Posted on 01/23/2005 6:30:16 PM PST by sionnsar
A 31-year-old lesbian Episcopal priest in Charlotte, NC wants to start a ministry for prostitutes. So far, so good.
[Kelly] Ayer hopes to open a halfway house in which women could receive medical attention and help with addiction, job skills and mental health issues. Among the issues to be worked through: Studies show that a large number of prostitutes were sexually or physically abused as children, often by family members.Only problem is:
The goal would be to serve as a presence for women who don't often have someone good to turn to. The unconditional support of presence, Ayer calls it.Ms. Ayer might at least want to mention that in addition to the possibility of a second chance at life, there's also a chance at a little thing called eternal life. But that would mean bringing them to Christ, and evidently that just wouldn't do.There also would also be a Christian component - daily morning meditation and Bible study perhaps - but it wouldn't be heavy-handed.
"My definition of 'saving' is different than the evangelicals," says Ayer, who attends St. Peter's Episcopal uptown. "My definition of saving them is helping them ... To give them a second chance at life. Not to bring them to Jesus."
What a total disappointment.
Without truly accepting Christ, their lives will not change. I know-- I've tried to help a couple of confused, promiscuous teenage girls.
***A 31-year-old lesbian Episcopal priest in Charlotte, NC wants to start a ministry for prostitutes. So far, so good.***
WAIT!
"A 31-year-old lesbian Episcopal priest..."
How does this rate a "so far so good"????
NC ping?
Good Monday morning..question..is the use of the word "presence" deliberate here?..or more likely that out "31 year old lesbian Episcopal priest" just has forgotten what it really means..
To be fair, I see something in her words I would agree with. It could be read that her prime motiviation is to get these women out of their current life and not JUST to bring them to Jesus. The same sentiment could be said for feeding the hungry, clothing the poor etc. We do this because Jesus commands it, not because we want to convert them.
this is why women as priests is a mistake. Bishop Duncan is a nice guy but he loves women like this.
Excuse, me, but "this" problem is not limited to women priests in the ECUSA.
Ms. Ayers is making a big mistake, but it's the same problem that is present, not just with the ECUSA, but with religion in America as a whole. The trouble, of course, is that Ms. Ayers is not providing a strong Christian witness. She's basically afraid of it, I think -- and is thus guilty of the same thing your precious male priests are guilty of doing.
I know the whiff of pharisee-ism when I smell it, and I know that a lot of nice, male, orthodox priests would be tut-tutting about these prostitutes and doing little else. In that regard, Ms. Ayers has done a lot more than a lot of orthodox male priests would ever have done. And as a woman, it is quite possible that the prostitutes -- who need saving -- would trust her as they wouldn't trust a male priest.
Her problem is lack of Christian conviction, and fear of witness. She should be trying to bring these women to Christ. At the same time, she is (rightly, IMO) leery of seeming like the spittle-tossers who call themselves evangelists, because it's usually the case that those types do more harm than good. Alas, she's thrown the baby out with the bathwater.
Why not just open a brothel? Give them a safe place to work under the auspices of the church, without being judgmental? ;)
"To give them a second chance at life. Not to bring them to Jesus."
Sounds more like a minister of death.
So9
TR,
I deeply appreciate that!
I got home around lunchtime; everything went just fine.
I'll probably take a nice long nap till Mrs. CD gets home. :)
Thanks,
CD
I believe r9etb has the right response -- Christ welcomed those on the margins and so should we, but He never compromised his message and neither should we.
A call to repentance can be issued in many ways and not only by thundering from a pulpit.
I think you're basically right but if she's a lesbian priest she has more problems than a lack of Christian conviction and a fear of witnessing.
Can't disagree with you there....
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