My church is close to splitting, and it makes me sad!

[MadelynIris]

But since heteros can't seem to control their urges (you know, "hormones" and all),

LOL! Can you imagine the wrath if I were to say "But since homos can't seem to control their urges (you know, "hormones" and all)....

They'd call the FBI for hate crimes...

 

[melon]

LOL! Can you imagine the wrath if I were to say "But since homos can't seem to control their urges (you know, "hormones" and all)....

They'd call the FBI for hate crimes...

That was the joke. I'm glad you got it.

Melon

 

[BostonAnne]

I think this is the story of our country and churches throughout.

If the conservatives want to split off and form their own church, so be it. You don't need their dead weight anyway.

Melon

From reading the story, it appears that Churches of other countries are siding with "conservatives" on this. So the "liberal" US & Canada are a worldwide minority. Is that right?

If that it correct - the "liberals" are being asked to go off and form their own church.

Dreadsox, I'm sad about this too. Where is the love?

I've read the battles back and forth regarding scriptures and homosexuality. I don't usually put in my 2 cents, but perhaps I need a good rant since the thought that people believe that another of God's people should be excluded really makes my blood boil. I believe that using scripture to alienate people is plain wrong. I would much prefer to believe the way Bono and my Church teaches. God loves you - what's the problem? There's no them, only us. It's so clear to me that this is the way God wants us to see things. To follow the scripture to a "t" on this is acting in a unloving way. How can you "love they neighbor" and also exclude them? Or in the instance of Dreadsox's church ask them to leave?

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I've read the battles back and forth regarding scriptures and homosexuality. I don't usually put in my 2 cents, but perhaps I need a good rant since the thought that people believe that another of God's people should be excluded really makes my blood boil. I believe that using scripture to alienate people is plain wrong. I would much prefer to believe the way Bono and my Church teaches. God loves you - what's the problem? There's no them, only us. It's so clear to me that this is the way God wants us to see things. To follow the scripture to a "t" on this is acting in a unloving way. How can you "love they neighbor" and also exclude them? Or in the instance of Dreadsox's church ask them to leave?

.

Couldn't agree with you more.

Angela

 

[melon]

If that it correct - the "liberals" are being asked to go off and form their own church.

They already have their own church. The Episcopal Church is its own church. This isn't Catholicism and the Archbishop of Canterbury has no authority over the North American church at all.

The U.S. and Canada could, theoretically speaking, tell the Anglican Communion to "fuck off" and there's really nothing they could do about it, except piss and moan like they're doing now.

Melon

 

[nbcrusader]

I've read the battles back and forth regarding scriptures and homosexuality. I don't usually put in my 2 cents, but perhaps I need a good rant since the thought that people believe that another of God's people should be excluded really makes my blood boil. I believe that using scripture to alienate people is plain wrong. I would much prefer to believe the way Bono and my Church teaches. God loves you - what's the problem? There's no them, only us. It's so clear to me that this is the way God wants us to see things. To follow the scripture to a "t" on this is acting in a unloving way. How can you "love they neighbor" and also exclude them? Or in the instance of Dreadsox's church ask them to leave?

This is the element frequently ignored in discussion of Scripture. Usually, we debate what it says. Personally, I don't believe we can change that. The more important issue is how you respond.

If we rejected people because of their sin, we would live alone and end up rejecting ourselves.

 

[angel_of_L.A.]

For example, I wonder if your average western Roman Catholic knows that in Africa, Catholic priests have always been allowed to marry? For some reason, the Church has kept this fact hush-hush, even as they seek to crack down ever more harshly on "liberal" demands that priest be allowed to marry.

I'm Catholic and I knew that. They are also allowed to marry in Latin America.

I feel that that we are reverting back to the ages of the 16th and 17th centuries, the religious wars we today scoff at--"how many angles can dance o the head of a pin? as we say. Are we any better, when there are REALLY important things going on in the world?

I believe that fighting the AIDS pandemic in developing countries today is REALLY important and furthermore, that it is just as important, if not more so than something that happened in the Middle Ages because it is happening right now and we can all do something about it.

The worst part is, this Catholic thing about priests not being able to mary isn't even from the Boble, nor from the time of the Apostles. It only dates back to the Middle Ages. I wonder how many Catholics are taught that either?

I learned that in my religion class during my junior year of high school at Saint Mary's Academy. SMA also has a History/Women's Studies class titled, "Women and The Church."

Originally posted by BostonAnne
I've read the battles back and forth regarding scriptures and homosexuality. I don't usually put in my 2 cents, but perhaps I need a good rant since the thought that people believe that another of God's people should be excluded really makes my blood boil. I believe that using scripture to alienate people is plain wrong. I would much prefer to believe the way Bono and my Church teaches. God loves you - what's the problem? There's no them, only us. It's so clear to me that this is the way God wants us to see things. To follow the scripture to a "t" on this is acting in a unloving way. How can you "love they neighbor" and also exclude them? Or in the instance of Dreadsox's church ask them to leave?

I couldn't agree with you more.

Originally posted by nbcrusader
If we rejected people because of their sin, we would live alone and end up rejecting ourselves.

Very true. We'd end up stubborn and alone.

 

[dazzledbylight]

missed all this....

on the money Dread, Melon & BVS [i was just thinking the same thing as I read that post about switching it to a racial comment, then I saw yours].

But I'm sorry Dread that you're church is experiencing this...i have been folowing it abit...... I think because if i was to become a Christian again at some later point [tho w my spritual thinking and reading of the past 20 years etc i don't expect to]...I might want to join St John the Divine-- the major home of a very ecummenical Episcopalian church in NYC. ANd i've been told Episcopalian in America is very close to Anglican in England. The biggest Gothic Cathedral in the world. They do very wonderful things.