George of Sylvania

Tag: trump

  • Episcopal Church Statement on U.S. Intervention in Venezuela

    Hello friends, and happy new year! What a weird and interesting post for the first one, but here we are. As you may know, the United States decided to abduct the President and First Lady of Venezuela. President Trump also said that U.S. oil companies will be taking over Venezuela’s oil.

    As an Episcopalian, I thought I’d widely share the official statement on what has happened. You can read it more on the church’s stances here.

    The people of The Episcopal Church offer prayers for our beloved siblings in Christ in the Episcopal Diocese of Venezuela, and for people across the region following this morning’s U.S. military operation that removed President Nicolás Maduro.  

    Episcopalians in Venezuela carry out vital ministries in increasingly challenging conditions, and we fear for their well-being and their church community if these military interventions, and any form of U.S. occupation, lead to more instability and violence. Episcopal Church Center staff have spoken with and offered support to the Rt. Rev. Cristobal León Lozano, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Ecuador Litoral and bishop provisional of Venezuela; the Rt. Rev. Lloyd Allen, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Honduras and president of Province IX; and to standing committee leadership.  

    The Episcopal Church’s General Convention has long-standing policy that “condemn[s] in any nation the first use of armed force in the form of a preventive or pre-emptive strike that is aimed at disrupting a non-imminent, uncertain military threat.” Even as we recognize that intervention in sovereign states can sometimes be necessary to prevent atrocities, we discourage “the abuse of this norm to rationalize military actions in sovereign states for political ends.”   

    We urge Congress to call for an investigation and accountability for this most recent unauthorized operation, as well as the related military actions carried out in recent months. We urge all regional parties to support a peaceful transition that respects the rule of law and the will of the Venezuelan people. Join us in praying for our siblings in the Diocese of Venezuela and the Venezuelan people.

    Grace and peace friends.

  • “KKK flyers found in Norwalk…”

    “KKK flyers found in Norwalk…”

    This week flyers for the knights of the klu klux klan was found scattered around in Norwalk Ohio, and according to the news story from 13ABC Toledo (which you can watch by clicking here), this is the second time in a few months this has happened.

    I have been relatively quiet on the writing front even though there has been much to say. There is so much shit going on, I haven’t known where to start, so here are four things that have happened since I posted my last sermon:

    • President Trump has occupied Washington DC with armed National Guard personnel, including those from my own state of Ohio. (Click here)
    • President Trump decided to comb through the Smithsonian and remake history in his image. (Click here)
    • The concentration camp Alligator Alcatraz has opened up, and is on its third attempt to stay open. (Click here)
    • Don’t get me started on the Epstein list. Everyone on it needs to be arrested.
    • Israel continues to commit war crimes against Palestinians killing journalists, people trying to get food, and mass amounts of children. (Click here)

    And now, I pull open the news to see KKK flyers in my neck of the woods, while having sifted through conservative hate messages and comments targeted at my place of worship for our incredible presence at Toledo Pride. In addition to that, a friend of mine shared a first hand account with me of racists trying to instigate a fight at a baby shower.

    This year the state of Ohio passed our version of the Parents Bill of Rights, and kids are being introduced to Lifewise Academy during their school hours at their parents permission. Lifewise is a christian nationalist curriculum and should have no place in public schools. The flyer found in Norwalk has a line written on it that says, “stop attacking our christian values.” Any religion that puts national values first, and upholds whiteness is void of Jesus’ love.

    Full stop.

    I’d say it is not that hard, but it is because following the call of Jesus costs us, it costs everyone.

    Jesus’ love is not found in exclusion, but inclusion.

    Jesus’ love is nowhere near white power, because Jesus remains with the powerless.

    Jesus’ love casts out hate, and emboldens righteous indignation surrounding those on the margins (see table flipping, sermon on the mount, etc.).

    To paraphrase Matthew 6:24 you cannot love and seek power, you cannot love and seek money, you cannot love and uphold whiteness, and serve Jesus at the same time.

    Keep an eye on each other, it’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there.