Rules For Shameless Sex

I saw a Christian magazine cover this week (Sojourners) called, Rules for Shameless Sex. It sounded like a good sermon title. But it wasn’t my idea so I resisted. But shameless sex is a helpful in trying to understand an area of life that has such potential for good and evil.

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In the article by Keith Graber Miller, the author gives us an example of the church’s shame-filled history of dealing with human sexuality. Miller says that in our distant past the church prescribed 10 years of penance for coitus interuptus, lifelong penance for oral sex and only seven years of penance for premeditated murder.

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That shows the twisted understandings that lie in our institutional past. here a few of Miller’s rules or guidelines:

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1. We need to talk openly and directly about sexuality in our homes and churches

2. We need to recognize how embodied our lives are, and we need to embrace the fundamental goodness of that embodiment.

3. We need to become thoughtful critics of exploitative images in our culture.

4. We need to recognize that what we really yearn for in life is intimacy rather than the stimulation of genital nerve endings.

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It seems to me that this is a valuable contribution to a necessary and ongoing dialogue for us all.

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Peter

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A Mini Sabbatical

Are you actually relaxing on your holidays? What does that even mean?

Roman Catholic peace activist and poet, Rose Marie Berger, says work is getting in the way of our play time. While the recession is claiming jobs, for many others work hours are increasing which causes many people to check in on work during off hours and days off. One solution to growing debt is to add another part time job. Exhaustion levels are going up for children, teens, young families and we older ones.

Berger tells us that according to the latest neuroscience, play is hardwired into us. Neurons don’t function without it. We have a duty, a typically protestant choice of words, to give ourselves a break. On the seventh day, God rested, took a mini sabbatical, relaxed.

it’s not too late for us. Summer is not yet over.

And as soon as I get my basement cleaned up, I am going to slooowww dowwwnnwn...

Peter

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United Church and Israel

I have heard from folks outside our church, asking what the heck is going on in the United Church of Canada. Colleagues in this presbytery have received angry, harassing phone messages on their voice mail. These people have heard via the media that the United Church is turning its back on “the only democracy in the Middle East.”

From what I can gather, some of the criticism comes from those who defend Israel’s decisions regardless of the consequences for the Palestinian people. But some of the criticism comes from a misunderstanding of the United Church’s position over the years. For the sake of the average citizen who reads the newspaper editorials or listens to angry talk-radio, we need to do a better job of getting our views out there.

This year’s General Council is certainly doing its best to communicate the latest information from Kelowna. I have signed up for the daily updates and you can do that in less than a minute by going to the United Church website and clicking on “General Council.” If you prefer video, you can watch the daily video feed featuring Royal Orr. And if you have the time, you can watch livestreaming.

This means that any United church member with access to a computer can stay on top of the daily Council agenda. With the latest direct information, we all can participate in an informed discussion of the important issues that are being discussed this week. What an opportunity to let those around us know about the important issues that we care about as a faith community!

Peter


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Michael Jackson and God

Some years ago Beliefnet reported that when Michael Jackson was a child garnering attention in the Jackson Five, he longed for time to play. The Sabbath Day offered a respite from the pressures of the stage. Fellow members of the Jehovah Witness church treated him like the rest of the congregation despite his stardom.

Jackson wistfully mused, “I miss the sense of community that I felt there. I miss the friends and the people who treated me like I was simply one of them. Simply human. Sharing a day with God.”

When I think of Michael Jackson, I think of the odd character who was depicted as a freak by the media. It’s easy to forget that before all the attention and money allowed him to fulfill all his fantasies, he was a little boy running around with the other children after services, wanting to be like everyone else, sharing a day with God.

Peter

You may also send your comments to assistant.webmaster@emmanuelunited.ca and I will make sure they are posted.