Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Always "Other"

So, last night, I was registering for The Country Music Marathon, and it came time to select my occupation from a drop down list of options. Was "Clergy" listed? Of course not. When I took a moment to think about it, I don't think a clergy-esque option has ever been available. What's up with that? Do ministers/pastors/christian educators/missionaries not warrant our own option on drop down lists? Why do they oppress my people?

Any thoughts?

10 comments:

Andy James said...

Every now and then -- usually on a really long list -- I find a clergy option. Sometimes there is a non-profit organization possibility, and that is pretty close.

I don't know how many of us there are out there, though... if the PCUSA has 21,312 ministers, and clergy are 1% of our members, that would mean that on average maybe less than 1% of the population is clergy. So maybe a max of 3 million clergy in the USA... is that enough to warrant a special category? In most cases I'd say probably not.

I think the real issue is that a lot of things that have online signup don't really expect that they will have many clergy attending. I guess the newest generation of clergy will have to keep changing attitudes about what we do in our off time!

(Sorry for rambling....) :-)

Anonymous said...

country music marathon?

Anonymous said...

I know what you mean. I was signing up for the Swim Around The Globe (SATG) that starts in June from the Statue of Liberty and ends at the Venice (CA) pier, and did they have professional dog walker listed as an occupation? No, they did not! The nerve of some people to think that those of us without a "normal job" don't really count just makes me sick. And I don't mean sick in a metaphoric way. I mean I just threw up in my trashcan just now. And it really stinks. I forgot I ate that for dinner last night. Maybe I should take out the trash now. Hold on. Ok, I'm back. It smells better now. Uh-oh. I just threw up again. Hold on. Ok, just had to wash my face. It was one of those vomits that comes out your nose. Now my nasal passages are buring. I heard that milk takes the burn away. Hold on. No. Don't try to drink milk through your nose. One, it doesn't work very well, and two, it burns also. I swear, if I could remember why I started typing all this...

Alan Bancroft said...

well, it looks like anonymous is mocking me, and that's OK, except for the lack of a name. seriously, how hard is it to sign a name people. You may be a great friend of mine, and I want the opportunity to harass you back the next time I see you. Or, you're a random stranger and you display cowardice by not signing your name. So, there's that.

Yes, a half marathon. I just want to say that I did it.

Andy, you oppress my people. :)

Anonymous said...

A name by any other name would still smell as sweet. Or something like that! Hold on, I think I'm going to throw up again.

Nate

mark said...

yo andy..and if the SBC alone has 40,000 churches (and many of those are multi-staff), yeah, there should be a category for ministers..

shall we begin claiming our place as marginalized on the edge of society and develop a "ministerial theology?" (of course Ill wait a little bit and get the postministerial movement going)

peace

mark

Jerilyn Whitsitt said...

ok, so I can't get past the fact that you're running a half marathon... that's a lot of miles. AND it's called The Country Music Marathon - that cracks me up. Do you have to listen to country music to get to run? Maybe name your top five country artists on your registration? Perhaps they'll have speakers piping out country music every quarter mile, to keep you going... or would that slow you down because of the depressing lyrics?

Alan Bancroft said...

Jerilyn-there actually are bands playing all along the route. I'm not sure that they're all country, but many of them probably will be. Then, that night, we all get a ticket to see Sara Evans. Thankfully you don't have like country music to register, or else I'd be up the proverbial creek without a paddle.

On a totally unrelated note, I love it that my most random posts elicit the most feeback. :)

Anonymous said...

oh, running. so, i had some horrific event in mind, like 24 hours straight of listening to country music - that would make me die inside. congratulations on your race!

Craig said...

alan,

I am sure that there was a catagory available for clergy. I think you probably missed it. Now-a-days, thanks to the popularity of the Megachurch movement, the clergy catagory has been replaced by 'Rock Star(ecclesial).' So in the future, look for that.