Beyond Parody

A post from Central Pennsylvania Orthodox:

This comment is obviously a parody of mainstream Christ-free Christianity.

Our non gender specific guardian,
Who art in a safe and non judgemental cocoon,
Hallowed by thy preferred choice of nomenclature.
Thy constitutional republic, come,
Thy mission statement reach fruition,
On our commune, as it is the Sustainable Ecosystem,
Give us this day our non exploitive,organic bruschetta with balsamic reduction,
And forgive us our oppressive thought crimes,
As we forgive those who oppress us with their thoughts,
And deliver us from fun and spontaneity,
For thine is the non threatening authority and the aspirational goal,
And so be it, if all of us are comfortable with that.

However, this is not a parody.

Lord of our diversity,
unite us all, we pray;
welcome us to fellowship
in your inclusive way.

It’s the opening verse of the hymn sung at the opening of the Anglican Communion’s meeting in Jamaica two weeks ago (hat tip Andrew Bolt).

Which ties in well with this new book:

Get Serious: Who Ever Said Christianity Was Nice?
The Church's Stand on Contemporary Culture
by Peter and Helen Evans

"They are topics that many times we avoid discussing: war, abortion, genetic engineering, animal rights, welfare, and euthanasia. However, we all think about these and frequently wonder what our stance should be.

Now, you can Get Serious with authors Peter and Helen Evans. In discussions with experts from different faiths, thoughtful people will finally get the answers to the questions plaguing their hearts and minds.

With intriguing questions and thought-provoking answers, Peter, Helen, and their interviewees take readers through every tough topic honestly seeking the truth and not trying to push a certain opinion. Every discussion provides examples, thorough coverage, and insight into the church's viewpoint, cutting away the niceties to get to the heart of the issue.

Now is the time to Get Serious. After all, Who Ever Said Christianity Was Nice?"