Rants and raves
Dec. 21st, 2006 12:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yrmencynI'm not even going to bother apologizing for my absence anymore, since it appears to be my default state nowadays.
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Ugh. Y'all. I just got my teeth cleaned, and I swear to GOD-- I will kill someone. I have been so good, so good with my teeth in the past few years. I hardly ever drink cokes, I usually drink my tea unsweetened, most of my beverages are just plain water. I brush my teeth well, and regularly. I've even recently started being one of those scary people that actually floss everyday (although to be fair that's of recent enough vintage that it wouldn't have any bearing on the current condition of my teeth). And what is my reward? Three cavities. Admittedly the hygienist didn't sound too appalled, so I suppose they're smallish ones, but still. It's annoying. Especially annoying is the fact that the dentist's office I go to down here in Nacogdoches is closing day after tomorrow and won't reopen until long after I'm back up in Ohio, so I can't even schedule a followup appointment here to get them dealt with; I'll have to get them to send info up to <wherever I decide to go for dental work in Columbus>. ARRRRGH. Just take 'em out. Gimme dentures. Plus I apparently grind and/or clench my teeth, and should wear a mouthguard at night. But, I'm told, I'm a good candidate for bleaching, and I could just wear the bleaching trays (with or without the bleaching agent) as a mouthguard, thus killing two birds with one stone *rolls eyes*.
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I am so terribly angry with the Catholic Church right now. I was looking for some inspiration on coming out to my grandparents (yes, more on that later), and I came across a press release from PLFAG talking about the recent adoption of new guidelines for ministry to gay parishioners. I hadn't heard about this. But as it turns out, a little over a month ago the US Conference of Catholic Bishops promulgated a new set of guidelines for "Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination". There is so much that angers me in this document. I mean, I know the Catholic Church is completely fucknuts backwards when it comes to relationships, but it's still jarring to read the USCCB say "The homosexual inclination is objectively disordered, i.e., it is an inclination that predisposes one toward what is truly not good for the human person" (5). Also fun and exciting is: "Nevertheless '‘sexual orientation’ does not constitute a quality comparable to race, ethnic background, etc., in respect to nondiscrimination'" (15; quoting a document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith), which statement is used as a basic justification for the rejection of gay marriage*. And then there's the especially fun quote,
I just get so angry! I'm sorry, Catholic Church, but I actually don't necessarily "admit an objective basis for moral judgments" (14). I do, in fact, lean toward the view that "no acts [are] intrinsically evil but maintain that judgments of good and bad are entirely subjective" (14). The difference is that while you view this as an inherently hedonistic, chaotic, amoral perspective, I find it to be a powerful statement on the importance of self-scrutiny and moral thought. No one person can make such decisions for themselves without recourse to the social and cultural mores they inhabit; as naturally gregarious creatures, this is a part of living as a human. At the same time, however, social mores can change, both through the unconscious hand of history and through the active, conscious work of concerned, moral, ethical members of society.
It all seems to hinge on what I've come to see as an egregious logical flaw that the Church takes for granted. Observe: "The purpose of sexual desire is to draw man and woman together in the bond of marriage, a bond that is directed toward two inseparable ends: the expression of marital love and the procreation and education of children" (3). OK, sure. With some caveats (e.g. I don't think that marriage is a necessary constitutive element for the physical expression of love), I can accept this. But the trick of it is, the underlying principle of this stance is that God has a plan, and that he has created humans in accordance with said plan. And if "all people are created in the image and likeness of God" (2), then homosexuals, too, are good and proper expressions of God's plan. My love is worth as much as anyone else's. My life is just as valid. And I'll be damned if I'm going to listen to the USCCB ignore all logical reason just to perpetuate a cultural prejudice. 'Cause that's all it is, y'all. The Bible was written in a certain time and place, by certain people who, like all people, came with a set of cultural baggage. If you're not looking at the Scriptures through a historical lens, you're just being lazy, and you're missing the point. Better remember to offer your daughters in hospitality to the oncoming crowd; don't want to end up obliterated like Sodom and Gomorrah (cf. Ezek. 16:49-50)
I've been leaning toward a full break with the Catholic Church for years. I haven't gone to mass regularly since about 2004, and I don't even observe the Holy Days of Obligation anymore. I just don't feel comfortable. At the same time, though, I really don't want to leave, since I was raised in the Catholic Church. The Episcopalians are nice and all (and are merrily undergoing a tectonic-pace schism that, while it's sad, I generally support), but their service feels quite English to me; the prayers aren't quite right, the hymns are not those I was raised on... it feels a bit surreal to go to Pisky Mass. I dunno. My cross to bear, or something hokey like that. Too bad the Catholic Church has neither obligation nor inclination to be driven by lay reform.
* It should be noted that I don't think religious groups should be required, under the law, to recognize same-sex marriage sacramentally; this is a religious issue that the state cannot and should not invade. On a non-legalistic level, however, as a person of faith, I find the stance hateful and 'disordered'.
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It's been a crazy amount of driving these past few weeks. I'll try to do a better, more involved post soon with pictures, but here's the brief rundown. A couple weeks ago, Kevin and I drove down to Texas (two days), and dropped off Phoebe with the 'rents. Then we drove to Louisiana and spent three night there, seeing people in Baton Rouge and Lafayette. Then I dropped him off at the New Orleans airport and drove back to Texas, so that I could hop in the car with the parents and drive to Lubbock, stooping for the night in Weatherford to pick up the grandparents. In Lubbock, we did graduation-related activities with my sister, including packing up all her belongings and bringing them back to Nacogdoches, where she'll be living until after her wedding in July. I'm so done with driving. But I really enjoyed driving around the country with Kevin, getting to show him some of my haunts in BR and introducing him to the people I talk about from down there. Lubbock is a bit desolate for my taste, but I got some material during the drive, so that's good for my poetical work, I suppose. "Wide open spaces, room to make a big mistake," indeed.
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Yeah, I've decided to come out to my extended family. It's kind of a big thing, but I'm trying to minimize its hugeosity so my brain doesn't explode. Most of the extended family will be getting an email after the New Year (I'd prefer it not be the main topic of discussion at the various family gatherings around the country), but the grandparents are proving difficult. See, my aunts and uncles (and older cousins who have their own email addresses), I feel comfortable coming out to them over the Internet. It's not ideal, but when your dad is one of 14 siblings, you just have to do the best you can; doing sit-downs with all of them would be not only time- but also money-consuming. Grammie and Pops, though... I can't even do that over the phone, it needs to be face-to-face. And since I've decided I'm doing this sooner rather than later (otherwise I'll just chicken out), my options on timing are limited, since the next time I'll see them after this holiday is probably Elisa's wedding (a very, very, very bad choice as far as timing goes). So... this Christmas it is. I'd love to do it AFTER Christmas Day, but they're leaving town early on the 26th; we probably won't even see them that day. So I'm pretty much left with this weekend. *runs around madly* I'm still trying to make decisions on how to do this. When, where, whether I'd like Mom and Dad to be there... it's all confusing. I have no reference point. I don't even have a priest to do a traditional family values homily to send me over the edge, like last time. Flying by the seat of my pants, I am. *waves hands in that way crazy people do*
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I finally got to see my grades. 4.0. First time ever at OSU. I was surprised, since I felt I was doing pretty solid A- work in Critical Theory. Guess Dr. Phelan liked my final paper.
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I've fallen WAY behind on reading my flist. I'm going to try to catch up soon, but if there's been something momentous in your life that I should know about, you should probably let me know directly, since I can't guarantee my ability to read two weeks' worth of posts.
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Ugh. Y'all. I just got my teeth cleaned, and I swear to GOD-- I will kill someone. I have been so good, so good with my teeth in the past few years. I hardly ever drink cokes, I usually drink my tea unsweetened, most of my beverages are just plain water. I brush my teeth well, and regularly. I've even recently started being one of those scary people that actually floss everyday (although to be fair that's of recent enough vintage that it wouldn't have any bearing on the current condition of my teeth). And what is my reward? Three cavities. Admittedly the hygienist didn't sound too appalled, so I suppose they're smallish ones, but still. It's annoying. Especially annoying is the fact that the dentist's office I go to down here in Nacogdoches is closing day after tomorrow and won't reopen until long after I'm back up in Ohio, so I can't even schedule a followup appointment here to get them dealt with; I'll have to get them to send info up to <wherever I decide to go for dental work in Columbus>. ARRRRGH. Just take 'em out. Gimme dentures. Plus I apparently grind and/or clench my teeth, and should wear a mouthguard at night. But, I'm told, I'm a good candidate for bleaching, and I could just wear the bleaching trays (with or without the bleaching agent) as a mouthguard, thus killing two birds with one stone *rolls eyes*.
-------------
I am so terribly angry with the Catholic Church right now. I was looking for some inspiration on coming out to my grandparents (yes, more on that later), and I came across a press release from PLFAG talking about the recent adoption of new guidelines for ministry to gay parishioners. I hadn't heard about this. But as it turns out, a little over a month ago the US Conference of Catholic Bishops promulgated a new set of guidelines for "Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination". There is so much that angers me in this document. I mean, I know the Catholic Church is completely fucknuts backwards when it comes to relationships, but it's still jarring to read the USCCB say "The homosexual inclination is objectively disordered, i.e., it is an inclination that predisposes one toward what is truly not good for the human person" (5). Also fun and exciting is: "Nevertheless '‘sexual orientation’ does not constitute a quality comparable to race, ethnic background, etc., in respect to nondiscrimination'" (15; quoting a document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith), which statement is used as a basic justification for the rejection of gay marriage*. And then there's the especially fun quote,
For some persons, revealing their homosexual tendencies to certain close friends, family members, a spiritual director, confessor, or members of a Church support group may provide some spiritual and emotional help and aid them in their growth in the Christian life. In the context of parish life, however, general public self-disclosures are not helpful and should not be encouraged. (17)Combined with the general doctrinal acceptance of homosexual orientation but vilification of homosexual acts, this basically boils down to "it's ok to be gay, but for God's sake don't let people know!!!"
I just get so angry! I'm sorry, Catholic Church, but I actually don't necessarily "admit an objective basis for moral judgments" (14). I do, in fact, lean toward the view that "no acts [are] intrinsically evil but maintain that judgments of good and bad are entirely subjective" (14). The difference is that while you view this as an inherently hedonistic, chaotic, amoral perspective, I find it to be a powerful statement on the importance of self-scrutiny and moral thought. No one person can make such decisions for themselves without recourse to the social and cultural mores they inhabit; as naturally gregarious creatures, this is a part of living as a human. At the same time, however, social mores can change, both through the unconscious hand of history and through the active, conscious work of concerned, moral, ethical members of society.
It all seems to hinge on what I've come to see as an egregious logical flaw that the Church takes for granted. Observe: "The purpose of sexual desire is to draw man and woman together in the bond of marriage, a bond that is directed toward two inseparable ends: the expression of marital love and the procreation and education of children" (3). OK, sure. With some caveats (e.g. I don't think that marriage is a necessary constitutive element for the physical expression of love), I can accept this. But the trick of it is, the underlying principle of this stance is that God has a plan, and that he has created humans in accordance with said plan. And if "all people are created in the image and likeness of God" (2), then homosexuals, too, are good and proper expressions of God's plan. My love is worth as much as anyone else's. My life is just as valid. And I'll be damned if I'm going to listen to the USCCB ignore all logical reason just to perpetuate a cultural prejudice. 'Cause that's all it is, y'all. The Bible was written in a certain time and place, by certain people who, like all people, came with a set of cultural baggage. If you're not looking at the Scriptures through a historical lens, you're just being lazy, and you're missing the point. Better remember to offer your daughters in hospitality to the oncoming crowd; don't want to end up obliterated like Sodom and Gomorrah (cf. Ezek. 16:49-50)
I've been leaning toward a full break with the Catholic Church for years. I haven't gone to mass regularly since about 2004, and I don't even observe the Holy Days of Obligation anymore. I just don't feel comfortable. At the same time, though, I really don't want to leave, since I was raised in the Catholic Church. The Episcopalians are nice and all (and are merrily undergoing a tectonic-pace schism that, while it's sad, I generally support), but their service feels quite English to me; the prayers aren't quite right, the hymns are not those I was raised on... it feels a bit surreal to go to Pisky Mass. I dunno. My cross to bear, or something hokey like that. Too bad the Catholic Church has neither obligation nor inclination to be driven by lay reform.
* It should be noted that I don't think religious groups should be required, under the law, to recognize same-sex marriage sacramentally; this is a religious issue that the state cannot and should not invade. On a non-legalistic level, however, as a person of faith, I find the stance hateful and 'disordered'.
-------------
It's been a crazy amount of driving these past few weeks. I'll try to do a better, more involved post soon with pictures, but here's the brief rundown. A couple weeks ago, Kevin and I drove down to Texas (two days), and dropped off Phoebe with the 'rents. Then we drove to Louisiana and spent three night there, seeing people in Baton Rouge and Lafayette. Then I dropped him off at the New Orleans airport and drove back to Texas, so that I could hop in the car with the parents and drive to Lubbock, stooping for the night in Weatherford to pick up the grandparents. In Lubbock, we did graduation-related activities with my sister, including packing up all her belongings and bringing them back to Nacogdoches, where she'll be living until after her wedding in July. I'm so done with driving. But I really enjoyed driving around the country with Kevin, getting to show him some of my haunts in BR and introducing him to the people I talk about from down there. Lubbock is a bit desolate for my taste, but I got some material during the drive, so that's good for my poetical work, I suppose. "Wide open spaces, room to make a big mistake," indeed.
-------------
Yeah, I've decided to come out to my extended family. It's kind of a big thing, but I'm trying to minimize its hugeosity so my brain doesn't explode. Most of the extended family will be getting an email after the New Year (I'd prefer it not be the main topic of discussion at the various family gatherings around the country), but the grandparents are proving difficult. See, my aunts and uncles (and older cousins who have their own email addresses), I feel comfortable coming out to them over the Internet. It's not ideal, but when your dad is one of 14 siblings, you just have to do the best you can; doing sit-downs with all of them would be not only time- but also money-consuming. Grammie and Pops, though... I can't even do that over the phone, it needs to be face-to-face. And since I've decided I'm doing this sooner rather than later (otherwise I'll just chicken out), my options on timing are limited, since the next time I'll see them after this holiday is probably Elisa's wedding (a very, very, very bad choice as far as timing goes). So... this Christmas it is. I'd love to do it AFTER Christmas Day, but they're leaving town early on the 26th; we probably won't even see them that day. So I'm pretty much left with this weekend. *runs around madly* I'm still trying to make decisions on how to do this. When, where, whether I'd like Mom and Dad to be there... it's all confusing. I have no reference point. I don't even have a priest to do a traditional family values homily to send me over the edge, like last time. Flying by the seat of my pants, I am. *waves hands in that way crazy people do*
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I finally got to see my grades. 4.0. First time ever at OSU. I was surprised, since I felt I was doing pretty solid A- work in Critical Theory. Guess Dr. Phelan liked my final paper.
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I've fallen WAY behind on reading my flist. I'm going to try to catch up soon, but if there's been something momentous in your life that I should know about, you should probably let me know directly, since I can't guarantee my ability to read two weeks' worth of posts.
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no subject
Date: 2006-12-21 06:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-24 05:47 am (UTC)and you read a book! ;)
no subject
Date: 2006-12-21 07:37 pm (UTC)Are you ever on IM of an evening anymore? I don't usually get online when I get home but if I knew folks were around I might. ::hug:: Merry Christmas and all that jazz!
no subject
Date: 2006-12-21 10:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-22 02:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-22 02:21 am (UTC)I do hope that you will have a great christmas and that i get to see you soon!
no subject
Date: 2006-12-22 09:08 pm (UTC)(fingers crossed, other apropriate supernatural intervention requested, etc...)
not much up here. grad school exists and i avoid spending saturdays in bloomington, which is proving relatively stable compromise between me and it.
--christy
no subject
Date: 2006-12-28 03:32 pm (UTC)Congrats on the grades.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-28 04:29 pm (UTC)Laters