Wednesday, February 19, 2003

A Quick Note and a Request My mother has become suddenly ill and is in the hospital. She is not facing death, but her illness is severe and will probably affect the kind of life she lives from now on. I'm leaving this afternoon and traveling 7 hours across the state to be with my parents. I'll stay a couple of days. I will not be posting anything until the weekend and my email will likely go unanswered for a time as well. Some of you are praying people. I've come to understand the comfort that comes from knowing friends will stop their lives for a moment and voice their hope and desire to God, however they understand her. If this is your style, prayers for my mother would be appreciated. Love, Preacher 1:00:10 PM    Leave a Comment []

Follow-Up To Yesterday's Post Boy, I stirred the pot yesterday. I've gotten quite a few emails, and I've become the subject of discussion on some Christian chat groups. Not all were favorably dispossed to your's truly. Many people, mostly Christians, want to know how I interpret specific passages of scripture that seem to speak to the issue of homosexuality. It's an appropriate question for Christians to ask a minister. Very appropriate. Initially I thought I would respond to these requests by email, but there are too many. I did not go into detail about specific scriptures in yesterday's post because our selective legalism was the point of the piece. Many Christians want to hold homosexuals to a higher scriptural standard. We angrily demand explanations for a handful of passages while we blatantly abuse and ignore the most important messages of scripture. We burn scripture by the armload and then quibble over a few isolated verses. Let the one who is obeying God's word ask for explanations from others. BUT, for those of you who are interested, click here to read a rather lengthy discussion of the bible and homosexuality. In this piece I examine all 6 texts that are thought to deal with homosexuality. I'd like to make a prediction. I predict that many of you will be shocked and dismayed to learn just how scant and ambiguous is the scriptural witness to this subject. I predict many will wonder why Christians would go out of their way to condemn and reject PEOPLE on the basis of these few scriptures. Why indeed? In the glaring light of our own unfaithfulness to the greater call of scripture to justice, simplicity, and care for the downtrodden, our hypocrisy in this matter is particularly galling. You asked for me to openly discuss the scriptures. Good. Let’s get this out in the open. Let’s try this case in the court of public opinion. You do not have to be a biblical scholar or a Christian to follow my arguments. I want the people of the world to read what the bible says and does not say about homosexuality. You judge for yourself. - Click here to read   8:51:32 AM    Leave a Comment []

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