What to say?

I’m not really sure what I want to write right here, right now. Over the past three years, plus some, I’ve been watching, reading, and listening to all sides in this great big debate within world Anglicanism over the right place of people who are homosexuals, over how we are to live as a society or as Christians within society, or how we are to engage one another as we attempt to discern God’s will.
I have been swayed by those who argue that our Church should not have proceeded in consecrating the current Bishop of New Hampshire due to notions of “catholicity,” even though I do not thank Scripture forbids all same-gender relationships. I have made a decided attempt to understand “Catholic” piety as I serve in a non-reactionary and non-fussy Anglo-Catholic parish, and as I have learned and experienced I think there is certainly a legitimate argument that what we did we did prematurely. Yes, all changes in doctrine and practice begin somewhere – generally to violent opposition. Yes, there must be someone or some thing that pushes for the change. Yes, we only know in hindsight what is truly a move of God or what is truly contrary to God’s will and our own benefit. As Arthur Schopenhauer states, “All truth passes through 3 stages: First, it is ridiculed; Second, it is violently opposed; Third, it is accepted as self-evident.”
The question is why! Why change? Why take the first step? Why fight? So much of what happens in the United States happens not because of thoughtful consideration and common, deliberate movement towards anything, but because of notions of individual “rights,” because of the anti-establishmentarianism of 1960’s Baby-Boomers who think change in-and-of-itself is intrinsically good and needs no justification, or because of the determination for the supplanting of Tradition by trendy and untried theories and all currently held norms of practice and belief. “I have a right to demand, agitate for, and cause change no matter how destructive to individuals or communities because I have the right to express my own want and no one can deny me that right,” so say many. When I take upon myself the mantel of Jesus (as if that were truly possible), when I make a decision to follow the Way of Christ, these late 20th century notions of “rights” go out the window. Everything ceases to be “all about me!” There is no longer just “me and Jesus.”
Okay, so, listening and reading to all sides, I have come to the conclusion that Americans in general (and those they influence around the world) do not want to engage in the very difficult, time consuming, and challenging job of really thinking through proposed changes and the results of such change. We want to live in ignorance as long as it makes us feel good and comfortable and superior to someone else. “God said it, I believe it, and that’s good enough for me,” is the mantra. Scripture is what God said, right? Yes, but too many of us do not want to do the hard work of study, too many of us do not want our comfortable notions challenged, and too many of us would rather live in a lie than have our world turned upside down by the Truth.
The ability to rationally and civilly interact with one another in our differences – to even be challenged by and learn from those who thinking differently – is being quickly lost. Politics, diplomacy, religion, theology, social theory – we have all become ideologues and fundamentalists, no matter what position we take. Death to anyone one who disagrees with me! Banishment for anyone who acts differently than I do! Damnation for anyone who does not believe my way, my particular and narrow understanding of God, God’s requirements, and God’s book!
Civility has gone by the wayside. It is a zero sum game. All or nothing is the only option. It is all too, too sad. Lord have mercy. Lord help us.
There is little chance right here, right now, that our Communion will decide to be civil and determined to work through out disagreements. Schism is the order of the day. Draconian obedience is the demanded from all quarters. Why should our Church act in such ways (which has been its history) when our culture encourages just the opposite?
I wonder, considering my last post, whether we would all rather not grow up and be adults! By our actions, we seem to be acting like children.