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drray23

(7,906 posts)
Thu Oct 31, 2024, 05:44 PM Thursday

Our little episcopal church is being rocked by this election.

The council of bishops issued a strong statement, actually a 16 page position document strongly condemning white supremacy and Christian nationalism. Of course I am grateful for this.

Our rector announced in the church bulletin ahead of last week that she would discuss it after service. She did so.

What an eye opener. Somehow 30 % of the congregation did not attend. Several outright left the church over this. Mostly, political leanings weren't discussed before but given that we are in the south and that congregation is older white people it was a likely outcome.

I think it's for the better. There is no place for this hatred if you pretend to be a person of faith and following the Bible's precepts.



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Our little episcopal church is being rocked by this election. (Original Post) drray23 Thursday OP
Good, I'm glad to hear the "Big Clean Out" has begun. Think. Again. Thursday #1
our church diocese( episcopa)l went through a split in 2007 AllaN01Bear Thursday #2
Sounds like your church SomedayKindaLove Thursday #3
Love thy neighbor wasn't conditional, like only if they're white. surfered Thursday #4
The Methodist church split over LGBT. surfered Thursday #5
do you even realize how ridiuclous that sounds Skittles Thursday #18
30% is about right across the board. live love laugh Thursday #6
yeah ok Skittles Thursday #7
Maybe there's other reasons people go to church Hieronymus Phact Thursday #8
nope Skittles Thursday #11
wow Hieronymus Phact Saturday #21
Chances are some people just didn't feel it needed any sort of discussion Warpy Thursday #9
We live in the middle of nowhere in a small town in the south. no megachurch there. drray23 Thursday #10
There will always be some sourpusses who only went there because it was closest Warpy Friday #19
"Most likely the Klanners had departed .. Wednesdays Thursday #13
Your church wasn't rocked. People were rocked when confronted with the wickedness of their beliefs. usonian Thursday #12
Offending immorality is righteous! BaronChocula Thursday #14
Sounds like the 70% that aren't offended by condemning white supremacy will make a much nicer congregation. MLAA Thursday #15
The United Methodist Church went through this over the past few years. AverageOldGuy Thursday #16
I am pretty sure that many of you will look around and find that their leaving was a blessing. summer_in_TX Thursday #17
I'm so sorry wryter2000 Friday #20

Think. Again.

(17,255 posts)
1. Good, I'm glad to hear the "Big Clean Out" has begun.
Thu Oct 31, 2024, 06:00 PM
Thursday

Hopefully, every rightwinger will simply leave any and every social circle they belong to and hide out for the rest of their pathetic hateful lives in lonely, dark, shamed misery.

Skittles

(158,220 posts)
18. do you even realize how ridiuclous that sounds
Thu Oct 31, 2024, 09:22 PM
Thursday

people should not care what any sanctimonious assholes think

Skittles

(158,220 posts)
11. nope
Thu Oct 31, 2024, 08:10 PM
Thursday

I just try to be a good person because it is the right thing to do, not because I expect some kind of reward in the end.

Over and OUT.

Warpy

(113,118 posts)
9. Chances are some people just didn't feel it needed any sort of discussion
Thu Oct 31, 2024, 08:05 PM
Thursday

especially because food and football were beckoning.

While a few sourpusses undoubtedly disagreed with the bishops, I'm going with "I got better things to do" to explain the high number of people who didn't stick around.

I sat tgat because it's a fairly liberal denomination. Most likely the Klanners had departed for megachurches and other places to hear false prophets before now.

In fact, I'm a little surprised 70% did stick around.

drray23

(7,906 posts)
10. We live in the middle of nowhere in a small town in the south. no megachurch there.
Thu Oct 31, 2024, 08:08 PM
Thursday

It's possible that some people did not attend for other reasons of course. Some definitely left for good and notified the rector why. Thats how we know.

Warpy

(113,118 posts)
19. There will always be some sourpusses who only went there because it was closest
Fri Nov 1, 2024, 12:58 AM
Friday

You can bet there are other little churches scattered around that will be more to their liking, featuring hellfire preachers with little education and even less reading comprehension than education.

One thing the south has never lacked is churches.

Likely there will be a reshuffle, Harris voters becoming uncomfortable at the wingnut churches and coming to yours. Stranger things have happened.

Wednesdays

(20,240 posts)
13. "Most likely the Klanners had departed ..
Thu Oct 31, 2024, 08:17 PM
Thursday

... for megachurches and other places to hear false prophets before now."

You'd be surprised to see the political makeup of churches in the boonies, even Episcopalian.

My church is made up of mostly Democrats, but there's one older man, who has a walker with an "Impeach Biden" sticker on it.

usonian

(13,517 posts)
12. Your church wasn't rocked. People were rocked when confronted with the wickedness of their beliefs.
Thu Oct 31, 2024, 08:13 PM
Thursday

MLAA

(18,536 posts)
15. Sounds like the 70% that aren't offended by condemning white supremacy will make a much nicer congregation.
Thu Oct 31, 2024, 08:42 PM
Thursday

But sad there 30% are either white supremacists or white supremacist adjacent.

AverageOldGuy

(1,963 posts)
16. The United Methodist Church went through this over the past few years.
Thu Oct 31, 2024, 08:44 PM
Thursday

The UMC Book of Discipline says homosexuality is not compatible with our beliefs. For years the UMC has wrestled with this.

It’s a long story but eventually those who wanted to retain the prohibition could “disassociate” and go their way. Churches had to decide by Dec 31, 2023. My little rural UMC did not even discuss it, we stayed with the UNITED Methodist Church. Of the eight little Methodist churches in my rural VA county, five disassociated, thanks mainly to the efforts of one MAGAt in one church.

It’s not one year later and already we have gained 15 members from churches that disassociated while one of the disassociated churches has closed, could not afford to stay open, and two others are shaky.

Meanwhile, the UMC is changing the Book of Discipline.

summer_in_TX

(3,131 posts)
17. I am pretty sure that many of you will look around and find that their leaving was a blessing.
Thu Oct 31, 2024, 08:45 PM
Thursday

My United Methodist Church found that with the pandemic-forced delay in the final decision about "divorcing" over the issue of full inclusion of LGBTQ people in all aspects of our membership and worship, plus being closed to in-person worship for many months over the pandemic, caused a walk-put by many of the old guard. They were also part of a faction who were mad at our then-pastor for a variety of reasons. After we reopened and started looking around, we found all the impediments to full inclusion had taken themselves out. I miss some of them (not all left because of the LGBTQ stance of the church) but am relieved God moved the obstacle out of the way.

That doesn't mean we don't have some financial struggles. We are still rebuilding. But new folks who believe God's love is for everyone, no exceptions, have found us in the last year and a half.

wryter2000

(47,288 posts)
20. I'm so sorry
Fri Nov 1, 2024, 11:33 AM
Friday

The national church is doing good things against Christian Nationalism. I hope you are able to hang together. It's been so hard for some folks in the south.

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