Posted on 01/20/2009 4:25:28 AM PST by billorites
Gene Robinson, Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire, gave the opening prayer for the inaugural festivities in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. Ignoring the theme of unity set for the inauguration, Robinson gave not a prayer but a political speech, one worthy of a college sophomore hot to tweak his parents.
Robinson explained his non-Christian "prayer" by saying he thought previous inaugural prayers were "aggressively Christian." In hope of excluding no one, he excluded Christ. Except, he mentioned God, so he left the athiests out in the cold. Oh, well.
By Robinson's own logic, he should not have been allowed to pray at all for fear of offending nonbelievers. But that's silly. And so is refusing to mention Christ for fear of offending non-Christians.
Through the years, Robinson has had many opportunities to make his beliefs known in ways that don't offend and divide people. Most of the time, he chooses to divide. For a man of God, that's really not productive behavior. But it sure draws a lot of attention to Gene Robinson.
Radical HOMOSEXUALITY will ALWAYS exclude Jesus Christ!!
Why do they always have to mention New Hampshire when his name comes up? Oh the shame.
Actually, he didn't.
He addressed our "god of many understandings". Whatever that is, it most certainly is not YHWH, the Word, the way, the truth, and the life, or our Father in Heaven.
Gene Robinson is a moron.... Not because he is gay.
How can you claim to be a christian and then be ashamed to say a christian prayer ?
I am so glad that I’m no longer an Episcopalian.
It’s too bad that the church died. I really liked it when the church still believed in God, the Bible, and Christ.
But, I have learned just to write it off as one lost battle in the culture war.
Well, of course, you can't.
Is there a public record of Robinson claiming to be a Christian?
How can this man be a bishop in ANY Christian church?? Never mind that he’s gay. He prefers to leave Christ out of his prayers? What an embarrassment to the Episcopal Church.
Gene Robinson saved me - when he was elevated to Bishop, my wife agreed to stop going to the Episcopal church and we started going to a non-denominational church. The first service’s message was totally focused on the gift of Christ and I was saved that day. I don’t think I would have ever had my eyes opened if we continued with the Episcopal church.
Another former Episcopalian, here.
CBS’s wonderful reporter just reported that Rick Warren came out of St. John’s to welcome Biden when, in fact, it was Rev. Dr. León, St. John’s rector.
Well, Jesus already said what He would do for those who confess Him before men, and I assume we can also assume the converse to be true:
Matthew 10:32
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
"Don't feel too bad, apparently the microphone or speakers stopped working as soon as Robinson started his tirade, and only a few people at the front actually heard him. The vast 700 thousand more couldn't hear a word, and as the Obama inauguration team told HBO that Robinson's "prayer" was confined to the pre-show portion, it wasn't recorded or televised across the nation.
Perhaps God's hand in action? I think he's trying to tell Gene Robinson something, let's hope he listens.
- Karen Duffy, Manchester, NH"
A truly disgusting Lout.
Robinson and Isabella's first daughter, Jamee, was born in 1977, followed by a second daughter, Ella, in 1981.
In November 1987, Robinson met his current partner, a man 19 years younger named Mark Andrew, while on vacation in St. Croix, when his daughters were about ages 10 and 6.
On 2 July 1988, when his daughters were about ages 11 and 7, Robinson left his wife. Robinson and Andrew moved into a new house and had it blessed by Bishop Douglas Theuner, an event which they considered to be the formal recognition of their life together.
Andrew was legally joined to Robinson in June, 2008, in a private civil union ceremony, followed by a religious ceremony, both in St Paul's Church, Concord.
Robinson was elected bishop by the New Hampshire diocese on June 7, 2003.
Now, let's imagine this biography for a heterosexual and ask if anyone would think it sounded like Bishop material:
Robinson and Isabella's first daughter, Jamee, was born in 1977, followed by a second daughter, Ella, in 1981.
In November 1987, Robinson met his current partner, a woman 19 years younger named Marcia Andrew, while on vacation in St. Croix, when his daughters were about ages 10 and 6.
On 2 July 1988, when his daughters were about ages 11 and 7, Robinson left his wife. Robinson and Marcia moved into a new house and had it blessed by Bishop Douglas Theuner, an event which they considered to be the formal recognition of their life together.
Marcia was legally joined to Robinson in June, 2008, in a private wedding, followed by a religious ceremony, both in St Paul's Church, Concord.
The only possible ending to this less "diverse" version of the story is: Robinson was removed from all ministerial duties by the New Hampshire diocese on 2 July 1988.
Apparently the lessons on "tolerance" and "diversity" never sank in for me. I look at this man and see an unrepentant sinner who celebrates his evil actions and displays them as an example for others to follow. I see a man who abandoned his two young daughters to shack up with a younger partner - a grave action that goes to the heart of his values. I see a man I wouldn't trust to mow my lawn or to watch my children for a moment, since I would expect him to value my children even less than he values his own children. I see a man who I would welcome in my church because he desperately needs to find God, but who I would never allow to lead my church.
Cognitive dissonance plays a powerful motivating role in all of our lives, but Bishop Robinson appears to have raised it to a new height.
> Matthew 10:32
> Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will
> I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
>
> I assume we can also assume the converse to be true:
Yes, the converse is true.
Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Luke 9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.
If so, we might call the dead mike a divine act of God.
I am a member of a Christ centered, Bible believing, growing Episcopal Church.
God can take any situation and make if for His Glory. Praise God that he did that with you! I pray that countless others did the same as you did and now have a relationship with the One and Only Living God!
Thank you for sharing your testimony. One by one, He calls us out of the darkness. God is soooo good!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.