[JesseHousman]

"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination" (Leviticus 18:22, an Old Testament law repeated with the death penalty in Leviticus 20:13).

This says it all. The New Testament did not abrogate law that had been given in The Old Testament.

No matter how hard these weasely satanists try to legitimize sodomy, they're merely greasing the slide to hell.

[Dutchgirl]

"The Bible has no sex ethic,"

NO SEX ETHIC? I wonder how this pastor feels about the adulterous woman that Christ forgave? Did she not really need forgiving because Christ's "sex ethic" was so different from the laws he came to fulfill?

Fortunately, the believing Methodist's are reclaiming their church (see Goodnews.org)

[secret garden]

1-2-ping-a-roo.

[JesseHousman]

The Rev. V. Gene Robinson speaks at a news conference after the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church confirmed him as Bishop of New Hampshire Aug. 5, in Minneapolis at the church's national convention. Robinson became the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church. Jim Mone/AP

[Tax-chick]

shed old Bible interpretations that are "life-denying and intellectually dishonest."

OH, PLEASE! This from people who are pro-abortion! Someone should take him to Planned Parenthood (at gunpoint if necessary) and show him "life-denying and intellectually dishonest" until he throws up.

[JesseHousman]

The Reverend Gene Robinson laughs with Gayle Braley and her daughter Cecil Braley following service at Saint Paul's Church in Concord, N.H. Aug. 10. It was Robinson's first visit to his home church since being elected as the first openly gay Episcopal bishop. Jim Cole/AP

[evad]

..these weasely satanists ..

JH..I may be going over the top here but I don't believe these are weasely satanists at all. I think they are just another example of modern liberalism attempting to infect and overtake a group. Be it the scouts, the women's rights movement, the political process, you name it. It's what they DO and they won't stop...EVER!!.

Now, they have targeted the Episcopal denomination for a reason...maybe they are perceived as the weakest link because of their "progressive" views. But the point is it's an invasion of outside liberal influence, IMO, certainly not the church members themselves or even the "legitimate" heirarchy.

[buffyt]

I guess that Episcopalians never heard of Sodom and Gomorrah?

How will this Bishop who lives in sin with another man be a good role model to teens who are trying to do the right thing. They will see him living in sin and they will assume it is a good thing for them to do. We already have 12 year old sixth graders here who are pregnant. Look for more of that in Episcopalian churches and a sharp increase in AIDS cases among them, and STDs, incurable STDs.

I am trying to teach my kids not to have sex until they are married. Or at least in their twenties and engaged. I tell them waiting till marriage is the BEST way. But certainly do not have sex until you are engaged and close to the wedding date. At that point, they might as well wait! But living with someone, and being a pastor?

Not back in MY day....

[farmer18th]

liberal scholars from some so-called "mainline" Protestant denominations in Europe and North America have argued against traditional Bible interpretations,

In other words, they want to do to the Bible what Ruth Bader Ginsburg would do to the Constitution.

[bethelgrad]

as much as affirming homosexuality flies in the face of reason and dare I say it---common sense. what many forget is that the Romans verses commonly quoted talk about God handing people over to sinful lifestyles because of their persistent rebellion. Even God washes his hands of some on occasion.

[Fifth Business]

ping

[sweetliberty]

"The Bible has no sex ethic," Wink says. "It only knows a communal love ethic"

What a crock!

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corin. 2:14)

[mict42]

These people want to break the laws of God while trying to change the rules of His Church to permit their governance.

[sweetliberty]

"but he's convinced they will eventually shed old Bible interpretations that are "life-denying and intellectually dishonest."

Wonder how God "interprets" the behavior of an apologist for sin.

Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe [unto him], through whom they come! (Luke 17:1)

[Vinnie]

"It only knows a communal love ethic" exemplified by Jesus' command to love your neighbor as yourself, which requires Christians to understand gays' experiences.

Homosexual interpretation..

If you have one long enough or are double jointed and can 'do' yourself, then 'do' your neighbor.

[AD from SpringBay]

..some have wondered why homosexuality is such a divisive issue in Christianity.

Why don't all Episcopalians and other churches simply recognize that gay people are sexually active and move on? After all, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down sodomy laws this year and Canada plans to legalize same-sex marriages.

The reason, in short, is the Bible — the word of God in the eyes of Christians.

The writer covers quite a bit of ground in the first few lines. Consider the initial question and subsequent level of ignorance this assumes on the part of the reader, and notice how simple the question is. Of course everybody recognizes homosexuals are sexually active. What a stupid question - implicit in this is an assumption that Christians don't live in the world of reality - divorced from it because of (drum roll please) the Bible! This, according to the writer, is what keeps Christians out of the reality induced notion that homosexuals are sexually active. The urging here is to get with the program (a la highest court in the land) and let it go already. The problem is the Bible and those who believe in it. A not so subtle call for unity based on compromise with a Christless way of thinking. We should always remember - compromise never gains the Kingdom of God anything (divorce, abortion, whatever...)

[I still care]

"The Bible has no sex ethic," Wink says. "It only knows a communal love ethic" exemplified by Jesus' command to love your neighbor as yourself, which requires Christians to understand gays' experiences."

When I read stuff like this, I wonder what the heck book they are reading.

Jesus was full of love. He also spoke more of hell than any other figure in the Bible.

Paul said "Expel the wicked one from among you." Correction and Damnation are talked about quite often. God's love is balanced with judgement.

Paul very clearly said that the world God would judge, but Christians are to judge the sinners in the church.

While love is to be our rule, I have frequently seen those who would take advantage of God's people accuse them of a lack of love whenever they are challenged for being in sin.

This is not the first time, and won't be the last. Just watch any TV preacher caught with his hand in the till railing about "touching God's anointed". Accusing Christians of a lack of love is just a way to get out of being accountable before the church.

[sweetliberty]

"they're merely greasing the slide to hell."

Considering the topic, you might have used less "descriptive" language. Eeewwwww!

[SES1066]

"In 50 years most of us will look back and say, 'Why were we so slow? Why was this so difficult?'" he said. (he = Rev W.Wink)

I fear that in 50 years it will be more like; "What were we thinking? How could we have gone so wrong?" These 'mainline' Protestant Churches survive because of people like myself who were raised in them from childhood. Continuing in this direction will continue their depopulation and even speed it up. In the 50 years postulated by Rev.Wink, he may be speaking to a very small group of Lutheran-minded, Methodically oriented, Episcopallic Presbyterians gathered in a phone booth!

I am an Episcopalean with gay friends and neighbors whom I treat like everyone else. What the do in their own private space is of no matter to me, but what their group efforts are forcing on my society DOES MATTER TO ME! This is an arrow in my heart and I do not know how to take it out and I fear the consequences. Historically, pressure groups have moved their general society in an attempt to redeem grievances. Sometimes they move too far and their comes a sometimes violent reaction and this is what I do FEAR!

As for me, I am about to take the opposite definition of cleave ( cleaves to his wife ) as I now search for a new church home.

[lupie]

but he's convinced they will eventually shed old Bible interpretations that are "life-denying and intellectually dishonest."

Only if they throw out the whole bible which tells us how to know what it means - which is always to point to the Lord. It speaks very clearly that these old Bible interpretations are the opposite of what he says.

Concerning life-denying, in one place, Jesus says:
"You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.

How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" (John 5:38-47)

and concerning intellectually dishonest we know that man's wisdom/intellectualism is worth diddly squat:
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE." Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe... Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. (1 Corinithians 1: 18-21,25-29)

So as we all know, they don't want to get rid of old interpreations, but the Bible itself, the Word of God, Jesus Christ who is the Word made flesh.

In Jesus alone,
Andra

[Servant of the Nine]

"The Bible has no sex ethic," Wink says. "It only knows a communal love ethic" exemplified by Jesus' command to love your neighbor as yourself, which requires Christians to understand gays' experiences.

To understand something does not require condoning it.

So9