the United Church of Christ welcomes SpongeBob

[donsu]

http://accessibleairwaves.org/2005/01/ucc-welcomes-spongebob.html



Joining the animated fray, the United Church of Christ today (Jan. 24) said that Jesus' message of extravagant welcome extends to all, including SpongeBob Squarepants - the cartoon character that has come under fire for allegedly holding hands with a starfish.

"Absolutely, the UCC extends an unequivocal welcome to SpongeBob," the Rev. John H. Thomas, the UCC's general minister and president, said, only partly in jest. "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we."

For that matter, Thomas explained, the 1.3-million-member church, if given the opportunity, would warmly receive Barney, Big Bird, Tinky-Winky, Clifford the Big Red Dog or, for that matter, any who have experienced the Christian message as a harsh word of judgment rather than Jesus' offering of grace.

The UCC's welcome comes in the wake of laughable accusations by James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, that the popular SpongeBob and other well-known cartoon characters are crossing "a moral line" by stressing tolerance in a national We Are Family Foundation-sponsored video that will be distributed to U.S. schools on March 11, 2005.

Later, an assistant to Dobson called SpongeBob's participation in the video "insidious."

Thomas said, on the contrary, it is Dobson who is crossing the moral line for sending the mistaken message that Christians do not value tolerance and diversity as important religious values.

"While Dobson's silly accusation makes headlines, it's also one more concrete example of how religion is misused over and over to promote intolerance over inclusion," Thomas said. "This is why we believe it is so important that the UCC speak the Gospel in an accent not often heard in our culture, because far too many experience the cross only as judgment, never as embrace."
-snip-
----------------------------------

[74dodgedart]

1. UCC gets it. This is great.

If I remember correctly, UCC was active in the Civil Rights movement as well.

[Lerkfish]

7. right. that's my church.

its what I keep telling people here. We DO exist!

[SW FL Dem]

52. I was baptised and raised in the UCC

haven't been in many years. I now a a new understanding of why my parents chose to belong to the community. There is a UCC a few miles from me, I may have to check it out.

[BrotherBuzz]

33. Very active in Civil rights during the fifties and sixties....

especially during the Kennedy adminstration. Our UCC church sponsored many college age kids to travel from California to the deep south to work voter registration for a couple of years. This was my first exposure/enlightenment to any activist movment. Interesting, we sort of changed gears and focus when the war in Vietnam expanded and I was old enough to become directly involved in the anti-war movement. Somehow, it was the same struggle in my eyes - it was all connected. Because of the experiences from my youth, I feel so strongly repulsed with today's events and trends that I feel this nation is going backwards, and the fundamentalist movement seems to be the cause of it all. Do we have to fight the fight a second time? You bet!

[livinginphotographs]

2. What's this about Clifford?

Is he gay? I mean, I knew something was up with Big Bird, but Clifford is a complete surprise to me. /sarcasm

Seriously, I hope this story never dies, so that these fools look stupider and stupider.

[MichaelHarris]

3. those guys do rock

huh. Wonder if those on the right will go after them for preaching politics in 08? Not that have at all but I can see the religious right, the ones who have broken IRS laws by preaching politics being that hypocritical.

[Ian David]

4. You forgot to include the picture

The Rev. John H. Thomas, general minister and president of the UCC, welcomes SpongeBob Squarepants to the UCC's national offices in Cleveland. January 2005 Randy Varcho/UCC Photo

[proudbluestater]

15. That picture is priceless!

[ott]

43. pictureS

Amid the UCC's "Come as you are" banners in downtown Cleveland, SpongeBob Squarepants comes "as he is" to the UCC's national offices, known as the Church House.


SpongeBob enters the UCC's Church House. Despite Cleveland's chilly temperatures, he knows he'll be greeted warmly inside.


SpongeBob is one of a number of visitors welcomed daily at the UCC's Church House in downtown Cleveland. Here, Spongebob signs in and receives his visitor tag.


SpongeBob visits The Pilgrim Press, the UCC-related publishing company and the oldest publisher of books in North America.


SpongeBob takes a break in his tour to soak in the extravagant welcome from the UCC.


SpongeBob meets with the Rev. John H. Thomas, the UCC's general minister and president, in his office. Explains Thomas, "No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, SpongeBob, you're welcome here."


SpongeBob spends a quiet, reflective moment in the UCC's Amistad Chapel with The New Century Hymnal, the nation's first Christian hymnal to use fully inclusive language.


"Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we."

http://www.ucc.org/news/r012505.htm

[Ian David]

5. Sponges and Christians have a long history of bad blood between them

Matthew 27:47-50
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.




Yes, that's right. It wasn't the Jews. It wasn't the Romans. It was a sponge that killed Jesus.

[Southpaw Bookworm]

10. Bwaaahaaaahaaa!

Thank you Ian; it's been a rough day at work, and I needed a giggle before I choked someone. (Ah, the joys of working with the public.)

[mongo]

6. I haven't stepped foot in a Christian church for 25 years

But this article made me look up UCC churches in my area. I really like what they've been doing lately. Good for them!

[cmd]

9. Check out several

You will find that UCC's can be quite diverse. I know some very good ones and one that is down right-wing scary. It all depends on the congregation.

[mongo]

19. I was feeling pretty good about them until I read their resolutions

Resolution on Pornography—1987
Articulates the General Synod's abhorrence of pornography. Urges ministry to victimizers and victims of violence, pornography and sexual abuse.

Which seems to be a contradiction to this one:

The Right to Privacy—1987
Affirms the right to privacy for all adults in their private, consensual and sexual relationships, free from government intrusion. Urges work for legislation that guarantees the civil liberties of all without regard to sexual orientation.

As a smut peddler by trade, I don't know how welcome I'd be....

link to a list of UCC resolutions http://www.uua.org/owl/uccres.html

[BrotherBuzz]

46. I don't see any contradiction between the two Resolutions

UCC is addressing the violence aspect of pornography, not the morality of it in general, unlike The Bible-thumping fundamentalists.

I think there is a world of difference between smut and true pornography. Heck, being in the business of smut, you should know that. The Bible-thumping fundamentalists idea of pornography isn't necessarily your or my idea of pornography, and I would suggest UCC's position is to protect the potential victims of pornography rather then judging the morality of pornography.

UCC has a big tent.

[WarhammerTwo]

18. I can attest, folks, UCC is great.

I'm Byzantine Catholic and my wife is Baptist. I belong to my local Byzantine Catholic Church but my wife belongs to a UCC Church (Trinity United in Warren, NJ - http://www.trinityunitedchurch.org - cheap plug). While we only go to Mass once or twice a month, we never miss going to the UCC service. Well, unless one of us is ill or we're out of town.

Still, the church is great. As a partially disgruntled Catholic, it was so awesome to find a church that stands for everything I believe in. Seriously, if you have become totally disgusted with religion, try giving a UCC church a whirl. It actually made me become more tolerant of my angst against the Catholic church. You will not find a more open minded church. Trinity United had a Sunday School series where we debated the ethics of torture, war and sexuality. It was fantastic to have this sort of frank and open discussion in church and tie it all to religion. I found out who in our congregation were conservative and who were liberal. Yet, despite this, we all get along really, really well. We all accept each others points of view and respect each other.

Heck, I'm a scientist. I do drug research for a living. As such, I believe in evolution and think the Bible needs to be taken with a grain of salt (ie, not literally) because of its age, translation problems and selective inclusion of scriptures by the Catolic Church back in the 1600s. Anywho, when I shared this opinion with other church goers, they all thought it was a valid argument and some even shared the exact same opinion. I've also found quite a few former Catholics attend my church.

Every Sunday after the service, we rotate on bringing donuts or bagels or whatever and drinks and we all just hang out and shoot the shit for another hour or so. How often does anyone hang out after church just to hang out? I mean, I can't speak for every UCC church but from this SpongeBob story it seems to me that most UCC churches are just as cool as mine.

Anywho, I just had to speak up since my church is getting press here.

Later gators.

[janetle]

28. thank you for your post

Actually, I am printing it out because we as a family have found the same sort of fellowship in our Episcopal church. We also tend to appeal to Roman Catholics. My husband is also a scientist. But, we are trying to figure out how to grow and attract more people to experience fellowship in just the way you described. Many people do not know we even exist in our community. So thanks for the description and the ideas.

[bliss_eternal]

41. Welcome to DU, WarhammerTwo!

:hi:

Thanks for weighing in on UCC! It's so nice to hear that there's still a group of Christians that get it and know that disclusion and intolerance are NOT the answer! Yay for them!

[ashmanonar]

45. idk, the ucc is what turned me away from christianity.

other cults--i mean churches did it too, but our ucc is just insane. problem is that my family lives in an uberconservative area, and we've got A LOT of old peolpe...that doesn't help any.

but anyways. christianity just doesn't work for me, and probably any church would have turned me off from it. i much more like my deism and animism. a healthy dose of "the clockmaker".

[ComerPerro]

8. That's funny

[Ian David]

16. Thanks! Does someone want to photoshop spongebob into a jesus picture?

eom

[janetle]

11. The Episcopal Church..

...is also very welcoming and is committed to Christ's message. What a wonderful response by UCC! They are becoming the Barbara Boxer of Christians who do not want to be associated with the fundamentalist right wing.

There are a few Episcopal churches who are struggling with the consecration of Bishop Robinson but I pray they are a minority. So don't be afraid to take a look at us. We really are just right for a lot of people looking for a progressive church home.

[Stuckinthebush]

12. Funny thing....

Most Unitarian Universalist congregations are more committed to Jesus' message than many, many Christian churches out there.

Isn't that interesting!

Thank the gods for Episcopalians and UCCs and a handful of PCUSA churches.

[janetle]

27. I might add...

..you might like the Episcopal church especially if you were raised as a Roman Catholic and enjoyed the liturgy but want a church that welcomes gay people, women and gay clergy, is pro-choice, pro stewardship of the environment, dedicated to helping the less fortunate among us and we pray for peace every Sunday. The list goes on. Republicans are welcome, too.

I became much more involved in my church as an adult in the 1980's because we were against US policies in Central America and had a committee devoted to fighting for justice there.

[elshiva]

49. As an Episcopalian,

I hope my church is welcoming to nice sponges like Bob. Go, UCC.
"Whatever you did to the least sponge, you did to me."-Jesus (sort of)

[Amich]

13. this was good to read

I was told today that "liberals" don't believe in Christ or most of them are not christens. The lady was surprised that I had my kids in christen school because I was obviously liberal. I said she was being kind of stereotypical. I still tell my kids that not everyone believes what they are being taught and they are open to it. I would like to have them see a not so sever take on Christianity.

[purduejake]

14. I'm not religious and have come to think of it as a negative thing...

in MY life. I was raised Catholic and went through a lot of rough times, especially being gay. I'll still pick and choose what I believe, but I think I am going to check out the UCC. Seems like a great group of people to be around.

[Ian David]

17. The Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry

The Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry
http://www.rcfm.org/

Who We Are

The Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry supports civil marriage rights for same gender couples and seeks to promote dialogue within faith communities about religious marriage for gay and lesbian couples.

How You Can Help!

We seek your support for our efforts by urging your clergy leader and/or congregation to sign the "Massachusetts Declaration of Religious Support for the Freedom of Same Gender Couples to Marry." We hope to gather many hundreds of signatures from religious leaders who are willing to speak out for justice and freedom, so that the voice of the progressive religious community of Massachusetts will be heard on this issue. Already over 400 religious leaders have signed the petition.

We also invite you to join us as a member or contributor of RCFM. Our plans to develop lobbying efforts, educational resources, and a coordinated interfaith outreach to the media, all require the support and participation of as many of us as possible. Please contact us to discuss ways in which you can become involved in our efforts!



Why We Are Doing This

The inability of same-gender couples to legally affirm their commitment to each other in marriage, is one of the most pressing civil rights issues in America today. Beyond the societal recognition and support being denied to thousands of stable, loving relationships, responsible couples who are sharing their lives together have no access to the legal protections and benefits extended to other married citizens.

The overwhelming source of opposition to these basic civil liberties is the powerful voice of the Religious Right. In response, we are a group of clergy and lay leaders representing a broad spectrum of denominations and faith traditions, who believe that we have a sacred mandate to struggle for the freedom to marry for all Americans. We believe that the religious voice advocating this fundamental civil right must be heard in the face of the often virulent bigotry espoused in the name of faith.


Over 90 Rabbis Place Advertisement in the Boston Globe
View Their Advertisement in Support of Equal Marriage Rights

Click Here to view the entire ad
http://www.rcfm.org/Rabbi%20Ad_Jewish_Advocate1.pdf


Signers of the Massachusetts Declaration of Religious Support
For Same-Sex Marriage
Listed by Denomination

American Baptist
Rev. Jennifer Cass Stevens
Rev. Craig Collemer
Rev. C. Irving Cummings
Rev. Charles K. Hartman
Rev. Beth C. Loghead
Rev. Jeffrey Long-Middleton
Rev. Jim Maynard
Old Cambridge Baptist Church
Rev. John C. Pearson
Rev. Jeremy Rutledge
Rev. Marnette Saz
Rev. Gordon C. Swan
Rev. Michael Scott
Rev. Jonathan W. Wright-Gray

Baptist
Rev. Irene Monroe

Buddhist
Cambridge Zen Center

Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon)
The Fellowship of Latter-Day Saints
for Equal Civil Marriage Rights

Disciples of Christ
Rev. Mark C. Johnston, Ph.D.

Episcopalian
St. David's Episcopal Church
St. John's Episcopal Church, Jamaica Plain
The Rev'd. Anoma Areyaratne
The Rev'd. Ellen Aitken
The Rev'd. Edward P. Allen
The Rev'd. G. Stewart Barns
The Rev'd. Kevin D. Bean
The Rev'd. Elizabeth S. Berman
The Rev'd. Bruce D. Blois
The Rev’d Steven Bonsey
The Rev'd. Lyn G. Brakeman
The Rev'd. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas
The Rev'd. Roy F. Brown
The Rev'd. Arrington Chabliss
The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston
The Church of Saint John
the Evangelist, Boston
The Rev'd. John R. Clarke
The Rev'd. Sarah Conner
The Rev'd. Mary E. Conroy
The Rev'd. Timothy Crellin
The Rev’d Daniel F. Crowley
The Rev'd. Ian T. Douglas, Ph.D.
The Rev'd. Marya DeCarlen
The Rev'd. Chris Eastman
The Rev'd. Francis Fornaro
The Rev'd. E. Louise Forrest
The Rev'd. Pamela L. Foster
The Rev'd. Anne C. Fowler
The Rev'd. Edward Franks
The Rev'd. Carol D. Gadsden
The Rev'd. Dr. Robert Gallagher
The Rev'd. Miriam Gelfer
The Rev'd. Cathy H. George
The Rev'd. Jeffrey Gill
The Rev'd. Wallace G. Gober
The Rev'd. Jane Soyster Gould
The Rev'd. Colin B. Gracey
The Rev'd. Lisbeth Hall
The Rev'd. Lyle Hall
The Rev'd. Cornelieus Hastie
The Rev'd. Dr. Carter Heyward
The Rev'd. Michael Hodges
The Rev'd. Philip C. Jacobs, III
The Rev'd. Dr. William M. Kondrath
The Rev'd. Dr. Sheryl A. Kujawa
The Rev'd. Margaret Ewing Lloyd
The Rev'd. Wendel W. Meyer
The Rev'd. Amy McCreath
The Rev'd. Brian Murdoch
The Rev'd. Sherrell Osborn
The Rev'd. Barbara A. Peterson
The Rev'd. Deborah Phillips
The Rev'd. Kathryn Piccard
The Rev'd. Pamela Porter
The Rev'd. Fairbain Powers
The Rev'd. Linda Privitera
The Rev'd. Warren R. Radtke
The Rev'd. Edward G. Rice
The Rev'd. Laurie Rofinot
The Rev'd. Katherine Hancock Ragsdale
The Rev'd. Rosalie Richards
The Rev'd. Timothy J. Rogers
The Rev'd. Canon Edward Rodman
The Rev'd. Samuel S. Rodman
The Rev'd. Michael Roeske
The Rev'd. Stephani Schatz
The Rev'd. Richard J. Simeone
The Rev'd. Edward R. Sims, D.D.
The Rev'd. Claude A. Smith
The Rev'd. Martin L. Smith
The Rev'd. Ann W. Stevenson
The Very Rev'd. John P. Streit, Jr.
The Rev'd. Maryalice Sullivan
The Rev'd. Dr. Thomas V. Sullivan
The Rev'd. Michelle Torres
The Rev'd. Dale L. Van Meter
The Rev'd. George H. Welles, Jr
The Rev'd. Pamela L. Werntz
The Rev’d K Gordon White
The Rev'd. Perry R. Williams
The Rev'd. Stephen J. C. Williams
The Rev’d Donald Williamson

Ethical Culture Society
Curt Collier, Leader
Susan Rose Teshu

Judaism
The Jewish Community of Amherst
Rabbi Susan Abramson
Rabbi Ruth Alpers
Rabbi Thomas M. Alpert
Rabbi Stephen Arnold
Rabbi Albert S. Axelrad
Rabbi David Bauer
Rabbi Howard Berman
Rabbi Seth L. Bernstein
Rabbi Herman Blumberg
Rabbi Sigma F. Coran
Rabbi Menachem Creditor
Rabbi Gail C. Diamond
Cantor Roy B. Einhorn
Cantor Geoffrey Fine
Rabbi Nancy A. Flam
Rabbi Ronne Friedman
Rabbi Joyce Galaski
Rabbi Gerald Goldman
Rabbi Jeffrey W. Goldwasser
Rabbi Daniel Gropper
Rabbi Eric S. Gurvis
Rabbi Debra Hachen
Rabbi Kevin Haile
Rabbi Daniel Judson
Rabbi Andrew F. Klein
Rabbi Neil Kominsky
Rabbi Howard Kosovske
Rabbi Jonathan E. Kraus
Rabbi Matthew Krause
Rabbi David B. Kudan
Rabbi Lawrence Kushner
Rabbi Michele Lenke
Rabbi Devon Lerner
Rabbi Elias Lieberman
Rabbi Emily Gopen Lipof
Rabbi Daveen H. Litwin
Rabbi Michael Luckens
Rabbi Gary Mazo
Rabbi Bernard H. Mehlman
Rabbi Richard Meirowitz
Rabbi Richard D. Messing
Rabbi Jordan Millstein
Rabbi Jeremy S. Morrison
Rabbi Mark R. Newton
Rabbi Barbara Penzner
Rabbi Shoshana M. Perry
Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner
Rabbi Donald J. Pollock
Cantor Ken Richmond
Rabbi Dennis S. Ross
Rabbi Benjamin Z. Rudavsky
Cantor Jodi Schechtman
Rabbi Sanford Seltzer
Rabbi Mark Shapiro
Rabbi Joel Sisenwine
Rabbi Toba Spitzer
Cantor Jodi L Sufrin
Rabbi Barbara Symons
Rabbi David B. Thomas
New England Tikkun
Rabbi Frank Waldorf
Rabbi Sue Wasserman
Rabbi Sheila Weinberg
Rabbi Elyse Wechterman
Rabbi David Widzer
Rabbi David S. Wolfman
Rabbi Deborah E. Zecher
Rabbi Elaine S. Zecher
Rabbi Henry Zoob

Lutheran
The Rev. John Stendahl

Melkite Catholic
Rev. Dr. Richard Rasi

Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Patrick S. Cheng
Rev. George S. McDermott
Metropolitan Community Church of Boston
Rev. Joan Saniuk

Pagan
Peter Bishop, First Officer, Weavers Council
Cat Chapin-Bishop, HPs, Stepchild Coven
Church of the Sacred Earth: A Union
of Pagan Congregations
Rev. Jenny M. Coull, HPs
Covenant of the Goddess, Weavers' Local Council
Fellowship of the Goddess, North Billerica
Rev. James C. Perry, HP
Rev. Maureen Reddington-Wilde

Presbyterian Church U.S.A.
Church of the Covenant, Boston
Rev. Richard E. Spalding
Rev. Elizabeth Wieman

Society of Friends (Quaker)
Amesbury Friends Meeting
Beacon Hill Friends Meeting
Cambridge Meeting
East Sandwich Meeting of Friends
Fresh Pond Friends Meeting
Mt. Toby Monthly Meeting
New Bedford Monthly Meeting of Friends
Northampton Friends Meeting
South Berkshire Monthly Meeting
Wellesley Meeting
Janice Doppler, lay person
Margaret Jane Army, lay person

Swedenborgian Church
Rev. Dr. Theodore Klein
Rev. Wilma Wake

Unitarian Universalist Association
Rev. Andrea LaSonde Anastos
Rev. Edward B. Anderson
Rev. Meredith Anderson
Rev. Dianne E. Arakawa
Rev. Sara E. Ascher
Rev. William B. Ashley
Rev. Harold E. Babcock
Rev. Holly Baylies
Rev. Jeanne M. Bell
Rev. Wendy L. Ben
Rev. Sheldon W. Bennett
Rev. Laurie Bilyeu
Rev. Lee Bluemel
Rev. Patricia Brennan
Rev. Jennifer Brooks
Rev. John A. Buehrens
Rev. Terry Burke
Rev. Judith C. Campbell
Rev. Deborah Cayer
Channing Unitarian Universalist
Church, Rockland
Rev. Eric M. Cherry
Rev. Bruce M. Clary
Rev. Helen Lutton Cohen
The Community Church of Boston
Rev. Katie Lee Crane
Rev. Dr. F. Jay Deacon
Rev. Judy Deutsch
Rev. Judith Downing
Rev. Kathy Duhon
Rev. Claudia Elferdink
Rev. Dr. Anita Farber-Robertson
Rev. Richard M. Fewkes
First Church in Jamaica Plain
First Parish in Lincoln
First Parish of Brewster
First Parish in Concord
First Parish of Saugus
First Parish of Sudbury
First Parish of Watertown
First Universalist Church of Salem
Rev. Wendy Fitting
Rev. Sandra D. Fitz-Henry
Rev. Kelly M. Fink
Rev. Charles F. Flagg
Rev. Karen Lewis Foley
Rev. James Ishmael Ford
Rev. John Gibbons
Rev. Nannene Gowdy
Rev. Robin F Gray
Rev. Andrea Greenwood
Rev. Robert W. Haney
Rev. Edward A. Hardy
Rev. Mary J. Harrington
Rev. Mark W. Harris
Rev. Kim K. Crawford Harvie
Rev. Dr. Richard S. Hasty
Rev. Barbara Maria Haugen
Rev. David P. Hubner
Rev. Kathy Huff
Rev. David M. Horst
Rev. Silvia L. Howe
Rev. Doris Hunter
Rev. Alison Hyder
Rev. Tim Jensen
Rev. Mykel Johnson
Rev. Carol L. Karlson
Rev. Richard A. Kellaway
Rev. Elea Kemler
Rev. Stephen Kendrick
Rev. Keith Kron
Rev. Betty Kornitzer
Rev. Dr. Cynthia L. Landrum
Rev. Marlin Lavanhar
Rev. Garry M. LeFevre
Rev. Edwin C. Lynn
Rev. Judith G. Mannheim
Rev. Lisa Martelli
Rev. Robert W. McKetchnie
Rev. Elizabeth M. McMaster
Rev. Thomas J. S. Mikelson
Rev. Robert Francis Murphy
Rev. Eugene Navias
Elder Jeffrey S. Nelson
Rev. Stephanie R. Nichols
Rev. Phyllis B. O'Connell
Rev. David Carl Olson
Rev. Deborah J. Pope-Lance
Rev. Roger Paine
Rev. Hank Peirce
Rev. Oren Peterson
Rev. David Pettee
Rev. Evelyn Plumb
Rev. Kenneth H. Read-Brown
Rev. Jonathan Rehmus
Rev. Katherine S. Reis
Rev. Ralph Yeager Roberts
Rev. James Robinson
Rev. Rachele Rosi
Rev. Tomas Rosiello
Rev. Carol Rosine
Rev. Richelle C. Russell
Rev. Victoria E. Safford
Rev. Kenneth W. Sawyer
Rev. Gail S. Seavey
Rev. Kathy Schmitz
Rev. Stephen M. Shick
Rev. William G. Sinkford
Rev. Fred Small
Rev. Carlton Elliott Smith
Rev. Gary E. Smith
Rev. Erin E. Splaine
Rev. Richard M. Stower
Rev. Arline Conan Sutherland
Rev. Jeffrey Symynkywicz
Rev. Diane Teichert
Rev. Karin P. Tanenhultz
Theodore Parker Unitarian
Universalist Church
Unitarian Church of Sharon
Unitarian Universalist Association
of Congregations
Unitarian Universalist Church
of Medford
Unitarian Universalist Society
of Grafton and Upton
Unity Church, North Easton
Unitarian Universalist Church
of Sherborn
Unitarian Society of Northampton
and Florence
Rev. Marta I. Valentin
Rev. Bob Wheatley
Rev. Beth Williams
Rev David Nash Williams
Rev. Dr. Rhys Williams
Rev. Dr. Judith E. Wright

United Church of Christ
Rev. Reine Abele
Rev. Kent E. Allen
Rev. Meredith A. Allen
Rev. Sheri Anderson
Rev. Candice Ashenden
Rev. Dr. Andrea Ayvazian
Rev. Marie A. Bacchiocchi
Rev. Kenneth F. Baily
Rev. Jeffrey T. Balcher
Rev. Robert Bachelder
Rev. Tim Benson
Rev. M. C. Bertram
Bethany Christian United Parish,
Worcester
Rev. Laura Biddle
Rev. Edward B. Blackman
Rev. Thomas Boates
Rev. Dr. Frances A. Bogle
Rev. Susan Boone
Rev. Judith B. Brain
Rev. Ginger Brasher-Cunningham
Rev. Rebecca Pugh Brown
Rev. Robert K. Buckwalter
Rev. Andrew Burr
Rev. Mark S. Burrows, Ph.D.
Rev. Quinn G. Caldwell
Rev. William R. Carter
Rev. Susan Cartmell
Central Congregational Church,
Jamaica Plain
Rev. Richard Chrisman
Church of the Covenant, Boston
Rev. Debbie Clark
Rev. Deene D. Clark
Rev. Allen M. Comstock
Rev. Joyce G. Crowder
Rev. Ann B. Day
Rev. Carolyn Dittes
Rev. Janet Dorman
Rev. Michael J. Duda
Rev. Bev Duncan
Rev. Dr. Stan G. B. Duncan
Rev. Paula J. Elizabeth
Rev. Thomas H. Evans
Rev. Sanford Fasth
Rev. Terry Fitzerald
Rev. William J. Fleming, Jr.
Rev. James W. Fraser
Rev. Phyllis B. Frechette
Rev. Theodore Fritsch
Rev. W. Alan Froggatt, Jr
Rev. Kelly A. Gallagher
Rev. Margaret Gifford
Rev. Mary E. Giles
Rev. Brita L. Gill-Austern
Rev. Rebecca Kavich Girash
Rev. Patricia P. Glore
Rev. M. Gay Godfrey
Rev. Jill D. Graham
Rev. Susanna Griefen
Rev. David C. Grishaw-Jones
Rev. Jonathan C. Guest
Rev. Robert M. J. Hagopian
Rev. Dr. M. B. Handspicker
Rev. Joan M. Haner
Rev. E. George Hangen
Rev. Judith Hanlon
Rev. Lois Happe
Rev. Phil Hardwick
Rev. Charles H. Harper
Rev. Patricia F. Hazeltine
Rev. John F. Hudson
Rev. Dr. Anne Ierardi
Rev. Peter B. Ives
Rev. Jeffrey P. Johnson
Rev. Dr. Peter Kakos
Rev. Carol L. Karlson
Rev. Art Kaufman
Rev. James Keck
Rev. Rachael Keefe
Rev. Edgar Kemp
Rev. David S. King
Rev. Elizabeth Ann King
Rev. Heidi N. King
Rev. Heather Kirk-Davidoff
Rev. R. Paul Koors
Rev. Kenneth Landall
Rev. Jeffrey Larsen
Rev. Evelyn Lavelli
Rev. Richard G. Leavitt
Rev. Ross W. Lilley
Rev. Robert L. Livingston
Rev. Dr. John C. Lombard
Rev. Peter A. Lovett
Rev. Thomas MacLachlan
Rev. Kerry A. Malmey
Rev. Cynthia Maybeck
Rev. Phillip J. Mayher
Rev. Richard Malmberg
Rev. Keith Jenkins Man
Rev. Polly Jenkins Man
Rev. Karen McArthur
Rev. Virginia Ann McDaniel
Rev. Catherine Michael
Rev. Douglas Mitchell
Rev. Jennifer N. Mills-Knutsen
Rev. Ute S. Molitor
Rev. Jeffrey S. Nelson
Rev. John A. Nelson
Rev. Dr. Elizabeth C. Nordbeck
Rev. Daniel J. Novotny
Rev. Jean S. Novotny
Rev. Peggy O'Conner
Rev. Rose Ann Olmstead
Rev. Kenneth Orth
Rev. L. Weldon Palmer
Rev. Stephen Pepper
Rev. Rand Peabody
Rev. Gustave E. Peterson
Rev. Molly Phinney
Rev. Allyson Platt
Rev. Ross W. Putnam
Rev. Eric Redard
Rev. Nancy Richards
Rev. Dr. Phil Rider
Rev. Edmund H. Robinson
Rev. Mary Redner Robinson
Rev. Nancy Rockwell
Rev. Dr. Michele Rogers-Brigham
Rev. Dudley C. Rose
Rev. Marilyn R. Rossier
Rev. Yvonne V. Schaudt
Rev. Marlayna Schmidt
Rev. Lisa D. Schoenwetter
Rev. Dadgie Scott
Rev. Daniel A. Smith
The Rev. Karen Nell Smith
Rev. Penny Rich Smith
Rev. Peter Southwell-Sander
Rev. Peg Stearn
Rev. Lisa W. Stedman
Rev. Kate Stevens
Rev. Wayne A. Strever
Rev. Clark Taylor
Rev. Dr. Nancy S. Taylor
Rev. Jonathan C. Tetherly
Rev. Mary Martha Thiel
United Parish of Auburndale
Rev. Marguerite Unwin Voelkel
Rev. Bradford Taylor Watters
Rev. Amy Van Cleave
Rev. Wendy Vander Hart
Rev. Dr. George W. Waterbury
Rev Katrina Wvensch
Rev. Cynthia Worthington-Berry
Rev. Elinor L. Yeo

United Methodist
Rev. Amy Alletzhauser
Rev. Dr. William C. Coleman
Rev. Paul Deats
Rev. F. Oliver Drake
Rev. Cynthia A. Good
Rev. Richard E. Harding
Rev. Charles G. Hartman
Rev. Anne Marie Hunter
Rev. Donald L. Holt
Rev. Dr. Susan Jarek-Glidden
Rev. Dr. Ellis B. Johnson
Rev. David Kim
Rev. Freda Maier
Rev. Jay P. Mitchell
Rev. Gary Nettleton
Rev. Ruth E. S. Robinson
Rev. Laurel E. Scott
Rev. Donella G. Siktberg
Rev. Harry Soper, Jr.
Rev. Tiffany Steinwert
United Parish of Auburndale
Rev. Wayne Underhill
Rev. Willard A. Williams
Rev. Linda B. Wood-Boyle

Southern Baptist
Rev. Cindy King

Organizations
Dignity Boston
The Jewish Community Relations Council

[livinginphotographs]

44. And in Dobson's mind

God is now furiously scribbling in his "Straight To Hell" list all of those names.

[frogbison]

47. That is a telling list.

[elshiva]

50. Go, RCFM, Thanks Ian!

RCFM rocks! I'm proud to be a Jewish-Episcopalian cos of them. Marriage is a sacramental/covenatal relationship which should be open to all. May God open our minds to the love of all beings including this wonderful sponge. Amen

[fortyfeetunder]

53. Only one Southern Baptist in the group?

What is the difference between American Baptist vs Southern Baptist?

[Ian David]

54. The difference is Southern Baptists split from the church over Slavery

The Southern Baptists were the pro-slavery Baptists.

Almost every church split over the issue of slavery.

[ernstbass]

20. A round of applause for them

[keith the dem]

21. Be sure to check out the "photo diary"

I laughed till I cried. I am so proud to be a UCC member, we need to better use humor to show the ridiculousness of the RW. Stuff like this can go a thousand times further than a well written factual essay.
Thank you for putting this on the front page.

P.S. anybody know where I can get a big blow-up spongebob to put beside our "Still Speaking" banner at the church?

[Kat45]

22. I love it! That's my church!

I grew up Catholic, left church for years, and found a wonderful UCC church several years ago. I've never met such a nice group of people in one place before. My church is small and it's like a family. Our minister shares my opinion of bush and his sermons often talk about social justice. After each service, we have a coffee hour and people hang out and talk. Unfortunately, unlike the fundie megachurches, we don't have much money and we're hoping we can keep our church in existence for more than another year or two.

[Weembo]

25. Funny how we embrace the lessons

My wife and I have recently joined a UCC in Houston. We love it, especially after leaving the local ultra-conservative megachurch. One of the things we noticed was just what you mentioned -- the difficulties with finances. The "lesson" I mentioned above is that of tithe -- I don't know if we can muster the full 10%, but I have never wanted to give money to a church to insure its ongoing health as I do this one. At the megachurch, I'm a number (not to mention a crazy liberal). Here, I'm a member (and a crazy conservative).

[larryepke]

23. What is Dobson REALLY against?

The video Dobson is condemning doesn't have anything to do with sexual orientation. Dobson's claim is that by promoting "tolerance" the program crosses a moral line, insidiously.

I think Dobson is the one who has the hidden agenda. Since the video primarily promotes racial tolerance, and since Dobson can't come out and say "hate blacks, Jews, Muslims and others who aren't like you," he uses a smokescreen to promote a racist agenda.

Agree? Disagree?

[Kber]

31. Agree

As my little sister noted - it's a doctrine based on hating people. The RW are people haters. (Fetus loving people haters.)

[Gothmog]

24. I love it.

Very funny

[sui generis]

26. I think it's important that the far-right overreach as far as possible

so they can finally fall on their own face -

Every time they do something utterly stupid like this they lose even more credibility with the middle.

[Akoto]

29. I'm not a Christian ...

... but this is a church that I wouldn't mind visiting. Accepting and with a sense of humor!

Hi everyone, by the way. I'm new to the boards. 20-year-old guy who's interested in politics. :)

[TahitiNut]

30. Welcome, Akoto!

Enjoy your time here! :hi:

[big peaches]

32. The irony here

is that DOBSON is the CARTOON.

[Nothing Without Hope]

34. This is funny. This also shows how ludicrous national discourse is now.

For now, I'm going to enjoy the laugh. There's always plenty to sorrow over these days, and I refuse to cry over an animated sponge.

[pelagius]

35. Hooray for the UCC! And all other religious progressives...

...fighting to take back their faith from radical conservatives claiming to be acting in God's name!

[iverglas]

36. my UCC would probably ordain him ;)

United Church of Canada, that is. (Formerly "my", until atheism set it at around age 15).

http://united-church.ca

One of the global churches that the USAmerican UCC links to/with:

http://www.ucc.org/links/


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Church_of_Canada



"Inclusivity statement posted at the Église Unie
Saint-Jean, Montreal, affirming that the church
welcomes people from all backgrounds including
gays and lesbians. Photo by Montrealais."

We, the Saint-Jean United Church, believe that all human beings were created by God in His image. We also believe that God offers His salvation to all humanity and that all people who believe in Jesus Christ are full and complete members of His Church, whatever their ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, civil status, socio-economic status or physical or mental abililities; God adopts them all as His children and loves them unconditionally.


(spelling typo and translation grammar fixed on edit)

[Nothing Without Hope]

37. Don't miss this Spongebob/Gay cartoon - how goofy this all is!

Found this at today's issue of the AllHatNoCattle.net site and it made me laugh. I would have thought the wingnut fundies would have learned a lesson from the reception of that ridiculous assertion that the purple Teletubbie was gay! Apparently not. I'd like to see LOTS of cartoons like this poking fun at these ridiculous people. As Mark Twain said,
Irreverence is the champion of liberty and its only sure defense.

[Mills Street]

38. I love my UCC

They have everything I love about religion, and nothing I hate, like hating others.

[Swede Atlanta]

39. Thanks to the UCC

I'm so glad a non-fundie Church affirms Christ's message of inclusion. It is like a fresh breeze in the wind.

[Maat]

40. I'm so proud of the UCC!

I donated to their effort regarding airing the commercial (promoting their warm welcome for all).

I'm a proud member of the Church of Religious Science, also a progressive faith, who welcomes all. We are not Christians, in the sense we believe Jesus Christ the Savior, but I consider liberal Christians my brothers and sisters, and I'm proud of them!

Here's to the UCC!

And this public welcome is important (makes Dobson look really goofy).

And Dobson is getting just a tad defensive:

http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0035309.cfm

Read it - enjoy it - LOL!

Ma'at

[Amy6627]

42. I believe Karl Barth was one of the UCC's founders. He was

imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp for not going along with Hitler's brand of Christianity. You can find out more about him at:
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERbarth.htm

This is an excerpt from Robert Schuler's website, to read the whole article go here: http://www.hourofpower.org/booklets/bookletdetail.cfm?ArticleID=3595
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hitler was very involved in the church. He used the church and manipulated the church to accomplish his means and his ends. Here are some of the things that Hitler said in his speeches. He said, "The national government will maintain and defend the foundation on which the power of our nation rests. It will offer strong protection to Christianity as the very basis of our collected morality." And Hitler went on to say, "Today Christians stand at the head of Germany. I pledge that I will never tie myself to parties who want to destroy Christianity. We want to fill our culture again with the Christian spirit. We want to burn out all of the recent immoral developments in literature, in theater and in the press. In short, we want to burn out the poison of immorality which has entered into our whole life and culture as a result of liberal excess during the past few years." In January 1933, Hitler appointed Ludwig Mueller, who was the leader of the German Christians, to create a state church called The Great Evangelical Church, and in September they had 20,000 German Christians gather in the Berlin Sports Palace and there they affirmed their allegiance to Hitler as the leader of their church. Unbelievable! But there was a small band of men and women, theologians and pastors, who could see through this charade, who could see past this curtain that Hitler had placed in front of their eyes and could see the truth of the gospel message of who Jesus is -- a God who loves, a God who cares, a God who embraces all. They put together a group and on May 29,1934, in Barman, Germany, this small group of men gathered together and Carl Barth wrote a declaration which has since been called 'The Barman Declaration,' which established what Christianity was all about. Today those groups of churches in Germany are known as The Confessing Churches and they confess who Jesus Christ is and it is a wonderful statement. Martin Niemoeller preached a sermon later entitled "Christ is My Fuehrer," and he spent time in Dachau prison for that sermon. Most of the members of that Confessing Church were arrested and spent time in the concentration camps, and many of them died for their faith.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The correlation between how Hitler used Christianity and how GW is using it is very frightening.

[frogbison]

48. How very interesting!

Thank you, all of you, for the links I knew nothing about.

Signed,
embarrassed 50 year member of the UCC

[keith the dem]

58. Recently met the author of a book on Dietrich Bonhoeffer

He had know problem with making parallels between then and now, in fact he very much stressed them.

[Amy6627]

59. I just Googled Dietrich Bohoeffer and I found this website,

incase you haven't seen it:

http://www.dbonhoeffer.org/

Who was the author you met?

Thanks, Amy

[Sugarbleus]

51. LOL... well done UCC

This is rich.

[One_Life_To_Give]

55. Guess we have come a long way since Salem n/t

[Rebecca]

56. The UCC is awesome, come see us!

[seabeyond]

57. i am taking care of niece, her father a fox news repug

homophobe. also she just started in the christian school i just pulled my kids out of because of their fundamentalist stance they took last spring and their part in the political parties this fall.

she likes sponge bob, our boys dont do sponge bob cause promotes stupid. we dont do stupid in our house. jade pulled out her sponge bob this morning on the way to school, and i told her, cant pull that out in your school. how come she says. cause sponge bob is gay and your school has problems with him. i so went into laughing saying i want to be the first to let your father know spogie boy is gay

anyway was fun. she personally does not feel sponge bob is either gay or a threat. htis is why i encouraged her to go to this school, so my brother could actually see what was going on in this world pertaining to the judging of her daughter. felt healthy for both of them. the school doesnt disappoint. already talked about a drawing of hers that was halloweenish and dark.