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Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania Newsletter
Issue 11: Mid-December, 2009 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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Upcoming TIA Events
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| Out in the Silence - Jan. 17th
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TIA-PA is joining efforts with other organizations to support a screening of "Out in the Silence" in Lancaster on Jan 17th. This film follows the story of a small Pennsylvania town confronting a firestorm of controversy ignited by a same-sex wedding announcement in the local newspaper. The gripping documentary illustrates the challenges of being an outsider in a conservative rural community and the change that is possible when courageous people break the silence and search for common ground.
First United Methodist Church
29 East Walnut St.
3:00 - 5:00 p.m. with reception to follow
Other sponsors include
- numerious churches in the Lancaster area
- ACLU-PA
- Silent Witness Peacekeepers
- Franklin and Marshall College Allies
- Lancaster Theological Seminary
- Millersville University Allies
- PFLAG of Lancaster
- PA Human Relations Commission
- Welcoming Dialogue Group
- Sharaai Shomayim Congegation in Lancaster
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| The Power of Forgiveness - Jan. 19th
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At the January meeting of the Interfaith Alliance, we will view segments of award-winning Martin Doblmeier's video, entitled The Power of Forgiveness. The video has vignettes of forgiveness in Northern Ireland, Ground Zero, the Nickel Mines Amish tragedy, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel on the Holocaust, Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh, and others, in addition to interviews with clinical experts who discuss the damage to health which can occur when one cannot let go of hate. We will watch approximately 45-50 minutes of discussion with those impacted in the various vignettes, saving the clinicians' interesting discussions for another time. After watching the video, Mike Sand will lead us in a discussion of what we have seen and its relevance to the various situations of conflict of concern to all of us.
The meeting will begin at 7 pm on Tuesday, January 19th at the Jewish Community Center at 3300 North Front Street in Harrisburg. Please plan to join us for this unforgettable video and perhaps as much as a half hour of discussion, afterwards.
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| Religious vs. Civil Marriage - Feb. 16th
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On Tuesday, Feb. 16th, TIA-PA will host a discussion panel on the separation of chuch and state regarding the definition of marriage. Please look for future newsletters for details, place and time. http://www.FreedomToMarryPA.org |
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Take Action
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| Celebration of Faith Blessed Same-Gender Marriage - Feb. 11th
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On Thursday, Feb 11th, as part of Freedom To Marry Week, Rabbi Carl Choper invites you to an Interfaith Celebration to create greater awareness of faiths that bless same-gender marriage. The event is hosted by St. Michael Lutheran Church, 118 State Street, Harrisburg. Clergy from many different religious beliefs will come together with song, prayer, food or ritual demonstration representing their faith. The celebration starts at 7:00 p.m. with a candlelight vigil to follow walking the two block length of State St.
http://www.FreedomToMarryPA.org
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A Place for All: Faith and Community for Persons with Disabilities
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PA Developmental Disabilities Council is sponsoring an upcoming ABC documentary entitled, "A Place for All: Faith and Community for Persons with Disabilities." The program offers profiles of courageous individuals and families who have awakened their faith communities to the contributions of people with special needs.
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED
ABC offers this program to its affiliates across the country as part of a series called Vision and Values, with a potential audience of 40 million viewers. Each station manager chooses whether and when to air it and at what time. In many places, this program will air at noon or 1:30 in the afternoon. However, in some major markets the times are completely inaccessible, such as 4:30 a.m. in Philadelphia. How much consciousness-raising is going to happen at that hour?
ACTION STEPS
If enough viewers call their station managers and express a strong interest in this program and ask for a more appropriate airtime, additional or better-timed screenings can be scheduled for up to two months, between December 6th and February 6th.
Please help by doing the following:
1. Call your own station manager
2. Post this announcement on any appropriate listserv you have access to, such as: your congregation; a parents' group you belong to; schools or advocacy groups focused on disability and inclusion.
Thank you for joining in this campaign to raise awareness and openness. As Rabbi Darby says in the program, inclusion is not about being "nice," it's about taking care of the communities' spiritual needs.
For more information, and to see a trailer of this documentary, go to:
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Interfaith Interests
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| Interfaith Holiday Greetings
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Dec. 6, 8: Rohatsu (Bodhi Day) Dec. 11-19: Chanukah (Hanukkah) Dec. 18: 1 Muhurram Dec. 21: Winter Solstice, Yule, The Long Night Dec. 25: Christmas Dec. 26 - Jan. 1: Kwanzaa Jan. 1: New Year Jan 5, 6: Three Kings' Day - Epiphany - Twelfth Night References: http://www.springfieldlibrary.org/hols/holiday.html |
| Edward Fitzpatrick: The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage
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"Conservatives shouldn't just allow same-sex marriage. They should insist on it." So states Providence Journal Columnist Edward Fitzpatrick. "The conservative New York Times columnist David Brooks made that argument in a 2003 column, and the liberal Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne Jr. recalled his words when he was in Providence on Nov. 8 to speak at the Central Congregational Church.
Brooks noted some conservatives base their opposition to same-sex marriage on biological determinism, portraying men as savages who need women to tame them. 'But in fact, we are not animals whose lives are bounded by our flesh and by our gender,' he wrote. 'We're moral creatures with souls, endowed with the ability to make covenants, such as the one Ruth made with Naomi.' Brooks concluded, 'The conservative course is not to banish gay people from making such commitments. It is to expect that they make such commitments. We shouldn't just allow gay marriage. We should insist on gay marriage. We should regard it as scandalous that two people could claim to love each other and not want to sanctify their love with marriage and fidelity.' "
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| Chris Matthews Interviews Catholic Bishop
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After Rev. Thomas Tobin denied communion to Congressman Patrick Kennedy based on his pro-choice vote, Chris Matthews challenges the Bishop's crossing of the line between church and state.
Watch Matthews' compelling interview:
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Conservative Catholic, Evangelical and Orthodox Christian Leaders Issue Statement to Reassert Political Clout ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHURCH & STATE, Vol. 62, No. 10, November 2009
Magazine of Americans United for Separation of Church and State
November 20, 2009
'Manhattan Declaration' Signals Conservative Church Groups' Intention To Undercut Separation Of Church And State, Says AU's Executive Director Rev. Barry W. Lynn
Americans United for Separation of Church and State today expressed grave concern about a renewed push by a coalition of conservative church groups to impose religious teachings on all Americans through government action.
At a press conference today, Religious Right leaders and Roman Catholic bishops unveiled a joint statement criticizing laws that allow reproductive choice and same-sex marriage. The "Manhattan Declaration" indicates that participating religious leaders will defy such laws if they conflict with church doctrines.
Americans United charges that the real agenda is not protecting the religious freedom of churches, but rather attempting to impose those doctrines on all Americans by government decree.
Said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, "This declaration is certain to be deeply divisive. These religious leaders want to see their doctrines imposed by force of law, and that goes against everything America stands for.
"The United States is an incredibly diverse nation," he continued, "and it would be a disaster if government started favoring one religious perspective over others." Lynn said most Catholics and evangelical Christians do not want to see their houses of worship drawn into politics. "I am optimistic that the people in the pews will not heed their leaders' misguided call to action," Lynn said. "Polls show that most church-goers do not want to see their faith politicized. But I am also well aware that religious leaders have vast lobbying power that cannot be ignored."
Lynn noted the House version of health-care reform was revised at the behest of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to curtail women's access to abortion.
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An Alliance of Values ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Equality Forum Calls on US Justice Department to Investigate Murder of Puerto Rican Gay Teen
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After the body of 19 year old George Lopez Mercado was found partially burned, decapitated and dismembered, the police investigator made the outrageous claim that this crime was somehow justified owing to Mercado's sexual orientation and perceived lifestyle.
Equality Forum called upon U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to have the FBI investigate this crime, as part of the Mathew Sheppard Amendment. Activists claim that Puerto Rico has never classified the murder of a gay man as a hate crime.
For an Equality Forum's statement and announcements of vigils (including Philadelphia), link here:
http://www.equalityforum.com/news.cfm
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Talk Back
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| Thanksgiving Services
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Did you attend or participate in an interfaith Thanksgiving service in your area? Please let us know where it was and some of the highlights. We would like to let others know what is going on across
the state. Send it to us at
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Feedback and Input ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TIA-PA Goal/Mission Statement:
To create an interfaith movement in Pennsylvania where citizens committed to the American values of justice, equality and compassion are encouraged to speak out in support of issues and policies which promote that vision.
To create politically resonant religious language derived from that progressive social vision, and engage our community by restoring that language into the larger society.
Are there issues and events happening in your area? Tell us about them so we can share with others. Have ideas on programs and events you'd like to see? Share your thoughts so we can collaborate.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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| Feedback and Input
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TIA-PA Goal/Mission Statement:
To create an interfaith movement in Pennsylvania where citizens committed to the American values of justice, equality and compassion are encouraged to speak out in support of issues and policies which promote that vision.
To create politically resonant religious language derived from that progressive social vision, and engage our community by restoring that language into the larger society.
Are there issues and events happening in your area? Tell us about them so we can share with others. Have ideas on programs and events you'd like to see? Share your thoughts so we can collaborate.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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| Contact Information
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phone: 717-724-0353
email:
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This e-newsletter is produced and sponsored by BoltMap, Inc (717) 564-2477
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Support The Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HELP PROTECT BOTH FAITH AND FREEDOM IN PENNSYLVANIA.
If you have not made a contribution to TIA-PA in 2009, you still have an opportunity to do so. Our Board has decided to ask for voluntary contributions rather than asking for a flat annual dues amount.
You can support us on-line using the DONATE option on TIA-PA.org, or here:
Or, send a check to "The Interfath Alliance of Pennsylvania" and mail it to:
The Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania
3211 N. Front St., Suite 104
Harrisburg, PA 17110
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