Responses to Lanham

9/8/00

These two -- no, make that three! -- no, six -- notes have come in response to Sam Lanham's note about a "power play" in the PC(USA). They are published here in reverse order, i.e. the lastest received is at the top of this page. They are published as received, with not editing except for corrections of obvious typos.

Click here to begin at the first note received.

If you'll like to join in, please send a note!!

Charles Schermerhorn of Lompoc, Calif, sends a longish note reflecting on his own life experience, and his observations on how people use religion (and especially the Bible) for power, rather than allowing it to transform their own lives.

Click here for his note.

Since two of the three hostile responses to Rev Lanham mention neither God nor Jesus, they unintentionally lend credence to his thesis that it's just about power.

Norman Watkins, Chicago, Illinois

The Reverend Sam Lanham errs in several respects.

Among members of the PC(USA), opponents, not proponents, of ordaining practicing self-acknowledged gays and lesbians are in the majority, not minority.

Discretion re. such ordination was not lost to presbyteries and local nominating committees by virtue of Book of Order codification, inasmuch as the prohibition had existed previously under church case law.

Under the amendment now pending ratification by the presbyteries, pastors would not lose discretion to conduct ceremonies the same as a marriage for same sex couples, inasmuch as such discretion does not now exist.

Karl S. Landstrom, Arlington VA.

Go to fifth note

Subject: Power Play
Date: Friday, September 08, 2000

Dear Mr Lanham,

Your letter is unbelievable in its rich irony. When evangelicals in the PCUSA attempt to make their voices heard, liberal activists label their efforts a power play. These same activists have long been using the identical techniques described to enable a well organized minority to control our Denomination.

The Witherspoon website itself serves as a prime example of these techniques. I guess websites are OK for liberals, but represent a power play if maintained by conservatives. I, for one, am tired of being a member of a silent majority and plan to do everything in my power to thwart the attempts of liberals to retain their stranglehold on our Denomination.

Although I do not think this letter will see the light of day on the Witherspoon website, please feel free to use your "infallible discretion" on publication.

Sincerely
Harvey Hill Huntsville, Alabama

Go to fourth note

Dear Editor,

Resurrecting memories from my liberal arts B.S. in psychology (just enough to be dangerous!), I seem to remember a concept called "projection."

In that construct, a person tends to attribute to others the motives he or she employs. Thus, a jealous person figures other people operate out of jealousy, or a generous person's first thesis about others is that they must be generous. A great deal can be learned about an individual by the motives she or he projects on others' actions.

Hmmmm. Enjoy power, do you, Mr. Lanham?

Tend not to think of things theologically, but rather politically?

Sorry, Mr. Lanham, but you've missed the mark considerably in your analysis. Those of us attempting to be faithful to our Lord and Savior by reluctantly jumping into denominational squabbles do so out of sad necessity, not out of any latent desire to run things. We don't want power. All power and glory belong to Jesus Christ.

We're frightfully busy--fully occupied--trying to be faithful to the leadership demands of our congregations. We would LOVE it if presbytery and synod and General Assembly would simply glide along with complete faithfulness to our Lord and require no more of us than our gratitude. But because we're responsible people who cannot bear to see wrong institutionalized, we step into the breach when necessary.

This business of us wanting to capture power, casting about like Hitler for a people to despise and oppress, and using them to vault to power--whatever gave you the idea that this is what we want? How uncharitable an accusation! How illiberal an unproved surmisal!

How full of projection?

Jim Berkley
First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue, WA

Go to third note

If you dismiss the ideas and actions of everyone who disagrees with you as a power play by (choose your own favorite smear word or pejorative name), do you really continue to tell yourself that you are interested in dialogue, conversation, etc.? What if it's "all just a power play" on both sides?

Dan Reuter

Go to second note