Posts
Here is my occasional "gay post" dealing with the topics of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Philadelphia 5 (down from 11, which I wrote about).
Dr. Albert Mohler gives his thoughts on the report on human sexuality conducted by an official task force of the ELCA. Dr. Tony Beam, the director of the Christian Worldview Center here at my alma mater and employer gives his thoughts on the Christian protesters in Philadelphia.
I can't help but agree with Dr. Mohler that the advice given by the task force to the ELCA will do nothing to help the divide in the church and will in fact make matters worse by recommending the church try to appease both sides by doing nothing.
My regular reader Louis, who disagrees with me on almost everything in regards to gay issues will probably agree with me on this statement. The task force should have recommended some type of action.
Instead they try to straddle both sides of the road. The task force stated that the denomination has no legislated policy and the task force "declines to recommend any change." They basically told local churches to figure it out themselves. While a lot can (and should) be said in support of local autonomy, there are instances when a denomination needs to establish the beliefs to which it adheres.
Here is my view on the matter. Christians must "preach the truth in love." There are few people how have successfully struck this balance.
Many Christians relish preaching "the truth." They enjoy going to gay pride events and screaming at those in attendance that they are going to hell. They seem to enjoy telling a gay person how much of a sinner they are. They wear it as a badge of honor that they go out and confront gay people, making them uncomfortable or even angry.
Still others are obsessed with "loving" everyone. They will never say anything offensive because they do not want to "push" someone away. They explain away every reference to sin and hell in the Bible and focus on "God is love" forgetting that "God is holy." Their badge of honor is that no one every feels uncomfortable when they are around.
Both approaches are wrong and they hinder God's Kingdom. We must hold to the inerrancy and infaillibility of Scripture, which teaches that God is holy and God is love. He can not tolerate sin of any kind, but in His love He made a way for us to escape the punishment that sin brings.
I believe any sexual activity outside of one man and one woman in marriage is a sin, just as I believe telling a "little white lie" is a sin. No different, both separate you from God. I believe there are Christians who are gay, just as there are Christians who lie.
Christians must do a better job of "preaching the truth in love." We must balance the two. It can be done, I know One who did.
Leaders in hell, an Obama joke
2 days ago
12 comments:
Such a fine line to walk. The truth needs to be shared in love. Too often, I think that we try to share the good news with those who hardly know us. Is it the method that is wrong? Befriend first and then share God's gift - might be a better way...
You raise a good point, which I may post about eventually. Relationship oriented witnessing vs. intentional stranger witnessing. I do find if you can form a relationship with someone and you have a mutual understanding that it is easier to bring up touchy subjects, but sometimes the hardest people in the world to talk to are our close family and friends.
All that being said, I think the time and has come and gone for street corner preaching. I think in today's world it does more harm than good.
The methods are not holy, only the message of the Gospel. The truth can not and should not be hidden or changed, but the way we communicate it can and should adapt to the culture around us.
And because of this I am no longer a Christian. Happy?
btw: I find you and your blog way, way too far-out right-wing and christo-fanatic for me. I think you have a good heart, but I can no longer just sit here a read your ignorance and malice. I will, therefore, delete your site from my bookmarks and no longer visit. Perhaps we will cross swords at Josh's site.
In a way, I'm glad you started this blog. Now I know exactly where you stand.
btw - I won't be participating at Josh's blog anymore so this is good-bye.
I'm sorry you feel that way Louis. I don't think I have said anything here on this blog that I didn't say on Josh's. I have enjoyed our conversations and I will miss them if you do indeed decide not to talk again.
We have very different ideas on some things, but we have a lot in common. We are very passionate about what we love. I hope I get to "cross swords" with you again. I would much rather beat the swords into plows and bury any axes. I realize my opinion is not the same as yours, but I have always enjoyed talking with you. I hope you will reconsider.
I'm sorry Aaron, but that's not good enough. I know I swore to quit your blog, but I have one more thing to say.
When you declare that "Scripture" is literally true and inerrent regarding gay people I am further alienated. I recall its call for homosexual people to be executed and excluded from the Kingdom of God. That is what you espouse. I can't convey to you just how damaging this is to gay people, how evil its consequences. As far as I'm concerned, your religion is evil and your god a demon.
It's hard to convey just how painful this is. I thought I had found a home in christianity, but now realize it was a pipe dream all along. Christianity is a heterosexual religion, of, by, and for straights (like yourself), and gay people have no more a place in it than jews did in the Nazi party.
I have to get away from christianism - it's just too toxic for me. As such, it's impossible to continue any sort of dialog with you and Josh and the rest.
Sorry about this, but truth is more important than manners.
I understand Louis. I have enjoyed our conversations, but if you feel it is necessary for you to leave then you do what you need to do. I would add that moving a passage from the Old Testament about people being executed for a sin does not automatically translate into New Testament thinking.
I pray that you continue to seek God by whatever means you see fit. God said if you seek Him, you will find Him. So I believe if you continue to seek God, He will reveal His Truth to you. I only pray that you can find the same joy and fulfillment from a relationship with God that I have. That is my reason for preaching Christ so that everyone else can experience the peace and purpose that comes from that relationship.
Again, I hope you reconsider but I will continue to pray for you and have valued our conversations.
I may be back eventually. I just have to step back and get all this christianist homophobia out of my system (kind of like colon irrigation).
Some advice in the meantime: Quit posting stuff about gays. It merely shows up your ignorance and hubris regarding gay people and our issues. And it hurts your cause. In fact, here's a challenge (for all christianists): show some humility, stop pontificating about gay people; quit judging us according to your heterosexual standards; admit that you don't know everything about life and God's purposes for a change (and recognize that the Bible isn't the end all and be all of existence); don't assume you have the exclusive monopoly on Truth; and, most of all, just SHUT UP and listen for once.
Aaron,
Huh. I liked what Louis initially had to say but as time went on he kinda spiraled downward. I have an uncle who is gay. It is so hard for us his family because we love him and do not scorn him but also don't give him our stamp of approval on what he is doing. He has excommunicated the whole family in much the same was Louis did over time. I am the only one left who my uncle will still talk to. It breaks my heart. Good thing God can do all things! He can even turn dry, dead bones into living things.
"recognize that the Bible isn't the end all and be all of existence"
That saddens me... if not the Bible, then what do we have left that IS the "be all"? Our own understanding? That terrifies me.
Keep up the good work ultram mexico
Cool blog, interesting information... Keep it UP »
Post a Comment