Posted on 10/31/2005 6:41:26 AM PST by NYer
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa has come out in support of polygamy and homosexuality - provided they promote the cause of the gospel.
Louis Sibiya, the church's bishop, said yesterday that there was not a simple "yes" or "no" answer as to whether a self-confessing gay person could be married and even ordained in the church, or whether a polygamist could be ordained into the ministry.
"Rather, we should ask how the acceptance and/or non-acceptance of these promote the course of the gospel," he said, speaking at 30th anniversary celebrations of the church in southern Africa at Kempton Park, according to a statement.
"If we think that to elect as bishop he who has 14 wives will advance better the course of the gospel, let it be so.
"If a gay presiding bishop would - in our opinion - advance even better the course of the gospel, let it be so."
Sibiya added that the same support and conditions should apply were condoms to be kept in churches, diocesan offices and in parsonages, and pastors carried them on home visits.
He also questioned the custom of providing expensive funerals, saying that research had shown that the average cost of a funeral is R30 000. "We need to be looking at traditions and customs that perpetuate poverty and suffering - and such funerals are one of them."
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa has a membership of 700 000 with 460 active pastors, 26 evangelists and 24 deaconesses, according to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America web site. - Sapa
Ping!
Every church that has tried to GO RADICAL LIBERAL, has gone in the tank. Gross desperation.
ELCA in South Africa also said that it doesn't matter if someone is a member of the Klan or not, as long as they promote the spread of racial tolerance.
They also announced that they have squared a circle.
Does the bible say anything against polygamy?
I think of the problems with it being
1. We are no longer a warrior society where far more men than women die creating an excess of women.
2.As it is practiced in the U.S. , polygamy seems to wind up with older men taking underage girls as additional wives and sometimes it doesn't seem like the girls are really giving informed consent... essentially it becomes captivity with rape.
But in principle I don't see anything in the bible or the constitution that would lead us to ban a mature adult man from having two adult fully consenting wives.
Huh?
This is just another reason why Christianity is folding before the onslaught of Islam.
Give me that old time religion any day - old time like in the Crusades.
Christ said the two become one flesh, not the three or the seven.
There are many anti-christs and many evil doers in the Church today. I believe that it is going to get alot worse before it gets better. As the world becomes more evil those who stand for goodness will shine brightly.
"ELCA in South Africa also said that it doesn't matter if someone is a member of the Klan or not, as long as they promote the spread of racial tolerance."
They have the KKK in South Africa?
We are witnessing a great apostasy.
Well, at least they're consistent in their endorsement of immorality.
"Christ said the two become one flesh, not the three or the seven."
Yes, at several differnet point one man, one woman marriage is clearly blessed and encouraged..
But isn't also a part where a man is commanded to take his borthers wife as his own second wife if his brother dies?
The Jews had moved away from polygamy by the time of Christ. I'm guessing that there is plenty written in the Talmud, if not in the Bible.
If you look at the polygamous marriages - Abraham taking a concubine as well as his wife, Jacob with Leah and Rachel, Solomon, David going after Bathsheba (Micah still alive?), the polygamy itself led to bad results.
You might say the same about having more than one son, also, I suppose...
I really wish you were joking. They are certainly getting their ears tickled.
"You might say the same about having more than one son, also, I suppose..."
Given the experience my friends are having, I might say the same about having a daughter between the ages of 14 and 17..but apparently they are blessing before and after... :)
Satan says eat the choir
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