This Atheist is Thankful for the Clergy

[rug]

November 27, 2014 by James Croft

The word “clergy” makes me uncomfortable. I’ve always thought of myself as a nonreligious person, and the idea of a class of people separated from the rest of us, granted special privileges due to their position as representatives of a religious tradition, worries me. Too often, it seems to me, these privileges are held by those who should least exercise them: people whose personal conduct makes them unfit for the positions of authority they are given, and whose public values promote a meaner, less equal, and more narrow-minded society.

Clerical privilege frequently hands the worst ideas the biggest megaphone, putting the values and beliefs of a far-gone age on a pedestal, while shielding those who abuse their position from the consequences of their actions. The fact that when I’m fully-trained as an Ethical Culture Leader I will formally be a clergy person myself is the source of some discomfort, as if I’m being offered a fancy uniform I’m not certain I want to wear. The work of an Ethical Culture Leader I love and want to continue – the position as clergy makes me nervous.

And yet.

In the past few months I have spent many hours with clergy in the St. Louis area, as we have planned and worked together in response to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson. In that time I have seen, over and over again, enormous moral courage and principled leadership from the clergy. Professional representatives of a wide range of faiths have consistently been some of the first to respond to calls to action, and have been pivotal in organizing actions across the city.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/templeofthefuture/2014/11/this-atheist-is-thankful-for-the-clergy/#ixzz3Kl1O6kQ5

[upaloopa]

1. My brother is a Catholic priest.

If you saw him on the street you would not know what he does unless he is wearing his collar.
In his own group of religious people he has a lot of privilege. But outside of that group not so much.

[edhopper]

2. There is definitely something to be said about

the clergy and church communities organizing for actions like this in Furguson.
On the other had the Evangelical Churches as well as others like the Mormons have played a pivotal role in giving the GOP it's current power.
So it is a two edged sword.

[cbayer]

4. Yep. It's very important to be able to distinguish what is good from what is bad,

and support the good while pushing back against the bad.

It's a losing proposition to paint all of religion with the same brush.

[cbayer]

3. As a PK, I grew up surrounded by clergy,

and I was fortunate to be surrounded by clergy who were politically active and fierce proponents of cvil rights and social justice.

There is danger anytime that someone's position is elevated such that they have privilege that they may not deserve, but there is also opportunity.''

Good for him that he is engaging with those who are doing the right thing.

Sounds like he will make an excellent Ethical Culture Leader.

[Odin2005]

7. PK?

[stone space]

8. Preacher's Kid, I assume. A math professor at Hopkins...

...used to call himself that.

[Odin2005]

9. Oh, thanks!

[cbayer]

10. Yes, preacher's kid, as noted above.

We were very bad and mostly kept away from the other children, lol.

[AtheistCrusader]

5. I don't see anything here that anyone else outside the 'clergy' couldn't be doing.

Political commentary:
http://americanhumanist.org/news/details/2014-08-a-humanist-statement-on-ferguson
http://ncethicalsociety.org/ferguson-race-and-justice/

There's some on the ground political action/aid, but probably less than the clergy's activism. If nothing else, humanists are numerically inferior.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/blackfreethinkers/2014/08/24/ferguson-and-america-at-unrest

[rug]

6. The question is not whether anyone else could do it. The question is who is actually doing it.