Nothing on the topic.
Am traveling and attended an ELCA church with my hosts. The “pastor” there celebrated the “loving treatment” of all, even though he gave lip service to those whose beliefs were assaulted by the ruling ( he made it pretty clear that his beliefs were not the least bit bothered). In fact to anyone listening carefully, as I was since I was expecting it, he equated the withholding of full endorsement of sodomite proclivities with the mass murder of unarmed black people in Charleston.
At my church, we’re between pastors, so the sermon yesterday was delivered by the district superintendent. After some remarks about how we should be welcoming, she launched into a political rant praising the Supreme Court ruling—essentially spiking the football, as liberals and leftists are doing around the country. I didn’t hear a whole lot of what she had to say, because I immediately got up and walked out.
My pastor got into it with detail. He committed himself and us to not obeying an unnatural law that goes against God. He’s told me before that he will go to jail over it.
At the conclusion of Mass, he read a statement from the bishop which was required to be read in all churches in our diocese. It was terse and to the point: (to summarize) The Supreme Court decision affects civil law only. As Catholics, we are subject to divine law, which defines marriage as one man, one woman, for life.
Our pastor also made reference to it being a mistake for the Court to use the 14th amendment in their ruling.
We had 21 baptisms Sunday. Not much else was talked about.
Nothing.
Our pastor addressed the issue, reaffirmed our church’s stance on Biblical marriage and sexual purity, told us that we were in for some rough days ahead, but that God is in charge. He urged us to continue to pray for the nation, and said that next week he will be dealing with this subject in greater detail (he was finishing up a 4-week series of sermons, and he wanted to have more time to prepare).
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
"Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine. . . ." (1 Timothy 1:8-10)
Why am I reminded of the following:
Should have stopped at the dinner roll
Once upon a time, I was invited to the White House for a private dinner with President Obama. I am a respected businessman, with a factory that produces memory chips for computers and portable electronics. There was some talk that my industry was being scrutinized by the administration, but I paid it no mind. I live in a free country. There’s nothing that the government can do to me, if I’ve broken no laws. My wealth was earned honestly and an invitation to dinner with an American President is an honor.
I checked my coat, was greeted by the Chief of Staff and joined the President in a yellow dining room. We sat across from each other at a table draped in white linen. The Great Seal was embossed on the china. Uniformed staff served our dinner.
The meal was served and I was startled when my waiter suddenly reached out, plucked a dinner roll off my plate and began nibbling it as he walked back to the kitchen.
“Sorry about that,” said the President. “Andrew is very hungry.”
“I don’t appreciate...” I began, but as I looked into the calm brown eyes across from me, I felt immediately guilty and petty. It was just a
dinner roll. “Of course,” I concluded and reached for my glass. Before I could however, another waiter reached forward, took the glass away and swallowed the wine in a single gulp.
“And his brother Eric is very thirsty.” said the President.
I didn’t say anything. The President is testing my compassion, I thought. I will play along. I don’t want to seem unkind. My plate was whisked away before I had tasted a bite.
“Eric’s children are also quite hungry.”
With a lurch, I crashed to the floor. My chair had been pulled out from under me. I stood, brushing myself off angrily and watched as it was carried from the room.
“And their grandmother can’t stand for long.”
I excused myself, smiling outwardly, but inside feeling like a fool. Obviously I had been invited to the White House to be sport for some game. I reached for my coat, to find that it had been taken. I turned back to the President.
“Their grandfather doesn’t like the cold.”
I wanted to shout - that was my coat! But again, I looked at the placid smiling face of my host and decided I was being a poor sport. I spread my hands helplessly and chuckled. Then I felt my hip pocket and realized my wallet was gone. I excused myself and walked to a phone on an elegant side table. I learned shortly that my credit cards had been maxed out, my bank accounts emptied, my retirement and equity portfolios had vanished and my wife had been thrown out of our home.
Apparently, the waiters and their families were moving in. The President hadn’t moved or spoken as I learned all this, but finally I lowered the phone into its cradle and turned to face him.
“Andrew’s whole family has made bad financial decisions. They haven’t planned for retirement and they need a house. They recently defaulted on a sub-prime mortgage. I told them they could have your home. They need it more than you do.”
My hands were shaking. I felt faint. I stumbled back to the table and knelt on the floor. The President cheerfully cut his meat, ate his steak and drank his wine.
I lowered my eyes and stared at the small grey circles on the tablecloth that were water drops.
“By the way,” He added, “I have just signed an Executive Order nationalizing your factories. I’m firing you as head of your business. I’ll be operating the firm now for the benefit of all mankind.
There’s a whole bunch of Eric’s and Andrew’s out there and they can’t come to you for jobs groveling like beggars.”
I looked up. The President dropped his spoon into the empty ramekin which had been his creme brulee. He drained the last drops of his wine. As the table was cleared, he lit a cigarette and leaned back in his chair. He stared at me.
I clung to the edge of the table as if were a ledge and I were a man hanging over an abyss. I thought of the years behind me, of the
life I had lived. The life I had earned with a lifetime of work, risk and struggle. Why was I punished? How had I allowed it to be taken? What game had I played and lost? I looked across the table and noticed with some surprise that there was no game board between us. What had I done wrong?
As if answering the unspoken thought, the President suddenly cocked his head, locked his empty eyes to mine and bared a million teeth, chuckling wryly as he folded his hands.
“You should have stopped me at the dinner roll,” he said.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=735_1247791729
He hit it straight on, explaining why he/the church do not now, and never will recognize gay marriage. “We ought to obey God, rather than man.”
He used the word “perversion” in describing homosexuals, and then said we/he may be in store for trials and tribulation because we stand with what the Word says. It’s a large church, about 5,000 per weekend are in service.
He teaches through the Bible and the text yesterday happened to be about the stoning of Stephen, so it fit right in with the present day situation.
One priest I know preached about natural marriage and got stink from a lady in the congregation. He spoke unpopular truth, she was unhappy. Oh well.
Since our church is a breakaway church (LCMC) that has tried to flee this heresy, nobody is surprised.
We meet in a public building and are now expecting to be persecuted out of it but are praying for protection and a building of our own.
The elders of our church had already met and had constructed a strong statement declaring that we will uphold the biblical definition of marriage in our church. The pastor read the statement to the congregation and there was loud applause.
20 minutes on life and why the same sex ruling is wrong and what it will do to the Catholic Church — at a Daily Mass!
He was gone to visit his last relative who is dying — visiting Chicago.
He promised to talk about it next Sunday.
He said we’re living in the last days. - Baptist, TN
The mealy mouthed response from our Archdiocese.
http://www.archatl.com/archbishops/gregory/writings/2015/ABG_SameSexMarriage_Response.pdf