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Marie's Blog

Rev. Dr. Marie Fortune offers analysis and commentary on issues that concern the work of FaithTrust Institute.

A Spiritual Battle between Good and Evil?

A Spiritual Battle between Good and Evil?

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Is addressing domestic violence a spiritual battle between good and evil? This is the question I received last week from a colleague. As I pondered this question, I sent a note to several other colleagues for their input. I think the answer we all agreed to is “yes and no.” Or as one Muslim colleague said, “Essential and not sufficient.”

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Freedom of Religion . . . for Some?

Freedom of Religion . . . for Some?

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Last Sunday I preached at my local church, and I am attaching a summary version of my sermon here. I am speaking as a Christian pastor to my fellow Christians. During this season of Ramadan, a primary holiday for Muslims, and with “Islamophobia” being stoked by demagogues, Christians must speak up. These are dangerous times.

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Pastors Who Don’t Report

Pastors Who Don’t Report

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Pastors Daniel and Laura McCluskey from the Church on the Word in Phoenix have been arrested. The pastors were both arrested Tuesday and booked on one count each of failure to report sexual abuse. One victim of incestuous abuse disclosed to them in 2008. The pastors confronted the abusive father who admitted his abuse of his daughter but was “repentant.” The pastors counseled the victim to “forgive” her father and restore the relationship. The father allegedly stopped abusing this daughter (who then moved out) but continued to molest her younger sister.

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Dear Pope: I Was Worried

Dear Pope: I Was Worried

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While I was on vacation, the Vatican came out with a significant doctrinal statement condemning the sexual abuse of children and the ordination of women. One could not help but conclude that these were somehow related. So I was worried that you intended to send the message that the crime of sexual abuse of a child was equivalent to the doctrinal violation of ordaining women.

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Boys to Men

Boys to Men

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A baseball game is a place where boys are socialized to become men. And in a world where men’s violence against women is rampant, it is worth considering as a place to work on changing the norm of violence against women. Help the Seattle Mariners win a $200,000 Pepsi Refresh Project grant to support domestic violence work!

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 Dear Pope: Off Track Again?

Dear Pope: Off Track Again?

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I realize it has been a bad week for you and the Vatican. First, the Belgian police raid the offices of the Belgian Council of Bishops and remove records of sexual abuse investigations. You condemn this action by the police, expressing concern for the confidentiality of victims’ records. With all due respect, is it really the victims’ records you are worried about or the accused priests’ records?

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Rape Victim Apologizes to Church?

Rape Victim Apologizes to Church?

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That’s right. In 1997, a fifteen-year-old girl was raped (allegedly) by Ernest Willis, an adult church member. As a result, she became pregnant. She was instructed by her pastor, Chuck Phelps, to come before the church, confess, and apologize for getting pregnant, and then she was kicked out of Trinity Baptist Church in Concord, NH.

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“. . . An Accident . . .”

“. . . An Accident . . .”

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This story caught my attention last week. This is how the defense attorney described his client’s murder of his former girlfriend.

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Dear Pope: Are We Talking?

Dear Pope: Are We Talking?

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I’m so glad you seem to be finding my advice helpful as you move to respond to the growing crisis over sexual abuse in the church. Your comments this week suggest that your understanding has deepened and your analysis is more on target.

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Dear Pope: Check This Out

Dear Pope: Check This Out

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I don’t know if you follow the National Football League in the U.S., but I think you will be interested in this.

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Dear Pope: It’s Me Again

Dear Pope: It’s Me Again

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I’m still waiting for your call, but in the meantime, I’m quite happy to provide you with a free consultation because it’s so important that you get this right. So let me suggest some fine tuning to your efforts this past week. Please pass this memo on to your PR people.

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Dear Pope: Call Me

Dear Pope: Call Me

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As the crisis erupts again in Europe and the U.S. with serious questions being raised about the Pope himself, one has to wonder if the men in charge have learned anything in the past 20 years. It would appear not. If the Vatican were to ask me for advice on how to handle this situation (which they will not), here are my ten steps to justice and healing.

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The Invisibility of Domestic Violence in Faith Communities

The Invisibility of Domestic Violence in Faith Communities

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Last week, Charles Parsons murdered his wife during a couples’ counseling session at Calvary Lutheran Church south of Seattle. He turned himself in and has been charged with first-degree murder and assault.

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Do You Know What a “Wifey” Is?

Do You Know What a “Wifey” Is?

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The world of youth and young adults is a post-modern nightmare, where: • sexual harm is normalized • sexual exploitation is for many, a rite of passage • getting paid for sex is acceptable • sexting (texting nude images) is okay • monogamy is passé • participation in virtual alternate life games (role play)is the latest craze • the media says your value is based on how sexy you are • the depersonalization that comes with social networking is cool

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Women’s Work Is Never Done

Women’s Work Is Never Done

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March 8 is International Women’s Day. So I was pleased this past week to be in New York City for events surrounding the 54th Annual meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Not only is women’s work never done, our agenda continues to expand.

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Tiger Confesses, Apologizes; We’ll Wait for Repentance

Tiger Confesses, Apologizes; We’ll Wait for Repentance

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Why did I watch Tiger Woods statement to the press today? I guess because I continue to be intrigued by how high profile public figures address their misconduct publicly.

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O God, Deliver Us from the Pat Robertsons of This World

O God, Deliver Us from the Pat Robertsons of This World

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Much has already been said about the sheer stupidity of Pat Robertson’s “pastoral” response to the tragedy of the Haiti earthquake and I will not bother to repeat.

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Reflecting on Dr. King 2010

Reflecting on Dr. King 2010

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I grew up a white Christian girl in the segregated South. I remember the beginning of integration of our schools in junior high and of my local United Methodist Church.

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It Looks Like a Duck, Walks Like a Duck...

It Looks Like a Duck, Walks Like a Duck...

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It seems that we have a really difficult time in our culture calling rape “rape.” Plus we are inclined to give celebrities a free pass when it comes to sexual assault.

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"Don’t Let the Light Go Out . . ."

"Don’t Let the Light Go Out . . ."

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Jews have just completed celebrating Hanukkah, the festival of lights. Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. And we all celebrate the passing of the winter solstice which assures us that, in the northern hemisphere, the days will surely get longer now.

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