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Going to the Chapel


VA Tech Mem Chapel
Originally uploaded by p2son.
Here at the annual national gathering of theFriends General Conference, I was more than a little shocked when, with the other queer Quakers, (FLGBTQC) we entered Virginia Tech's Memorial Chapel for worship and faced a wall of very hunky, near naked men in stone.

Needless to say, settling into stillness required extra effort on my part.

Besides the stimulating worship, the start of FGC and the connections (and reconnections) both comfort and challenge me. So many thoughtful people who take their roles as humans seriously.

Together we look carefully at the environment, the war in Iraq and elsewhere, anti-racism and of course Quakerism.

I bumped into two bloggers today! Liz Op and Quaker Ranter.

Tuesday afternoon we will hold a rally, Let Love Choose which will publically protest anti-gay initiatives in Virginia and elsewhere while making a case for marriage equality.

I am in good company.

Comments

Ol Cranky said…
Peterson:

I'm so sorry I missed you when you were in Philly :(

I'm glad to see you took pics of the War Memorial Chapel at Tech. Even as a Jew I found it quite a powerful place (granted the first time I went inside was my Junior year for the memorial service of a classmate).

Throw a round at Ton 80 and make sure the folks at WUVT chat you up right & proper!
3:29 PM
Peterson Toscano said…
would love to have seen you in Philly. I feel certain that I will get back soon. I will keep you posted.

Not sure about the round at Ton 80 (what exactly does that mean???)

About to go see the fireworks for the 4th. Very pretty country here. Although Quaker worship in a war memorial chapel is surreal. Still it is a lovely chapel.
9:02 PM
Jennifer said…
Comparatively, this is like an ex-alcoholic going into a bar, or an ex- drug addict being around people taking drugs. The thoughts, feelings and urges are still there, but they must be supressed. Similar to the Islamics around the world who fast during Ramadan, or the Buiddhists who refrain from wanting: wanting material objects, or anything else. Like the rebellious teenager who wants to go vandalize someone's property or graffiti a train or bridge. Concentration would of course take extra effort to do, especially when trying to avoid these temptations.
8:26 AM
Contemplative Activist said…
Indeedy - phoar, I bet your hearts were a-racing ;)

I'm glad you're having such a good time - it sounds like a really exciting group of people.
12:13 PM
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