George Bush has recently announced Dr. James Holsinger, A cardiologist and co-founder of Hope Springs Community Church, a congregation that believes homosexuality is a matter of choice and can be cured, As the new surgeon General.
Holsinger, In his wisdom, stated in a 1991 paper he wrote for the church that the male and femal reproductive organs are like "pipe fittings", And that because plumbers use the terms male and femal for pipes that fit together perfectly homosexuality is wrong.
But Holsinger goes one step further (as if his moronic analogies weren't enough), He also believes that homosexuality is something that can be cured.
"He has a pretty clear bias against gays and lesbians," said Christina Gilgor, director of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, a gay rights group. "This ideology flies in the face of current scientific medical studies. That makes me uneasy that he rejects science and promotes ideology."
As president of the Methodist Church's national Judicial Council, Holsinger voted last year to support a pastor who blocked a gay man from joining a congregation. And in 2004, he voted to expel a lesbian from the clergy even though the majority of the panel voted to keep the lesbian associate pastor in place.
As this man has an obvious intollerance towards homosexuality, Should he even be considered a real doctor? let alone the most important doctor in america?
Blocking someone from joining a church because they practice homosexuality is not cool... they'd get a Jesus-style smackdown for sure (not really, but that would be cool)
ReplyDeleteHowever, blocking someone practicing homosexuality from being a leader in a Christian church is not just fine, but required in the Bible. That book is super-clear on the issue of homosexuality and it's place in Church leadership, despite recent liberties taken with the original Greek by some liberal scholars. I'm probably the most socially-"liberal" Christian you'll ever meet, but practicing homosexuals can't force someone to do something that is against their religious beliefs... period. Unless we want to start suspending all kinds of other constitutional rights.
There are churches that are totally fine with it though, and ignore or rewrite those verses in the Bible to fit what they believe. Pastors practicing homosexuality could join those churches without problem. Would it be what they want? No, but who said we're supposed to get what we want?
Now, you might be thinking, "Who the ___ does this guy think he is," but I'm not singling out homosexuals. The Bible also says that anyone in sexual immorality can not be in a leadership position in the church (and yes, the Bible says in multiple locations that homosexuality is immoral in God's eyes - if they don't like it, too bad. Pick another religion).
I personally struggle with different (but just as sinful-in-God's-eyes) sexual addictions, so that disqualifies me from a pastoral position as well. That kind've sucks, because I hoped I would be able to help people in that capacity. However, God doesn't want me leading people astray since sexual sin is such an easy and destructive path. Until I am proven to be free from this area, I'm out. So are they. Whether we like it or not.
Of course that goes back to "Is the Bible really God's word" If a person doesn't believe it, fine. They just need to understand that people don't have to bend to their wishes. Changing the beliefs of a religion to what is the current political, social, or cultural norms of the day is in essence, creating your own religion, or idolatry. If a Christian believes that the Bible is God's word, then they have to believe all of it - otherwise, why even bother being a Christian? It's hard... really hard. Why not just make up their own religion that lets them do whatever they want? ;)
The bible talks about homosexuality once and it simply calls it an abomination. But then it says the same thing about shell fish and mixed fibers, yet i don't see any fundi bible bashers talking about their 50% poly 50% cotton sweaters or the tasty lobster they had with the same venom that they use against homosexuality.
ReplyDeleteto Matt L - I'm confused. Tell me again how this applies to the priests and altarboys?
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's great. Pull the other one, it's got bells on.
How's this for religion-specific punishment? Let's treat all the pedophiles the way the bible says to, and stone them to death. Oh, my bad... you'd have to find someone "without sin" to throw the first one. How about Pat... oh, wait, no, there was that thing... hmm. Maybe the Pope?
Ooh, he could do it to music, on camera! Oh, this could be great! Think of the marketing opportunites! "Pope Rocks" candy, the Pope on the cover of "Rolling Stones"... not to mention the ratings on TV shows like the "Saturday Night Stoning"! Millions would tune in to see the Pope murdering priests for touching little boys, don'tcha think?
In case you just forgot GOd created women for men. If gay was right cain and abel would have been married to each otner where there were no women. So l dont personally accept gays and lesbians in churches.
ReplyDelete