The Bishop asked us to do two things: first, not to speak out against the resolution and secondly, to vote for it even if we didn't want to realign. His reasoning was that a strong majority vote would provide an impetus for the Presiding Bishop's office to negotiate with him, especially over issues of property.
Even though the group was prepared to issue a statement before the vote, stating our opposition to it, when the Bishop's request was taken back to the group we decided to honor the request. None of us spoke out against the resolution to realign, either before or during convention, and I assume that some in the group voted for it as well.
I wonder how many of our clergy got the same "pep talk". I really have a very difficult time with this kind of twisted, insidious, underhanded logic. We do not engage in political campaigns (though it may seem that way at times), this is not a work setting where we are out to get to the top as quickly as we can and this is surely not some game where the winner gets to take home a new Chevrolet.
Why would a Bishop not ask other clergy to simply pray about the decision and then vote your conscientious? Bishop Duncan is asking those who cannot truck his "realignment" to lie. Plain and simple, please lie for me because I am your bishop and you owe me?*! Because "we can out maneuver the Residing Bishop? And what about the clergy that elected to do that? Do you suppose they felt like they needed a shower after the vote? How dare you play with the lives and the souls of those in your charge! What would possess a clergy member to do this? I truly hope that at least in the Diocese of San Joaquin none of this "nonsense" happened. Isn't there something in the scripture that WE ALL read that says something like, thou shalt not lie? Interesting way the Bishop in the diocese of Pittsburg works his pastoral flock.
