Another Prophet follows the path of Jesus

 I found this story, describing the assassination of Sufi leader Sheikh Said Afandi of Dagestan,  both heartbreaking and sad - as well as deeply troubling because of US involvement. The pattern of prophecy continues in our world in the battle between moderation and extremism, as another gentle, deeply spiritual moderate Islamic leader is assassinated.  The complete article is very long, but well worth studying and absorbing for the detailed look it gives into the machinations of the US government and CIA in fostering Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East and the lands of the former Russian federation. The article comes from the outstanding blog, Boiling Frogs, created by FBI whistleblower Sibel Edwards, author of the recently published Classified Woman.  The book has been given a rating of 5 stars by all 92 of Amazon.com reviewers.

While the complete article can be found below,  this particular passage struck me as significant.

While Sufis incorporate the worship of saints and theatrical ceremonial prayers into their practice, Salafis condemn as idolatry any non-traditional forms of worship. They also call for the establishment of Islamic political rule and strict Sharia law. Sufism is home to the great spiritual and musical heritage of Islam, said by Islamic scholars to be the inner, mystical, or psycho-spiritual dimension of Islam, going back centuries.

As one Sufi scholar described the core of Sufism, “While all Muslims believe that they are on the pathway to God and will become close to God in Paradise–after death and the ‘Final Judgment’– Sufis believe as well that it is possible to become close to God and to experience this closeness–while one is alive. Furthermore, the attainment of the knowledge that comes with such intimacy with God, Sufis assert, is the very purpose of the creation. Here they mention the hadith qudsi in which God states, ‘I was a hidden treasure and I loved that I be known, so I created the creation in order to be known.’ Hence for the Sufis there is already a momentum, a continuous attraction on their hearts exerted by God, pulling them, in love, towards God.” [9]

The mystical Islamic current of Sufism and its striving to become close to or one with God is in stark contrast to the Jihadist Salafi or Wahhabi current that is armed with deadly weapons, preaches a false doctrine of jihad, and a perverse sense of martyrdom, committing countless acts of violence. Little wonder that the victims of Salafist Jihads are mostly other pacific forms of Islam including most especially Sufis.

The respected seventy-five year old Afandi had publicly denounced Salafist Islamic fundamentalism. His murder followed a July 19 coordinated attack on two high-ranking muftis in the Russian Volga Republic of Tatarstan. Both victims were state-approved religious leaders who had attacked radical Islam. This latest round of murders opens a new front in the Salafist war against Russia, namely attacks on moderate Sufi Muslim leaders.

Whether or not Dagestan now descends into internal religious civil war that then spreads across the geopolitically sensitive Russian Caucasus is not yet certain. What is almost certain is that the same circles who have been feeding violence and terror inside Syria against the regime of Alawite President Bashar al-Assad are behind the killing of Sheikh Afandi as well as sparking related acts of terror or unrest across Russia’s Muslim-populated Caucasus. In a very real sense it represents Russia’s nightmare scenario of “Syria coming to Russia.” It demonstrates dramatically why Putin has made such a determined effort to stop a descent into a murderous hell in Syria.

I will avoid any comment about the parallels with Christian fundamentalism, particularly in the present leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, with it's deep money ties to corrupt elements within the US government and beyond - but the parallels are there to ponder. We are indeed in a bitter winter night, both in terms of global politics as well as global religions. But I find the death of a gentle leader like Sheikh Said Afandi more inspiring than depressing, since only if the precious vial of the heart is broken can the perfume of holiness and goodness penetrate our hardened hearts. Blessings upon the Sheikh as he is admitted into paradise. Or to paraphrase a Tibetan Buddhist saying, "Only through the annihilation of the ego can the Self become a boundless center of compassion flooding itself upon the world." We have been bathed - all of us in the human community-in waves of light and compassion by the recent death of this wise and spiritual man. A lesson to us all (and the witness of Sibel Edmonds echoes this), in the fight for truth and justice - whether in the political or religious sphere - we must be willing to give our all. 

The complete article by William Engdahl

Part I: Syria comes to the Russian Caucasus

On August 28 Sheikh Said Afandi, acknowledged spiritual leader of the Autonomous Russian Republic of Dagestan, was assassinated. A jihadist female suicide bomber managed to enter his house and detonate an explosive device.

The murder target had been carefully selected. Sheikh Afandi, a seventy-five-year old Sufi Muslim leader, had played the critical role in attempting to bring about reconciliation in Dagestan between jihadist Salafi Sunni Muslims and other factions, many of whom in Dagestan see themselves as followers of Sufi. With no replacement of his moral stature and respect visible, authorities fear possible outbreak of religious war in the tiny Russian autonomous republic.[1]

The police reported that the assassin was an ethnic Russian woman who had converted to Islam and was linked to an Islamic fundamentalist or Salafist insurgency against Russia and regional governments loyal to Moscow in the autonomous republics and across the volatile Muslim-populated North Caucasus region.

Ethnic Muslim populations in this region of Russia and of the former Soviet Union, including Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and into China’s Xinjiang Province, have been the target of various US and NATO intelligence operations since the Cold War era ended in 1990. Washington sees manipulation of Muslim groups as the vehicle to bring uncontrollable chaos to Russia and Central Asia. It’s being carried out by some of the same organizations engaged in creating chaos and destruction inside Syria against the government of Bashar Al-Assad. In a real sense, as Russian security services clearly understand, if they don’t succeed in stopping the Jihadists insurgency in Syria, it will come home to them via the Caucasus.

The latest Salafist murders of Sufi and other moderate Muslim leaders in the Caucasus are apparently part of what is becoming ever clearer as perhaps the most dangerous US intelligence operation ever—playing globally with Muslim fundamentalism.

Previously US and allied intelligence services had played fast and loose with religious organizations or beliefs in one or another country. What makes the present situation particularly dangerous—notably since the decision in Washington to unleash the misnamed Arab Spring upheavals that began in Tunisia late 2010, spreading like a brushfire across the entire Islamic world from Afghanistan across Central Asia to Morocco—is the incalculable wave upon wave of killing, hatreds, destruction of entire cultures that Washington has unleashed in the name of that elusive dream named “democracy.” They do this using alleged Al-Qaeda groups, Saudi Salafists or Wahhabites, or using disciples of Turkey’s Fethullah Gülen Movement to ignite fires of religious hatred within Islam and against other faiths that could take decades to extinguish. It could easily spill over into a new World War.

Fundamentalism comes to Caucasus

Following the dissolution of the USSR, radical Afghanistani Mujahadeen, Islamists from Saudi Arabia, from Turkey, Pakistan and other Islamic countries flooded into the Muslim regions of the former USSR. One of the best-organized of these was the Gülen Movement of Fethullah Gülen, leader of a global network of Islamic schools and reported to be the major policy influence on Turkey’s Erdogan AKP party.

Gülen was quick to establish The International Dagestani-Turkish College in Dagestan. During the chaotic days after the Soviet collapse, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation officially registered and permitted unfettered activity for a variety of Islamic foundations and organizations. These included the League of the Islamic World, the World Muslim Youth Assembly, the reportedly Al-Qaeda friendly Saudi foundation ‘Ibrahim ben Abd al-Aziz al-Ibrahim.’ The blacklist also included Al-Haramein a Saudi foundation reported tied to Al-Qaeda, and IHH, [2] a Turkish organization banned in Germany, that allegedly raised funds for jihadi fighters in Bosnia, Chechnya, and Afghanistan, and was charged by French intelligence of ties to Al Qaeda.[3] Many of these charities were covers for fundamentalist Salafists with their own special agenda. Read more ?

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Revolution in the Ranks: The Quiet Warriors

 Thanks to Iglesia Descalza's blog for this article.

The Catholic Church has come out swinging against the rights of gay people to get married even in civil ceremonies let alone in religious weddings. The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, even drilled home the issue non-too-subtly in his two prayers at the Republican and Democratic conventions. Both parties were reminded that "happiness is found only in respecting the laws of nature and of nature's God" and the cardinal asked God to "empower us with your grace so that we might resist the temptation to replace the moral law with idols of our own making", adding for the Democrats' benefit,"...or to remake those institutions you have given us for the nurturing of life and community."

The message isn't taking root with some of those in the ranks. One priest in the Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut, has been reprimanded by his superior, Archbishop Henry Mansell, for taking part as a lector in the same-sex Lutheran marriage of his cousin in New York. Fr. Michael DeVito, pastor of Sacred Heart parish in Suffield, was not vested but did wear his Roman collar. His participation last month in the marriage of his cousin Richard Termine, a freelance photographer, and Roger Danforth, would have remained anonymous but for a write-up in the New York Times.

The Archdiocese issued a statement saying that, "Archbishop Mansell informed Father DeVito that his participation in this ceremony was understandably perceived by many Catholics as an implicit endorsement of same-sex marriage, which is contrary to Church teaching. As a consequence, and in accordance with canon law, the Archbishop formally rebuked Father DeVito and informed him that the rebuke would be a permanent part of his record. Fr. DeVito said that he would not participate in any way in same-sex marriages in the future."

Meanwhile in Minnesota, which is facing a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would ban same-sex marriage, one priest is helping to fund the opposition. While the Diocese of Duluth has given $50,000 to support the "Marriage Amendment", one priest in the diocese, Fr. Peter Lambert, pastor of St. Louis parish in Floodwood, has given $1,000 of his own money to Minnesotans United for Families, the primary group opposing the amendment. A spokesperson for the diocese indicated that Fr. Lambert did not expect his contribution to be made public and declined to say what actions if any might be taken against the priest. Stay tuned...

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What the Spirit tells us through the passing of Cardinal Carlo Martini

Lots of commentary about the final interview granted before his death by the wise and spiritual Cardinal Martini.

Below is by far the richest translation I've seen of the text - well worth pondering - for what it says about the mysterious ways of Providence. Without laboring the point, I felt with the death of John Paul I and with the clear avoidance of the papacy by Cardinal Martini, that the Spirit 'in some sense' intended the debacle of the last two papacies - perhaps in the light of John McNeil's insight that the Catholic Community as a whole needed to learn the painful lesson of the fallibility of its leaders and perhaps because the reformation of the Church envisioned by the Spirit was/is far more radical than we can imagine. In other words, we were not meant simply to have a 'reformed' Church with wise leaders, who would perhaps change the teaching on sexual ethics, accept women at least as deacons, inch towards  acceptance of gay people. Something far more profound and radical was intended, a purging so deep we still cannot fathom it's meaning or its direction. Perhaps we were being pushed towards greater maturity and independence from leadership itself, weaned from our dependance upon iconic figures as well as from the very structure of institutional religion. But the missed opportunity of electing Carlo Martini to the papacy does not seem like an accident to me - but part of the mysterious designs of providence - who purifies and births the church through suffering. It was simply not meant to be and we are left pondering and wondering, in a spirit of humble prayer and discernment, what exactly is 'meant to be' as far as the future of the Catholic community is concerned. Lord send us your light.

here is the text from Iglesia Descalza's wonderful blog

Before Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini passed away from Parkinson's disease on August 31st at 85 years of age, the liberal prelate, who was known for being open to the possibility of a married priesthood, ordaining women as deacons, and allowing Communion for some divorced Catholics in second marriages, gave a final interview in which he had some last words for -- and about -- the Church he served for so many years. The interview was conducted by a Jesuit confrere, Fr. Georg Sporschill, who also interviewed the cardinal for his book, Nighttime Conversations in Jerusalem, and freelance writer Federica Radice, and published in Corriere della Sera. The interviewers describe this as "a sort of spiritual testament" and assert that Cardinal Martini read and approved the text prior to his death. We have translated it into English. -- RG

How do you view the situation of the Church?

The Church is tired, from the good life in Europe and in America. Our culture has aged, our churches are big, our religious houses are empty, and the Church bureaucracy is increasing, and our rites and habits are pompous. But do those things express what we are today? (...) Comfort is burdensome. We find ourselves here like the rich young man who went away sadly when Jesus called him to make him his disciple. I know we can't leave it all easily. But at least we can seek out men who are freer and closer to their neighbor. As were Bishop Romero and the Jesuit martyrs of El Salvador. Where are our heroes to inspire us? We shouldn't limit them within the constraints of the institution for any reason."

Who can help the Church today?

Father Karl Rahner readily used the image of embers hidden under ashes. I see in the Church today so many ashes over the coals that a sense of hopelessness often overcomes me. How can we free the coals from the ashes so as to reinvigorate the flame of love? First, we have to look for those embers. Where are the individuals full of generosity like the Good Samaritan? The ones who have faith like the Roman centurion? Who are enthusiastic like John the Baptist? Who dare to do new things like Paul? Who are faithful like Mary Magdalene? I advise the Pope and the bishops to seek out twelve people who are out of line for leadership positions. Men who are close to the poor and surrounded by young people and experiment with new things. We need to be confronted with men who are burning so that the spirit can spread everywhere.

What tools do you recommend against the fatigue of the Church?

I recommend three very powerful ones. The first is conversion. The Church must acknowledge its own mistakes and follow a path of radical change, starting with the Pope and the bishops. The pedophilia scandals push us to embark on a journey of conversion. The questions about sexuality and all issues involving the body are one example. These are important for everyone and sometimes they're even too important. We must ask ourselves if people still listen to the Church's advice on sexual matters. Is the Church still a relevant authority in this field, or just a caricature in the media? Second, the Word of God. The Second Vatican Council returned the Bible to Catholics. (...) Only those who feel that Word in their hearts can be among those who help the renewal of the Church and are able to answer personal questions with a right choice. The Word of God is simple and looks for a listening heart as a companion (...). Neither the clergy nor the Church leadership can replace the interior life of man. All external rules, laws, dogmas, are given to clarify the inner voice and the discernment of spirits. Who are the sacraments for? These are the third instrument of healing. The sacraments aren't an instrument for discipline, but a help for men at moments along the way and in the weaknesses of life. Are we bringing the sacraments to the people who need new strength? I'm thinking of all the divorced and remarried couples, the extended families. The latter need special protection. The Church upholds the indissolubility of marriage. It's a grace when a married couple and a family are able (...). The attitude we have towards the extended family will determine the children's generation's approach to the Church. A woman has been abandoned by her husband and finds a new companion who takes care of her and her three children. The second love succeeds. If that family is discriminated against, not only the mother but also her children are cut off. If the parents feel they're outside the Church or don't feel supported, the Church will lose the next generation. Before Communion we pray, "Lord, I am not worthy..." We know we aren't worthy (...). Love is a gift. The question of whether the divorced can take Communion should be reversed. How can the Church come to help those who have complex family situations with the power of the sacraments?

What do you do personally?

The Church is lagging 200 years behind. Why doesn't it shake itself up? Are we afraid? Fear instead of courage? However, faith is the foundation of the Church. Faith, confidence, courage. I'm old and sick and dependent on the help of others. The good people around me make me feel love. That love is stronger than the distrust I sometimes feel towards the Church in Europe. Only love conquers fatigue. God is Love. I have one more question for you: What can you do for the Church?

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Our Lady of the Genocides and the Gospel of Forgiveness

I've just finished reading the trinity of books by Rawandan genocide survivor, Immaculee Ilibagiza, and the experience was so profound and moving it will take me several weeks of reflections to absorb the full experience. This was a  literary encounter with one of the most extraordinary spiritual witnesses of our times.

I read the books in reverse chronological order, however, the last, Our Lady of Kibeho, I read first, followed by the middle book, Led By Faith, followed by her  bestseller, Left to Tell.  This gave me a unique perspective on the evolution of this woman's faith and her ascent to holiness, because the last book in the series, Our Lady of Kibeho, recounts the enormous impact which the 1981-85 apparitions of Our Lady to three schoolgirls in Kibehoo had upon the childhood faith of Immaculee. She became completely absorbed, almost obsessed, with the apparitions and followed the news stories of the event assiduously, begging her father to one day take her to the site of the apparitions as they were taking place. However, her father, a cautious man, refused to take his youngest child, though he did go himself several times, returning with many stories and anecddotes as well as expressing his faith in the authenticity of the visions being given to three young African schoolgirls. Immaculee yearned to visit the shrine herself, but she would be in her twenties before the opportunity finally presented itself. We learn through this book, however, that her Catholic faith was profoundly shaped by her devotion to Our Lady of Kibeho, and that when she passed through the horrors of the genocide, with all but one member of her family killed, it was the memory of these Marian visions which sustained her faith in God and Mother Mary.The rosary became her lifeline and she clung to the rosary of her father, the last tangible sign left to her of his loving presence.

The Vatican would eventually approve the apparitions of Kibeho in 2003, and indeed, in light of the Rawandan genocide, how could they not. Looking back on the events thirty years later, we can only be shocked and moved by these events - which are hardly known in the 'Western' Christian world. In short, Our Lady predicted - in a shocking and graphic manner - the 1994  Rwandan genocide,  showing to the three schoolgirls graphic visions of thousands upon thousands of bloodied, murdered Rwandans with their heads and limbs hacked off. These visions were given to the girls during what was to have been a day of great celebration, with 20,000 Rwandans gathered at Kibeho to witness what they believed would be apparitions of joy, encouragement and peace. Instead, the three girls - who during previous apparitions had been rapturously joyful - were seen screaming and writhing in agony at the apparition site. It was a shocking event for all the participants and  completely unexpected. It was also deeply disturbing and portentous. The message, of course, was the same as with so many previous Marian apparitions. If the world - and in this case - Rwanda - did not repent, a great evil would descend upon the country, a horror of bloodshed and murder. Sadly, fourteen years later, this came to pass. Many Catholic believers -who found their faith profoundly shaken by the genocide - were also sustained in their faith by the knowledge that the Merciful Mother of the Lord had warned her children of this eventuality.

For a detailed account of the predictions see here.

This is only a short summary of the book, however, because the story is so extraordinary and multidimensional that it requires a careful reading to fully absorb it, particularly in the way the apparitions 'spread' from one girl to another. However, what struck me about the event was this. The apparitions occurred in the same year that the apparitions first began in Medjugorje, Bosnia, 1981, and these visions began (depending on accounts) with a vision of a Lady in White weeping on a hill crying out for peace. Some ten years later the first skirmishes of the horrific Yugoslav wars began and fourteen years later, at the time of the Rwandan genocide, the Yugoslav wars had reached a peak of ferocious intensity. The coincidence, to me, is more than striking. 

Medjugorje did not contain graphic visions of the Yugoslav wars, but similar to the apparitions of Garabandal, Spain in the 1960's, the visions did warn of a great chastisement coming upon human kind if we did not repent in the future.  Ordinarily, I don't focus upon the prophecies of the future of either Medjugorje or Garabandal, but the apparitions at Kihebo have moved me to make this reflection. Just as the prophetic visions of Kibeho were intended to comfort and support devout Catholics (and any who believe) through an impending trial by storm, it has always been my conviction that this is the primary purpose of Medjugorje and Garabandal, at least the prophetic aspects of these events. Something is coming down upon us of enormous magnitude and unimaginable suffering,  and many sincere, devout Christians who have visited these shrines and believed in them, will no doubt be succored and comforted in the future by the memory that such trials were predicted. It is also possible that those who feel led to Medjugorje are those most in need of support during this time of trial, or those most authentically called to offer comfort and support to others. The admonition that the impending trials can be mitigated if enough devout believers lovingly practice penance and sacrifice must be taken as poetic metaphor (not to denigrate the value of prayer and sacrifice and their possible salutary effect upon the future). Since the fast majority of the world's peoples have never heard of Medjugorje (let alone Garabandal, which has been eclipsed by it's younger sister)  and if they heard of the apparitions, they would not know what to make of these strange events, the message of penance and sacrifice is already limited demographically. In other words, the visions and prophecies should not be seen as a desperate call to 'change the world' before it is too late. but rather as visions of hope and comfort to be remembered 'after the fact' during a time of terrible and overwhelming suffering. We are being prepared to pass through a dark night and perhaps those most in need of succor and support are precisely those who feel most deeply called to visit these holy places of Mary's visitation. Mary is preparing us.

This was the opinion expressed by the lead visionary of Garabandal, Conchita Gonzalez, in a 1980 Spanish TV interview, during which she expressed her belief that it was unrealistic to expect the world to 'repent' in time to ward off the 'chastisement' and as a result she feared for the lives of her children, who she said, would experience the brunt of the catastrophe in their own lives.

She implied that she herself would not be alive to pass through the full force of this future trial, thereby implicitly placing the fulfillment of the prophecies of Garabandal far into the future (as of 1980). Conchita Gonzales is now 62 years old, and for whatever reason, monies are pouring into this tiny hamlet in Northern Spain, the road of ascent is being widened to accommodate a massive influx of pilgrims - after years of relative obscurity-the infrastructure is being developed, hostels put up. Where is the money coming from and why, now in the second decade of the 21st century? Someone knows something, it seems. As with Medjugorje, tales of financial malfeasance are already swirling about and rumors - which I hold to be trustworthy - of Opus Dei seeking to control the tourist trade. Difficult to know what to make of it all, but I was always impressed by the deep spirituality and integrity of this lead visionary, who has remained virtually silent over the past fifty years, living her own quiet live as wife and mother in upper New York State. Yet there are signs and 'whispers' that Conchita, who alone 'knows' the date of the expected 'Miracle', is quietly preparing the devotees of the apparitions for their final fulfillment.

(as an aside, here is an interesting question presented to Conchita in a 1973 interview - Conchita no longer grants interview, but in light of so many revelations over the past fifty years, the statement reverberates in the heart)

 Doctor: What do you think about the statement that "many cardinals, bishops and priests are on the road to perdition?"

Conchita: I think every day the Virgin appeared she mentioned priests and that we should pray for them. We never understood why. For us priests were like saints because we never had many come to our village. It was considered a privilege whenever one came.
    Regarding bishops and cardinals, we thought it very strange, but we would repeat it the way she said it.)

For any interested in information about this relatively obscured apparition in Garabandal,  Spain in the 1960's (obscured by the greater notoriety of Medjugorje) here are several websites. They must be read with careful discernment, however, particularly by anyone of a more liberal Catholic outlook.

http://www.garabandal.org/
http://www.garabandal.com/
http://www.ourlady.ca/info/churchPositionUpdate.html

It may seem as if I've wandered off topic, but not really. I believe that Garabandal, the approved apparitions of Kibeho,  and Medjugorje are united by a common vision and form a trinity of intention on the part of the Mother of the Lord. They are linked together and Kibeho is the key that unlocks the mystery of the other two. We are being prepared for a time of great trial and suffering and the merciful Mother of the Lord is calling us, through her manifold visitations,  to absolute faith and trust in the ultimate wisdom and compassion of the Lord of History, no matter what trials may come. Part of this trust and faith, however, entails seeing through the signs of contradiction and even the sinfulness and evil swirling around the apparition sites themselves and not allowing ourselves to be weakened in our faith in the sacredness of their deepest center of holiness. Such is the life of faith in the whole Church itself, seeing the evil without denial, but adhering to the absolute goodness and sacredness within the heart of Mother Church herself - wounded, tattered, sinful, holy, compassionate, wise.

Having read Immaculee Ilibagiza's third book in her trilogy, Our Lady of Kibeho, which described the formation of her Catholic faith in the light of the apparitions and her profound devotion to Our Lady, I fully expected her to have mentioned this fact in her two previous books, which recount her ordeals through the genocide itself, her maturing faith and intimacy with God during this terrible time, and the journey of faith she underwent in the immediate years after the genocide, as she attempted to heal her soul and pull the pieces of her life together. However, this is not the case. Though she does mention her deep devotion to Our Lady and the rosary as the mainstays of her faith during this terrible time, she does not mention the source of this faith in her early childhood awareness of the apparitions at Kibeho. Prudently, perhaps, because she wished to reach the widest audience with her two earlier books, she saves this most intimate disclosure for last - and for those who feel called to journey in faith with her through to her third book. It was a wise choice.



(Visit Immaculee's website here)

Unfortunately, as usual, I'm rushing through this blog post before taking off for two more weeks of summer camp with Czech children, so I can't do justice to Immaculee's two extraordinary accounts of her spiritual passage through the genocide. I can only urge you to read these books, which are among the most inspiring stories of faith of our time. There is a reason why her first book, Left to Tell, has become an international bestseller, with over 350,000 copies sold worldwide (as of this writing). It recounts Immaculee's horrific ordeal during the genocide, when she was sealed up together with seven other women in a tiny bathroom in the house of a Protestant pastor, who wavered in his commitment to protect them, with the killers screaming right outside the door, calling for blood and vengeance. Yet for some inexplicable reason the killers never discovered the women's hiding place, despite being within inches of the door several times. This tiny, cramped, confined space (in which the women had to relieve themselves in close proximity to each other, but which they quickily accepted as a minor inconvenience) became Immaculee's inner monastery of prayer and solitude. Because the women could not even whisper a word for fear of being overhead by the pastor's family who did not know of their presence, Immaculee spent most of her time - up to fifteen hours a day - absorbed in the most intense prayer. As a result of this enforced, prolonged and very intense retreat, experienced under the most harrowing pressure, Immaculee evolved with astonishing speed through the stages of the spiritual life - and that is a very dry descriptive account of the experience she relates. It has to be read to be believed. She reached a depth of serenity, peace and and heartfelt acceptance that can only be called a miracle of grace. This was a depth of surrender under trial usually demonstrated by the great saints of the tradition. Clearly, Immaculee was 'gifted by grace' so that she would be 'left to tell' her story of transformation, that the Spirit of Love and forgiveness can be reached through total surrender in trust to the indwelling Spirit, even when experiencing the greatest threat to one's own life. As a result, when Immaculee finally emerged into freedom, she realized she had been spared because she had been called by 'God' to witness to the power of forgiveness. In one deeply moving scene, Immaculee travels to the prison to visit  the head Hutu who directly orchestrated the murders of her mother and father, and who sought her own death so ferociously. She even heard him screaming outside the bathroom door (hidden by a wardrobe), "Where is that cockraoch Immaculee. "Find her, kill her, smash her. " Once in front of her 'enemy,' who cowered in her presence, Immaculee tells him simply and peacefully that she forgives him. It is a powerful moment, but it can only be believed and comprehended by reading her full account. Only then does the reader understand that this is not a facile forgiveness, but springs from the depths of a heart deeply wounded by suffering and even more profoundly healed by grace. Immaculee does reiterate throughout the book her belief that the killers must be apprehended and properly punished for their crimes, but she calls for this (not their deaths) for the sake of their own souls, for their repentance,  and not for any wish of her own for vengeance. It is the great message of the book and the single, fundamental message of her own ordeal. Forgiveness is all. Forgiveness of our enemies lies at the heart of the Christian message. "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." Forgiveness forged through suffering and through the divine union she experienced through nine months of confinement in a bathroom space so small she could never stretch out her legs - squatting for nine months under imminent threat of death, but attending to the gentle live giving breathe of the Spirit within- forgiveness is the only force that can truly heal the wounds of the genocide. It is a message few of her fellow Tutsi survivors were willing to hear. 

As a result of her attitude and practice of forgiveness - and the story of her encounter with her parents' killer, which reverberated throughout Rwanda - Immaculee received numerous death threats from her fellow Tutsis, who were bent on wreaking vengeance themselves for the horrors of the genocide; In Immaculee's second very moving book, Led by Faith, she recounts how she was led by the Spirit to leave Rwanda and journey through crooked paths and byways to the United States, where she would eventually be employed by the United Nations and where she met her future husband and the father of her two children. It is a deeply moving story of a woman chosen by grace, nourished through the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Kihebo, purified and sanctified by the Spirit through suffering and trial, and 'left to tell' her extraordinary story of mercy and forgiveness. There are no accidents in this world, only mysteries of synchronicity, and Immaculee's story is one of the most providential of all.

And the providential thread that links the apparitions of Kihebo with those of Garabandal and Medjugorje, with their warnings of chastisements yet to come? What are we to make of this connection and how to view it in faith? That is the question I am considering, but I know that the answer lies in absolute surrender in trust, faith and love to the indwelling Presence of the Beloved within, who is also the Lord of History and the Compassionate Mistress/Master of our sufferings and trials. Whatever may be coming, we are  comforted, sustained and protected through the life giving Peace that flows through us from the pierced heart of the Crucified and Risen Lord.

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So You Stll Think Homosexuality is Sinful?

One of my students just sent me these wonderful 'cartoons,' which very aptly and efficiently say it all.
P.S. I haven't been blogging for awhile because I've been in the Czech countryside teaching at a wonderful summer camp for young Czech students - and it's been such a wonderful experience. More later. 

In response to some comments about the witticism and sarcasm of the above, here is the most balanced response I've seen so far and one with which I would agree. The chart is essentially helpful, if somewhat judgmental in its language. And just for the record, Stephen Colbert is a devout, practicing Catholic, though some might wish to debate that.

A couple of questions come to mind when I see things like this:

1. Will language, diagrams, media like the above help with building a bridge with heterosexual church leaders or will it prevent them from engaging in respectful dialogue?

2. What is the role of such pieces of media?

3. Are there times when it is neccessary to be blunt in an effort to protect people rather than build bridges?

Interested to hear your thoughts.

Ben



Hi Ben

Thanks for posting. I agree – it is funny and mostly helpful.

The bits I would take out are where it says "Grow up" in blue at the bottom right hand side. I think the rest of that square says what needs to be said without insulting someone. And I'd take out the other blue box on the bottom left hand side that says about someone being xenophobic and a whole lot of other descriptives.

In my opinion, the biblical things are helpful as is the layout of the flow diagram. I like that it's condensed and easy to read. However, the emotional, insulting parts are not helpful and will only create a block to reconciling people. As I read those parts, they made me want to distance myself from this because that's not how I want to be with others.. and it's not how I want our community to represent itself.

I must admit though that I am chuckling at the sarcasm overall and the green writing where it congratulates the person on being part of civilised society. I agree that acceptance of homosexuality is part of being in a "civilised" or loving society. However on a more serious note, this comment contains a judgment that implies that anyone struggling with the idea of homosexuality being OK would be uncivilised. And I think that's unfair and could be hurtful. Descriptive words carry a lot of subjective meaning and can be interpreted in so many ways so we need to be careful not to harm others and ourselves in the process of using them.

Blessings,

Ann Maree

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Back from Bosnia: Marian Apparitions in Kihebo, Rawanda

I've just returned from a summer retreat in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, with five peaceful days spent in the Marian shrine of Medjugorje. Each time I visit this town, I am stunned into silence by the profound and extraordinary peace that pervades the place, a peace so profound and so penetrating that it silences all doubts. An energy this holy cannot be based upon a lie. Still, I spent some time reviewing the many criticisms and accusations about the alleged apparitions still taking place here, and there are signs of contradiction and causes of concern, intermixed with lies and slanders and deliberate obfuscations. Clearly the Blessed Mother, if she is indeed appearing here (as I truly believe) has decided not to make it easy for anyone to reach a judgement about the place - not without considerable prayer and discernment. Which is why I'm with Cardinal Schonborn on this one. If you haven't been here yourself and you haven't subjected the Shrine to your own personal prayerful, interior discernment, then no amount of rational analysis of the pros and cons will do you any good. This is the classic kind of case spoken of by St. Ignatius in The Spiritual Exercises. When you are faced with an issue or a problem in which the negative and the positive seem to be weighed almost equally, then you must resort to a careful discernment of spirits, and ask you self when considering the negative and the positive, which gives you the greater peace. Always go with the peace was the advice given by this great 16th century saint. And the peace of Medjugorje is simply too overwhelming to ignore, it pours into the atmosphere from such a profound source of sacredness and imbues the air with grace and holiness.

Nonetheless,  the town itself has become 'honky tonk city' at night, with wild young men roaring about on giant motorcycles, teenage boys zipping by on the sidewalks on their bicycles with no thought to the pedestrians (I was almost run over by two of them who seemed delighted by my alarm), pubs and bars (a few) bustling with patronage, and everyone eating and drinking, chatting and shopping and having a merry time. As I've said before on this blog, it feels very much like a beach resort in Thailand, without the go go bars and prostitutes. I did stop for a beer in the one semi-night club in town, right at the end of the main road leading to the Church. Rock music videos were blaring from the giant LCD screen, the beat of the music thumping and blaring from the giant speakers. However, during the course of half an hour, I noticed that all of the music videos had been carefully selected for their 'appropriate content,' insuring that the usual sexual images of most music videos were screened out. Making such a selection must have been a daunting task. Yet despite the beat and the beers, and the giant Harleys parked on the curb outside, and the burly, tattooed men at the bar, the club seemed quaintly and charmingly innocent.  Someone had clearly intended it as a fun place to be at night for tourists, without in anyway offending the religious tone of the shrine. I was rather amused, actually, and thought it quite wholesome. How many husbands or sons are dragged to Medjugorje by devout wives and mothers and in need of a little harmless but raunchy release (most of the customers in the club were men).

The tackiness and commercialism of the main street seem to be a necessary prop to the shrine, because one can't but be shocked by the contrast of the bustling commerce going on right outside the sanctuary and the extraordinary radiance of holiness that hits you like a primal force once you step into the sanctuary grounds. It's as if an invisible but palpable spiritual wall protects the sanctuary from the worldliness of the street. I've been to many shrines and holy places in my 68 years, among them Assisi, Jerusalem, Fatima and Lourdes, the sacred temples and mountains of Thailand, but I have never experienced anything like the holiness and peace of Medjugorje.

This same 'effect' is also palpable on Apparition Hill. Once you step off the tiny lane crammed with souvenir shops right up to the very edge of the path of ascent, you are immersed in a sea of tranquility and sacredness that I can only compare feebly to the rush of humidity that hits you when you step off the plane in Bangkok, Thailand. It is that strong a force.

On this visit, I managed for the first time to ascend the second holy mountain in the area, Krizevac Mountain (Holy Cross), an arduous ascent made difficult by the numerous stones placed in the pathway to provide a walkway of penance to pilgrims who make the very moving stations of the cross. I started the ascent at 9 in the morning, before the heat of the day and by 10 I was sweating like a pig. I took refuge in some shade and sat on a rock to drink some water, with my cane resting on my knee. As I was sitting there, four very formidable Italian 'peasant' women (for so they appeared to me) came walking down the rock strewn pathway without any canes and with no hesitation. They were all in their 60's at least, skipping from rock to rock like mountain goats with no hesitation and no sign of strain, and not a drop of sweat, as if to say, "Look at us, you sissies. You call this a penance? Piece of cake."

After a few more minutes I reached the summit and approached the giant white concrete Cross at the top. These crosses are found all throughout BosniaCroatia and instill misgivings in those of us who know the history of violent, intolerant Croatian Catholic nationalism and the forced conversion campaigns in the 40's. These horrendous assaults on conscience, approved by both the Vatican and Cardinal Stepanic (though he timidly distanced himself from some of the more extreme manifestations, without condemning the campaigns themselves) resulted in hundreds of thousands of Orthodox Serbs forced to profess allegiance to the Catholic Church and hundreds of thousands more executed in the most brutal fashion - frequently at the hands of Franciscan priests and nuns. These giant crosses do not give off a very holy resonance, in fact they gave me a chill. There is one looming over the tragic town of Mostar some thirty miles away, scene of some of the most violent clashes between Christians and Muslims during the Yugoslav Wars. This is a city almost evenly divided between Muslims, Catholics and Orthodox Serbs. What must the Muslims and Serbs think of this symbol of Catholic triumphalism dominating the skyline of their war torn city? There is another equally dominant Cross on the mountain top overlooking the city of Dubrovnik, the jewel of the Adriatic. 

Yet the ascent of Mt. Krizevac felt holy and profound to me, as I meditated at each station of the cross on the horrors of religious violence during the Yugoslav wars. What more fitting subject of meditation could there be in this place? After all, Our Lady first appeared here as "Queen of Peace," and early in the apparitions  she was seen by the children weeping on the hillside and crying out, "Peace, peace." The panoramic views of the surrounding plains and valley were also deeply moving, but I can't say I experienced the same peace that was so evident in the santuary down in the valley below and on Apparition Hill.

Thankfully, a Bosnian man was sitting under a tree at the summit with several ice coolers filled with water, fruit drinks and sodas. I went up to speak with him, but his English was limited. But I was struck by his air of humility and gentleness. The average price of a small bottle of water in the shops was 1 euro, and he was charging only 1.50 for providing this service on top of a very high mountain which lacks any road of ascent. This means he must carry the bottles and the ice upon his back every early morning up an ascent that takes an ordinary person with canes over one hour! The thought is simply staggering. How and why does he do it and why doesn't he charge more? I tried to ask him these questions, suggesting that 2 euros would be considered a very fair price for providing such a necessity at the top of Holy Cross mountain. (There have been numerous stories of heat stroke among the pilgrims, particularly the elderly, in attempting the ascent.) No, no, he said, "For the Madonna, for the Madonna." Now that is penance and sacrifice borne out of love, which makes my own sweaty ascent look like a skip in the park.  He also had a very simple souvenir stand next to his ice chests. I bought a beautiful stone cross from him made from the rocks of Medjugorje - for five euros. And then I began the descent, chastened, humbled, moved.

The owner of the pensione where I stayed, Ana, spoke to me with a sad shake of her head about the profusion of hotels and luxury resorts still being built around Medjugorje, most of it "foreign money". Clearly this has put a strain on her business.  She also spoke of the clan violence which racked the community in the early 90's, when tourist numbers began dwindling and two rival clans fought for control of the tourist trade, resulting in several dozen deaths. At least those were Ana's numbers. When one reads the articles on the subject, particularly from Medjugorje critics, the numbers are put into the hundreds. Not so, said, Ana, only several dozen (which seems horrible enough) and perhaps she has a reason for minimizing the scandal, but she seemed quite certain. Ana charges 20 euros a night for a single room with en suite bathroom, and another 18 euros for full board. She is hardly getting rich off the hostel, which consumes all her time. Clearly another example of service to the Madonna.

I've avoided any comment upon the many wonderful rich graces I received on this trip, but there was one 'revelation' that was providential. Before arriving I had purchased for my kindle reader a copy of Immaculee Ilibagiza's very moving book, Our Lady of Kibeho. The book recounts the now Vatican approved apparitions of the Blessed Mother to three school girls in Rawanda in 1981, the same year the apparitions began in Medugorje. The Kibeho apparitions prophesied in the most graphic manner the horrors of the genocide which would overtake Rawanda fourteen years later. The parallels with Medjugorje are striking, the same Madonna weeping at the horrors about to overtake each community, but I will save my reflections and comparisons for a subsequent post.

I will end with a note of heartfelt gratitude to the Mother of the Lord for having led me once again to the Bosnian shrine of Medjugorje, which has been the source of so many graces and healings in my own life. May I be worthy of such graces and may Mary show me the way I may best serve her in return. 

Hail Mary Full of Grace

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The Church is Dying, a New Church is Being Born

Synchronicity today, as news of the sensational but expected verdict in the Philly sex abuse trial in the US reverberates through the air waves:

First I came across this resonant statement from Bishop Jim Burch of One Spirit Catholic Diocese

The old words, the old theology, the old rituals, the old concept of “religion,” the old acceptance of church “authority,” the old allegiance to institutional church – they are all falling away.  People are demanding and finding God Within – just where Jesus told us God would be.  Sometimes in community, sometimes in the depth of our shared individuality – this is new understanding, this is new aliveness in joy, this is creative awakening of humanity. It is all the work of the Holy Spirit.  It is the unique niche of the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit. So let’s get on board.  Let’s inculcate it into the fiber of our walking/breathing glorious existence.  It is all there Within; we just have to frame it, name it, proclaim it.

Then I came across this wonderful poem by John Churchman at Bridget Mary's wonderful blog, which reiterates some of the same wisdom as contained in Bishop Burch's brief statement - namely that the old acceptance of church authority, the old allegiance to the institutional church - is falling away. And the Philly trial, for those following it, (See William Lindsey's great blog, Bilgrimage for full reportage) is one great nail in the coffin. Yet for all its painful, shocking revelations, it should be seen as a grace and sign of the Spirit, helping to wean us from our dependance on the institution and helping us as well to engage with the grieving process so that the new life of the church may be born.

 GIFT STOLEN

Institutional religions strive to make us totally dependent

on external authority;

Protestants, Scripture; Catholics, the Magisterium.

Institutional religions require us to guide our lives

by Scripture as they translate and define it,

and by the Magisterium’s pronouncements with its corner on the Truth.

All this in the face of the True Gift of the Holy Spirit,

all the answers we need deep within.

Scripture and the Magisterium are important sources of Wisdom,

which we should consult in making our life choices,

but ultimately we each have been given the guidance we need,

the gift of the Holy Spirit deep within.

There is a touch of the Divine within us all

and we can connect to that Divinity

within us and within each other.

Read the entire poem here.

This poem was so moving and powerful that I made a search of its author, John Churchman, and came across this extraordinary long reflection he had posted in the comments section at National Catholic Reporter in 2009.

THE GRIEVING CHURCH.......

The prophet listens to these groans and comes to an obvious conclusion:
Things are coming to an end!
For the prophet, this conclusion becomes a judgment.
These things must end.
In fact, the prophet dares to proclaim
God is bringing an end to things;
Our collective groans are indisputable evidence
that the current state of the Church
is not the will of God.
The collapse of what was seen as sacred,
the prophet declares,
is a demise brought about
by none other than God’s own self.
God himself,
God herself is bringing an end to the Church
or to put it bluntly:
A particular way of being Church is dying.

There’s an unstoppable wave of seismic changes
at work in the Church
which will take the priesthood, the Church and us
to places unknown,
and for that reason,
scary and terrifying.
The church is dying
and the prophet proclaims this demise is aided
and abetted by God’s own self.
That’s the uncomfortable, unpopular, yet life-giving and essential proof
the prophet must proclaim today.
The Hope: “See I Am Doing Something New”

But the prophet also must do a second thing;
otherwise, you are not just a prophet,
you are a groaner.

The prophet not only announces to the people
an end the community cannot admit,
we must also proclaim to the people
a hope they can hardly believe;
.........
Both nostalgia and despair are present in the priesthood and in the Church.
But despite both desperate denial
and fatalistic despair,
a prophetic voice speaks in a different key.
The prophet says, “Look! Pay attention!
God is doing something new.”
Against both nostalgia and despair,
the prophet proclaims hope –
the advent of a new future,
not a simple re-arranging of the old furniture,
nor a continuation of the former ways
in different configurations.

As Jeremiah says, “God will make a new covenant,
but it will be a covenant very different from the old.”
Hope is the belief that things can and will be radically different than they are now.
As Isaiah declares, “Now, it springs forth,
do you not perceive it?”
A prophet pierces the veil of numbing despair
and energizes the new hope
by offering symbols and images
which nourish an alternative vision.
The Church is dying;
a new Church is being born;
and that means, if we are to be prophets,
we need to be hospice ministers for a dying Church.

Read the rest of this inspiring statement here.

 

Which brings me back to Bishop Jim's earlier statement and the witness of alternative Catholic communities like One Spirit and Roman Catholic Women Priests.  In the words of John Churchman, 

"the advent of a new future,
not a simple re-arranging of the old furniture,
nor a continuation of the former ways
in different configurations.

 As Jeremiah says, “God will make a new covenant,
but it will be a covenant very different from the old.”

In other words, new forms of church are being born right before our eyes, but they are far out on the margins, outside the doors of the formal institution. The time for patiently waiting for the hierarchy to - one day - reform, is long past. We cannot simply wait - once again - for the bishops to "catch up" with the whole community of church. The whole system of being beholden to an external authority which time after time fails to read the signs of the times, and which hold the community of church back for years and even eons, this system must go. To echo Father John McNeill, we need fallible leaders so the new church of the Spirit can be born, a community of those who find God Within, a community of believers we do not ignore tradition, who respect it and consult it, but who ultimately make their own adult decisions based upon their own interior discernment, because..

ultimately we each have been given the guidance we need,

the gift of the Holy Spirit deep within.

There is a touch of the Divine within us all

and we can connect to that Divinity

within us and within each other.

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Living the Truth of Justice: Berrigan at 92

 Another inspiring piece by Chris Hedges at Truthdig. 

Daniel Berrigan, S. J. and the cost of Christian discipleship. 

 

America’s Street Priest

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/americas_street_priest_20120611/

Posted on Jun 10, 2012

By Chris Hedges

The Rev. Daniel Berrigan, undaunted at 92 and full of the fire that makes him one of this nation’s most courageous voices for justice, stands in New York City’s Zuccotti Park. He is there, along with other clergy, to ask Trinity Church, which is the third-largest landowner in Manhattan, to drop charges against Occupy activists, including retired Episcopal Bishop George Packard, for occupying its empty lot on 6th Avenue and Canal Street on Dec. 17. The protesters, slated to go to court Monday, June 11, hoped to establish a new Liberty Square on the lot after being evicted by New York City police from Zuccotti in November. But Trinity had the demonstrators arrested. It chose to act like a real estate company, or the corporation it has become, rather than a church. And its steadfast refusal to drop the charges means that many of those arrested, including Packard, could spend as long as three months in jail.

“This is the only way to bring faith to the public and the public to the faith,” Berrigan said softly as we spoke before the demonstration in the park that was once the epicenter of Occupy Wall Street. “If faith does not touch the lives of others it has no point. Faith always starts with oneself. It means an overriding sense of responsibility for the universe, making sure that universe is left in good hands and the belief that things will finally turn out right if we remain faithful. But I underscore the word ‘faithful.’ This faith was embodied in the Occupy movement from the first day. The official churches remained slow. It is up to us to take the initiative and hope the churches catch up.”

There is one place, Berrigan says, where those who care about justice need to be—in the streets. The folly of electoral politics, the colossal waste of energy invested in the charade of the Wisconsin recall, which once again funneled hopes and passion back into a dead political system and a bankrupt Democratic Party, the failure by large numbers of citizens to carry out mass acts of civil disobedience, will only ensure that we remain hostages to corporate power.

Berrigan believes, as did Martin Luther King, that “the evils of capitalism are as real as the evils of militarism and the evils of racism.” And he has dedicated his life to fighting these evils. It is a life worth emulating.

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Not Even Seven Thousand Years of Joy Can Justify Seven Days of Repression: Muslim Mystic Poet Hafiz.

This is a posting on Sufi Muslim mystics and homosexuality (among other things), but first a few notes:


Haven't been blogging for a while. Too caught up with the Prague Fringe Festival now underway, and I'm happy to report that the one 'standing room only' show among the fifty entrants was gay stand up comedian, Daniel Ryan Spalding:

Needless to say, the show was a brilliant piece of gay friendly social satire and it seemed that no country or social group were spared Spalding's acerbic wit as he dissected, parodied and mercilessly ridiculed the variety of homophobic attitudes on the planet. Very very funny, climaxing (if that is the appropriate word) with Spalding's account of his gay bashing experience in a bar in Australia at the hands of a skinny eighteen year old named DEE JAY. I really felt Spalding should have bent DEE JAY over the table and taught him a lesson, but unfortunately, as Spalding confessed, he was too busy weeping in the men's toilet! The comic succeeded in making the incident (real or imaginary) both funny and wrenching. Though not as funny, perhaps, as the banana he was sucking at the waist of a friendly 'straight' member of the audience who agreed to become Spalding's non sexual "bromance" partner on stage - played very straight and good-naturedly by a fellow Fringe actor, who clearly had no idea what was coming at him when he stepped on stage. One of the many highlights of the show - though nothing, perhaps, could surpass Spalding's energetic efforts to conjure forth his "inner Lesbian." A delight from start to finish and hugely appreciated by the largely straight audience (judging by the absence of stereotypical swishes from the men and huge biceps among the women).

On a different, but related note, while browsing this morning and researching Muslim American playwright, Wajahat Ali (author of the award winning 9/11 inspired Muslim family drama, The Domestic Crusaders), I came across Ali's very interesting blog, Goatsmilk Blog. The second article listed today is a fascinating historical analysis of changing Muslim attitudes towards same sex unions, testifying to a similar shift in attitudes to the one now taking place in both Christianity and Judaism (the intransigence of my own Catholic church's misogynistic leadership notwithstanding - though in good conscience I no longer feel interiorly connected in any way to the Vatican, which makes me a non-Roman Catholic I suppose).

 But before getting into the article, I just want to say that it yielded one priceless quote for LGBT people everywhere:

Traditional Muslims analogize ‘homosexuality’ with alcoholism and prescribe celibacy to homosexuals just as they prescribe self control to alcoholics. They view ‘homosexuality’ as a test of life justified by a great reward in the Hereafter. In contrast, the 14^th century mystic poet Hafiz stated that ‘not even seven thousand years of joy can justify seven days of repression.’

Well, that was such a powerful quote that it sent me on a search for Hafiz and what did I find but this:

Homosexual love poetry also came from some of the most revered religious figures of Medieval Islam....The 14 century Persian mystic and poet, Hafiz, accompanied his mystical poetry with poetic commentary on the boys he loved. In one such work, Hafiz paints an evocative picture of the bedchamber. "With locks disheveled flushed in a sweet drunkenness, his shirt torn open, a song on his lips, and wine cup in hand. With eyes looking for trouble, lips softly complaining. So at midnight last night, he came and sat at my pillow. He bent his head down at my ear, and in a voice full of sadness he said, "Oh my old lover, are you asleep?'" It's also interesting to note that in contrast to Christian mystics, who have used the analogy of a heterosexual relationship to describe the relationship between God and the individual soul, Muslim mystics, almost without exception, use the analogy of a homosexual relationship between the soul and the Beloved Godhead.

Well, I must say, that statement was a revelation, worthy of a post all its own, but I'm rushing out the door to attend Romanian actress, Ioana Tudor's award winning one woman show, Why the Child is Cooking in the Polenta!

Hafiz quote aken from:

The Origins and Role of Same-Sex Relations In Human Societies by James Neill

   
Here is the opening of the article from Goatsmilk Blog which makes for very stimulating reading:

“Towards a dialogue on Muslim same-sex unions”: Dr. Junaid Bin Jahangir

As in Christianity and Judaism, there has been a shift in the Islamic position on ‘homosexuality’. Archbishop Desmond Tutu has said that he would not worship a homophobic God. Likewise, Rabbi Harold Schulweis has stated that the counsel of celibacy is contrary to the Judaic affirmation of sexuality.

In Islam, US based Imam Suhaib Webb has expressed regret on his referral to a reparative therapy group and argues against the discrimination of gay congregants. Likewise, Sudan based Sheikh Hashim Al-Hakim has indicated that while, he used to be hard against homosexuals, he has ‘learned to respect their humanity’. US based Imam Johari Malik has said that ‘It’s time to get past our homophobia to help human beings’.

In contrast to traditional Muslim views, several church denominations and synagogues bless same-sex unions. However, Muslim discourse is not shaped by alternative voices in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Groups like Muslims for Progressive Values work towards supporting Muslim LGBTQ rights. However, in contrast to Judaism and Christianity, the discussion on same-sex unions in Islam is fairly recent.

• Orientation

Traditional Muslims believe that any homosexual conduct is prohibited. Several Muslim medical professionals argue that homosexuality was declassified as a disorder due to pressure from gay activist groups. However, Rabbi Gershom Barnard indicates that medical opinion gradually evolved from hormonal treatment to psychoanalysis to behavioral conditioning to saying that there is no treatment to finally indicating that there is nothing to treat.

Professor Hashim Kamali of the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies in Malaysia has stated that both Islamic jurisprudence and science confirm that sexual orientation is inherent. Dr. Qazi Rahman from the University of London and co-author of the book ‘Born Gay: the Psychobiology of Sex Orientation’ also affirms the innateness of ‘homosexuality’.

According to Dr. Bassem Nathan, three medical opinions existed among medieval Arabs. According to one school of thought, ‘homosexuality results when the maternal sperm prevails over the paternal sperm’. Like Al Razi (d. 925 CE), the Nestorian Christian Hunain Ibn Ishaq (d. 873 CE) and the Melkite Christian Qusta Ibn Luqa (d. 912 CE) also subscribed to the view that ‘homosexuality’ was an inherent trait.  Read the rest of this entry »

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The Religious War on Gays: Chris Hedges

The War on Gays 

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_war_on_gays_20120528/

Posted on May 28, 2012

By Chris Hedges

(This brilliant cartoon says it all)

The sentencing of Dharun Ravi for the hateful abuse that may have driven his gay roommate at Rutgers, Tyler Clementi, to commit suicide, or Barack Obama’s public acceptance of gay marriage, prevents many of us from seeing that life for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people is getting worse—much worse.

Read more here:

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A Peace the World Cannot Give

I've been out of touch for a while in the aftermath of my last drama production, but hope to resume blogging soon. This is just to say that I had a lovely lunch by the river yesterday with one of my dear gay friends here in Prague, a young student for the ministry who is just finishing up his theological degree - the equivalent of a BA. Once he's completed it, he intends to separate himself from his very narrow, gay-unfriendly Church and seek a Christian community elsewhere. He also wishes to seek ordination with a gay friendly Christian group but doesn't know quite where to turn. Since I'm connected with One Spirit Diocese, I suggested this very liberated community as a possibility, though my friend comes from an evangelical background and would find the 'Catholic' influence unfamiliar. We talked for a while about beginning a group of our own here in Prague, a Christian fellowship for gay people who would gather on Sundays in the Spirit of the Lord to worship and to celebrate our faith in the Lord Jesus and to pray together for guidance from the Spirit as to how best to serve the cause of gay people and their spiritual uplift and development. 

My friend has always had a dream to found a farm/retreat center in the countryside, where troubled gay youth could find a place to heal themselves while working on the land, and where gay people of all kinds could gather for weekend retreats and workshops. We both know of several troubled young men involved in the drug and gay escort scene here in Prague who very much need direction in their lives and a place and opportunity to restore their wounded spirits. We also have other, stable friends who would welcome a weekend retreat in the country. Of course, we would have to find a good cook and offer a suitable wine list :)

We would also  need to find a sponsor/ investor and may have already done so with an older British businessman who is very interested in the idea. Who knows what may come from all of this? From such small beginnings, something wonderful may grow. I pray and wait for guidance and direction from the One Spirit who unites us all. Life is wonderful, and full of spiritual blessings, but it can also be full of pain and trials. Yet even these can bring joy to the heart when they are borne with love.

When one can suffer and love, one can do almost anything, even things in this world which seem impossible.

Blessed Charles de Foucauld

 I've chosen not to focus on the recent developments in the Roman Church re: attacks on women ministers (nuns) in the US and the abuse crisis (not to mention the ongoing attack on women and LGBT people). This is an institution in the process of implosion, and while I respect those who feel called in the Spirit to chronicle the least details of this disintegration, and to witness against the injustices of this moribund system, my own heart feels called elsewhere.  This disintegration is inevitable, and while I hope and truly believe that something life giving will emerge on the other side of this tragic process, I also believe there is no stopping this downward slide into chaos. The corruption is simply too entrenched.  It must work itself out before the light can emerge once again. But here is a quote that I feel is apropos during this time of war within the Roman Catholic Church, since war it indeed is, make no mistake about it. A war of the dark spirits against the good.

What is this peace, different from that which the world gives? This peace is the one your love gives ... a peace greater than suffering, not a peace without war, but a peace in spite of war, during war, above war, the peace of the soul, having, through love, its whole life in heaven and thus enjoying the peace of heaven in spite of everything which may happen on earth around it and against it.

Blessed Charles de Foucauld 

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Agatha Agatha

In the final stages of bringing to birth another drama production = Agatha  Christie's And Then There Were None, which opens this Thursday = with all of my beloved student actors, aged 15 to 18. It's been exhausting and painful at times, but the fruits of all of that effort are just now making themselves apparent - and they are glorious. The endless creativity and imaginative resourcefulness of young people are truly inspiring.

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Waiting for the Dawn

Midnight of Holy Sat Eve approaches and the beginning of a new day. I was planning on joining the Old Catholic Church's Easter Vigil Service in their lovely, small, Gothic cathedral on Petrin Hill. But for some reason - after a day of fasting and prayer - I find myself still at home awaiting the Risen Christ. Friends of mine just called inviting me to a local gay club (for young people), which used to be named Valentino's, but is now called "On Club." These are my closest gay friends in the city and one of them is studying for the ministry in the Church of the Czech Brethern, the old Hussite church that originated with reformer and martyr Jan Hus.  800 years later and we are still awaiting the reformation Jan Hus called for and died for. Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus Come! 

Catholic Bishops in the US wage a frighteningly ferocious war against gay and women's rights, to the point where some moral theologians describe them as 'moral heretics in schism,' while Cardinal Schonborn of Vienna re-instates an openly gay man (living in a legally recognized civil partnership) to a position on the parish council, from which he had been dismissed by the parish priest. Signs of new life and renewal set over against the dying spasms of a moribund and defunct clerical system. The Cardinal's gesture is gentle, spirit filled, humble and unassuming - with the simplest and most modest of explanatory statements. The US Bishops' attack is vicious, determined, and filled with all the fury and rage of moral obtuseness and blind, intolerant self-righteousness. In other words, the fury of the ego shoring up its defenses. Which of these 'demonstrations' witnesses to the life giving grace of the Resurrected Christ? The Cardinal's gesture - which is being minutely analyzed at the present moment - testifies to the fact that the Spirit of the Crucified and Risen Master, is eternally present among us, revealing itself in surprising and gentle ways. However, this Spirit of Peace and Reconciliation is also continually under attack from 'the enemy within,' those elements in the church which would seek to highjack the gospels in the service of tribal religion, human ego and intolerance. In other words, the grand drama of Gethsemane and Golgotha plays itself out within the very heart of the church itself. 

But back to On Club. Should I be going here instead of to Church, is this a suitable celebration to welcome the Risen Christ, and shouldn't my young minister friend be in church as well. I'm told that male porn stars will be dancing at the club tonight - which interests me not a whit. It's not that I'm impervious to male erotica, even on Holy Saturday Eve. It's just that 'male porn stars' usually means a collection of sad individuals who have abused their bodies and are well past their prime. Painful to observe.  And yet interiorly, I feel the call of the Risen Christ to join my gay friends at the leading gay disco of the city to welcome in Easter Morn, porn stars notwithstanding. It is a penumbra, a conundrum, a paradox and an anomaly - yet for me the Risen Christ should be found among the 'outcasts and sinners,' the porn stars and transvestites, the hungry and the needy, the discarded detritus of the world. Of course, I'm romanticizing and melodramatizing here. Most of the 'kids' in this place are simply there to have a good time, maybe pick up tricks, drink and be merry among their own kind. Hardly the detritus of the world. And the On Club is considered very trendy at the moment, so there will be plenty of straight couples there as well. Not a conventional place to welcome the dawn, but not such a seedy place either - but then I won't be welcoming the dawn at On Club - I could leave around 4am and make my way to Petrin Hill for the Easter Morning Sunrise Service, calling in the grace of Resurrection upon the world, the Church and this holy mother city, mother of sorrows, mother of sadness, and mother of all cities, Praha.

3:18 AM Just back from On Club - staying up to attend the morning sunrise Easter service on Petrin Hill. Happy to report that the 'porn star show' at On Club was simply a number of very beefy overly muscular men in underwear rippling their muscles and strutting about. Rather boring. And a string of skinny 18 year olds with their shirts off - having whipped cream sprayed on their torsos  which was then licked off them by a number of other skinny young boys and girls. That ended with everybody dancing on the bar and the bartender spraying fire at them all. Then everyone cavorted frenetically on the dance floor. Great fun and quite tasteful for a Holy Saturday Eve.

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