My worst experience with the conflict over inclusive God language was ...Too many to recall. People think I'm strange for mentioning God as Father and Mother. Marguerite Caesar Arlington, Texas Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas (USA) within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area. According to a U.S Census Bureau release, as of July 1, 2006 Arlington has an estimated population of 367,197. A young priest preached against inclusive language at Sunday Mass. He ended his homily homily (hŏm`əlē), type of oral religious instruction delivered to a church congregation. In the patristic period through the Middle Ages the focus of the homily was on the explanation and application of texts read or sung during the by saying, "Now we'll pray together as Jesus taught us to, 'Our Father.'" Some people walked out at that point. Others had no idea what the problem was. Name withheld Kansas City Kansas City, two adjacent cities of the same name, one (1990 pop. 149,767), seat of Wyandotte co., NE Kansas (inc. 1859), the other (1990 pop. 435,146), Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties, NW Mo. (inc. 1850). , Mo. Reading ultra-feminist "translations" of scripture in which all the main characters were female. Joseph Bruetsch Lafayette, Ind. Explaining to clergy that the use of sexist language in referring to laity and exclusively masculine nouns/pronouns in referring to God is very hurtful to many women--then to have the clergy deny its importance and make no effort to change doubled the hurt. Connie Meixner Macomb, Ill. One time when I was asked to read a gospel passage aloud at a meeting, I tried to substitute gender-neutral language on the fly. It was a disaster. Michael Anselmi Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, city (1990 pop. 281,140), seat of El Paso co., central Colo., on Monument and Fountain creeks, at the foot of Pikes Peak; inc. 1886. It is a year-round resort and a booming military, technological, and commercial city. , Colo. I don't like to hear feminine pronouns or nouns used. It sounds phony. Name withheld Mason City, Iowa Mason City is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 29,172 at the 2000 census (2005 estimate 27,909) and has stayed close to 30,000 since 1995. It is the county seat of Cerro Gordo County. I used "Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier sanc·ti·fy tr.v. sanc·ti·fied, sanc·ti·fy·ing, sanc·ti·fies 1. To set apart for sacred use; consecrate. 2. To make holy; purify. 3. " in a prayer instead of "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." I was accused of having an agenda, which I do not. Name withheld Williamston, Mich. One year it struck me when I received ashes on Ash Wednesday. The priest looked at me and signed my forehead, "Remember, man, that thou art dust ..." and I thought, "He really isn't seeing me." The service lost meaning for me. Susan White Littleton, Colo. |
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