So-called Christians reveal hypocrisy on gays

We are all sinners in the religious sense or wrong-doers in the secular sense. But we are not all hypocrites. Hypocrites are self-described Christians who show no Christianty when it comes to gay clergy or gay marriage.

Recent examples: Evangelical Lutherans in Georgia removed a gay pastor from the ministry. Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals who had long condemned homosexuality, resigned after confessing to gay trysts. A family-values congressman sent sexually explict Internet messages to pages.

Then there is the schism in the Anglican Church over gay bishops and same-sex unions. The Anglican communion, meeting recently in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, handed its Episcopal branch in America an ultimatum: ban blessings of same-sex unions or face a reduced role in the church.

In sharp contrast, Bishop Katharine Schori is a true Christian. Schori, head of the Episcopal Church, notes: “We have had gay bishops and gay clergy for millennia.”

As former bishop of Nevada, Schori sanctioned gay couples and voted to confirm a gay bishop of New Hampshire. Anglican Archbishop Ndungane of southern Africa put it well: “We should be embracing her. She is a super person.”

In Memoriam

Father Drinan was my kind of Catholic. Drinan, who died recently, insisted that priests should be secular activists for a more just and compassionate society.

He was inspired by “Saint” Dorothy Day and the progressive Catholic Worker movement. As a congressman from Massachusetts, Drinan voted his conscience while defying Catholic teaching. He supported birth control and abortion. He also denounced the senseless Vietnam War.

But he was ordered to leave Congress by Pope Paul II. The pope, who also opposed liberation theology espousing liberty of the oppressed in Latin America, had no understanding of Christ.

33 Cheers for Chicks

One of the Dixie Chicks, calling a spade a spade, said she was ashamed that the president came from her home state of Texas. Result: country radio DJs refused to play their platinum records and urged listeners to destroy CDs of the trio’s music.

But vindication was delicious. The Chicks recently swept five Grammy categories, including the top three of album, record and song of the year.

A New York Times editorial was perfect: “The gutsy group beat back the campaign by conglomerate radio chains to obliterate them and did it with little support from fellow artists, who feared getting Dixie-Chicked themselves.

“Lillian Hellman scalded an Academy Awards ceremony in 1977, 25 years after she defied the House Un-American Activities Committee. The film industry, she said, responded to Washington’s red-baiting and blacklisting with all the ‘force and courage of a bowl of mashed potatoes.’ ” (Hellman had written to HUAC: “I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions.”)

The courage the Chicks dispayed is a rare commodity whether in politics or the arts.

Philistine debunks Warhol

Doubtless I am the greatest philistine in Reno for saying that an Andy Warhol exhibit is not worth strolling across the street to see. His trademark soup cans are a mere gimmick and not art. So are the silk screens of famous people.

Nevertheless, for those who are not philistines, the Warhol exhibit can be seen at the Nevada Museum of Art through May 27.

Abolish British Monarchy

One of the most sensible planks in the British Labor Party of yesteryear called for the abolishment of the monarchy. Unfortunately, it never became law.

The monarchy is an archaic institution, an absurdity in the 21^st century. America and the French had the wisdom to abolish it in the 18^th century and Russians early in the 20^th century. Moreover, the Royals have been scandal-ridden for centuries, proving that the institution is more decadent than useful as a symbol.

But the Brits prefer obsolesence to common sense just as they do with those silly wigs worn in court. So today we republicans (lower case r) are stuck with Queen Elisabeth II. A fine person but a throwback to an outmoded ruling class.

Rebuke to Borstal Boy

Brendan “Paddy” Behan in his “Borstal Boy,” a classic of prison literature, tells of a rugby match between prisoners and screws (guards): “I was inclined to lose my temper sometimes. Once I aimed a kick at this screw when I let on to be aiming at the ball…He just looked and said, ‘surprised at you, Paddy.’ I did not forget it.”

Behan’s conscience was seared by this gentle rebuke.