Church backing gays
By Corey Worrell | Thu, July 19, 2012 - 12:00 AM
It is very sad, disappointing and shameful to see how the church is shifting its beliefs and core values to accommodate and somewhat support the lustful, selfish and fleshly desires of the world.
Last week, I was made aware of an article titled US Episcopal Church Approves Blessing Of Gay Unions. I read the article and have decided to share it with you. It can be found on http://www.reuters.com.
It stated: “The US Episcopal Church on Tuesday approved a liturgy for clergy to use in blessing same-sex unions, including gay marriages in states where they are legal, becoming the largest US religious denomination to approve such a ritual. Delegates to its triennial convention voted 171-50 to approve the liturgy, titled The Witnessing And Blessing Of A Lifelong Covenant. Episcopal bishops had voted overwhelmingly on Monday in favour of the text.
“The US Episcopal Church, part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, is the 14th largest US religious denomination, with about two million members, according to the National Council of Churches. The proposed blessing will be introduced in early December and will be evaluated over the next three years, according to a church spokeswoman, Nancy Davidge.
“The resolution does not mention the word ‘marriage’ and it does not alter the church’s standard liturgy for a marriage between a man and a woman, but offers an alternative liturgy for blessing same-sex couples. The measure also gives bishops of the church discretion in the use of the liturgy and says no one should be punished for choosing not to use it.
“Reverend Bonnie Perry of Chicago, who supports marriage between same-sex couples, said she was pleased by the decision. ‘For me it is a window on the Promised Land. It’s not the Promised Land’, she said. ‘The most important part of a marriage is the blessing’.
“But Steven Horst of Connecticut spoke in opposition, saying the resolution was the wrong way to proceed. Some Episcopalians will say the church endorsed gay marriage even though the word marriage is not mentioned, he said.
“The Episcopal Church is the largest religious denomination to approve such blessings. The United Church of Christ, the 24th-ranked denomination in the United States with about a million members, voted in 2005 to recognize same-sex unions. Two other major Protestant denominations, United Methodists and Presbyterians, rejected gay rights resolutions at their conferences earlier this year.
“United Methodists in May voted down a resolution that would have altered a doctrine that said homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Presbyterians last week narrowly rejected a proposal to redefine marriage as a union between two persons rather than between a man and woman.”
I really don’t understand if the church is serving God or serving man. How can the church endorse same-sex marriages when homosexuality is clearly a sinful act? The Bible is very clear as it relates to same-sex relations.
I know the article above referred to an American church denomination which is a member of the Anglican community, but let me assure you that if this is happening in America, it will knock on our doorsteps here in Barbados sooner than we think.
The church needs to make a decision and those decisions should be based on biblical principles and truths and not on human reasoning, emotion or intellectualism.
Everyone is coming out the closet: the gay community is taking a stance for legal same-sex unions; the Rastafarian community is taking a stance for legalizing marijuana; the Freemasons are being very public in their invitations to their sessions, and the list goes on.
Christians need to stop being so passive, withdrawn, isolated and timid. We need to be bold, relational and proud of who we are and whom we belong to and represent. We may not have all the answers that people seek but we do have our experiences and relationship with Christ that no one can take away from us.
Stand up for what you believe in; everyone else is.
• Corey Worrell is a former Commonwealth youth ambassador. Email coreyworrell@gmail.com.
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Comment LinkOn the subject of Biblical literalism, I assume the writer buys the Leviticus injunction that 'fags must die'.
But the writer need not worry. The Church in Barbados is far more concerned with what people wear than this kind of trivia.
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Comment LinkYou cannot believe some and not all of it's content, then we are saying Moses was liar and all those Prophets who would have written their account inspired by God that we may believe, now today those who studied the gospel are giving their own interpretation of what God would say. It does not mean we must hate others, but there are certain laws written about homosexuality that cannot be denied.
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Comment LinkChristians are the overwhelming majority in Barbados, they do not have to stand up for anything ('stand up' being used here to mean agitating for something one is not granted and should be). What they may consider is practising what they preach or living christ like.
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Comment LinkThen Jesus came and said that there was no law greater than love your neighbour as yourself.
"You cannot believe some and not all of it’s content..."
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