I invite readers to comment,
engage me in dialogue, and suggest topics for future posts.
On a recent day, I received an
email thanking me for one of my posts (which the reader had kindly shared with
two colleagues at work) and an anonymous letter, addressed in handwritten,
block print, which contained a scrap of paper with two scripture references. I
appreciated the email.
From the references, I inferred
that the letter’s sender thought I was ignorant of scripture and that the Bible
unambiguously teaches that homosexual behavior is wrong. If the letter’s sender
reads Ethical Musings, let me assure that person I have read the Bible in its
entirety many times and continue to regularly read the Bible. Furthermore, I do
not think that scripture is at all unambiguous about homosexuality. This feeble
attempt at proof texting added conviction to my belief that when people read
the Bible, they should do so through the lens of the historical-critical method
(cf. Ethical Musings: When
we encourage Bible reading).
The anonymous letter also
reminded me of my dialogue, via comments on various posts, with a reader who
preferred to remain anonymous (cf. Ethical Musings: Reversing
the numerical decline of the Episcopal Church comments). As a longtime
priest, I’m sensitive to people who wish to speak anonymously about issues of
great personal importance. However, I’m unaccustomed to people who use
anonymity as an opportunity to express ad hominem attacks or who lack the
courage of their convictions. Opposing full civil rights for gays and the full
inclusion of gays in the life of the Church is nothing new. A letter without a
name suggests that the sender wishes to convey a sense of threat or suffers
from a lack of moral courage. In either case, I feel sorry for the person.
With the exception of comments
that want to advertise something or another blog, vituperative comments,
comments that are personally insulting or use inappropriate language, I publish
all comments received. I do not hesitate to publish views with which I
disagree. Ideas should stand or fall on their merits, not on my personal biases
(cf. Ethical Musings: Further
thoughts on civility and Community
demands civility).
In due season, I write a post
on most of the topics proposed by readers, always reserving the prerogative of
writing about what is of interest to me at the time. I often write posts a week
or two in advance, which allows me to take advantage of windows of opportunity
in my schedule, topics that incite my interest, and to accommodate my travel
schedule.
This letter is not the first
anonymous letter that I have received, nor will it probably be the last.
Anonymous letters do provide some measure of encouragement: at least what I am
writing has sufficiently stimulated some reader to take action, even if it is a
minimally constructive action.
2 comments:
I would be interested in a post on meta-ethics; how we know what's right and wrong, and whether morality is objective or subjective, relative or universal.
Thanks. Good idea. I'll write one in the next month or so.
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