22.8.09
the oldest cat lived 36 years
something that seems to be brought back again after i decided to avoid a decsion: "Lutherans To Allow Sexually Active Gays As Clergy http://su.pr/2mOzQY". it's very frustrating because i know how i feel, but my feelings have been "wrong" my whole life. i feel like He keeps forcing me to meditate on this topic, but i continue to ask the wrong questions. and then He throws the whole thing in my face again. where i'm at is this: are we making judgements based on scripture, or what God says? there is no way to unhear something you have been told for years.
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Our job as Christians is not to make judgements. Our job is to be both healing and refreshing to our world. In fact scripture tells us not to judge or we will be judged accordingly.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time, if we believe that the Bible was written by God and not merely human vessels as some have argued, why do we try to twist God's words to fit our cultural or personal beliefs? Shouldn't we read God's word and allow it to shape us and our beliefs?
I agree with you that the treatment of the gay and lesbian community by the church has been atrocious, but that doesn't mean that as Christians we water down the Bible's clear stance on homosexual relations. We love people first and if and when given the opportunity we speak truth to them. To do only one of these is to rob people of respect and freedom.
so replace "judgement" with "decisions". we deffinatly need to make calls on what it looks like to be a christian in our society. i agreee that we should not be judging "non-christians". i do, however, take into context that God does call us to call out "christians" when they are doing/saying something we do not feel follows Jesus's teachings.
ReplyDeletei believe the bible was written by God through humans that where speaking for God WITH perspective of who they were writing to in mind. i do not think it's twisting God's word to take what we read and interprate it into our own lives. non of the scriptures were literally written to us. they may have been meant for us by God, but the person writing them did not know us or our society. i know God does not change, but the context in which God is does. the bible was also put to together by a group of men that had aggendas and it was translated by people who made "descions/judgments" on what words to use instead of the words that where given. so yes, we should read the bible and allow it to shape our beliefs, but that should be in the context of today, while leaving it as an open discussion with all believers. whether we agree with there beliefs or not.
with that in mind, don't you think we owe it to the gay/lesbian community (espacially the ones that claim the same God as us) to hear them out and have this discussion? every part of the bible i have read that seems to be clear on homosexuality, also seems to be speaking to a very different sittuation. i agree, that you should, absolutly, give your opinion and beliefs on the matter when given the opportunity.
I absolutely agree with you that we should hear out the GLT community no question about it. I am actually in the process of reaching out to this particular community on the UNF campus with a message of God's love for them, and also a message of apology for the church universal for our treatment of them. Many Christians have treated this community in atrocious ways.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time, I am not comfortable in saying that the scriptures in the Bible that clearly address the issue of homosexual relations are irrelevant to our modern culture. Homosexuality is not a new issue. There were homosexuals in Paul's day. That's why he addresses the issue. In 1 Cor. 6, Paul talks to the Corinthian church about this very issue. He clearly states that those who practice homosexual relations will not inherit the kingdom of God. Then, in verse 11 he says, "of whom some of you were" before coming to Christ. This means that some in the Corinthian church were homosexuals before becoming Christ followers. Paul knew what he was talking about when he wrote about this issue.
I agree with you that as Christians we make calls for what it means to live a Christian life. But we don't make these calls based on our own ideas or opinions. We allow God's word to instruct us on how we should live. As Christians we choose to surrender our lives to follow after God, regardless of how convenient or inconvenient that may be.
If I can ask you a question, you said that every scripture that speaks about this issue is speaking to a very different situation. Can you please explain what you mean?