Steve @rantingsteve@interfaith.masto.host
- pronouns
- he/him
Admin
M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary NYC, Congregationalist Christian (United Church of Christ) and Nichiren Buddhist (Soka Gakkai). Queer, ex-Catholic, and heterodox af.
Joined Jan 2020
Steve
boosted
Covid denialism research question
Is anybody tracking various anti-public-health memeplexes? I've been seeing (and removing) stickers and placards for one such, in my neighborhood, for maybe a year now. Curious what the landscape looks like and if there's any usefulness in documenting or submitting sightings to, like, SPLC or whoever.
Boosts appreciated!
I've often described myself as a spiritual nomad. Which is complicated when you're trying to be an active member of religious communities, because some times I need to explore other paths and so I go MIA for a bit.
I expect I'll be away from church and sangha for the rest of the year (probably go to church for Christmas though).
Sunday is typically church or sangha. Everything is zoom or hybrid now. Some Sundays I just can't bring myself to zoom any more. So I do introvert "church" for one at home.
Reading a book this morning by someone I went to seminary with, who is now one of the ministers of the church I belonged to in NYC. I feel like I should reach out to him.
Kind of missing NYC this morning, which is a strange feeling.
Shrove Tuesday at seminary we would hold a drag themed chapel service.
My final year I had the privilege of preaching at that service. Here's the sermon I gave. I found myself thinking about this again, because sometimes I feel like all of me is just "too much" for most people. So I have to filter, context-switch, and put on different masks. There's only one living person right now I feel I can trust with all of me. Hopefully one day I'll find a few more.
Tarot
Cards of the Day:
11/3: 5 of Swords
11/4: 3 of Swords
11/5: App didn't record this one for some reason, and funnily enough, I can't remember the 5th of November. 😛
11/6: 5 of Swords
11/7: 5 of Pentacles
11/8: 3 of Swords
Cut me a break already!
Steve
boosted
TIL: the original version of the Serenity Prayer was very different, and much stronger! the modern version that everyone knows goes
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference"
but the original version, as written by Reinhold Niebuhr, is
"Father, give us courage to change what must be altered, serenity to accept what cannot be helped, and the insight to know the one from the other"
three key changes weakened it substantially:
* us -> me
* what *must* be altered -> what i *can* change
* switching the first two clauses, placing the emphasis on serene acceptance rather than reforming courage
If I do end up deciding to go that path, it's going to be a part-time thing as I do something more fiscally sustainable.
Two days in a row I've been asked in different ways by different people if I had considered restarting the discernment process for ordained ministry.
Today I printed out the Manual on Ministry for my denomination, and I'm going to read through it and figure out if I'm right in that it's not quite the path I'm supposed to be following now.
Today I got a message from a fellow Buddhist in the SGI. They're reopening our local center, but both masks and proof of vaccination will be required.
I'm glad both of my faith communities are taking this seriously and finding ways to gather safely.
@FromtheAbyss they've got a really cool history, too. They formed in the 60's when black and white clergy brought their congregations together in an effort to desegregate Sunday worship.
Looking at the church website, noticing there's information missing since the site was last updated, wondering if I'm going to say something, realizing that by so doing I might be "volunteering" to do something about it.
@FromtheAbyss Interdenominational: UCC, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Disciples. A friend is being ordained today.
Tomorrow I'm going to church in-person for the first time since early 2020.
I hope I remember how to IRL.
Yes, I just verbed IRL.
Now I just need to remember to regularly check new member requests. 😆
I've taken over as admin of interfaith.masto.host.
If you are interested in respectfully discussing matters of faith, religion, and spirituality and connecting with others, I'd like to invite you to join this instance.
Steve
boosted
I'm Steve. I'm something of a spiritual nomad. I belong to an interdenominational church (UCC, Disciples, UMC, and PC). I'm also a member of the Soka Gakkai International. I've also been influenced by Paganism and Hinduism, so I'm all over the place. "Double-belonging" doesn't quite capture it for me.
I enjoy non-canonical scripture, as well as reading scripture from all sorts of different traditions.
I'm glad to be here.
us prison system
Exhausted and angry.
My deepest condolences. Praying for her and your family.
@owashii okay, I believe you!
