Posted on 12/20/2005 2:50:28 PM PST by moviewatcher
It’s getting harder to ignore the statistics about HIV/AIDS: 40 million people are infected worldwide. Over half of these are women and children. And in Africa, 14 million children are orphans due to the disease. You hear it on the news, see it in the movies, the President makes speeches about it, and Bono sings about it.
Whose responsibility is it to take on this problem? The Government? The Church? Non-Governmental Organizations? As a Christian and a conservative, I used to demand that the government leave the role of compassionate action to the Church. But are churches doing their part? By one account, there are more government agencies or international organizations involved in HIV care than U.S. churches.
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
You appear to be an apologist for homosexuality. How do you feel about gay clergy?
I'm not sure, but I think he's calling you a negro.
Wow! I didn't think anyone used that term anymore.
I think the churches answer to aids is to preach "keeping it in your pants".
Not sure how I am seen to be an apologist for homosexuality. I was just trying to make the point that all sin is equal in God's eyes yet followers of Jesus seem to be stuck on that one.
I think you have to first get the person to admit that homosexuality is a sin. I beleive it is and if a person does not admit that I could not listen to anything they have to say concerning following Jesus. I have found that many gay clergy don't think being gay is a sin and wrong in the eyes of God. I hope that clears up any misconception and does not create new ones.
Too funny. Made me laugh.
You're out of your mind, with all due respect.
You're comparing WORRY with homosexuality?
You don't have a clue about sins, relatively speaking, great or small.
It is often repeated as though it were wise that all sins are equal, and it is not true. Any five year old can understand this.
"all sin is equal in God's eyes yet followers of Jesus seem to be stuck on that one."
1. Do you claim to see through God's eyes? Apparently you do.
2. The idiocy that Jesus' followers are obsessed with homosexuality is a classic talking point of "gay" promoters. Just FYI.
the Churches are neglecting their role to care for the sick? Says who?
When I was a missionary doctor in Africa, two thirds of the rural health care was done by church hospitals (and even many government clinics were run by church trained nurses)...in our area the only hospital for 30 000 people was a church hospital...there were three clinics, one church, and two government, but I supervised all three clinics, and the churchhospital ran the baby clinics that went into the local schools and vaccinated all the local kids and babies...
As for Government clinics, these were run by our nurses who trained in church hospitals...and often the local pastor paid the hospital fees of those who had no money...
As for HIV, you will find that the local churches are still running the hospitals, the HIV clinics, but more importantly, the local churches are teaching sexual morality and helping out the sick without fanfare...and helping support the orphans who are usually cared for by extended families...
I guess Catholic or Lutheran or Anglican or Seventh day Adventist or Dutch Reform or Mennonite hospitals don't count...and of course Warren probably doesn't even think these churches are "christian"...nor does he seem to know how the local churches (whose pastors are locally trained men) support their people emotionally, religiously, and monetarily ...
And the small "christian" independent churches are excellent in this private help, and rarely get mentioned at all...
The church didn't start with Rick Warren, and the article sounds like a "look at me mom" type of boasting...but from one who has been there, he's wrong...
The money from Bush will go to fund the expensive medicines for these clinics to give out...
In the case of HIV/AIDS (at least in this country, in most cases) behaving according to church teachings keeps you free from the disease.
And, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that the churches' duty to the sick was to minister to them, to comfort them and to assist them in finding medical help, not to care for them. Defining "care" as medical treatment, that is; not as in caring about them.
But, maybe I'm splitting hairs over the meaning of "is".
;^)
"You're comparing WORRY with homosexuality? You don't have a clue about sins, relatively speaking, great or small.
It is often repeated as though it were wise that all sins are equal, and it is not true. Any five year old can understand this."
So all sins are not equal in God's eyes. Would you rather me compare stealing with homosexuality? Maybe lustful thoughts or adultery with homosexuality. Are you saying that there are differences in sins? help me out on that.
I should have said many Christians are stuck on homosexuality and not followers of Jesus. I think there is a huge distinction. My bad on that one.
As you point out, worry can reach the point of sin, and sin is sin.
Of course, this thread is a discussion of a disease that has laid waste to whole regions. That disease is not spread by worry.
The church has been at the forefront in caring for people who have the disease, your church is probably involved and if it isn't, it won't be hard to find one that is.
And the church is in the forefront of reminding people that their individual behavior matters, not only when you face judgement but in this life as well. A man who is not faithful to his wife sins before God, and damages his marriage, but in areas where the disease is common he also risks killing his entire family. If you love people you have to tell them that.
My original point was that it does no good to know what the bible says unless you are willing to love people the way Jesus loved people. Jesus loved those who were outcasts. HE loved those who society rejected. If we are to follow Jesus we must do the same and give of ourselves and resources.
This is the problem. The majority of homosexuals do not and will not agree that homosexuality is wrong or against nature. They ask the Church to accept them as priests. The Church believes that homosexuals are not born that way; that they can be turned away from homosexuality. Homosexuals say that because priests must take a vow of chastity, they can continue to be homosexuals as long as they maintain that vow.
Just remember that love of mankind does not necessitate accepting wrong actions. I have a brother-in-law who is gay. I love him dearly, but think that the way he lives his life is wrong.
I agree. Accepting wrong actions is not truly loving someone.
A brother-in-law who is gay. That made me think. Were they married to your sister and then came out as gay? Way confused on that one.
I believe the penalty for all sins is the same as it applies to eternity. However, the earth bound consequences differ greatly!
ditto
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