The Stream:
Grace and truth cannot be separated without doing immeasurable harm to one or the other.
No sooner had the Nashville Statement on biblical sexuality been issued than we began to hear a common refrain from the left. “This is another sign that the religious right is dying! This statement represents the last gasp of the old, antiquated guard! It’s time to say good bye and good riddance! Let’s welcome the new thing the Spirit is doing!”
In fact, it’s the religious left that is dying. Those who uphold Scripture are seeing blessing and increase around the globe. Before I back up this statement, here’s what some “progressive” Christian leaders are saying.
Writing for the Huffington Post, seminary professor Greg Lancaster sniffs, “Their public audience shrinking, their public presence waning, and their credibility shot to hell, the Christian right needs attention.”
His article is titled, “The Nashville Statement and the Decline of the Religious Right.” He concludes with this salvo:
In the end we’re stuck with a meaningless document. It adds nothing to the conversation that hasn’t been said. If anything, its fake compassion increases the agony of LGBT Christians. All that’s accomplished by this document is a little press for the religious leaders who signed it, a whiff of air time for the disenfranchised. The Statement underscores the obvious: in the age of Trump, the Christian Right has lost its moral authority. These guys — they’re almost all men — may be have a spiffy website, but nobody’s listening.
Pastor John Pavlovitz is a frequent critic of conservative evangelicals. He recasts the Nashville Statement in his own words. He claims that the framers of the Nashville Statement are really saying, “We’ve chosen to wage cheap war on innocent and vulnerable people [homosexuals] in order to feel mighty again.” (Quick note to Pastor Pavlovitz: Do you really believe this?)
This is how he rewrites the statement’s Preamble: more here
As if it matters an iota what any man thinks! The Bible is either infallible truth or it is completely worthless…I go with the former.
There’s never been a war on fags (except by the musselmen and socialists).
Humans just don’t have any desire to countenance perversion.
Do whatever you like, the soul that is damned is yours – just leave me out of it – completely out of it – no proselytizing, no acquiescence, no financial support – neither of my children.
Other than that, have at it! Lick the shit of each others’ dicks – sniff each others’ assholes – whatever trips your trigger.
Leave the kids out of it. PERIOD.
izlamo delenda est …
Ditto everything Tim just said.
In answer to the question, “Can you be gay and Christian?” I always say that regardless of anyone’s personal inclinations or feelings about gays, the fact remains that homosexual acts are specifically and unequivocally stated to be sinful.
If you’re attracted to your own sex, there may or may not be anything you can do about that (I’m not arguing this point here). But you *do* have control over your behavior, and it’s acting on the temptation which leads to sin.
We all have temptations to sin. Whether the sin is theft, adultery, homosexuality, or even murder – we are all tested by temptation, often tested daily. It’s our inability to resist the temptation that causes us to sin.
So what if you’re gay? How is that any different from if I were to see an attractive woman? I’m a married man. For me to have sex with that woman is a sin, just as for a gay man to have sex with another man is a sin.
Having the inclination or the desire to engage in a sinful act is human. To make the choice to avoid the sin is what we as Christian strive for.
Therefore, the question “Can you be gay and Christian?” is just as ridiculous as the question “Can you be hetero and Christian?”.
You can be Christian if you resist the sin, whatever it may be. And if you fall, well, none of us are perfect. We all fall. Christ forgives us our failings, with the knowledge that we must be sincerely repentful.
But this is not a ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ card. Any sinner, gays included, who CHOOSE to continue sinning, are obviously not truly repentful. A gay can be the most caring, generous, loving, and giving person around – but if he chooses to commit sin, over and over, he won’t be forgiven. When judgement comes, he’ll be found wanting.
Just as I would be were I a serial adulterer, or thief, or murderer, and any other sin I might commit.
The Left has no religion.
Its a wonder they’re not all anointing themselves with grease, and throwing each other into volcanoes
Very well elucidated, harbqll. I’ve long said the same thing in fewer words, though less clearly. God said, essentially, “Do this; don’t do that.” He did not say, “Feel this, do not feel that.”
Enough detail there, Tim! I agree with you though, that people need to mind their OWN business, and the Gaystapo is way out of control. Nothing will satisfy them-not tolerance, or even acceptance. They want you down in the same hole they’re in, digging to ever lower depravity. I say, ‘fuck no’.
“Religious left” is an oxymoron. Unless you mean witchcraft is a religion.
But, but, Pastor Joel “screw you Harvey refugees” Osteen says God loves everybody whether they be weirdos or not.
http://www.wnd.com/2013/10/joel-osteen-god-approves-of-homosexuals/
Who are we to argue with someone so blessed by the Creator? Surely he must be doing the Lord’s work.
😉
They changed the law here, and there is no expiary date on sexual assault accusations here on island now. So far, it’s about 100 or so cases against almost 20 catholic church leaders.
The number grows every week.
Is it okay to say “I’m praying for you all?”
The most important thing about faith is that it is a personal thing that can’t not be done to or for others. Each of us must come to our our own resolution to believe or not…statements by the larger Christian community seek to explain and lift up common interpretations of the Scriptures – which have been fought over since they were written.
Sadly politics and personal ambition and preference do enter into it and I understand people who feel put off by it. The left and right tries to stack the deck with truth somewhere in the middle. The erosion of the American church has been gradual since the first influences of Darwinism in academia in the 1850’s.
Trust is at stake. God bless everyone.
Everyone usually agrees that all of the other sins are sins but exclude homosexuality, which, I think, makes it more dangerous. You KNOW when you are committing adultery that it is wrong, but are told that homo sex is just fine. It’s a trap.
One of the main reasons for attending church is to be inspired to change course when you’re headed in the wrong direction. If you go to church and are told to continue the course, why go to church?
I don’t want a raging heterosexual nor homosexual in my pulpit!