relationship
God’s grace-filled blessing. It does not bestow upon our relationship any legal status in
civic life or from any civil authority. The Canons of the Church state: “Holy Matrimony
is a physical and spiritual union of a man and a woman, entered into within the
community of faith, by mutual consent of heart, mind, and will, and with intent that it
be lifelong” Canon 1.18.1(2)(b). We understand that this Rite is not Holy Matrimony.
Because we wouldn't want you homos CONFUSED that you are actually MARRIED or anything like that.  Just admit that you are second class scum of the Church and be thankful we are letting you get noticed.

You know, at some level, it's more honorable just to say, "Nope.  Not in my Diocese."  Because to do it like this, with the Rite de-emphasized into almost nothing, and the "signing statement" to boot  makes it a slap on the face.  It is not something grace-filled or welcoming.  It is making it clear LGBT couples are to use the back door, and the separate glass.  Probably sit in a back pew, too.  Because you really aren't wanted here.

I hope there's a more gracious Diocese within reach where faithful couples can actually receive a real blessing, rather than a statement of their otherness.


5 comments:

ladiocese.LGBT said...

Bingo and AMEN!

james said...

I completely agree. "Over my dead body" is more honest than this malarkey.

And Jesus continues to weep.

SUSAN RUSSELL said...

Seriously! This takes "the prayer of humble groveling" to a WHOLE new level of homo-specific discrimination. I agree -- I have more respect for the "let your 'no' be 'no'" folks, as much as I disagree with them!

JCF said...

Disgraceful.

Does Bishop Benihase not understand this kind of contemptuous non-blessing "blessing" makes EVANGELISM difficult if not impossible?

Paul (A.) said...

Theological cretin with the pastoral sensibility of a blini. Don't they teach remedial reading in seminaries?