December 26, 2010

Blog Silence

A friend pointed out to me that I've posted precious little to my blog over the past two weeks. This is due to having been away in Buffalo for my brother Blane's ordination, and the following day, and returning home to Christmas week to find my parish church had been burgled — the consequent dealing with detectives, insurance adjusters, locksmiths and repair people being at least as trying as the break-in itself. There is a news report from the NY Times, if you are interested in more detail.

As to the internet, I have been commenting a bit on a thread at Thinking Anglicans. After reading his comments on history, I'm surprised Dr. Seitz calls me a revisionist!

In any case, I do promise to post the sermon from Blane's ordination, in that beautiful Cathedral in Buffalo, shortly. Those interested in my Christmas sermons can find them at Ekklesiastes.

TSH+

10 comments:

JCF said...

Mazel Tov on Blane's ordination . . . but I'm SO sorry about the burglary at your parish, {{{Tobias}}}. Prayers!

JCF said...

Re 'Mr Seitz', I was reminded of this scene, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer:

Angel: "It's like talking to a wall---only you get more from a wall."

[He was speaking of Faith, the slayer who'd Gone Bad, and killed a man. She got much worse before she got better . . . but even she eventually repented. That's my prayer for Mr Seitz . . . and ALL of us!]

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year, Tobias!

Sr. Heather said...

Many prayers to you, Brother Tobias -- that's certainly a lot to deal with, especially at the second busiest time of year for clergy.

Be good to yourself, mmkay?

June Butler said...

Tobias, I read the account of the burglaries in the NYT. I'm sorry about the broken Tiffany window and the missing money in alms box. I hope the window can be repaired to resemble something close to its original appearance.

All the losses to the burglar from all of the churches and schools are unfortunate. Perhaps the burglaries will end if the man who was arrested was responsible for all of them.

I read your comments at TA and received a mini-history of certain parts of the history of the Episcopal Church. I made a mental note to read William White's book, too.

Right now, I'm rereading Barchester Towers and thoroughly enjoying it. The Church of England seems not to have changed greatly since the mid-19th century. Just sayin'. Nearly everything I know about the C of E, I learned in Trollope

Brother David said...

It is cool that we have at least worshipped in the same church, for Roberto and I worshipped in that cathedral in Buffalo back in 1983. +Western NY then was a homophobic man as I recall.

God's best for Brother Blane.

MarkBrunson said...

Though TA is too cowardly to let it be said, Seitz is not a revisionist, he's a flat-out, no-frills, dyed-in-the-wool liar.

You're worth 44,000 of him anyday, Tobias.

Tobias Stanislas Haller BSG said...

Thanks to all.

JCF; yes, walls sometimes produce accurate echos.

Sr. H., had a fairly restful snowbound day yesterday... back to work today!

GM, the window is quite reparable: it is a single plaque, with several layers of glass in Tiffany style, but not pictorial.
I do highly commend Bp White's memoirs. They are very revealing and even amusing at times. Not as much as Trollope, which is essential for understanding the C of E. That and Yes Prime Minister...

Dahveed, the current Bp is very supportive of glbt folks. I think Bill Franklin will be the same.

Mark, thanks.

Tobias Stanislas Haller BSG said...

Mark, a p.s., I was willing to give "Professor Seitz" the benefit of the doubt, but his latest comments indicate that he is either an outright liar or simply incorrigible.

MarkBrunson said...

Absolutely.

It really is an almost verbatim example from M. Scott Peck's People of the Lie.

It runs something like:

Tobias: "Yes, but what about the historical events x,i, and z, which involved exactly what you just said never happened happening?"

Seitz: "Well, of course that happened and the fact that it happened proves everything I just said is absolutely right."

Tobias: "But it is in direct opposition to everything you just claimed."

Seitz: "See? Even you have to agree with me!"


What baffles me is what he thinks he's accomplishing, or even attempting.

Tobias Stanislas Haller BSG said...

Thanks, Mark. That's exactly what it feels like. I'm not sure who he thinks he is fooling, but perhaps he has fooled himself.

It is an embarrassment as well to see the brandishing of credentials, as if they support the fallacies dressed as facts. Ultimately such an approach undercuts credibility even in areas of purported competence.