It has been a long time since the last news update, so in this address I will cover what has transpired in the past few months and discuss a few things that you could look for in the future from Ex-Minister. 

RETURN TO AMERICA 

Without going into detail, I felt that we caught a break when after 15 months on the market we were able to sell our car, which enabled me to return to the US in late January. You won’t be hearing me complain about economic conditions in the US after what I saw in Latvia. It is great to be back home in the US and to get reacquainted with what I have missed while being in Europe the past three years. 

I’m now living in the Washington, D.C. area and working in the furniture industry. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to make a living once again! Ultimately this means that I won’t have as much time for Ex-Minister’s goals with my workload. Behind the scenes, I have worked tirelessly towards preparing us for the best way to meet our objectives. Part of the reason for locating in D.C. was to strategically position Ex-Minister where I could get the opportunity to get acquainted and see if I could form alliances with groups that want to advance the common good. 

FOR THE CAUSE OF FORMER CLERGY MEMBERS 

The website’s last few months of silence is due to my changing of continents and the intense concentration it took to secure employment and to provide for my family. As an ex-minister, I feel that I am fortunate to have had another trade under my belt. Whereas many ministers aren’t that fortunate and are in essence “stuck” because they could not leave if they wanted to! Believe me, the prejudice, discrimination and degree of difficulty for the men and women wanting to leave the ministry is very strong! It doesn’t set well with me that the ministry is essentially a “one way street” without a viable exit plan. Forgive me for saying, but many of these same ministers are amongst the finest people of society. The Ex-Minister organization is a worthy and viable “exit plan” that I feel should have already been funded. I will keep pushing the cause and hope that this idea can be implemented sometime in the near future. If not, I could envisage a time to where my patience is exhausted and the preventative measure of addressing the “supply” of ministerial candidates enrolling into ministry training needs to be examined and exposed for what it truly is! 

CENTER FOR INQUIRY BACKS DOWN 

Now that I am back in the US, I plan to do as much as I can with the limited amount of free time that I have available for the proposed organization. What will surprise many of you is to understand that I am a fighter for causes that I believe in! Ex-Minister has scored it’s first victory by default! I had challenged the Center for Inquiry, which proclaims itself as the largest organization-representing nonreligious Americans. Its President and Chief Executive Officer Ronald A. Lindsey has thusfar refused to defend his weak case against faith based initiatives by his refusal to debate me. What is the saying about the chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link? Could it be that the Center for Inquiry weakest link is it’s Chief Executive Officer that cannot ably defend a public stance that it has taken? These guys like to argue and debate most any topic, yet they get lockjaw upon this issue. If you cannot defend a divisive public stance, why should one continue to pitch it?  Consider CFI as neutralized until it can defend it’s viewpoint! I could employ some “new atheist” tactics upon a “new atheist” leader in order to bait Lindsey from hiding into a public debate but I will refrain. Nevertheless, I love the odds of Ex-Minister prevailing in such a debate should it occur. 

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM INFRINGED UPON IN D.C. 

I consider Ex-Minister to be a friend to the gay community and have frequently addressed issues of interest of the community; especially whenever the religious right comes a calling. However, while I am happy for a gay community victory; the District’s politicians really botched things up in their legislating of gay marriage into law here! Seems that the local politicians forgot about the First Amendment freedoms of the American people. Certain exemptions were not extended towards faith groups by the legislation that put groups like the Catholic church in a tough situation. For greater detail, see this Washington Post article. 

Here is what troubles me. First, religious groups shouldn’t be forced to accept things that violate their faith. Nevertheless, this legislation marched forward and created a situation that will likely get challenged. Chances are that this will likely be a short-term victory for gay people until it gets challenged and overturned. In the end, chances are that the gay community still won’t have a viable solution in place when all is said and done. 

For the record, Ex-Minister’s position is opposed to gay marriage but strongly supportive of civil unions. Civil union’s should become law in the US and Ex-Minister organization would “roll up it’s sleeves” to counter the religious right’s opposition to reason, the common good and a viable solution for the needs of gay couples. I might add that the civil union policy of Great Britain seems to work well as does national health care in many European nations!  There is so much fear mongering within American evangelicalism that many good innovative ideas that would benefit society never stand a chance because religious leaders demonize them to their flock. Would you like to see progress? Ex-Minister could make such a difference within so many of societal religiously charged issues. All it would take is funding, we are ready and wanting to use our skills to make an impact in the world we left behind!  

BEFRIENDING DEISM 

Let me clear my throat and muster my courage enough to stick my neck out for a little known worldwide group that I strongly sense should deserve mainstream status and respect; I referring to the World Union of Deists http://www.deism.com/. Seems as if almost no one understands the Deist position, let me say that I have long considered Deism as a viable alternative for those that love reason and yet can’t subscribe to atheism. 

Deism has a long, rich, distinguished history and I urge you to visit and explore their impressive website that will challenge the minds of freethinkers. I’ve considered endorsing them for a long time and have been curious as to why their viewpoint isn’t better known. It would shock many of you to know what Richard Dawkins has said about Deism. Melanie Phillips article upon the Ex-Minister website captured his thoughts upon the topic, yet frankly I believe that many have failed to grasp what was stated therein.  

Ex-Minister has been friendly towards Deism for a long time, in fact Howard Ferstler’s fine two articles have now been upon the website for six months. Howard’s work provoked my thinking, so much so that if I were to re-write my Secular Humanism: The Best Post-Christian Alternative today, I would have to include a positive review of Deism. Now before someone ascribes me to have adopted Deism, let me again state for the record that I am a confirmed secular humanist! Deism should be held in a very high esteem, you wouldn’t find me challenging their viewpoint because frankly they have a better answer about origins than any group upon the planet has! Rivalry isn’t in my thoughts, friendship and respect is!  I’d like to see Deism go mainstream and wanted to utilize whatever influence I have to get their message of reason across to those masses of people that are abandoning Christianity. Thinking is hard work, have fun and enjoy the challenge and expansion of your horizons with the Deists! Ex-Minister considers them friends perhaps you should as well! PS: Look for additional Deist contributions to this website.

Brian Worley   Ex-Minister.org     April 5, 2010    All rights reserved

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