Thursday, August 31, 2006
Here we are in Toronto!
Jim and I arrived in Toronto last night. We're seeing the city today. Finalizing our wedding arrangements for tomorrow. By 3:00 tomorrow we'll be legally wedded spouses!
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Gay Pride brings on End Times!
Friends,
I kid you not! Agape Press, an online press service sponsored by Don Wildmon's right-wing Christian American Family Association is crediting a gay pride event in Jerusalem with triggering the current Israeli/Hezbollah conflict, Armageddon and the End of the World!
A little comic relief while I continue to study Bishop Whitaker's paper (see recent posts).
I kid you not! Agape Press, an online press service sponsored by Don Wildmon's right-wing Christian American Family Association is crediting a gay pride event in Jerusalem with triggering the current Israeli/Hezbollah conflict, Armageddon and the End of the World!
A little comic relief while I continue to study Bishop Whitaker's paper (see recent posts).
Friday, August 04, 2006
Did I Misunderstand Bishop Whitaker?
Friends,
I'm appreciative of reader comments. This comment from Jonathan merits some consideration:
Admittedly, Whitaker's writing is complex and not easily understood. However, it seems that the word "heterosexual" does not present the same problem for Whitaker as the words "homosexual," "gay" or "lesbian." Can it be that the Bishop can see heterosexuals as in the image of God, but there is something about gays and lesbians that gets in the way of Christians seeing God's image in their lesbian and gay sisters and brothers?
Bishop Whitaker writes a little later:
The Bishop states the problem clearly--the things that a married gay couple might do together in the privacy of their own home "are contrary to God's purposes for human beings," that is, according to the "traditional Christian view." And beginning from this "orthodox position" some Christians go on to express "hatred and fear." They do not "always remember that" gay people "are created in God's image." It seems that the word "heterosexual" doesn't present this problem, and so the Bishop does not suggest we eliminate the word "heterosexual" from our vocabulary.
The Bishop would like to eliminate the words "homosexual," "gay" and "lesbian" because he would like to dissect gay people into at least three pieces: 1) same-sex attraction, 2) same-sex erotic desire, 3) same-sex sexual acts. After dissecting these three parts, he'd like to get rid of a piece or two. The question the good Bishop does not address is whether the patient in this spiritual surgery is likely to survive the operation. I believe that there is ample testimony that many such a patient has died on the operating table. I'm not being all that metaphorical either, when one considers that gay and lesbian people have committed suicide because of the unbearable conflict between their lesbian and gay identity and their (or their family's) religious faith community.
Now, I am not saying the good Bishop is a bad man who wants to hurt people. Clearly he is not. But I believe the Bishop is misinformed about a thing or two. The Bishop knows that the church has been mistaken about a thing or two in its teaching in the past, and mistaken as well about what the Bible requires us to do. The Bishop knows that change is possible for the church too. I would hope that he will eventually see that the church needs to change its understanding of the Bible and church teachings about gay and lesbian persons.
I'm appreciative of reader comments. This comment from Jonathan merits some consideration:
I think you are misunderstanding Bishop Whitaker's comments. I think the bishop is saying that before we are homosexual or heterosexual, we are all made in God's image. The fact that we are all made in God's image and are God's beloved children is infinitely more important than whether we are homosexual or heterosexual. Bp. Whitaker in no way implies that homosexuals are not created in the image of God.
Admittedly, Whitaker's writing is complex and not easily understood. However, it seems that the word "heterosexual" does not present the same problem for Whitaker as the words "homosexual," "gay" or "lesbian." Can it be that the Bishop can see heterosexuals as in the image of God, but there is something about gays and lesbians that gets in the way of Christians seeing God's image in their lesbian and gay sisters and brothers?
Bishop Whitaker writes a little later:
The traditional Christian view is that turning same-sex attraction into an erotic desire and practicing sexual acts with a person of the same sex are contrary to God’s purposes for human beings. However, this orthodox view can be used as a religious sanction for loathing and fear of those who experience same-sex attraction. Christians should not use the orthodox position as a cover for hatred and fear. Nor should those who disagree with the orthodox view consider those who accept it as bigots or persons who oppose having friendships with homosexuals or the human rights of homosexuals. Christians should always remember that persons who experience same-sex attraction are created in God’s image and possess dignity and human rights.
The Bishop states the problem clearly--the things that a married gay couple might do together in the privacy of their own home "are contrary to God's purposes for human beings," that is, according to the "traditional Christian view." And beginning from this "orthodox position" some Christians go on to express "hatred and fear." They do not "always remember that" gay people "are created in God's image." It seems that the word "heterosexual" doesn't present this problem, and so the Bishop does not suggest we eliminate the word "heterosexual" from our vocabulary.
The Bishop would like to eliminate the words "homosexual," "gay" and "lesbian" because he would like to dissect gay people into at least three pieces: 1) same-sex attraction, 2) same-sex erotic desire, 3) same-sex sexual acts. After dissecting these three parts, he'd like to get rid of a piece or two. The question the good Bishop does not address is whether the patient in this spiritual surgery is likely to survive the operation. I believe that there is ample testimony that many such a patient has died on the operating table. I'm not being all that metaphorical either, when one considers that gay and lesbian people have committed suicide because of the unbearable conflict between their lesbian and gay identity and their (or their family's) religious faith community.
Now, I am not saying the good Bishop is a bad man who wants to hurt people. Clearly he is not. But I believe the Bishop is misinformed about a thing or two. The Bishop knows that the church has been mistaken about a thing or two in its teaching in the past, and mistaken as well about what the Bible requires us to do. The Bishop knows that change is possible for the church too. I would hope that he will eventually see that the church needs to change its understanding of the Bible and church teachings about gay and lesbian persons.
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