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By Gracia Fay - 22 Jan 2015

In Reference to: 18 January 2015 - Cowardly Submissive Clergy

Dear Veda,

Many thanks!  I appreciate your adding the link.

I read the sermon, and am, of course, in the same place Frank  is.  I wouldn't use language of "having their place in the lake of fire," which I think does more harm than good, putting many people off.  But having studied Near-Death experiences, and learning that some people had the consciousness-expanding experience of feeling ALL the effects of everything they ever felt, thought, said, or did, I don't doubt that "a lake of fire" is a good symbol for such an active or passive experience of failure to put love into action.  (I can't say I'm eager to have that opening-up myself; I just hope I've done more good than harm in the course of my 76 years.)  

But being a tense, non-confrontational person, I admit to feeling a certain sympathy for clergy called to be prophets, as clergy indeed are.  Being a prophet is terribly hard, especially in a religious community.  But when we're called to do hard things that both mercy and justice require, we have no valid excuse for not doing them.

As you may know, "Like the Foul Stable" has been reprinted in a book of my essays from Peaceable Table; it's entitled Taking the Adventure:  Faith and Our Kinship With Animals.  If you would be willing to review it, I'll be glad to ask the publisher to send you a copy.  I know Frank and Mary wouldn't agree with my kind of Christian position, but I expect agreement about the animal concern would override doctrinal differences for them.  Well, you would know.

Keep up the good work,

Gracia Fay

Go on to comments: By Frank and Mary Hoffman - 23 Jan 2015
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