Control

A bunch of Episcopal/Anglican male clergy are unable to accept female clergy, lately especially female bishops. Many seem to be the same men who are unable to accept the idea that most LGBTQs are ordinary people with ordinary lives, loved by God and entitled to the same rights and privileges as everyone else. Why are so many males afflicted with control issues?

I find it easy to worship with these men, difficult to discuss religion with them and almost impossible to respect them. Why are they and their followers so afraid of change? Of questions? Of difference? Of God? They seem to have all the beliefs and none of the faith. The clergy types control the message as if the slightest variation will cause rebellion, rejection of their control. They know God personally and none of the rest of us do or can without their guidance.

Altho I can love a person and will do what I can in a given situation, I have trouble respecting someone who has unquestioned "faith" and insists that only their religion/church has the "Truth". Religion and church were created by men. The documents of the followers of Abraham were written by men who believed they were divinely inspired yet the later two disagree significantly even in each internally. The idea that any one of the belief systems is closest to God seems to me to be just plain silly. Presumptuous. Heretical?

So where do the Episcopal/Anglican clergy who reject segments of society as unworthy of responding to God's call get their authority? Not from the Gospels. Not from Jesus. Definitely not from the Holy Spirit whom they claim to include but restrict to those who wrote, translated, edited or otherwise affected their versions of the Bible.

The men who seek to exclude and divide seem to feel threatened by those they can't control. For good reason? God help them! And us!