Posted on 12/01/2004 1:25:22 PM PST by mandingo republican
U.S. EPISCOPAL CHURCH LEADER VISITS ISLES
Bishop Griswold takes up war, gays St. Andrew's Priory students open the conversation with a volley of hot-button topics By Mary Adamski madamski@starbulletin.com
The U.S. war on Iraq "set in motion a level of chaos in that area that will take many years to be resolved," a national church leader told a Honolulu audience yesterday.
The government's decision to intervene in another country's regime shows "very unclear thinking on our part," said the Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States. "It is a stand that is extremely flawed and very dangerous."
This week, the head of the nation's 2.5 million Episcopalians is on his first pastoral visit to the Hawaii diocese. His first local appearance yesterday was at St. Andrew's Priory School, where he was greeted with leis, Hawaiian ceremony and song in the sweet, high voices of the 504-girl student body.
Griswold was then grilled with questions he might expect from adults -- issues concerning homosexual clergy, the Iraq war and moral values.
"I don't think we understand the complexities of (Islamic) society," said Griswold, who has expressed criticism of the Iraq war since before the 2003 invasion in letters to President Bush and in national media interviews. In May, he joined with 35 other denominations in the National Council of Churches asking Bush to turn over the transition of government in Iraq and postwar reconstruction to the United Nations.
"Why does the Bible call homosexuality a sin?" was the first question the bishop faced when he sat down for a dialogue with sophomores in the Basic Christianity class. The follow-up included:
» "What is the church's stand on using 'under God' in the Pledge of Allegiance?" » "Although abortion is legal, does the Episcopal church believe it is moral or ethical?"
Griswold said that it is a mistake to "equate patriotism with God's desire." "In patriotism, people say we only do good, so any criticism is unpatriotic. The notion that any criticism is unchristian, unpatriotic ... that troubles me," he said. "The prophets were not shy about criticizing the government when it was not serving the people."
The bishop told the students: "If we think we are always right, we are in serious danger of going as far from God as you can get."
In answering questions about homosexuality, Griswold explored the different approaches to Scripture that are the basis for argument in his denomination and throughout Christianity.
"There are people who say that if the Bible says it, that's the way it is," he said. "For some of us, the Bible has to be taken in terms of its historical context. Many things written in the Bible are different from what we have learned since about the cosmos, about health and disease. In Scripture there is the notion that if you are sick, you are sinful."
The Bible was written with a viewpoint that everyone is heterosexual, he said, "so anything different from that was wrong. We know more now about the complexity of humans. Some people are naturally drawn in their affections to the same gender. It is not necessarily sinful," Griswold said.
He compared the controversy to past struggles over civil rights and women's right to vote. "I think the reality of gay people and the integrity of their lives" is becoming accepted in society, he said. "It will take a long time for this issue to find its place without controversy."
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The touchy feely ways of the National Council of Churches.
Of course when it comes to defending communist tyrants like Castro and blood thristy dictators like Saddamm and radical gays the EPISCOPAL Church USA and the NCC are always first in line to bless and look the other way to the massive amount of abuses! But it's OK to bash the United States and out brave men fighting in Iraq. These church ladies are the enemy within.
A classic text book example of a sympton of mental illness on the part of this kumbaya lei wearing cleric.
"I don't think we understand the complexities of (Islamic) society,"
Liberals only say that because they know they're wrong.
Griswold is presiding over a long, painful funeral.
I think we've identified the "religious Left".
There's nothing complex about beheadings and car-bombings. Griswold is a complete ass.
Clark: O God, ease our suffering in this, our moment of great dispair. Yea, admit this kind and decent woman into thy arms of thine heavenly area, up there. And Moab, he lay us upon the band of the Canaanites, and yea, though the Hindus speak of karma, I implore you: give her a break.
Ellen Griswold: Clark...
Clark: Honey, I'm not an ordained minister; I'm doing my best.
He looks like Dan Reeves.
Ping
Sorry folks! Park's closed. Moose out front should have told you.
Fraud.
Not true at all... blatant distortion...
Concur with bushisdamanin04 -- long painful funeral.
Regards
Lei alert.
While the Bishop is trying to figure out the "complexities " of Islam, I hope he doesn't mind if we kill a few thousand of them.
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