“When it comes to authenticity - and this is not me being nice right now - sometimes it’s saying “Back the hell off, that’s not the way we behave in a church.” If you are being attacked, fight back in public. Don’t make a scene, just name it. Do it nicely, and by nicely I mean: don’t attack, don’t get defensive, don’t shout, and don’t pull others into it. I’d say something like, “Surely you aren’t threatening me.” In my experience, that usually sets them straight. Just stand there and face the bully. They’ll think they’ve backed you into a corner…show them that they haven’t.”
— My Pastoral Care professor, commenting on the issue of “bullies” in the church, and how you should respond if you are being bullied by a parishioner. I am quickly developing respect for her as the most bad ass pastoral counselor I’ve ever met.
“A sign inside the front door of Holy Cross Primary School, in north Belfast, reads: If we’d been born where they were born and taught what they were taught, we would believe what they believe.”
—
-Anonymous
I’m very happy that Obama now publicly supports Gay marriage. I’m not happy with the people who now act like anyone still against gay marriage is an ignorant bigot. People believe things for a reason. It may not be the right reason, a logical reason, or even an acceptable reason, but don’t bully the bully just because you have the upper hand. All that does is make you a bully. And nothing will have changed.
