Anonymity Begins with the Right Letter - January 31, 2011

Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)

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It stuck out like a pimple on the end of Jessica Simpson's nose: "The group of pastors at this point remain anonymous as the white paper is not signed and has not been widely released to the public."

Antecedent.

Apparently, for one never knows when it's anonymous, some high steeplers in the PCUSA - that's a mainline denomination that's moved to the sidelines of America's religious scenery/relevancy for folks who don't know and really don't care - met earlier this month in Scottsdale, Arizona to save-the-denomination-from-the-infidels.

You can read more about it in the 1/28/11 edition of www.churchandworld.com.

Parenthetically, having been there and done that, those guys, who remind me of the Bears and Jets (see the 1/27/11 edition for context/parallels), gotta know that other pastors who don't share their perks-infested-what-me-really-worry-cause-I'm-cozy-and-you're-not-cause-I'm-entitled perches, regardless of being on the left or right of 'em, have a very natural antagonism toward 'em born out of jealousy or some kinda sense of inferiority that they reinforce by meeting in places like Scottsdale instead of Newark, Scranton, Beloit, Deadwood, or somewhere else more, uh, common. Of course, being so insulated from their, uh, peers, I don't expect 'em to get that.

Anyway, they were inspired/indigested to write a "white paper" (Hmm! No, I won't go there! Lord, lead me not into...) with this startling announcement - for them because they usually play it so safe as not to threaten their positions/perks which I understand 'cause I've been there and done that - about their anonymous intentions: "We are ready to do something different...If the denomination has the ability and will move in this new direction, we will rejoice. Regardless, a group of us will change course, forming a new way for our congregations to relate."

Just wait until Louisville - headquarters for the franchise - gets their names!

O.K., I guess that's why they're so anonymous.

They know they better circle the wagons, stick up another finger in the air to test sympathies, and get those lawyers in tow before those infidels come after their ordinations, properties, and assets.

Ah, yes, anonymity.

How courageous.

So much in the shadow of the martyrs...not to mention the cross.

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You probably sense my disdain for anonymity.

Don't get me wrong.

I have only suffered from poison pens on two occasions - back when I was a high steepler and trying to move a church from being an annex of Rotary to...

After those two occasions, I have always announced something like this every now and then: "...and don't bother sending an anonymous note to me about it; 'cause if you don't have the courage of your convictions, I ain't gonna read it anyway! Besides, I've learned that terrorists and people who write anonymously have two things in common: cowardice and comfort in darkness."

Sure, some anonymous stuff is cool; like getting an anonymous HD gift certificate or cruise for the wife et moi.

Come to think of it, that all ended when I left the high steeple scene.

I wonder if it has something to do with what Perry Noble calls the big choice of pastors to be real prophets/pastors or prostitutes who sell out the real Jesus for...

I don't know.

Yeah, I've had some nice anonymities in the past; like when I was a senior in high school and this girl used to call and...

Yeah, I understand how some folks are sooooooo shy and...

Blah, blah, blah.

As somebody said, "It takes guts to go public."

I would add qualities like courage, candor, humility ('cause you open yourself to rebuke and correction), and being reconcilable ('cause you're willing to talk about it before it festers into something really awful).

Anonymity just dumps and hides.

No wonder The Oxford English Dictionary includes "illegitimate" as a definition for anonymous.

People who dump and hide behind anonymity are illegitimate; which conjures up another word that may...

Aside from those anonymous acts of charity - and I just read a really nice anonymous tribute to a peer on his website that caused another peer to ask who really wrote it because anonymity breeds suspicion - anonymous gestures are, more often than not, hit and run acts absent of accountability.

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Getting back to the cracker communication, there's some really good stuff in it; but, again, it's hard to trust somebody who doesn't have the courage/guts to...

Maybe they're just floating an idea to see if anyone will float with 'em...

Maybe they're just putting it out as a working paper, like KDs, to provoke thought among folks who don't think much anymore...

I don't know.

That's just it.

It's anonymous.

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I was just reading about Stephen.

You know, uh, the first martyr.

He didn't hide behind anonymity.

And before you remind me that he was stoned for his efforts, take a long look at Matthew 16:24-28.

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Blessings and Love!