Posted on 11/18/2013 3:24:56 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
A Pennsylvania pastor charged under United Methodist law with officiating his son's same-sex marriage is scheduled to go on trial.
The Rev. Frank Schaefer, 51, could be defrocked....
"Public opinion has changed very rapidly," said the pastor's son....
...Schaefer could have avoided a trial if he had agreed never again to perform a same-gender wedding, but he declined because three of his four children are gay.
(Excerpt) Read more at m.chron.com ...
That might be an exception rather than the rule. Please see the article I just found, looking into this, and have posted:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3092707/posts
. . . sadly.
By subscribing to a "social gospel" message and "social justice" program, the Church has committed itself to be guided by the wishes of the kosmos, the world system, rather than by Biblical truths. IMHO
The article you posted is about one of our retired bishops. The denomination is a puzzle to some who haven’t thought about it a lot, but there is no authority over a bishop in our denomination. They are each in charge of their own geographic region (conference), and they do not answer to anyone in the church.
And here we’re talking about a retired bishop, and they simply answer to no one, but at the same time they are now over no one.
Our church governance is responsible for a lot of our problems, but at the same time, to understand the problems one must also understand the governance.
You can no doubt fine that. At the same time, had you been at our humble, rural church yesterday, you'd have heard about Jacob's flight from home after, with his mother's help, he'd deceived his father and cheated his brother. God got his attention in a dream with a stairway to heaven. (Gen 28)
And it is fruitless for the church to come down hard on homosexuality while ignoring adultery. Homosexuality is a minor blip on the Biblical radar compared to adultery.
Remember something about these gay pastors who leave their families. They almost always seek other lovers while still married. Where’s the outrage? It’s covered up by the “tolerance”.
I agree that the bible rejects adultery. However, it also utterly rejects homosexuality. I wouldn't call it just a "blip" and feel comfortable that I'd done the biblical distinctions justice.
No, it utterly rejects adultery. Adultery is the foundation of all sin. Homosexuality is just one of the manifestations. It just comes with its own “Get Out Of Jail” card because it excuses its sin.
I am curious to know whether my pastor would say it is a sin for her ex-husband to have an affair considering he is “married” to another man. Would it be a sin if his “partner” agreed to it?(very common)
We are so focused on his sexuality that we have ignored the fact that he dumped his wife and kids for another lover.
I’ve met a few conservative female pastors. a few mind you.
I think that an abandoning of sin is, as you say, the objective of repentance.
That said, notice Jacob had not submitted. He said, “If You’ll do this that and the other for me, then You’ll be my God.”
That wasn’t a textbook confession by any means in Genesis 28. Yet, God started Jacob on Jacob’s journey toward God, and Jacob did not resist.
I could take it there and probably make a case for it, but I think Satan's sin was pride, a narcissistic placing of self above God.
But God accused Israel of committing adultery with other gods. That was always their greatest sin.
In the NT, they would commit adultery with “The Law”. They came to worship themselves.
At the rate we are going almost all denominations will be sodomite before long. I’m sick and tired of churches bowing to the homosexual agenda after repeated bullying!
Other organizations too. I am disgusted with the Boy Scouts of America. The homo lifestyle love to infiltrate groups that mentor boys. They are despicable and those caught should be castrated and/or killed. Instead the BSA is giving them an open invite.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.