Ms Gledhill admirably pressed him on what the nature of the threats were. At first he said he could not talk about them, given counsel he had received from "the security people" that he works with. (Interesting he did not mention the police--why would he not have involved them if there were real threats to his person?). But then he just couldn't help himself, and went on to talk about messages just left on his home phone from British callers that he apparently interprets as threats, suggesting that they were prompted by newspaper articles in Britain about him. He could not pass up the opportunity to again portray himself as victim (and not-so-subtly adding the British press to his growing list of persecutors). Want to bet we'll never hear of any arrests, despite the ease with which such calls can be traced?

It's a good thing that Gene Robinson keeps talking about himself (and talking, and talking, and talking, and talking . . . .). In doing so he makes it ever more apparent that this is a fellow with some serious problems of self-image, a seriously inflated need to be the center of attention, a serious neediness for the affirmation of others, and a seriously weird absorption with himself. Whether this is a result of his choice to move from bisexuality to homosexuality, or his recurring alcoholism, or his genetic predisposition, or his tragically odd upbringing is hardly relevant. Someone with this distorted a personality and outlook has no business being a priest or bishop.

There are some wonderful Gene comments in the interview.

The Christian life teaches “there are things worse than death.” No. God has conquered death and demonstrated this fact in the resurrection of Christ. But that presupposes one believes in the resurrection.

He also suggests everyone should be at Lambeth not to come to an “agreement” but to learn to “respect” each other. Christian unity is not based on respect for other people - it’s based on belief in Christ and core doctrines (the Nicene Creed for example).

The British Police are the people to contact if he feels his life is under threat. They will advise him on whether he should attend given his perception of the risk and on the kind of security measures he needs to take or that they will offer (if any). They will also be good judges of the kind of threat (if any) that he faces.

His claims would be more believable if he did the reasonable thing and informed the relevant authorities instead of talking about them to any willing newspaper journalist within two thousand miles.

Making threats of violence is a criminal offence in England and the Bishop would be wise, if he really believes he is threatened, to involve the Police at the earliest stage.

I look forward to hearing Bishop Robinson speaking about the response from the British Police.

Bishop ROBINSON: I don’t remember a time in my life when God seemed any more present, almost palpably close. Prayer has almost seemed redundant to me because God has seemed so close during all of this. It will surprise both conservatives and liberals how orthodox I am.
Different interview.

.... breaking my non-posting vow .... a truly
bazarre person among the similarly bazarre…
what a way to have a church!

Rowan Williams, whatever his views about homosexuality, must be shaking his head in amazement that this guy is the reason the whole Anglican Communion is about to shatter.

One needs to be careful when selecting the Poster Child for one’s cause.  One with the massive and distorted ego of a VGR might have you wincing now and then—and wishing he’d stick to the script.  Or maybe this is the script?

I know at least one college philosophy professor (who has written not-very-controversial popular level books) who received enough threatening calls that he unlisted his phone number.  It sadly does not take much public attention to receive death threats or other threatening communications, although most of those would probably not represent credible dangers.  It is apparently something that any public figure of even middling prominence must face and learn to deal with.  And the fact that he claims exactly two bits of threatening correspondence during a week of nearly daily news appearances makes it sound like they are the normal background buzz that a controversial person would receive, without there being some vast conspiracy of hate or a specifically conservative homophobic pathology. 

So in one way I do not doubt that +Robinson has received some threats, although I would be surprised if they generally surpassed the garden variety level.  Heck, I’ll bet +Iker and +Duncan have received their fair share of death threats without feeling the need to call foul over them in every public interview.  I would bet that a survey of the number and quality of threats received by bishops would have some surprising results.

The person is sick… It has behavior that speaks volumes.
No further comment necessary.

1, texex, I fail to see your first point.  How does the resurrection undermine the idea that there are things worse than death?  I think the resurrection bolsters that idea.

Whenever I read that someone like Robinson has received threats, I am always reminded of one of my favourite NT Wright quotes from this article:

Now, it seems, the fuss has itself become news. The Church Times carried an article (13 April 2007, p. 5) describing how Dr John has received abusive hate mail (well, we all get that)…

Remember that line next time…

I agree—I don’t want VGR silenced, on the contrary I want him to talk as much as possible.  I can’t believe even a liberal could listen to his ceaseless maundering without eventually beginning to suspect that this man is no selfless martyr but rather a self-absorbed, self-congratulatory, megalomaniac narcissist. 

But whether the liberals do or not, the general public will certainly start to get the picture.  Look how Rosie O’Donnell fell from grace.  Once a highly influential celebrity, thanks to her continuous mouthing off she now looks like a shallow, immature dweeb.

In the context of these supposed threats let’s recall the threats faced day by day by Christians in areas where they are a minority.  Hardly a week goes by without hearing about attacks on Christian communities by Muslims or Hindus.  In this light, Gene appears even more pathetic.

Delusional! Utterly delusional! Yes! Keep talking Gene....you are shedding much light on who you really are! I am truly embarrassed for him!

My son at age 3, in the middle of a house full of family, plopped face down in the middle of the floor and threw a foot-kicking screaming tantrum.  There was no apparent reason for this.

My wife calmly asked him why he was so upset.  He looked up and said “Cause no one was payn’ no ‘tenshun to me. 

The parallels are amazing!!!

The truly sad thing about +VGR has more to do with Anglicans of all stripes in that we give him the attention he craves. Even those who purport to be sick of the whole gay bishop thingy feast on his words and actions. “Will no one rid us of the troublesome priest.”

Ms Gledhill admirably pressed him on what the nature of the threats were. The top ten were:
10. He would have to fly tourist.
9. The airliner’s use of “Her Majesty” would not refer to him.
8. The use of “Her Majesty” throughout the Isles would not refer to him.
7. He would be reduced to bar scotch.
6. He would have to sit next to Bishop Iker, and Bishop Akinola would have the seat in back.
5. His spouse would not get to wear the hat he bought said spouse for the garden party, with the other “Her Majesty.”
4. That “celebrate” would mean Holy Communion NOT disco music and “Xanadu” costumes,and certainly no Andy Gibb impressions.
3. That he would not be given a tour of the dungeon area of the Tower of London.
2. That Sarah Hey would arm wrestle him for his bishopric.
and finally,
1. That he will not be given an audience with the true “Her Majesty of England,” Sir Elton John…

Fr. Van [14], your use of Henry II’s reported line about Thomas Becket will now undoubtedly be cataloged as yet another threat (as we all know what happened to Becket), and further justification for why Gene Robinson simply must have his civil union for protection (although not until just before Lambeth, of course).  You are merely encouraging him, and he hardly needs that.

You are correct RomeAnglican, now there are 11 top threats. My apologies (red face here)....

OOOPS! After my post to you there are 12...Golly he was correct, threats against him are mounting...Yikes! That was 13!

Oh dear, I just read this on AOL...Someone is going to feel threatened:"I am the most well-known homosexual in the world.”
-- Elton John

#15, Your #6 is more threatening to Bishop Iker I think. Could you imagine the conversation? Like I said I think it would be far more threatening to our bishop.

On NBC Today May, 8, 2008, +VGR again spoke of death threats, particularly associated with Lambeth.  That’s part of why he wants a June marriage, so his partner can get benefits if something happens when he goes to hang around Lambeth.  The Video is not posted yet on MSNBC but I’m sure it will be soon.

For those of you who would like to see Ruth Gledhill’s interview and make up your own minds, here is the link to the YouTube site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLDAAvIFR5U&feature=related

#22.....What and listen to more “Me, me, me me, me, people are threatening me, me, me, me, me, me, I just want to be a simple country bishop, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, I wonder what colors are going to in in June, me, me, me, me, me, me, etc...”
No Thanks

When Vivky Gene was elected Bishop, he asked people of the Diocese to donate their grandmother’s gold rings, their wedding rings, their father’s gold watches, in other words, anything gold to make his pectoral cross.  I was at the meeting where he showed off said cross.  The syncophants fawningly surrounded him as he held it out from his chest.  All I could think of was when Jesus was twelve and went to the temple.  When his parents chastised him, he said “I must be about my father’s busines”.  As I watched one more “look at me Vicky Gene show” I wondered how he could construe extorting gold from parishioners so he would have lots of bling to flash His father’s business?  “self serving narcissist is something I’ve called him for years.  He’s not even a nice person.  BTW when he was interviewing for the job, he said every bishop should have a good therapist.  Clearly, he doesn’t have one or he would have made some positive changes in all these years.

#24 no longer NH Episcopalian,
Your pst reminds of this story in Exodus:

Exodus 32:1-7
When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” [2] So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” [3] So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. [4] And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” [5] When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” [6] And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.
[7] And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.