I read this article and couldn't help but wonder where the Orthodox are, and the Baptists are, and the Mormons are etc, etc.
Why is the Catholic Church standing alone on this one?
Good point.
But it would be nice to hear from some non pro-gay marriage Episcopalians and Methodists too.
Although remembering that not long ago the three Boston-area Episcopal Bishops got all dressed up in their red stuff and paraded around in front of the Israeli consulate to protest Israel's nastiness in putting up a wall to keep Palestinian suicide bombers out of weddings and Passover seders, I guess it could be worse. At least they're not marching around our Cathedral.
But, really, the (United Methodist) Boston University School of Theology Magazine recently featured a long article, complete with pictures, by one of the professors who had represented the UMC at Pope Benedict XVI's "Mass for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome" (the Vatican has even made the title of the pope's installation ecumenically-friendly and "sensitive") and who detailed the royal treatment SHE received as the official representative of the United Methodist Church.
Wouldn't it be nice to hear from some of these people that they actually AGREE with the Catholic Church on this issue and not with their own ministers who are in violation of their Church's official teaching.
I mean, both Shaw and the UMC pastor quoted in the article are in violation of the discipline and doctrine of their own Churches on thi subject, aren't they?
I guess the anti-ecumenical people were right all along: it is just "lets dress up and play church" for these folks. When it comes to any real doctrine, it's "all may, some do, none must."
Or, as the British comic Alan Bennett said in his novel "The Laying-On Of Hands" describing an Anglo-Catholic priest in cassock and biretta who liked to be called "Father":
"His interest in Roman Catholicism was chiefly sartorial."
I don't know about the Orthodox,but in heavily Catholic Massachusetts aside from the Mormon governor, it might almost be possible to count the Mormons and Baptists on your fingers and toes. The Catholic church would seem to be the major bulwark in support of the traditional values, specifically with marriage to be between one man and one women. This should not be presented as a case of Protestant vs. Catholic, but rather as a case of right vs. wrong. The United Methodist and Episcopel church leaders are completely out of step with Christian values and they fly in the face of thousands of years of Judeo-Christian values and culture. I have a major problem with the use of the term discrimination in this article. As individuals we practice discrimination every day in our lives. As Christians we are called upon to discriminate between right and wrong. Sadly we have allowed the civil rights community to monopolize the word and it is now a pejoritive term. A hundred years ago to be discriminating was a mark of honor and now its a mark of shame. We need to recapture the positive meaning of this word and continue to apply it in our daily lives.
These are not Christians, they are radicals and homosexuals who have, under cover of deceit, taken power.
God will deal with them in due time.
I can only speak for a few independent churches that I'm familiar with...
The churches in question have veered away from, or never accepted the Bible as the the final authority in all matters...We can only set back and watch in wonder as different religons stumble around trying to figure out what Christians are...
The bible is clear on this issue...Either you believe it, or you don't...
Where are the Baptists, Orthodox and Mormons? Maybe they speak up and maybe they don't. But the Globe and the Liberals don't demonize them daily the way they pick on the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church is attacked because they all know that it has stood straight and tall on these issues for years and years. Likewise against abortion and euthanasia. May God give O'Malley the strength to keep walking the way of Christ.
Where the Orthodox are:
The Massachusetts Supreme Court decision announced today that only full equal marriage rights for gay couples—rather than civil unions—would be constitutional, marks yet another in a continuing series of decisions which threaten the moral foundations of this nation. I call upon men and women of all Faiths, especially Orthodox Christians living in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to raise their voices in protest of this despicable decision. The time has come for all of us to " boldly speak the word of God's truth."
The time has come to stop trying to be "politically correct and courteous."
The principles upon which this nation was founded have been trampled upon by those who have come out of the closet and into our living rooms. It is sad to note that men and women of faith are expected to remain silent while the Ten Commandments are removed from our courts and other public places while the rights of those who would promote prostitution in our streets are protected. What's next? I urge all faithful Orthodox Christians in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to support those members of the executive and legislative bodies of government who are working to save what is left of the American family.
+ Metropolitan METHODIOS (Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Boston)
I crossed the Tiber several years ago because of it.
Until the theology of the weak, suffering anything goes Christ is elaborated into Christ the victorious hero over Satan we will all be listening to liberal protestant drivel about any number of wacko causes.