Outlook magazine (http://www.pres-outlook.org/) has sponsored webinars every Tuesday to present some of the major issues coming up before GA. It has done an excellent job at getting speakers to represent both sides of the issues. The webinar yesterday was presenting the "Report On Civil Marriage and Holy Unions". I see this issue and any issue regarding same-sex couples, Civil Unions, LBGT ordination, homosexuality as one of the most contentious issues and in many ways it baffles me. First of all, I do not believe homosexuality is a sin or a choice. I am sure that last sentence offends many but I would challenge you to walk a mile in my shoes. I have a 24 year old son that is gay. He is extremely helpful, generous, and compassionate. As a child, he was very involved in the church and because he feels the church does not accept or condone his life style, I don't know if I will ever get him back to church. This breaks my heart for the church means so much to me.
Getting back to why the contentious nature of this issue baffles me. If homosexuality is a sin, why is more of a sin then materialism, coveting, divorce, lying, ignoring people in need. If homosexuality is a sin and all sins are the same then I suppose then only God can be ordained. I have heard several that are against same-sex anything say that we want to welcome everyone into our church and want to be inclusive and welcome and invite the LGBT community into our flock. We invite them to ride on the bus but they have to sit in the back. My wife would never belong to a church that did not ordain women, why would we expect the gay community to flock to come to a church that considers them less worthy then others. We are missing out on an opportunity to evangelize and grow within this segment of the population. It is not only the LGBT people that we are discouraging to come in our doors, it is their families, friends & sympathizers. Perhaps this is one of the contributing factors why the church is shrinking.
I love my church and love being a Presbyterian, I will never abandon the church. The church is flawed as I know I am. I pray that the people of the world including me can see past the flaws, disagreements and intolerance and see the church for what it is meant to be, a place to find God and a vehicle to show gratitude for what God has given us by ministering to the rest of the world.
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I know most of us have heard this stuff before and this is only wikipedia but thought I'd attach it anyway.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_animals_displaying_homosexual_behavior
Homosexual behavior in animals has been noted in many scientific studies for decades, lending further evidence to the (fairly well accepted, by myself certainly) theory that homosexuality is a trait we are born with - NOT a choice.
As a mother of a wonderful, gifted lesbian daughter who has left the church for the same reason as your son - I share not only your experience but the sadness that goes with it: the church is missing out on so much! Thank you for your honesty, and courage in speaking the truth to this beloved denomination. My prayers are with you at the assembly. Susan
ReplyDeleteThanks, Greg, for speaking out. As the mother of a 35-year old gay son who is called by God to serve the church, but cannot be ordained in the PCUSA, I completely agree. Those of us who know LGBT Presbyterians who are willing and eager to serve God in the PCUSA wonder at the church’s unwillingness to accept their gifts. And yes, if sinlessness was a requirement for serving God, none of us would qualify. Just consider the number of Biblical “heroes” who would not be eligible for ordination—Abraham, Moses, Rahab, David, Solomon, Peter, Mary Magdalene, Paul…the list goes on and on. Below I will “publish” a yet unpolished poem:
ReplyDelete“Isn’t it curious
that the single, most important criteria
by which God chooses humans
to carry out God's plans is neither
intelligence,
nor age or maturity,
nor education, experience or leadership,
not oratorical skills,
not skin color, wealth or social status,
not lack of criminal record,
not moral purity,
not marital status, gender orientation, or sexual purity,
not honesty or integrity,
not family lineage,
not courage in the face of danger,
not religious fervor or the lack of it…
Isn’t it curious
That the single most important criteria
By which God chooses humans
To carry out God’s plans
Is simply
Willingness to serve?”
Becky Lindsay