tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post5862093970886296990..comments2024-03-28T10:26:20.408-04:00Comments on Ponderings on a Faith Journey: Gay Marriage -- The Time for Change Is HereRobert Cornwallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581876323110725024noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-58211779194865303112013-03-16T15:59:09.328-04:002013-03-16T15:59:09.328-04:00Thanks David.
Thanks David.<br />Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06245470576919732592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-36926875422204426522013-03-16T13:33:32.704-04:002013-03-16T13:33:32.704-04:00John, your comments are a joy to read. Your though...John, your comments are a joy to read. Your thoughts are crystal-clear and concise. It's how we should approach all mankind. Prejudgement is inhumane and the opposite of what we are taught. Unless, a we decide to prejudge someone as innocent and lovable, we're doing it wrong.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16496392728357471483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-40306830263368781062013-03-16T11:41:57.094-04:002013-03-16T11:41:57.094-04:00Talking this over with my wife I see another conin...Talking this over with my wife I see another conincidental change within my thinking: over the past twenty years my understanding of the church as a place of worship and as a shepherd for the worshipful has matured into an understanding of the church more importantly as a prophetic voice in the community at large, compelled to speak out against and resist oppression, marginalization and exclusion in all forms. To be the former without being the latter is cowardice. As James writes, faith and action work together, faith is made complete in action. Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06245470576919732592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-25386017548031672592013-03-16T10:14:36.376-04:002013-03-16T10:14:36.376-04:00Hi Gary. I've missued you.Hi Gary. I've missued you.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06245470576919732592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-16591216638407640062013-03-16T09:47:15.070-04:002013-03-16T09:47:15.070-04:00John,
You are an infidel on your way to Hell, jus...John,<br /><br />You are an infidel on your way to Hell, just like Cornwall and Portman.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-77238476210945711012013-03-16T09:44:07.917-04:002013-03-16T09:44:07.917-04:00Cornwall and Portman have believed lies and told l...Cornwall and Portman have believed lies and told lies and called God a liar. The Bible is crystal clear that God condemns homosexuals. It is also crystal clear about God limiting marriage to a man and a woman. There is no Biblical basis for marriage that does not have both a husband, who must be a man, and a wife, who must be a woman. <br /><br />Those, like Cornwall and Portman, who support homosexuals and the perversion of marriage, and claim that Jesus approves of what they have done, are liars. Jesus does not approve. In fact, Jesus disapproves so much that he has promised damnation to those who call evil good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-78901601821557877792013-03-16T09:27:46.703-04:002013-03-16T09:27:46.703-04:00I honestly don't know what caused me to change...I honestly don't know what caused me to change my position on this. I didn't know any openly gay people until the last five years, but by then I had already reached the basic position that there should be no barriers to gay people in the workplace and more especially in the church.<br /><br />I think the first step was intellectual, realizing that my opposition was merely an abstract point of view, formed in isolation if not insulation from reality. I was not gay and I didn't have any relatives or known associates who were gay. But for gay people the matter was life defining and anything but abstract. The whole thing was nothing more than arrogant presumption on my part. <br /><br />Then there was the dawning of several truths: first, that for most people their sexuality (l, g, b, t, q) was not a matter of preference, but it was fixed, and second, that it was just as possible, if society would permit, for LGBTQ people as for heterosexual people to lead healthy and productive lives with their LGBTQ sexuality fully and healthily integrated, and that the only barrier to LGBTQ couples leading normal lives, was the disapproving judgment of society. <br /><br />As those notions were percolating so too was the growing awareness that the core teaching of Jesus was that compassion was the core value of Christianity. We were called to be compassionate, we were shown how to be compassionate, we were told that compassion is the mark of a Christian community, that compassion is the hallmark of the Kingdom of God, and that indeed compassion was the principal determinant for salvation. Also, I noticed that while issues of sexuality were not a primary concern of Jesus, they seem to be an obsession of the church. Jesus didn't accuse the woman caught in adultery but he indicted those who would accuse, judge, and punish her. <br /><br />Genuine compassion includes both thoughts and expressions, not just how we treat one another, but how we value the other, on an intellectual and an emotional level. Lip service isn't enough, nor can we do compassionate service while holding our noses. Meaningful compassion requires that we embrace the other as a brother or sister, that we value and not merely tolerate the other. I don't have to share their sexuality, for me to embrace their personhood. I know a whole lot of people who like foods that I can't imagine eating, but I don't value them any less. I know a whole lot of people in relationships with people I can't imagine being in an intimate relationship with, but I don't think any less of them. I know a whole lot of people who abstain from sexual relationships altogether but I don't think any less of them. <br /><br />With all of those various points of awareness growing within me my sophomoric judgmentalism of the sexuality of others simply could not survive. And when a number of openly LGBTQ people started appearing in my world I knew that God had prepared me to welcome them. <br /><br />God works in such cool ways!<br />Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06245470576919732592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-32308090236580547302013-03-15T20:47:14.965-04:002013-03-15T20:47:14.965-04:00I know how to spell fair, several ways.I know how to spell fair, several ways.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16496392728357471483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-72369090531552478212013-03-15T20:28:22.567-04:002013-03-15T20:28:22.567-04:00Ah, we can pray for more "Portman moments&quo...Ah, we can pray for more "Portman moments". They're lovely. http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/03/steve-katz-assemblyman-charged-with-marijuana-possession.html<br /><br />We can call ourselves Christians while still doubting some other Christians' interpretations of the sacred writings. That seems fare, as long as we aren't hurting anyone..<br /><br />Actually, I only rise to the disciple level. I watch and learn.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16496392728357471483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-28100783929332936962013-03-15T18:49:52.281-04:002013-03-15T18:49:52.281-04:00Bravo, Bob! Beautifully said from a gracious hear...Bravo, Bob! Beautifully said from a gracious heart.Steve Kindlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16634130965524334750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-17126530455449895772013-03-15T16:26:17.326-04:002013-03-15T16:26:17.326-04:00Liberty,
To quote someone you know well: "H...Liberty,<br /><br />To quote someone you know well: "How can you justify your position and call yourself a Christian?"<br /><br />To quote someone with whom you appear less acquainted: "Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. ... You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye."Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06245470576919732592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-81333549195003687592013-03-15T15:04:36.150-04:002013-03-15T15:04:36.150-04:00@Liberty newspost. There are many different ways ...@Liberty newspost. There are many different ways to view the biblical references in the Bible. I perfer to follow what Jesus himself taught.RGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05519955813092642418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-22094040294748833342013-03-15T14:14:39.558-04:002013-03-15T14:14:39.558-04:00I believe that God acts out of love and inclusion....I believe that God acts out of love and inclusion. And as for the clarity of the Bible, maybe it's not as clear as you think.Robert Cornwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04581876323110725024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22980286.post-45743322294437152732013-03-15T13:55:28.593-04:002013-03-15T13:55:28.593-04:00How can you justify your position and call yoursel...How can you justify your position and call yourself a Christian? The Bible is clear on the issue.Liberty Newsposthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07006577099341739171noreply@blogger.com