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desperanceI do try not to get political hereabouts, but just sometimes it seems not to be possible.
Obligatory disclaimer: some of my best friends have been deeply involved in the Church of England; one of my very best Christmases ever was spent with three generations of gay vicars; I was myself a theology student once; etc, etc.
Nevertheless. I've always been opposed to the Established Church; I'm much more comfortable with the (putative) separation-of-Church-and-State that people subscribe to over here; I once had a vicious fight with a wellbeloved friend over whether religious principles had any place at all in political decisions. Etc, etc.
As a matter of both law and custom, religions in the UK are free to make their own rules about eligibility for service. If the Church of England chooses to declare that women are an inferior creation, not destined to lead, that is entirely a matter for itself. Within its own walls and its own organisation.
Where the rest of us have an interest is when its bishops - who will continue, after yesterday's vote, to exclude women from their number - claim their seats in the House of Lords, with all that that implies of privilege and influence and legislative impact. If they refuse to conform to the laws and the simple civilised expectations of equality that govern the rest of us, then they have no place [originally I typed "moral right", and then "standing", but it's more than that, it's more important: they have no place] speaking to those laws and expectations, or any others. Are these the people who should be making judgements about issues of gender and sexuality, when their own organisation is so screwed up on these matters it can't even allow a woman to join them?
That question is rhetorical.
If you feel as I do, and have the good fortune to be a British citizen or resident, there's a petition here.
[/politics]
In other news, the sun is shining (after a lot of early-morning rain: I approve this notion, where it rains until I get up and then ceases forthwith), the turkey is brining (salt, brown sugar and so much rosemary and sage that I actually took it all out after the brine had cooled enough to be used; it may still be too much; I have no idea, but my hands still smell lovely despite washing), the giblet stock is seething gently and I am considering the future. Which will certainly include cranberry sauce, but what else I haven't decided. People say that it's okay to make pies the day before, but I dunno. Pastry always seems to me to be like bread, better when it's fresh.
Talking of which, I wonder if stuffing is better for being mixed early and left sitting overnight, blending its flavours...?
Another question, which is equally unrhetorical: how soon on Thanksgiving Eve may one start to drink? It's currently twenty past three, and I have immoral longings in me.
Obligatory disclaimer: some of my best friends have been deeply involved in the Church of England; one of my very best Christmases ever was spent with three generations of gay vicars; I was myself a theology student once; etc, etc.
Nevertheless. I've always been opposed to the Established Church; I'm much more comfortable with the (putative) separation-of-Church-and-State that people subscribe to over here; I once had a vicious fight with a wellbeloved friend over whether religious principles had any place at all in political decisions. Etc, etc.
As a matter of both law and custom, religions in the UK are free to make their own rules about eligibility for service. If the Church of England chooses to declare that women are an inferior creation, not destined to lead, that is entirely a matter for itself. Within its own walls and its own organisation.
Where the rest of us have an interest is when its bishops - who will continue, after yesterday's vote, to exclude women from their number - claim their seats in the House of Lords, with all that that implies of privilege and influence and legislative impact. If they refuse to conform to the laws and the simple civilised expectations of equality that govern the rest of us, then they have no place [originally I typed "moral right", and then "standing", but it's more than that, it's more important: they have no place] speaking to those laws and expectations, or any others. Are these the people who should be making judgements about issues of gender and sexuality, when their own organisation is so screwed up on these matters it can't even allow a woman to join them?
That question is rhetorical.
If you feel as I do, and have the good fortune to be a British citizen or resident, there's a petition here.
[/politics]
In other news, the sun is shining (after a lot of early-morning rain: I approve this notion, where it rains until I get up and then ceases forthwith), the turkey is brining (salt, brown sugar and so much rosemary and sage that I actually took it all out after the brine had cooled enough to be used; it may still be too much; I have no idea, but my hands still smell lovely despite washing), the giblet stock is seething gently and I am considering the future. Which will certainly include cranberry sauce, but what else I haven't decided. People say that it's okay to make pies the day before, but I dunno. Pastry always seems to me to be like bread, better when it's fresh.
Talking of which, I wonder if stuffing is better for being mixed early and left sitting overnight, blending its flavours...?
Another question, which is equally unrhetorical: how soon on Thanksgiving Eve may one start to drink? It's currently twenty past three, and I have immoral longings in me.