The anniversary of my excommunication draws neigh 10-16-2000

[DanCa]

Gather around people, I want to tell you all a story of how my life became the hell it is. Warning one I blame no christians here for what happened, I have a lot of christian friends on this forum. I blame the policy makes and the Dubya Croonies for it. Warning two there is a goal at the end of this post so please bear with it.

All my life I had a spiritual connection and I wanted to become a Deacon in the Catholic church. However I have always been something of a vocal liberal within in the congregation and there was a slight strain. To say the least I was never confirmed I couldn't go throw with it.

Anyhow we finally got a decent priest Father Tom and we began confirmation proceedings. About halfway thru the course father Tom was transfered to a neighboring parish and the Rite Of Christian Intitian for Adults handle the rest of my confirmation.

The lead memember Tony K decided too block my confirmation with a test. They wanted me too take pictures of women entering a women's clinc so that they can scarlet letter in the local news paper. I live in such a podunk town that everyone knows each others buisness. When I said no Father Johnie the new priest decided to excommunicate me.
I was so upset i couldn't talk for three days and it turns out I had a stroke. In May of 2003 I was diagnosed with young onset parkinson's in may of 2003 and had to quit my job due to balance problems and muscle freezing.

Now I confess I got real angry at the church, and I hated anyone connected it for a while. Than I releaziedd it's no ones fault on this page it's just that small group of pro life backward people that I have a problem with. And I channeled that anger.
And am even praying again. Am praying for a cure for parkinson and all diseases and that this murdering administration gets whats coming to them and that there will be stem cell research. Did I tell you I am stell cell research advocate now? I have Dick Durbin's office number.

Anyhow I just felt like posting this here to see if there's anything to unite the believers and the unbelievers on this board in battle against the fundies. As long as we fight amongst ourselves the disciples of w have an edge and it's such a waste of energy. Seperately we can empty buckets but together we can drain rivers.

Let us link up and protest the mega churches and the assemblys of gods churches. Imagine the look on Fred Phelp's face if 75000 plus DU'ers united storm he's church. Imagine the oh shit on Dobson's face if we had a sit in outside his offices. Imagine all the good we can do if we can all work together instead of all this wasteful one upmaniship. All am saying is give peace a chance.

If i can get over my hate anyone can.

[catbert836]

1. A very good message.

That's great that you can overcome your hatred towards the church. Many people, sometimes including me, can't get over their built-up resentment. I too was a Catholic, but I just decided over a long process that I didn't believe anything the church said. I think the biggest problem for me was the church's hypocrisy, and when they selected the hyperconservative Benedict to replace John Paul, my favorite pope, that just did it for me. I appreciate your struggle, however, and stories like yours give me hope that there's a good future for the church.
Peace, DanCa

[DanCa]

2. Thank you Catbert

I really miss the late cardinal bernadine he wouldn't stand for this nonsense. Now I firmly believe theres good and bad in everyone aethist and christians alike. The problem is the fundamentlist crowd. And like I said if anyone wants to protest the bush disciples pick me up and I'll be there to protest with them. There's too much displaced anger on these boards from both sides.When need to laser beam focus our anger where it belongs the prolife base of the republican slime machine. Thats the only way we can win.

[catbert836]

3. That's true.

I know I'm using a cliche, but we argue with each other way too much while what we should be doing is fighting against the fundies, whatever religion we are or aren't.

[cally]

4. Dan, have you looked into some of the

drug trial research programs for Parkinsons? My sister has Parkinsons and entered one of these. The trial drug helped tremendously and her symptons have lessened over the past 6 years of the trial. It appears that there will soon be some breakthroughs for this disease. I'm hoping it's soon.

I so sorry at the bigotry and insanity you faced.

[Taxloss]

5. I lost my grandfather to Parkinsons and strokes.

I'm so sorry DanCa. It's an awful, cruel disease.

Your forgiveness for your bigoted ex-colleagues is an example. Soon America will turn against Dobson and his ilk; they are at their high water mark. The receding tide will uncover a great expanse of dirt.

[CatholicEdHead]

6. Nice post

It sure look like you got royally screwed by a couple of narrow-minded people. Even as a lifelong Catholic, what they asked for was way out of line. This small (but sadly growing) sect of Catholism is only going to hurt the church imenssly.

[DanCa]

7. Thank you everyone

I really wish my family on DU would pull together and stick it to the fundies. I have terrific friends who are athesist (sp) who I think the world of, and I have wonderful friends who are protestants and catholics who mean a great deal too me. I know people on this board who are gay and are more christian and compassionate than some of the people that serve on my church board and I am know my god loves them and I know wiccans who am proud to call my brother and sister.

I keep on saying were on the same side on the same journey to get more democrats and greens into the white house it's just that our beliefs systems our parallel from each other. And unlike the fundies we respect thier rights and wont cross each other lines. We are on the same team after all. I just wish that we'd stop wasting this oppurtunity and launch an all out force against the phelps, dobsons, and anyone who wants to over turn roe. Love you guys Danny.

[DemBones DemBones]

8. I hope you reported to

your bishop what you were asked to do. Tony was totally out of line asking you to do such a thing and the priest was out of line for refusing to confirm you. I really find it disturbing how some people abuse the power they get through being on the RCIA team. I quit my parish team after one year because of all the power plays and game playing that went on. The Church should do away with RCIA and go back to priests giving instruction to converts.

I hope you'll tell your bishop what was done to you.

[DanCa]

9. Thanks and i agree

I did leave several messages but Cardinal Francis George did not return any of my correspondence. I really miss the late Cardinal Bernadine he really kept everything in moderation. I agree with with you about the whole R.C.I.A it's like a big boys club now or a coffee meeting rather than bible study. And everyone has to follow in line with what everyone else says or your out in the cold Thats what scares me about intelligent design. Btw do you miss Latin Mass also?

[DanCa]

10. And today's the day..

Don't know if I should go to that church, my church, or just skip it and go to the nuddie bar :D Ah well here's a toast to yeah DU. I love yeah guys. I just wish we could get a long, run parallel with our belief systems and fight an offensive political fight with the fundies instead of fighting wars with each other. Ah well in my dreams right; :toast: :beer: Heres hoping I can suriving a few more years

[beam me up scottie]

11. Congratulations, Danca!

It's great being a critical thinker, isn't it?

You've come a long way, Baby!:*

[DanCa]

12. One tin soldier walks away

:hugs:

[beam me up scottie]

13. Back at ya!

By the way, the one thing that will drive your sister nuts more than arguing with her, is your happiness.

Don't forget that.

:hug:

[MikeH]

14. The One Feature of Fundies

I think the one essential feature of fundamentalists, of whatever religion or religious persuasion, is that basically they believe in and serve a Hitler-like God who condemns to hell people who are not of the fundies' particular faith.

And they become like the Hitler-like God that they believe in. Or they do things to other people "for their own good", supposedly to save them from hell.

I agree that such people are our real enemies.

I am sorry about what the people in your church did.

[Maat]

15. I'm so sorry that you went through that experience.

I'm part of a postive, welcoming and affirming church after having been out of organized religion for 30 years (I joined Religious Science - www.rsintl.org .).

I've coming a very long way in terms of healing; I'm sending a huge amount of healing energy your way.

I committed two years ago to fighting the hostility fomented by people like Dobson, Robertson, Janet Parshall, Falwell, etc.; they like to say that they love the sinner but hate the sin, but that's not true. They use their own nasty interpretation of certain Biblical passages to foment hate and discord.

So, I'm "on board."

I find one of the ways I fight to good fight is to make a montly contribution to AU (Americans United for Separation of Church and State).

I am also proud that I just convinced a friend of mine to switch from our local Calvary Chapel megachurch to United Church of Christ (welcoming and affirming). Now, the anti-gay Calvary members will have a bit less to draw on to fund their mean unconscionable efforts.

Dan,

Please take care of your health, and don't give this evil another thought - except when we have a productive plan in mind (legal, of course). Continue sharing your thoughts with us on DU; that is much appreciated.