tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post5682001036092421028..comments2024-02-21T03:20:21.898-08:00Comments on An Inch At A Time: Reflections on the Journey: An Open Letter to the President-electSUSAN RUSSELLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795717638621668638noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-87844494082251625202008-12-24T07:00:00.000-08:002008-12-24T07:00:00.000-08:00Christianity is about inclusion, not exclusion. Ch...Christianity is about inclusion, not exclusion. Christianity is a repudiation of purity codes of all kinds, not just those found in Leviticus. As an Anglo-Catholic, I find the views of conservative, low-church individuals unacceptable. But the freedom of expression we enjoy as a constitutional democracy, and as Anglicans, mandates that they be allowed to spew their ideas with as much right as I Rev. David Justin Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00250968772752560668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-5671228373686464572008-12-23T08:20:00.000-08:002008-12-23T08:20:00.000-08:00Lorian, thanks for your comments. It is certainly ...Lorian, thanks for your comments. It is certainly possible that the president elect's invitation to Rick Warren will not have the reconciling effect I am hoping and praying for. Certainly the bloggers and right wing radio wags will not see it in their self-interest. It may also prove to be impossible for those who claim to speak for LGBTQ Americans of whatever faith to transform the way they see QFChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02225072175864523838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-53923553772668398992008-12-23T06:51:00.000-08:002008-12-23T06:51:00.000-08:00ALL Fetuses became Viable Outside of the Womb with...<I>ALL Fetuses became Viable Outside of the Womb with the Onset of Test Tube fertilization. From the first second that a Test Tube was used to inseminate an ova, the debate on viability of a fetus as being, as you call it, "an insentient ball of cells", was over and done with, and thanks to the Science that created Test Tube Viability, you and those with your stance Lost the debate.<BR/><BR/>You Brother Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06333089314994730330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-51764754923828822922008-12-22T18:31:00.000-08:002008-12-22T18:31:00.000-08:00edav, I don't equate all fetuses to an insentient ...edav, I don't equate all fetuses to an insentient ball of cells, but early ones ARE. To equate that ball of cells frozen in liquid nitrogen to an actual infant is ludicrous--in a fire in a clinic, would you rescue 5 straws of embryos in the liquid N2 tank, or the baby in the stroller in the room next door? Moreover, that ball of cells isn't GOING to become a baby unless you put it in the wombIThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09605163506396013904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-43248687811236417332008-12-22T18:02:00.000-08:002008-12-22T18:02:00.000-08:00to IT,ALL Fetuses became Viable Outside of the Wom...to IT,<BR/><BR/>ALL Fetuses became Viable Outside of the Womb with the Onset of Test Tube fertilization. From the first second that a Test Tube was used to inseminate an ova, the debate on viability of a fetus as being, as you call it, "an insentient ball of cells", was over and done with, and thanks to the Science that created Test Tube Viability, you and those with your stance Lost the debate.<edav38https://www.blogger.com/profile/13194838235717863739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-56105063123497684102008-12-22T00:43:00.000-08:002008-12-22T00:43:00.000-08:00I am not a Christian. I find choosing a man who i...I am not a Christian. I find choosing a man who is not only opposed to my rights as a married lesbian, but who advocates assassination, supports war, and considers an insentient ball of cells the same as a victim in a gas chamber, deeply deeply offensive.<BR/><BR/>And I'm not even TALKING about putting prayer into a secular space, which is offensive as well.IThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09605163506396013904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-70453336248904785272008-12-21T18:00:00.000-08:002008-12-21T18:00:00.000-08:00QFC, God will most certainly be present on Inaugur...QFC, God will most certainly be present on Inauguration Day, but not because Rick Warren (or any other minister) invokes God's presence.<BR/><BR/>QFC states: "none of these choices would have the effect of bringing the huge population of conservative evangelicals down from their battlements in the "culture wars" in order to break bread with the rest of us on Inauguration Day. Barack has done Lorianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10607439799725636481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-69414904901602180612008-12-21T17:19:00.000-08:002008-12-21T17:19:00.000-08:00Thank you for your excellent letter. Not only have...Thank you for your excellent letter. Not only have I posted this to my Open.Salon.Com blog (<A HREF="open.salon.com/content.php?cid=67173#post_comments" REL="nofollow">Inch at a time in Open Salon</A>), but I've also posted it on facebook and in digg in hopes we can get the word out beyond WNC.<BR/><BR/>Thank you, RobinJRobin Whitleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04454298113462723022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-22831847279483896622008-12-21T16:47:00.000-08:002008-12-21T16:47:00.000-08:00Hi Susan,Being inclusive means, well, being inclus...Hi Susan,<BR/><BR/>Being inclusive means, well, being inclusive. Some people may be upset that Rev. Lowery is giving the benediction. <BR/><BR/>From Breibart.com:<BR/><BR/><I>"Obama defended his choice on Thursday, saying that he has also invited Joseph Lowery, a Methodist minister and civil rights leader who supports same-sex marriage and gay rights, to deliver the benediction.<BR/><BR/>'DuringMOepishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01564555138572987964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-3185637030174304872008-12-21T13:25:00.000-08:002008-12-21T13:25:00.000-08:00I have never known Rick Warren to hurt anyone. Bes...I have never known Rick Warren to hurt anyone. Besides, in no respect can one avoid values. We can call upon Barack Obama to teach all the politically correct values at his inauguration, but the political correctness will, in turn, cause polarization to those who notice the weakness in our country. Not all of the values that are popular will solve our crises.<BR/><BR/>So may the unity be found Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-35760619547768917722008-12-21T12:43:00.000-08:002008-12-21T12:43:00.000-08:00I want to say up front that I would have preferred...I want to say up front that I would have preferred the President Elect, whom I supported, worked for and contributed to, had invited someone who shares my theology and social-political views to give the invocation at his inauguration. Nonetheless, whether invoked by Rick Warren or Catherine Jefferts Schori, God will be present on Inauguration Day. And as Christians, therefore, we also believe QFChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02225072175864523838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-49484895860655692822008-12-21T09:52:00.000-08:002008-12-21T09:52:00.000-08:00Amen, Susan, amen. Excellent letter.edav: I tire ...Amen, Susan, amen. Excellent letter.<BR/><BR/>edav: I tire of hearing that people "don't want to take away rights from gays, they are just opponents of gay marriage." <BR/><BR/>For the record, this IS taking rights away from gays - the RIGHT to MARRY. Regardless of whether or not some of the rights conveyed by civil marriage are available in a brown-paper bargain bag, marriage, itself, is a Lorianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10607439799725636481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-73686364328969428672008-12-21T07:03:00.000-08:002008-12-21T07:03:00.000-08:00edav ... all other points aside, for the record, I...edav ... all other points aside, for the record, I was a proud Hillary supporter ... and I didn't think she was "our savior" either.<BR/><BR/>We don't elect a savior. We elect a president. And when he or she takes action or makes choices we disagree with, we let them know about it. Restpectfully. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for taking time to write. And so very sorry for your loss.SUSAN RUSSELLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01795717638621668638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-9489864394377010382008-12-21T05:21:00.000-08:002008-12-21T05:21:00.000-08:00"he has compared abortion to the Holocaust..."Ther..."he has compared abortion to the Holocaust..."<BR/><BR/>There is no comparison between the Holocaust and legalized abortion.<BR/><BR/>The Germans murdered 6,000,000 Jews and other "undesirables". Abortion, on the other hand, has murdered over 40,000,000 in the United States alone; An entirely different level of carnage. The Holocaust isn't even in the same ballpark, and definitely pales in Perry Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13602968076084080664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-68896519464986554922008-12-21T05:08:00.000-08:002008-12-21T05:08:00.000-08:00Contrary to Dena's post I do not see this as a "de...Contrary to Dena's post I do not see this as a "desperate measure." Susan, I think you see the bigger picture and glad for your prophetic voice. I saw it as a chance to again say, "we are more alike than different." If the GLBT community cannot get over every single incident, then we are no better than the far right. <BR/><BR/>Yes we can indeed Susan.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05198069220383920311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-76570520116599195442008-12-20T21:30:00.000-08:002008-12-20T21:30:00.000-08:00Most who commented on this think you were eloquent...Most who commented on this think you were eloquent or profound.<BR/>I am trying to figure out Where this Eloquence or Profoundness was.<BR/>All I see is a bunch of Diatribe, and I wonder how much of it is deserved.<BR/>I did not, would would Never vote for Obama.<BR/>For the last 2+ years, we have heard from you and others with your beliefs just how much of a "Savior" Obama would be. ("I'm still edav38https://www.blogger.com/profile/13194838235717863739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-86677230461591378352008-12-20T20:23:00.000-08:002008-12-20T20:23:00.000-08:00Might I say yet one more time, you are fairly awes...Might I say yet one more time, you are fairly awesome. <BR/>Keep on speaking truth to the power, Susan. Reagardless of who the "power" might be.Barbi Clickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15850017543275895154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-71235612129949892922008-12-20T18:11:00.000-08:002008-12-20T18:11:00.000-08:00Obama’s inaugurationIt is fun to delude oneself: O...Obama’s inauguration<BR/><BR/>It is fun to delude oneself: <BR/>Oh, things are so much better today; the world is truly changing. See, we did it -- Look at what we have done, we, the LBGT community, helped elect a black man President. Surely, he will know our pain; he will know what it is to be marginalized, to be discriminated against, to be hated for who you are, to be considered a second Deborahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06117647676883477338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-41849532998336526852008-12-20T16:01:00.000-08:002008-12-20T16:01:00.000-08:00Susan again takes our anger and focuses it positiv...Susan again takes our anger and focuses it positively, as positively as possible at the moment. She does not just say this was a bad choice but points to alternatives. Thank you Susan, for, as Rachel Maddow says, "talking me down." Patience tempered with righteous indignation...Neil Houghtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13576094575777076225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-45023032797599537072008-12-20T15:24:00.000-08:002008-12-20T15:24:00.000-08:00Yes you can! Yes you did!Yes you can! Yes you did!Fantastikatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10407035673679056965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-25752927285989269682008-12-20T11:06:00.000-08:002008-12-20T11:06:00.000-08:00Yet once again you've stepped into the prophetic s...Yet once again you've stepped into the prophetic space and spoken truth to power<BR/><BR/>and done us all proud<BR/><BR/>thank-you Susan+<BR/><BR/>David@MontrealDavid@Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08447479118332347163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-18536802457781812312008-12-20T10:44:00.000-08:002008-12-20T10:44:00.000-08:00Advent IV blessings, Susan. Below FYI. John Taylor...Advent IV blessings, Susan. Below FYI. John Taylor<BR/><BR/>http://episconixonian.blogspot.com/2008/12/st-petersland.htmlFr. Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09974142521713230215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-57900774744707479472008-12-20T10:36:00.000-08:002008-12-20T10:36:00.000-08:00Another well-reasoned and eloquent statement. Than...Another well-reasoned and eloquent statement. Thank you; please mail the letter to the Presiden-elect.Gerti Reagan Garnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01526625065523855788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-83523162284338372972008-12-20T09:42:00.000-08:002008-12-20T09:42:00.000-08:00Woo-- preach it!!Woo-- preach it!!Cameron Partridgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11730933611590305932noreply@blogger.com