Still making a sash of themselves

Via Ignatius Insight and Carl Olson a story that always runs just before Pentecost. Yes, one on the Rainbow Sash Movement.

According to Joe Murray, US Convener for the RSM, individual parishioners have taken it upon themselves to share their hosts with ribbon-wearing churchgoers, acts which infuriated the Bishops who could do nothing about it.

"Out of fear and their own homophobia," says Murray, "Church officials have chosen to go against their own teaching, that individual conscience is paramount in guiding the individual to spirituality. These ill-advised bishops cannot possibly know our hearts when they deny us communion. They are desecrating the Holy Eucharist by making it a weapon of division and exclusion.

Let's play spot the contradiction.

• You can't know our hearts, but we know you do this out of fear and homophobia.
• Conscience is king, except your conscience if it leads to denying us Communion. In that case conscience is a peasant to be trampled down by us.
• You are causing division and us wearing sashes and disrupting Masses is not.

"When we wear a rainbow sash, we are honestly expressing who we are. Bringing our honesty into the Church is a way of asking the Bishops to include all the Children of God into the Body of Christ, and to stop thinking they can make decisions for God. These Bishops need to be reminded they are pastors, while they call themselves Princes. Try finding that in the scriptures!"

Approval of homosexual acts - try finding that in scripture! Though the princes thing is rather silly. Do bishops really call themselves princes? I have never heard the term used except in a more general fashion by people other than bishops, though the term is used most often in modern times to refer to the Cardinals.

Murray questions why the Church hierarchy, which sets anti-gay and anti-war policies, gives communion to soldiers in uniform, but denies the Body of Christ to gays. "Who did Jesus turn away?" he asks.

In the Eucharistic discourse in John 6 many people turned themselves away. They could not accept what Jesus taught and so left. Rainbow sashers are just less honest. They do not accept what the Church teaches and do not go away. It is still primary upon the person who knows they are not in Communion with the Church to turn themselves away.

... They are still demanding a 13th century lifestyle where they are the arbiters of right and wrong. They need to stop talking about us, and start talking to us. My partner of 27 years and I agree, they are hopelessly out of touch."

Why specifically the 13th century when this has been something taught by the Church through all centuries. And if you are gong to use an argument by century where referring to an older century is negative then we can say they want a 0th century lifestyle lived by some homosexual Pagan Romans and Greeks.

Carl Olson adds in his post:

Murray is right: when it comes to putting a stamp of approval on homosexual acts and the gay lifestyle (not to mention abortion, euthanasia, divorce, contraception, pre-marital sex, adultery, etc., etc.), the Catholic Church is out of touch. Which is one of many reasons I am a Catholic. I am, however, puzzled as to why Murray is a Catholic.

Yes the Church is out of touch with the modern world, though in touch with the Holy Spirit which prevents her from not being synchronized with the errors of the times. They always get it exactly backwards. It is the modern world which is out of touch with the Church, the mystical body of Christ.

A couple of years ago I had some of my own ideas for disordered sashes.

• Adulterous Pride Sashes - To bring the gifts, witnesses, and the challenge of adulterers into the heart of the Church. Sashes could be made up of a string of shattered wedding rings or pictures of their latest soul mate.
• Pride Pride Sashes - Why not be prideful that you are prideful. To often prideful people are oppressed by the reading and homilies demanding that they conform and be humble. This talk of Jesus humbling himself and coming in the form of a servant is hurtful and non-caring when it comes to the prideful. Bruce's suggestion of self-portraits and awards is great for this. Sash's could be made with plastic pockets like what comes in wallets to display your greatest possession - yourself.
• Contraception Pride Sashes - How about all those Catholics that are oppressed by a Church that just won't roll with the times. Come on the majority of Catholics practice contraception so while they are hardly ever oppressed by homilies on this subject. The Catechism and Church teaching still hasn't given in on this. The sashes could be made out of birth control pill containers strung together with condoms.
• Uncharitable Pride Sashes - For those who do not have a charitable disposition and are imposed on when some busy-body usher shoves a offering basket under their nose they can have a sash that says it all. The sash would come with lettering saying "Charity begins at home - my home and that's it."

And if sashes are fine for those who dissent from church teaching how about those who are upset with liturgical mediocrity?

• Gregorian Chant Sash Movement - In a show of solidarity with the past and to dissent from OCP and GIA sashes could be made of Gregorian Chant CD attached together with mini-organ clips.

I have thought of a new one to add this year.

• Homophobia Pride Sashes - for those actual homophobes that are mad at what the Church teaches about "intrinsic dignity of each person " and that "It is deplorable that homosexual persons have been and are the object of violent malice in speech or in action. Such treatment deserves condemnation from the Church's pastors wherever it occurs." Time and time again the Church teaches that this type of disordered reaction to same-sex attraction is quite sinful and homophobes are forced to stay in the closet and not come out proclaiming their hatred. Yes homophobes do need their own sashes to protest this divisive discrimination.