Plain words for toxic times, or, how the cows eat the cabbage

Warning: Toxic material from the blog owner

Those who know me will tell you that I do not often become angry. In fact, it takes a lot to provoke me to wrath. When that point is reached, my response is to “close down” and cease communication. Silence is the best way to avoid offence. Very occasionally I do “blow.” This is one of those rare times.

Earlier this morning I posted the letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury without comment. However, one paragraph is so egregious, in my opinion, that a comment is necessary.

We were conscious of the absence of many of our colleagues, and wanted to express our sadness that they felt unable to be with us and our desire to build bridges and restore our fellowship. We were aware also of the recent meeting in Jerusalem and its statements; many of us expressed a clear sense of affinity with much that was said there and were grateful that many had attended both meetings, but we know that there is work to do to bring us closer together and are determined to do that work.

As my granny would say, “I’m sick to death” that people are still falling all over these malcontent conniving fundamentalists in a futile attempt to keep the Communion together by pandering to disgruntled Donatists. The simple fact is that most of their leaders did show up in Cambridge but refused to participate in the conference. Instead of joining the family in the dining room, they chose to stay in their room and scheme how best to steal the Communion and supplant it with their hate-filled sect.

Several years ago, the fundamentalists saw the weakness (loss of nerve) and moved in to do their deceitful deeds. There is no placating any fundamentalist movement (of any religion or political flavour). They do not want to work with the group; they want total dictatorship over it.

What needs to be said to these fundamentalists is, “You chose to stay away from the family reunion and therefore you have withdrawn from the family. We have no choice but to wish you Godspeed and inform you that you are no longer Anglicans.”

Instead, like an enabler, many are running about like lovesick adolescents trying to placate the scheming lover who no longer wishes to continue the relationship as is. But some prefer to ignore the truth like the spouse who refuses to acknowledge infidelity.

Perhaps a presentation from Al-Anon on “enabling” would be beneficial at the next primates’ meeting.