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You can't make these things up, because readers wouldn't buy them...
Ministers Say They Blessed Seats Ahead of Alito Hearing
Insisting that God "certainly needs to be involved" in the Supreme Court confirmation process, three Christian ministers today blessed the doors of the hearing room where Senate Judiciary Committee members will begin considering the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito on Monday.
Capitol Hill police barred them from entering the room to continue what they called a consecration service. But in a bit of one-upsmanship, the three announced that they had let themselves in a day earlier, touching holy oil to the seats where Judge Alito, the senators, witnesses, Senate staffers and the press will sit, and praying for each of the 13 committee members by name.
Insisting that God "certainly needs to be involved" in the Supreme Court confirmation process, three Christian ministers today blessed the doors of the hearing room where Senate Judiciary Committee members will begin considering the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito on Monday.
Capitol Hill police barred them from entering the room to continue what they called a consecration service. But in a bit of one-upsmanship, the three announced that they had let themselves in a day earlier, touching holy oil to the seats where Judge Alito, the senators, witnesses, Senate staffers and the press will sit, and praying for each of the 13 committee members by name.
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I'm curious why you think this is a problem. Or even stupid. Have they hurt anything? Obstructed anything? What's the problem? I'm certain there are people all over the country, with varying political viewpoints, praying about the hearings. How is this a big deal?
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If they want oil, the Greek Orthodox priests or Wiccan priests/priestesses, at least, will be happy to go bless things, too. Don't know if the Catholics will do it out of their churches, except for deathbed rites.
Anything that smacks of a state church rattles me. I'm Presbyterian, and those who are being so "in-your-face" about their religion would not consider me a Christian. (Oh, yes--my Episcopalian Ex was told many times by Baptist classmates that he was going to Hell, back when he was in K-12 in Midland, Texas. I do not exaggerate.)
I'm willing to go underground to be able to worship, but I intend to fight for separation of church and state in the meantime...
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On the contrary; they were putting their trust in God. For some people that's how it's done.
If they want oil, the Greek Orthodox priests or Wiccan priests/priestesses, at least, will be happy to go bless things, too.
Okay. Sounds good to me. The more, the merrier.
Anything that smacks of a state church rattles me.
This smacked of no such thing. As far as I could tell from the article, it was some ministers practicing their religion and nothing more. Obviously it was not sanctioned. I doubt we're in danger of having a state religion on the basis of letting some people practice theirs on their own. The only bug I might have about the oil is if they left a big mess on the chairs.
To me, tolerance is when we let people be who they are and not expect them to hide it. It's okay for you if you want to be private, but criticizing others for being less private when they're not really hurting anything is...well, intolerant.
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Since they got in somewhere they didn't belong, I was more concerned about their actions making getting in and out of those buildings almost intolerable (as in, we let them get in when they weren't supposed to be able to get in, ergo, we have to shake down everyone now) and less so that they might have damaged chairs which the taxpayers will have to replace. The philosophical part of me says they could have been people planting a bomb--oil is not a big deal, if it wipes off.
If I felt this way about anointing, and the doors were unlocked, I might have done it. But can you imagine the hysteria if a couple of Wiccan priests had gone in and done the same thing?
I am becoming more intolerant about in-your-face religion, I admit it. Down here, the Southern Baptists demand all kinds of leeway for their ministers to do things, but have hysterics if anyone else does the same thing. And then the boycotts, etc. start. Then the Catholics and the Jehovah's Witnesses get wound up, and it's a nightmare for people to tiptoe through. Now the governor here has decided Intelligent Design is a good idea for science classes.
Too much stress as it is right now. Don't need this as well. I'm just tired of people dividing up the country instead of trying to unite it. And anyone screaming hate about any other legit group is a divider. I don't scream at my fundamentalist friends, or tell them they're idiots, or damned because they're Baptist and not Presbyterian. I just wish they'd give me the same courtesy.
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There was no mention of anyone breaking in. I would not have been okay with breaking in.
But can you imagine the hysteria if a couple of Wiccan priests had gone in and done the same thing?
And that hysteria would have been just as wrong as being pissy about Christians doing it.
Down here, the Southern Baptists demand all kinds of leeway for their ministers to do things
I guess Tennessee is more civilized than where you live, or else Hendersonville isn't far enough out in the sticks for that. Or, perhaps, the Baptists are kept in check by the rest of the denominations.
I'm just tired of people dividing up the country instead of trying to unite it. And anyone screaming hate about any other legit group is a divider.
Exactly. That's why I can't get too bunged up over a consecration ceremony that has not disrupted anyone or anything, nor none any damage to property, etc. Had there been anything said about people being damned, or denigrating other religions for not wanting to annoint the proceedings, I'd be right there with you. But there wasn't.
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I would like to trust that God has a reason for this, but I always remind myself that we're expected to do a lot of this ourselves. Don't ask for help until your back is to the wall. Ask for inspiration, suggestions, direction, yes--but I try not to yell for help until things are a mess.
Clearly too much Book of James in my upbringing...(I think James. Memory like a sieve lately.)
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