tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post5825576635446602679..comments2023-11-03T08:45:55.121+00:00Comments on Stephen's Liberal Journal: Why I Need to Still Go To ChurchStephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-91196598093728844432009-08-09T12:54:54.824+01:002009-08-09T12:54:54.824+01:00Hardly flippant Emma but an interesting observatio...Hardly flippant Emma but an interesting observation, and so very, very you to find/know it.<br /><br />I guess I really must find an excuse to come down to Lockerbie....heck forget an excuse I'll pick up a couple of bottles of red and come down sometime. :)Stephen Glennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-18938917213370545692009-08-08T13:46:59.164+01:002009-08-08T13:46:59.164+01:00The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexual...The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexuals and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals. That doesn't mean that God doesn't love heterosexuals. It's just that they need more supervision.” <br /> Lynn Lavner <br /><br />Ok perhaps a little flippant - HOWEVER as a single parent who has been a youth leader and preached in church what makes me different from those whose sexuality challenges church ideals? Very little; it is obvious to me that the whole issue of sex and sexuality are obviously, FAR more important to the church than any other aspect of human life. Because the people of the church have made it so. <br /><br />And the Lord saw what he had made. And it was good.Emmaskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06087166588185418306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-80871889300219704352009-05-17T19:44:00.000+01:002009-05-17T19:44:00.000+01:00An excellent post. But one of the paragraphs seems...An excellent post. But one of the paragraphs seems to be missing half of a sentence - the last one and a bit sentences currently read: "The Aberdeenshire Presbytary which is the group of all Ministers in that area then ratified that decision in January by 60 votes to 24. In both cases to have such levels of support any politician would be happy. So why is the"<br /><br />Only a small quibble!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11171985623642790407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-53334019111904656572009-05-08T14:22:00.000+01:002009-05-08T14:22:00.000+01:00beautifully articulated personal experience.
than...beautifully articulated personal experience.<br /><br />thanksAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02984954330452210231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-29174112197546813852009-05-08T00:29:00.000+01:002009-05-08T00:29:00.000+01:00Graham you do right on you blog that the vote by t...Graham you do right on you blog that the vote by the congregation is then validated at Presbytery level. You are also right that this goes through on the nod generally. However, it is a different Presbytery that of Lochcarron and Skye that has approached the General Assembly not on the specifics of this call but on a general matter of Principle. <br /><br />The following extract:<br /><br /><I>We stand thus to publicly affirm our love, honour and deep respect for all our Christian brothers and sisters who wrestle painfully with homosexual temptation but fight faithfully to live lives of purity, following Christ Jesus as his true disciples. We assure them of all pastoral support, care and mutual encouragement as they, along with us, ‘strive…for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.’ (Hebrews 12:14)</I>If applied equitably to all temptations would leave all our churches empty. Or at least be excluding pastoral support, care and mutual encouragement for all who fail to fight faithfully to live lives of purity. It is circumventing grace and cherry picking the bible.Stephen Glennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-82568051065776670472009-05-08T00:04:00.000+01:002009-05-08T00:04:00.000+01:00Just spotted it looks like I was quoting from your...Just spotted it looks like I was quoting from your blog which I wasn't. It was more of a general theme expressed in your post and elsewhere. <br /><br />Apologies for that.Grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11829473394189477352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-30274033120987472412009-05-08T00:02:00.000+01:002009-05-08T00:02:00.000+01:00Dear Stephen,
Without wanting to get into the arg...Dear Stephen,<br /><br />Without wanting to get into the argument surrounding Mr Rennie, I must call you to task about your version of what happens about electing a minister of a congregation. <br /><br />I wrote about this on my own blog last night and ask you have a look and by all means comment. <br /><br />One final thing though about Jesus. The idea today is that he was "all about love and acceptance" is difficult to garnish from the Scriptures. Jesus more than any other character in the entire Bible talks about Hell and the consequences of not taking up thy cross and following him.<br /><br />In the Gospels, Jesus frequently rebukes people for both their attitude and lifestyle. Don't get me wrong, Jesus is the opposite of doom and gloom as through His sacrificial death on the cross shows more love and grace than anyone else on this earth, before or since. <br /><br />Blessings,Grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11829473394189477352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-46044312020074772942009-05-07T15:29:00.000+01:002009-05-07T15:29:00.000+01:00Read it again, more tears. Very powerfully put an...Read it again, more tears. Very powerfully put and some of the paradoxes of the debate clearly explained.<br /><br />I guess it would be easier for gay Christians to be in the church if people like me hadn't walked away - at the time, I didn't realise there was anyone going through that sort of struggle and, now, I've gone beyond that part of my life.<br /><br />I hope that some of the debate on this issue in the blogosphere will inspire - I think that there has been exceptional quality of posting and coming together.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04988201531739344840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-44326028825964019452009-05-07T11:56:00.000+01:002009-05-07T11:56:00.000+01:00I suppose my comment will be thought as libertaria...I suppose my comment will be thought as libertarian but my question is what has happened to the theory that the person is the best one for the job?<br /><br />Why should it matter about sexuality? When I was an employer I didn't ask someone's sexuality so why does it have to be declared these days?<br /><br />Being a hetrosexual may make me see the problem as being a small one but it's obviously not to someone who is gay. <br /><br />As you say Stephen, let the 'antis' do their anti thing and we'll all get on with our lives. Where the church is concerned there will always be those who think their interpretation of the scriptures is the correct one and they'll always be screaming away on the periphery just like they are on any moral subject with which they disagree.<br /><br />Must rush, will read your post again later.subrosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00151702590329788260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-68825155993731704342009-05-07T11:37:00.000+01:002009-05-07T11:37:00.000+01:00A thunderously great post. I particular treasure t...A thunderously great post. I particular treasure these lines:<br /><br />"People like him show that Christ accepts us as we are, time for the Church to be a little more Christ like."<br /><br />"In the end the words passed my lip in a matter of fact sort of way and after one maybe two questions there was acceptance, love and understanding in just the Christian way that Jesus himself would I'm certain have shown."Paul Walterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-4523125500032414312009-05-07T11:35:00.000+01:002009-05-07T11:35:00.000+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Paul Walterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-25337437667326998032009-05-07T10:56:00.000+01:002009-05-07T10:56:00.000+01:00And who are we to judge which Levitican abominatio...<I>And who are we to judge which Levitican abomination is allowed to be done away with over another. <br /></I>These issues are discussed in detail in the New Testament. Anyone who says "it says this in Leviticus" simply cannot have read their Bible. They have picked bits out, yes, but not properly read it and absorbed its full message. As you say, from the Presbyterian background, we are justified by faith alone. Romans is very explicitly about the rejection of the idea that we are justified by keeping to ritual laws.<br /><br />From my background, I would also point to the section in Acts on Peter's dream. The answer to the question is that the Church meets together, and Peter as its spokesman announces its conclusion.<br /><br />Jesus, of course, is recorded as saying nothing at all about homosexuality. One might have supposed that had God wanted it to be taken as an important issue, he would have done.Matthew Huntbachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18255872047710686115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14418636.post-25177303272586151792009-05-07T10:16:00.000+01:002009-05-07T10:16:00.000+01:00Thanks for sharing that very personal and moving a...Thanks for sharing that very personal and moving account. Now I have to go to the GP with tears in my eyes. Will have a more thorough read later.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04988201531739344840noreply@blogger.com