[SeekAndFind]

Nice liberal try. The article's focus is upon pastors, not membership. There's no excuse for allowing gay pastors, celibate or not.

Actually the question is not conservative or liberal --- it's a relevant one.

Since you want to focus on the pastor, let's do it. Is it your contention that a pastor should never ever be tempted by any form of sin ( be it homosexual or heterossexual or material or even pride ) ?

As for this --- A repentant Christian will no longer identify themselves as a 'gay' or an adulterer or a murderer

Pastoral candidates who are committed to their faith should not identify themselves with any of the above, I agree, but my question is this --- should their sexual inclinations even be part of the questions a pastoral search committee should ask ? Or should a 'Don't ask don't tell' policy be in place ?

[aimhigh]

Since you want to focus on the pastor, let's do it.

The article focused on the pastor. When it comes to a position of spiritual authority, it's not just a matter of commitment to to their faith, it's a matter of living out their faith - leading by example. The qualifications for a pastor are given twice in scripture. One qualification is that the pastor must be the husband of one wife. Homosexuality doesn't fit the qualifications, period.