I'm not going to the concert tonight (x/p from DKOS)

The Church across the street is having a concert program (non-sacred music) this evening. They're usually pretty good, and the Church is known for having one of the oldest organs in NYC. But, I will not be going -- because I'm not welcome.

Actually, I don't think that anyone would care if I attended, and if I asked the Priest directly, I suspect he'd be happy to invite me in. Unfortunately, he doesn't get to decide these things.

The Church in question in Catholic. It is in the one of the City's most upscale and liberal neighborhoods, and I suspect that my political philosophy isn't wildly different than most of the parishioners. The Church leadership is another question.

Earlier this year, New York State became the largest State in the nation to clearly come out in favor of Marriage Equality, in a vote tht passed both the Democratic-controlled Assembly and the Republican-controlled Senate. The Marriage Equality Act was passed despite strong opposition from conservative religious groups (including the Catholic Church) and as a result included language making it clear that opponents weren't obliged to perform or recognize marriages if their religious faith was opposed to them.

While I strongly opposed the Catholic Church's position, I equally strongly respect their right to hold their own religious views (nb-I have none) and to enter into the debate. The problem was not with debate itself, but with what happened next.

When the Marriage Equality Act passed, the Church could have and SHOULD have taken their religious exemption and moved on. But, that's not what they did. Instead, the Bishop of Brooklyn (where I live) in order to make a point, announced that any politician who had voted for Marriage Equality would no longer be welcome to visit any Catholic Church.

I am not an Elected Official. But if I had been, I would have been one of the first supporters of a Marriage Equality Bill. I must therefore assume that the Catholic Church as an organization does not want ME to visit either. And while, as I said before, I expect the local Priest wouldn't really care, I'm not going to ask him to ignore the rules of his superior, which seems to be the way the Church wants things.

Perhaps in the future, the Catholic Church will join the 21st Century and adopt a philosophy more in keeping with most of the public and, I suspect, most of its parishioners. If that days occurs, I'll be happy to return to the Church for a concert or parish fair, or maybe even a Christmas Mass (I'm a sucker for carols). Until then, I'll be staying home.

I very much doubt that they'd ask you your opinion on this, or any other topic.

My husband and I regularly attend musical events at the local Lutheran church, and I'm sure some of their dogma, if not all of it, would be objectionable to us. Especially since we're really not Christians at all, but only culturally Christian.

It doesn't stop us from going, and from having a good time.

GO!

I think you're only depriving yourself....and for what?

:shrug:

Christian per se, but I've attended plenty of concerts in churches and the acoustics were GREAT!