WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, today responded to the United Methodist Church’s decision to reaffirm homophobic language which says homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching and its failure to reverse a decision by the church’s Judicial Council to allow pastors to reject lesbian and gay people who seek membership in the church. The vote, which passed by a margin of only 84 votes out of more than 900 cast, reaffirmed discriminatory language in the Discipline of the United Methodist Church and failed to counteract an earlier decision by the denominations judicial body. The vote was taken on Wednesday, April 30, at the United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Separately, the church voted against anti-transgender legislation and voted to oppose "all forms of violence or discrimination based on gender, gender identity, sexual practice or sexual orientation." --- Part of press release by Human Rights Campaign, May 5, 2008
It's a mystery that has been around now for a few decades. Here are some of the elements ----
How is it that those who practice sodomy and lesbianism (and heterosexuals who support their agenda) speak in glowing terms regarding those who agree with them? But those who object to the practices of sodomy and lesbianism on moral grounds are automatically tagged as persons who are hateful and afflicted with bigotry and homophobia?
How is it that those involved in promoting the sodomite/lesbian agenda can quote Bible verses and such referencing of Scripture is considered a tactic that is quite acceptable? But those who object to sodomy and lesbianism are not permitted to refer to the Scriptures. If they do, they are guilty of using "clobber" references and the unpardonable sin of using "proof texts!"
How is it that within the church there are voices which say that God is giving us "new revelation" on human sexuality and sodomy and lesbianism as practiced within committed monogamous relationships are just as legitimate as marriage between a male and a female? This seems to get quite a chorus of amens. But those who insist that God's revelation is complete with a volume of information made up of 66 books which conclude with the book of The Revelation are considered to be a bunch of narrow-minded Bible idolaters!
How is it that there are those who speak of ALL being welcome at the Table (where the symbolical elements of the Lord's Supper are being served) with little or no emphasis on repentance from sin? This is considered a great thing because we are ALL regarded as being children of God. But those who stress the need to repent from all sin, including sexual sin, before partaking of those symbolical elements representing the body and shed blood of our Lord Jesus are considered mean-spirited, judgmental and even un-Christian!
Can you answer this mystery for me along with one final question -- if I had to repent of my sexual sins (which I will not detail here), then why does a person practicing the sexual sin of sodomy or one practicing the sexual sin of lesbianism not have to repent?
The response from some will be that these are not sins under certain conditions -- OK, then where and when did Almighty God give His approval? Please limit your response to books, chapters and verses only!
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. --- 1 John 3:4-10
2 comments:
I don't get it either. I truly don't. I read part of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship this morning as part of my devotional time. Do people count the cost?
Actually, much of what goes on within the church -- whether locally or in the big "official" gatherings such as annual conference and the General Conference comes down to how the Scriptures are viewed by the persons involved. That will range from the Scriptures being of divine origin to simply some writings of human origin only -- well, maybe God helped a little bit here and there! So the battle rages fiercely at times on application. No where is it more evident than on the subject of sexual morality and where the boundary lines are drawn!
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