Posted on 07/12/2006 10:43:24 AM PDT by Aussie Dasher
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 12, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Forget about traditional morality—Christianity should focus on eradicating poverty, protecting the environment and ending the war in Iraq, according to the general secretary of the National Council of Churches, Dr. Bob Edgar.
“Jesus never said one word about homosexuality, never said one word about civil marriage or abortion,” said Dr. Edgar to CBS News at a recent gathering of liberal Christian leaders in Washington.
The gathering was the latest effort by the “religious left” to gain back some of the political power the group enjoyed during the 60’s and early 70’s. 30 years ago liberal religious leaders used their political influence to lead demonstrations against social injustices such as civil rights abuses and the Vietnam War. Once those issues left the spotlight, liberal Christianity lost focus and faded to the background.
Now, liberal Christian leaders are attempting to stage a return to power, targeting young voters and concentrating on increasing childcare funding and raising the minimum wage. The group wants to build a strong voter base to counter what it calls the “ground game” of the Christian right—the powerful voting block of traditional Christians that has significant influence on the country’s politics.
Finding a unifying message that will allow the group to achieve political clout has been a struggle, observers have said. The New York Times reported in May on an earlier meeting by liberal Christian activists in Washington, a brainstorming session concentrating on identifying the group’s goals.
During a session on ethical sexual behavior, the meeting bypassed discussion of concrete issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. Instead, Rev. Ama Zenya of First Congregational Church in Oakland, California, directed the gathering to discuss their spiritual values and “to practice fully our authentic being,” reported the Times.
The results of the gathering were disappointing, said liberal Baptist minister Rev. Tony Campolo, who once acted as spiritual adviser to President Bill Clinton, and attended the conference.
“We didn’t get on the same page with everyone, and it is about getting on the same page. The thing about the left is that they want everybody to feel good.”
Dr. Edgar, who has been general secretary of the NCC since 2000, was applauded by homosexual activist organizations shortly after his election for withdrawing his signature from an ecumenical statement in defence of traditional marriage, “A Christian Declaration on Marriage.”
Dr. Edgar also apologized to members of the homosexual community for originally endorsing the document, which was co-signed by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the National Association of Evangelicals.
“Jesus never said one word about homosexuality, never said one word about civil marriage or abortion,” said Dr. Edgar to CBS News at a recent gathering of liberal Christian leaders in Washington.
The woman at the well was guilty of adultery, which violated civil and sacred marraige, and Christ told her she was wrong, and to "go and sin no more." And "Thou Shalt Not Murder" seems pretty straightforward to me.
I disagree.
Jesus would never approve of the marriage laws of the OT.
I seem to remember something about Jesus strongly recommending that one not harm children.
Abortion kills the youngest and most innocent of children.
Those laws are addressed in the New Testament. I Timothy, I believe.
The only OT laws we are not obligated to obey are those addressed in the NT, with an explanation.
"Which old laws not longer applied after Christ and which ones still do? Any resources on this?"
Cerimonial laws do not apply. Moral laws do.
You may not have to wash your hands five times, but it's never ok to lie.
Yes, written by Paul. But if we're going to look only at the writings of Christ, then there are none at all. I assume that the NCC is not proposing to throw Romans out of the Bible, but then that might be a big assumption.
(The Palestinian terrorist regime is the crisis and Israel's fist is the answer.)
Please explain your point about Jesus not approving of the OT marriage laws.
The Torah laws applied to various groups depending on the specific law - some applied to all mankind, some applied only to Israelites, some applied only to Levites, some applied only to male Levites, some only applied to Levites serving as Temple priests and some applied only to the High Priest.
Certain of those laws were contingent on circumstances - the existence of the Temple in Jerusalem, for example - and some are clearly not bound by any timeframe, any set of circumstances or any specific etnnic background or social role.
Those Torah laws which apply to all men for all time were never changed, altered or abolished, nor could they be.
Those universally applicable laws include those regarding the treatment of one's own body, the treatment of one's fellow human beings and the necessity of honoring God.
If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, 29 he shall pay her father fifty shekels [c] of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.
Deuteronomy 22:28
Funny he never mentioned global warming either..
That would be the non-judgement.
His argument also ignores that the Didache is very clear in its condemnation of abortion and birth control. Is this man suggesting that those who wrote the Didache who were contemporaries ( if I remember rightly) of the Gospel writers would have written or preached something that contradicted what Jesus had passed on to His Church through the Apostles?. Why would they witness against abortion if Jesus and the Apostles were neuteral on the subject?
But I don't think that would matter to them anyway. To believe the teachings of the Apostles' are infallible you would have to believe that Scripture is infallible and without error. I bet NCC holds no such belief.
So what does it matter what any writing on Christian morality says. What matters to them is celebrating sin and degradation and sending more lost souls on the way to hell.
Just for starters, read Mark 10:6-9.
Dossier on The National Council of Churches:
http://www.discoverthenetwork.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6916
You're right. And they'll use the "turn the other cheek" line as proof Jesus SUPPORTS homosexuality... ;)
This will be a short course, I recommend you read the New Testament with an eye to that. Paul describes the separation of Christianity's adherance to the OT laws throughout many of his letters in the New Testament, the best being his letter to the Romans.
A dietary aspect of the law was in part decided early on:
Acts 21:25 - As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality."
The Ten Commandments are still in force, in Matthew 22:34-40 Jesus condensed them down into two fundamental commandments.
There are many others teachings by Jesus which clarified the OT laws. The degree to which we are required to hold to them is debatable on some measures, but by and large it is not too difficult to discern.
(The Palestinian terrorist regime is the crisis and Israel's fist is the answer.)
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