As I make some new routines, undergo withdrawal from a too-constant feast of political news and move to the too-constant feast of endless food and drink, I think this is going to be a fascinating journey, both to a different part of the world and to a different part of my soul. We both woke this past Friday morning thinking, “What HAVE WE DONE?” A long time ago, my husband and I booked a cruise that will take us from… Read more
November 26, 2018
Upset Routines And The Damage of Christianity: Into The Amazon River
November 26, 2018 By Christy Thomas
1 Comment
November 19, 2018
Holiday Advice: Ten Ways To Stay Healthy
November 19, 2018 By Christy Thomas
1 Comment
The advice you will never regret taking: Find time to enjoy the various types of traditions that appear this time of the year. Revel in the delights of gifts and good smells and twinkling lights. Put on some fuzzy slippers and a cozy robe and get something warm to drink and spend an evening listening to your favorite holiday music. Sing along, tunefully or tunelessly. Reach out and hold someone’s hand. You will be glad you took this piece of… Read more
November 12, 2018
The Mean Girl Manifesto: The UMC Traditionalist Plan
November 12, 2018 By Christy Thomas
63 Comments
The Traditionalist Plan is a classic mean girl manifesto. “If you don’t follow MY rules, I will kick you out of the group. Nyah, Nyah, Nyah.” Any rational group of delegates, assuming they are mature adults, seasoned with grace, and aware of their foibles, would laugh this plan out of the room. But I bet it wins. OK, this post is probably only going to make sense to those who have been following the slowly sinking ship of The United… Read more
November 6, 2018
The Fight Between Tame and Good: The Coming UMC Schism
November 6, 2018 By Christy Thomas
7 Comments
The WCA schism will lead to a tame denomination–safe and clean and neatly heterosexual, although I continue to worry about the sexual issues of the children and grandchildren of those who have founded this movement. Ultimately, however, it won’t be good. The cat is finally out of the bag–a group of “We know we are right and anyone who disagrees with us is wrong” “united” Methodists are actively planning for schism if things don’t go their way at GC2019. It fascinated… Read more
November 4, 2018
Definition of A Dysfunctional Organization: The United Methodist Church
November 4, 2018 By Christy Thomas
5 Comments
We think by operating as a dysfunctional, sick, non-trusting organization, we can turn The United Methodist Church into a functional, life-giving place of hope. Delegates, lacking trust in one another, will make vital decisions on little sleep and a diet of caffeine and sugar. Then we’ll wonder why things went so badly. “Eight hundred and sixty-four people will sit on the committee.” When I told my husband, an experienced business owner and currently board chair for two public companies, about the… Read more
October 31, 2018
After Pittsburgh, I Can No Longer Wear A Cross
October 31, 2018 By Christy Thomas
451 Comments
No longer will I wear the cross. I will stop identifying with this kind of Christianity. It’s one small step to saying to these dear Jewish people, “I am so sorry. My tears are mingling with yours. This is wrong.” My husband gave me this lovely cross a couple of years ago. It’s one of many beautiful ones I own and have worn over the years. But I can no longer wear any of them. I can no longer identify… Read more
October 24, 2018
Vote Blue: I Chose That Even Against My Self-Interest
October 24, 2018 By Christy Thomas
43 Comments
I am voting Blue for one final reason: I am a person of faith who also knows that a political party that claims God has their back carries so much danger to the larger good that people of real faith must, absolutely must, fight back. Saturday, I went to the polls. For the first time in my life, I voted a straight ticket: Democratic Blue. Economically, my decision hurts me. In our particular business and general financial situation, we are… Read more
October 19, 2018
Greed, Indigenous People, Saudi Arabia, And The Church
October 19, 2018 By Christy Thomas
5 Comments
The stench of greed permeates every church or religious organization that ventures into the world of politics. Any witness for the Gospel sinks into the cesspool of backstabbing and power grabs. Every single time. In my morning perusal of the New York Times, I found myself drawn to an article I would have usually overlooked, but we are planning on a trip into the Amazon River soon and so am naturally curious about the country. At it turns out, the… Read more
October 17, 2018
The Cover-Up And The Faux Apology
October 17, 2018 By Christy Thomas
4 Comments
Surely you have heard a faux apology something like this: “I’m sorry if you were offended by [what ever it is that I did that should certainly not have upset you], deflecting all the blame onto someone else? Or perhaps an apology something like this: “I’m sorry you got hurt but if you hadn’t [provoked me, started it, tempted me, not responded the way I wanted you to respond, questioned my authority, etc.], then I would not have had to… Read more
October 8, 2018
Why I Write Now After Choosing Silence Most Of My Life
October 8, 2018 By Christy Thomas
107 Comments
I write for the thousands of “It happened to me as well, but I knew they’d never believe me” stories that were posted all over social media in the last couple of weeks. Even more, I write for the “It happened to me, I told someone, and they didn’t believe me” stories that broke my heart over and over and over again. I have been writing this blog for over ten years now and many of these posts have appeared… Read more
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