Just a day after his election, new Presbyterian Church Moderator sparks row by telling gay people to stop having sex
The new leader of the largest Protestant denomination in Northern Ireland has angered the gay community just a day after his election by saying they should stay celibate.
The truth is that it was the latter. Christians will go to great lengths to tell us how much God loves us, and how he has shown that love to us. Yet the scripture which they base that faith on is built on intolerance, wrath and vengeance. This God who loves us all adds the caveat that we must in turn love him, believe in him and honour him. Why would any eternally existing force of such immense power and intelligence demand something which is so selfish? What is great about demanding that others praise you?
Why does this God who loves us so much have so much anger towards two men who love each other when all sensible people can see that it is harmless? Why does God make us so ashamed of our sexuality, to the point where people are embarrassed and ashamed to open up about the thing which forms the basis of so much of our behaviour? The fact that God created us, and therefore bestowed hormones on us, makes it all seem like a bit of a sick practical joke by this God of love.
And some Christians will either rush to tell me that I must simply accept scripture despite its manifest lunacy, and others will tell me how wrong I have got it ... that when God says we should kill gay people he actually did not mean it . .
*rolls eyes*
It could be worse. He could be an RC priest saying one thing and promoting another.
It only matters if you believe the story of a big alien in the sky anyway.
Neither of these groups affect how this man and his community live their own lives so he should keep his mouth shut and go about his business.
He is the elected leader of a minority religion and of course he speaks for the members of his church, but he does not speak for non members and given the number of non members far outweighs the number of members he represents, he should just remain quiet.
dosnt he know the 11th commandment reads, don't knock it till you've tried it.
However, I have one question for him. In verse nine after Paul talks about celibacy he goes on to say:
"But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion."
therefore why is so opposed to gay people finding the right person for them, to be able to love them and not burn with the passion that Paul warns us is actually worse than trying to remain celibate when we don't have the gift?
If you think they are basically frauds, believing in madness, why be bothered about what they think?
Many christians clearly think the bible says homosexual acts are sinful and not good for people, thus they think people shouldn’t do them.
Many of the people who profess to be very liberal seem to be the most agitated when someone does not hold their views on subjects like this.
Let people get on with whatever they want to get on with.
social injustices? sectarianism? the plight of the poor and marginalised?
No, no, no these are not the subjects uppermost in the mind of Rev Barry.
He chooses to talk about gay people. And to tell them to stop being bad.
What a disappointment.
What an opportunity missed.
What would Jesus do?
A group of men young and old, who take great pleasure in each others company, who enjoy dressing up in brightly coloured bunting and enjoy going on long walks together every summer as they sing songs to each other as they walk.
I guess they call this male bonding.
Other than that, it's just another pathetic headline from this paper. NEWS HEADLINES: Christian leader believes what Christians believe!!! In other news the Pope is Catholic!
Give me strength... *shakes head in disbelief*
Using religious language to promote an agenda.
The Onanist Order and most specifically George Chittick ought to protest against this and warn people of what is going on here. Not that religious language learning is wrong as such, but when it has been used to promote an agenda then something must be done.
BIt of fleg waving and opportune and judicious faux ballax and talk in tongues briefly should do the trick.
By Juan Cole February 06, 2014 "Information Clearing House - A new paper by Israeli archeologies Lidar Sapir-Hen and Erez Ben-Yosef, [pdf] posted at the University of Tel Aviv web site , is bad news for biblical literalists and far right wing Israeli nationalists who use the Bible for support.