I was privileged to receive an inspiring song from some hard rocking womyn to the lyrics from that old ballad “We Ain’t Gonna Take It!” , referring to Ken Orr and Right to Life New Zealand’s attitude toward New Zealand women’s reproductive freedom. The link to this emphatic rejection of the anti-abortion lobby is below for anyone who wants to groove to it.
However, this blog isn’t about the latest machinations of the anti-abortion lobby, foetid as they indeed are. Over in the United Kingdom, New Zealand born doctor and ordained Anglican minister David Lord tied the knot with his civil partner, Anglican hospital chaplain Peter Cowell, at one of England’s oldest churches, Saint Bartholemew the Great, using a very traditional liturgy, and much to the ire of fundamentalist “Anglicans” like the Church of England’s “Reform” , probably New Zealand’s grossly misnamed “Anglican”"Mainstream”, Sydney “Anglican” Bishop Peter Jensen and other fundamentalists masquerading as members of the Anglican Communion.
The Anglican Bishop of London is furious about the wedding in question, as same-sex religious weddings are strictly verboten in the Church of England as it tries desperately to hold the Anglican Communion together, and placate the fundamentalists in Nigeria, Uganda and elsewhere. Granted, it would be a mistake to label all of them social conservative obscurantists- Uganda’s Archbishop Henry Orombi did have a record of defiance against Uganda’s tyrannical despot, General Idi Amin, in the seventies. However, what has Archbishop Peter Akinola ever done to deal with real and pressing issues of military dictatorship, ethnic cleansing and government corruption in his native Nigeria? Very little, because fundamentalist theology tends to lead to an obsession with human sexuality, and sectarian railing against those of other religious traditions, to the exclusion of pastoral care for the victims of political repression and poverty in Third World societies, just as much as in the Northern Hemisphere (and adjuncts like Australia and New Zealand). And let’s not forget Akinola was trained in a fundamentalist “Anglican” seminary.
If the Church of England continues down this path, hopelessly out of touch with contemporary British social realities and real injustices, in order to placate its militant fundamentalist wrecker elements elsewhere in the world, it will disintegrate. I fear that nothing can save the global Anglican Communion from schism, perhaps just as well. I suspect it will end up in two camps- one of them will consist of the US Episcopal Church, Canadian and New Zealand Anglican Churches, the Anglican Church of South Africa, and liberal remnants of the Church of England and Australian Anglicanism, as well as liberal clergy from Third World Anglicanism.
The other will be populated by Sydney “Anglicans”, Church of England fundamentalists, and former fundamentalist “Anglicans” in the other mainline churches, as well as fundamentalist “Anglican” “Global South” churches. I don’t fancy the long-term survival chances of the latter- the schism will probably lead to eventual assimilation of these pseudo-”Anglicans” into the mire of greater fundamentalist obscurantism and loss of their vestigial denominational identity- much as the opponents of women’s ordination fared here when New Zealand Anglicanism took that step in 1976. Who remembers the latter now? Are any of their churchlets still in existence?
If I were LGBT and liberal Anglicans, I “ wouldn’t take it any more ” either…
Recommended:
Some hard rocking women have a message for Ken Orr/Right to Life New Zealand:
Message to Ken Orr
http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=U_7WcvyYxL0
“Gay Priests Marry in Church”: 15.06.08: http://www.news.com.au
Garret Keizer: “Turning Away from Jesus: Gay Rights and the Battle for the Episcopal Church:” Harpers: June 2008: http://www.harpers.org
Anger at Anglican Gay Wedding: BBC News: 15.06.08: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7455187.stm
8 responses so far ↓
1 » We Ain’t Gonna Take It Either: Enough Church of England Obscurantism… Agans Craig: What The World Is Saying About Agans Craig // Jun 17, 2008 at 6:55 pm
[…] Enough Church of England Obscurantism… Posted in June 15th, 2008 by in Uncategorized We Ain’t Gonna Take It Either: Enough Church of England Obscurantism… Granted, it would be a mistake to label all of them social conservative obscurantists- Uganda’s […]
2 Craig Young // Jun 18, 2008 at 2:30 pm
It seems the womyn of ‘prochoicenz’ have upset the geriatric Ken Orr most awfully, as he is now whining about their faaaabulous hard rockin’ response to his unpleasant activities at the High Court.
He’s considering reporting the matter to the police. What? For using salty language to express their contempt for the misogyny of anti-abortionists? Shades of “Demolition Man” and its verbal profanity meter.
I may not express myself quite so strongly, but I respect the underlying reasons for their anger- and their right to freedom of speech and expression.
Craig
3 Craig Young // Jun 18, 2008 at 5:37 pm
I should also clarify that I am not ‘prochoicenz’, and did not produce the rather tangy Youtube video in question.
Unfortunately, SPCS have jumped to conclusions about this, and made some rather silly remarks on Scoop and their website. While prochoicenz linked to me, I am unaware of their actual identity.
For the record, I would never express myself in such a debased vocabulary when there are perfectly adequate evidence-based rebuttals available to ward off this silly little fringe pressure group.
4 prochoicenz // Jun 18, 2008 at 8:05 pm
I am prochoicenz. I am not in any groups because I can’t find them and most people find me too offensive. I refuse to take this crap from Ken Orr and I want to do something about it.
I’m sorry that you find my language “debased” but that’s the only way to get through to these people in my opinion. Type in Ken Orr nz in google to find my blog. I won’t post a link here because it is very offensive.
I will be counter protesting next week. Details are on my blog.
I may use bad language but I do not promote violence and am not planning to get arrested.
5 Craig Young // Jun 18, 2008 at 8:48 pm
I know you weren’t, and personally, I uphold your right to free speech, however salty or tangy. I thought it was quite a good video myself, but there are two things to remember:
(i) Using salty or tangy language in a public space (although is the Internet such a space?) might expose you to charges under Section 4 of the Summary Proceedings Act 1981;
(ii) Against that, there’s your right to free speech under Section 14 of the Bill of Rights Act 1990, and after all, you are arguing in defence of a particular viewpoint.
(iii) Tim Shadbolt and Germaine Greer got themselves into trouble for similar reasons, back in the sixties, and their charges were dismissed. You’d be in good company.
It’s not Orr that’s the problem, even if he is RLTNZ’s spokesperson.
It’s an inhumane, misogynist viewpoint of an extreme prohibitionist anti-abortion mentality
In societies where abortion is illegal, thousands of women die from hideous pelvic and intestinal injuries out of desperation each year. To say nothing of the battered, neglected and abused unwanted children born to women who don’t have the choice to prevent that happening.
Prochoicenz, if you draw attention to that hideous reality overseas, and possible future if abortion is ever recriminalised here, that would be fabulous.
6 prochoicenz // Jun 19, 2008 at 3:16 am
I think people need to be aware that the “pro life” movement is set to become a very powerful lobby group and if they can challenge our abortion laws then we need to change them fast. These people have overtaken the internet and it’s very difficult to find factual information about abortion. They use trickery, lies, misinformation, out dated, debunked research and fake photographs from the 1970s to force their agenda. They harrass doctors, nurses and paint women who choose to have abortions as gutter whores or mindless idiots fooled by the medical profession. There’s no point having a rational discussion with these people which is why I decided to take such drastic action.
I find their behaviour far more disgusting and offensive than some swear words and pictures of women and children extending their middle fingers.
I will be using colourful language and images to create controversy and debate. I don’t mind being painted as crude, vulgar, mental and unlady like and I don’t care if I get arrested. I will be using Ken Orr as my main target because he is the face of right to life nz.
You have stated that women who are denied abortions will go on to abuse and neglect their children and I think that’s an unfair judgment and a negative stereotype. I challenge men and women to start thinking about how these generalisations perpetuate myths about womenhood in our society. It’s myths like this that feed people like Ken Orr and their pro life lobby groups.
I’m not bagging you Craig, I really appreciate you putting up this post and I know you care about women’s rights. I’m on the front page of google now and that means people are taking notice. I hope it encourages and motivates other groups to get vocal as well even if they don’t want to be associated with me personally. I don’t mind flying solo because I enjoy being outrageous and OTT.
I’ve recieved a fair bit of criticism over my video but I do have a few supporters and that’s enough to keep me going. I will be posting lots of facts about abortion and I’ll get them out there.
Thank you very much for your support too Craig.
7 Craig Young // Jun 19, 2008 at 10:48 am
I know that the antis are immune to rational dialogue, but there is mainstream public opinion to consider. The antis are trying to spin matters involving the gun image adjacent to Ken Orr’s bonce.
I have no problems with you bagging the anti-abortion cause, and I certainly agree with you about their lies and propaganda. I work with organised pro-choice groups countering it, and I think we do a damned good job.
Insofar as the link between denied abortions and child abuse goes, if women and their families don’t have access to the neccessary social services needed to insure that every child is a wanted and loved child, then we reap the whirlwind. It’s the other side of reproductive choice, ensuring that women who do choose to continue their pregnancies and become parents have optimal support available.
8 prochoicenz // Jul 28, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Hi Craig, I’m heading down to Kamo on K Road sometime in the near future for the karaoke and I’ll come and introduce myself. I’ll be bringing my daughter who is well balanced and polite for protection in case you throw a hissy fit. If you don’t, it would be nice to have a chat with you in person.
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