I apologize in advance for this, but ...
Really? So Tushnet goes to a church that welcomes gay people no
matter where they are at in their conversion process. They identify as gay.
What's the difference here?
Ed. note: I've edited - added commentary in red italics for greater clarity.
I also clarified points in the comment section.
C'mon. - (In the Second Reading Sunday - the Apostle wrote, "Come now ..." - C'mon is like that in tone.)
You can't say gay but you can say 'Jesus loves gay men'? - (You just did. Your t-shirt said gay - you said, Jesus loves gay men.)
Yeah, he does - Jesus does love gay men. But will you please knock it off? Please? - (That is - knock off making an issue out of people using the term gay.)
You never met a gay man? Really? Who are you talking to and posing with in these photos? - (Joe wrote a post titled, 'I never met a gay man'. - I think he did.)
Gay people like to pretend. - (They say, don't say gay - say SSA - until they are in that milieu. It's dishonest.)
Don't keep pretending... gay people are never going to get beyond this phony conflict if we don't stop pretending.
Let me tell you ...
I love you Joey Sciambra. - (But give people a break and stop lecturing them about 'how' they 'accompany' others in their journey.)
Seriously, you are a good man doing good things - but as Christ told the disciples in the Gospel, 'Whoever is not against us is for us.'
Seek to please God - not men. - (So many critics try to put obstacles in the way of those who want to share the joy of the Gospel - last weekend the Pope reminded us how Jesus “keeps telling his disciples to go, to go out. He urges them to go out and meet others where they really are, not where we think they should be.")
PS: Joe Sciambra is doing that in his own peculiar fashion - nothing wrong with that. However, it seems to me Catholics associated with Spiritual Friendship are doing the same thing - so I'm having trouble understanding all the opposition from Joe on this topic. It strikes me as a bit disingenuous.
That's all.
And to think there are those who disputed whether he was actually ever gay. LOL
ReplyDeleteBut maybe there's no story here. One time while street evangelizing I befriended and hung out with some tough, old cons. If I had taken a photo and posted it, some readers might have worried, "Uh oh, there goes Scott. You can take the con out of prison, but not the prison out of the con." But it was quite innocent. I only did three shots.
What?
Actually I admire him for what he does - I simply find it ironic that he doesn't recognize or appreciate the fact that Tushnet, Belgau, Selmys and company are doing the same thing. Likewise, his criticism of Cardinal Schonborn for suggesting: " the Church should not look in the bedroom first, but in the dining room! It must accompany people" was a bit over the top considering that he meets these people where they are at - Folsom St. Fair. Nothing wrong with that - but it pretty much measures out to be the same thing.
DeleteJoe is doing a good thing - provided he's not placing himself in the occasion of sin - Folsom St. can be pretty raunchy. That open another can of worms - the occasion of sin argument for same sex friends. It's a topic he rails against. Likewise the photos - I've had more innocent photos guys have asked me to take down because they were tempted to lust.
Yesterday's Gospel spoke to this issue - when John complained to Jesus about someone casting out demons in Jesus' name and Jesus pretty much said, "C'mon - do not prevent him - whoever is not against us is for us."
No what I'm saying? We need to stop judging by appearances - that would go for anyone criticizing you for taking a couple of shots with ex-cons.
This weekend people were up in arms over Mo Rocca doing the reading at the Garden Mass. How do they know his soul? They don't.
Anyway - my apologies to anyone else who thought this post was about them or was some sort of condemnation of their efforts to follow the Gospel.
SB: Know what I'm saying - not no. Blogger doesn't have an edit feature for comments.
DeleteI can't believe that I would defend him....and I am sure this is what his spin will do but I am trying really hard to follow more of Francis example and give people the benefit of the doubt and be kinder...(and let me telling you its really, really, really hard for me....) Perhaps as Scott said he was there to convert people,etc, and these people wanted to take a picture and really, what are you going to say, no? While I would doubt the effectiveness of trying to convert people at this thing (which I wouldn't go to unless I was body wrapped up in several layers of latex and had an oxygen mask...oh who am I kidding, of course I would go to see the freaks....) that was perhaps what he was doing.
ReplyDeletePersonally more then this I would question his story of having sex with a demon and giving the world a new batch of them but .....(okay, the Francis thing is hard to do...) He just too a picture with them doesn't mean he was in some stocks getting whipped...(is that what the kids are doing these days?)
LOL, I just read your headline quickly and thought one of them was actually Tushnet and thought, "Well, at least she found make up!"
I wasn't condemning him - just pointing out how he's doing the same stuff those he has criticized in the past do. I've said it over and over - there is nothing wrong with his 'outreach' here - 'accompanying' these people. I'm not criticizing his photos.
DeleteReread what I wrote Mack - as well as my comment to Scott.
I didn't say you were condemning him..just critiquing him.....wow you are locked cocked and ready to rock today.!!!
DeleteHowever, you are right, I skimmed your article... and thought you were talking about him being at this goofy event. So yes, I agree with you assessment of him this time. Though I don't know how people could find that weird stuff going on at Folsom an occasion of sin but I am pretty vanilla...(people dressed up like that doing weird thing would make me turn straight..)
My apologies for reading you incorrectly...And really, did you HAVE to share the email I sent you???
Mack,
DeleteSounds like Joseph's blog is your morning must-read?
Ha! Hi Mack. Nope - I was just fine - I just got a couple of emails questioning the post and had to clarify my intentions. I probably should have held back on publishing and reviewed the text this morning. Dark humor is difficult to do online. ;)
DeleteScott, you caught me...every a.m. I get my coffee, open the Trib and then go directly to Sciambra's blog to enter his surreal world. I actually never go there but Joseph makes his rounds to all the blogs ( and helpfully linking to his own blog ) that I feel I DO read him about every day (I especially liked his breathless post on Crisis about the joys of gay relations, all in the guise of warning people against it mind you, and the Crisis mummies thanking him for his witness..) However, one visit and the whole demon interlude thing kind of stays burned into your brain...( I was actually thinking it was a parody piece but no...)
ReplyDeleteTerry, I kind of was liking nice, gentle Terry's boisterous side, kicking ass and taking names. Wow, I thought you had been watching too much Voris!!!
About his axe grinding... I think Joseph is trying to win favor with the Austin Ruses (I actually feel for him as he is so desperate to find his way and belong somewhere I can easily see how he would fall into the scummy gay underworld ) of the world and also is kind of angry that the Spiritual Friendship people are taken more seriously and get more ink from respectable sources while he is stuck with the fringe.
Haha! I think I have to start minding my own business. Poor Eliza Scalia is taking heat for defending Mo Rocca at Aleteia. It reminds me of why I don't volunteer or go to parish events at the church I attend.
DeleteYour comment today made me laugh. Thanks!