[Vision2020] RE: OFFLIST: Test results

[keely emerinemix]

Even before 7:30 a.m., even before coffee, I got the "George Fayne" 
reference and it made my day.  Seriously.  Nothing else that happens today 
will top it.

(Scott -- Joan and I are Nancy Drew, girl detective, fans -- George Fayne 
was her, ummmm, tomboyish best friend).

I agree with what you wrote, but I'm not sure, frankly, that I agree with 
what I wrote yesterday to Scott's "test results" post.  I think I came off 
sounding like a bit of a braggart, or, less politely, a religious uber diva: 
  look at me!  taking a stand!  not getting spit upon!.  And that wasn't my 
point. The only point I wanted to make was that it isn't "God loves you" and 
selling religious books that has gotten Eric E in trouble, if in fact he's 
really had any.  It's "God loves you" AND a fusillade of bad behavior that 
not only drowns, but contradicts, the message.  I also wanted to wryly point 
out that  no one OTHER THAN Kirkers and their buddies have been mean to me, 
which is hardly the behavior of martyrs.

As far as the young and the middle-aged:  I despair.  Look for a post later 
on addressing it.  Warning:  I'm using song lyrics.

So, God's love to you both; a warm hug to Joan and an affectionate knock on 
the shoulder to Mr. Dredge from,

keely

From: Joan Opyr <joanopyr at earthlink.net>
Reply-To: Joan Opyr <joanopyr at earthlink.net>
To: keely emerinemix <kjajmix1 at msn.com>, sdredge at yahoo.com, 
vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: OFFLIST: Test results
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2005 22:54:58 -0700 (GMT-07:00)

Dear Keely and Scott,

At the risk of sounding insincere or cheesy, my pal Lois has a bumper 
sticker I like: God bless everyone.  No exceptions.  I responded to Scott's 
test message, first with a joke, and then with a "God bless you, too."  I 
did the joke first because, frankly, I was touched.  Scott sent the message 
to Melynda and me, and having read his posts now for a couple of years, I 
knew he meant it.  And I meant it back.  All Jews are unitarians (small 
"u").  I'm also a universalist.  I would not worship a God so cruel as to 
receive some in heaven while condemning others to hell.  I believe that 
Doug, for his own vain reasons, is tearing Moscow asunder.  I believe that 
he martyrs himself to the dismay of people of faith, and to the discredit of 
the God he claims to defend.  Does God need any man's defense?  Isn't God 
always God?  Isn't that the point.

I was also touched by Aaron Ament's message to 2020.  I have had productive 
conversations with members of Christ Church -- but all, sadly, were members 
who had been hurt by Doug, and who had asked me for my help.  I find it hard 
to get past the anger I feel over the way in which he treats the members of 
his flock, people who rely upon him for spiritual guidance.  To put that 
kind of trust in a fellow believer and then receive dunning and abuse as 
repayment is truly horrifying.  I will never stop fighting him, and I know 
many others who feel the same as I do.

But those of us who actively oppose Doug are, I shudder to say it, 
middle-aged.  Most college kids don't give a rip.  Those of us who attend 
Planning and Zoning meetings, who write letters to the editor, who fight for 
our town tooth and nail are forty and over.  I don't doubt that Eric E. has 
experienced some discomfort as a result of his association with Doug, but 
harassing phone calls?  Spit?  Vandalism?  I don't buy it.  The NuArt is 
right around the corner from John's Alley, one of Moscow's rougher bars.  
New St. Andrews is just across Friendship Square from The Garden Lounge.  
For heaven's sake -- can they really not tell the difference between drunken 
shenanigans and religious persecution?  Melynda's piece about the vandalized 
chicken was right on target.  I'm sorry about that chicken -- I loved the 
silly thing.  But I know for a fact that every business on Main Street mops 
up spit and other unsavory bodily fluids from their windows and stoop each 
morning before beginning business.  And not one of them ever posts a 
complaint to 2020 or writes a letter to the Daily News.

Och, well.  I won't despair.  There's more to worry about than Eric E. and 
his fretful musings.  God bless you both.  No exceptions.

Joan

PS: Perhaps one of you (or both) might be able to answer a denominational 
question?  I'm over in Olympia, WA, and on my way to the Fred Meyer, I pass 
a church called The Christian Assemby and the Church of the Firstborn.  Any 
idea what this is?  I thought Assembly of God, but what's the Firstborn?  A 
denomination that accepts that Jesus had brothers and sisters.  (The Hebrew 
in the NT is clear on this; the Catholic Church is not.  They insist that 
Jesus had "cousins.")  I'm tempted to stop by on Sunday and see what it's 
all about in person, but I don't like to disturb others in their worship 
just because I'm curious.  And besides, I don't think they'd believe me if I 
introduced myself as George Fayne.

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