Nice Days and PR Campaigns
Very last minute a Friend asked me to come help staff a Peace Camp reunion weekend at The Meeting School in New Hampshire. So glad I said yes.The weather is fresh and cool and summery and lovely here. AND they have wi-fi. I'm sitting outside (because in the words of my father, "It would be a SIN to be inside on a day like today") and have a nice strong signal. Some sheep sit lazily under an apple tree nearby.
Ah, in the words of Kurt Vonnegut's uncle (as quoted in Vonnegut's last book) If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.
Going off-line soon to take a nap. Yummy.
But I wanted to share an image that popped up in my e-mail today. Not too long ago I ordered some anti-gay literature from Focus on the Family. You know, just to see what they had to say (as if I didn't already know). Well, since that time I have gotten onto some sort of monster Conservative Evangelical Christian mailing list and get all sorts of things through e-mail and regular mail. Below is the one that greeted me this morning.
Labels: travel
posted by Peterson Toscano @ 1:41 PM
8 Comments:
The weekend in NH sounds awesome! (I will be up there in August; a friend is renting a house for a month, and I'm going to stay with her and her kids for a week.) I can't wait!
-- Tom D.
Scary topic, scary-looking presenters. I see things that remind me of my pre-out world, and they seem so foreign to me now.
They needed a gay boy to help them with the poster; It is so 1959.
I agree, it sounds wonderful. Where in New Hampshire is this event you're at, if you don't mind me asking?
aka..How to Fleece the Flock in 12 Easy Steps...you too can prey on your fellow church members' paranoia and fear to raise money to 'save the culture'...but wait there's more...
So, non-profit fundraising. Is that for Jerry's Kids? LOL
No, really, if God calls me to do something, He is also big enough to supply the needs to get it done. Yes, I may have to inform others and ask them to pray about what their part should be, but do I really need a National Seminar on fundraising for God to do His work and supply our needs according to His riches in Glory in Christ Jesus.
So to wrap up my soapbox, if God doesn't supply the resources, then He didn't tell me to do it, or I somehow got in His way.
Peterson,
I remember meeting you briefly at the Survivor's Conference in L.A. and sharing that I also attend a Quaker meeting. We shared a laugh at your description of the chalk talk as "Meeting for Worship with Attention to Graffiti." :-) You mentioned that you presented this past weekend on the Quaker testimony of peace. Could I inquire further about that?
I come from an evangelical and ex-gay background (both of which no longer makes sense with me) and have found the Friends to be the community of Believers who most closely match my own convictions. One sticking point for me, however, is the Peace Testimony. Could you point me to some resources on the Peace Testimony that have been helpful for you as you made the transition from evangelical to Quaker? Thanks!
As always, many thanks for putting together the conference, for your Doin' Time performance, and for your continued advocacy. You rock!
John
Hey John! I totally remember you from the Survivor Conference. Ah, you bring up a very good question, one that requires a entire blog entry and not simply a comment.
The journey to understand and embrace the Peace Testimony has been a big one for me (although seemingly quiet) and has ultimately affected most everything I do. Sooooo, keep your eyes open for a post in the next two weeks.
Elliot, the event was a reunion for a Peace Makers Camp that has been held every summer for the past three years. It is a way to train teens in non-violent direct action to have them explore issues of peace. I actually never attended the camp, but was asked to help out and lead some activities and talk about my own activism.
Thanks, Peterson! I eagerly await your post... :-)
John
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