Finland Archives - Ramblin' with Roger

There was a front-page story in The (Albany, NY) Times Union this past Saturday, in anticipation of the same-sex marriage laws kicking in on Sunday. My pastors were highlighted:
Church views vary on same-sex vows; Locally, some pastors support weddings, but still wait for official word
By BRYAN FITZGERALD

The Revs. Glenn and Miriam Lawrence Leupold have been married for 24 years. As co-pastors of First Presbyterian Church in Albany, they have advocated for the right of gay men and lesbians to marry.

“When you think about the civil rights movement, so much of it was because of the churches,” she said. “The church was at the middle of the fight for civil rights. In fact, the church preceded the government.”

Sunday, when New York’s Marriage Equality Act takes effect, will be a day of celebration and chagrin for the Leupolds. The Presbyterian Church USA is still debating whether to lift their prohibition on ministers marrying gay couples.

“State law is ahead of our church law,” Glenn Leupold said. “And that’s unfortunate.”
…
The Leupolds said several gay couples in the congregation would like to be married at the church. The Leupolds advise gay couples to either have a civil ceremony or make arrangements to be married at another church.

[Like many people who are quoted in the newspaper, Miriam believes she was misquoted on this nuanced point. She and Glenn can/will do commitment services, but they cannot do marriages. So one could get married at City Hall and then have a commitment service at church.]

“They want their spiritual life, which is very rich and very real, to have a central role in how and where their relationship is affirmed,” said Glenn Leupold.

This month a majority of the denomination’s 173 presbyteries approved an amendment to their church’s Book of Order, clearing the way for men and women in same-sex relationships to be ordained. Ministers can legally preside over gay marriage ceremony, but not without repercussions from the church, which could strip a pastor of ordination.

“The denomination as a whole isn’t quite there,” Miriam Lawrence Leupold said. “But we’re closer than we were 10 years ago.”

There was an interesting article from a gay Presbyterian pastor serving in North Carolina, and Arthur wrote about it.

Lisa is one of those people who actually understand the reasons for the Declaration of Independence; so many others obviously do not.

Comics legend Stephen R. Bissette talks about his new book, ‘Teen Angels and New Mutants’ to Entertainment Weekly

Ken Jennings, JEOPARDY! winner (left) and Brian Ibbott, Coverville host (right), together.

Mr. Parrot discovered this rather sinister site that can not only generate a random name for you but a brand new identity complete with email address, mother’s maiden name, credit card number and blood group. I could see a legit use for it; when you go to a website you may go to just once that insists on all of your personal info.

Mimi writes: Only I Could Total A Car and Not Break A Nail, followed by I’ve Had My Twelve Minutes of Fame.

THE OFFICE recut as a traditional sitcom

For anyone who hates a****s that text in theaters. Yes, the word is used, and the linked audio is NSFW.

Tiskotansi! If you’re ever in a Finnish disco, you’ll know just what to do. This is funnier to me than what’s on the video, for reasons I shan’t get into.

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