At a recent Kirk Session at my church we were asked to discuss if we thought that the ministers of our churches should be allowed to conduct blessings of civil partnerships. Here is what I said at that meeting.
My brother is gay. He once told me he would like to believe in God but God wouldn’t want anything to do with him. I replied with the cliché that God loves the sinner but hates the sin. I should have told him the truth, it’s not God that has the problem with him, just the vast majority of people that represent Him.
Same sex couples that want their partnership blessed by the church would probably only seek this if they are Christians. As Christian homosexuals they will know the parts of The Bible that condemn sex between same sex partners more than anybody. They will know that although God made them with homosexual tendencies, He also gave them free will and a conscience to use it. If they have decided to follow Jesus then, like everyone else, they face a daily battle to not sin against God.
If they choose to face that battle with a partner whom they love and trust and who faces the same day to day struggles, then that is their choice.
Christian alcoholics say that they were created with this condition but with the help of Jesus and their Christian friends they fight it every day. Shouldn’t homosexuals get that same support?
Some would say that blessing their partnership encourages them to sin.
Our ministers are given the chance to use their discretion when marrying people who have previously been divorced. However Jesus tells us that ‘a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.’
In 1 Corinthians Chapter 6 verses 9 & 10 Paul mentions those who are drunkards or commit adultery or practice homosexuality in the same breath as being those who will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
So surely our ministers should be given that same discretion to decide to bless the partnership of two people committed to each other and to serving God.
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4 comments:
I would imagine most Minister's would dread the moment that a same sex couple comes for advice or a blessing. As a member of a Church that sees itself as modern thinking, there are quite a few members that have strong views in this department. I can see this very dilemma causing quite a split in the Church.
As you stated some Ministers not only encourage attendance of same sex couples but will perform whatever service appeals to them with the blessing that seems to comfort so many.
This blessing and whole issue is not for the likes of me to judge, The Bible was written and as you know can be translated to embrace any group.
The truth is, same sex relationships have been bashed to bits over the last millenium. Only very recently in the UK and other "civillised" countries it has been legislated for by the Politicians, that we voted for, mirroring public opinion. It is unlawful / criminal to be disadvantaged because of your sexual orientation. The Church has had no impact on this legislation whatsoever and clearly has to adopt this policy. Time will tell, but I feel sure that as "Old School" mentality dies out then a new thinking will adopt this legislation.
I believe that it's only a matter of time before a Minister refuses to perform a request because of same sex phobias that a test case prosecution evolves. That'll be watched intently by a few thousand Christians.
Folk were stoned to death (Feel like another Amsterdam trip coming on) for adultery / sexual misdemeanor, then they were beaten and flung from communities. Then they were just banished. Then they were punished and accepted back. You have only got to look back, to see what's just around the corner...
All of the legislation that opposes Biblical teaching will get there in the end.
Not really sure where I stand on this one, or in fact if I really care too much, being a non believer. I have promised myself to post what I write and write what I am thinking at the time so, I'll see where this takes me.
WW, you mention "it's not God that has the problem with him, just the vast majority of people that represent Him".
I am struggling to see who or what god is other than exactly that i.e the people that represent him.
For me the only thing that god could be is a belief that is carried through time by a group of like thinking people.
I'll try and get back on topic here, we are clearly talking about a battle between nature and belief, nature made me gay, but
I believe in god, nature made me an alchoholic, but I beleive in god.
I appreciate that this does not sit well with those who believe that god created everything, but I cannot see any possible truth in this. I can only believe in what can been seen to be at least possibly realistic and god creating the world just isn't that.
Again I digress, marridge, civil partnerships, whatever, for me it's just a way of saying to yourself and everyone that you love the other person (it's not even a tax break anymore).
I was married in the catholic church even though I am what is generally considered to be a proddy. To me it really means nothing other than the label you get if you are not a catholic.
I was accepted by the catholic church as long as I said a few things that I didn't realy mean in the build up to the big day. So what, I can live with it.
I suppose I trying to get to the point that if you are a christian and your church won't accept you for who you are, then screw your church.
I also appreciate that this attitude gets no one anywhere.
Talking about divorce and adultary.
If everyone took the bible literally, then religous people would be walking around in a daze playing a million contradictions over in thier heads.
And no I haven't read the bible so yes this is just my possibly ill informed opinion.
For me the Corinthians quote is case and point, drunkards won't inherit the earth. I am pretty sure a few gallons of the old vino rouge were consumed at the last supper, this contradiction alone alone must be food for thought.........
I have just read through this post from the start even I am not sure exactly what point I am trying to make, but hey, I am hitting the publish button anyway..
Thank you for your honesty and for making me laugh on such a confusing subject. It really does me good to be reminded of how I once felt and also remind me of where people are compared to where the church is. Sometimes I get so caught up in it that I forget these things.
Something that always makes me chuckle.............
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."
So not only did God create the Heaven and the Earth, but he done in the fucking dark.....what a man!!!!
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