Following on from the last blog entry, and recent comments by Dean Jeffrey John, there is clearly a need for a calm, loving discussion surrounding gay issues. Evidence suggests that Christian conservatives are misrepresented by the gay lobby, one commentator, Rev. Mel White, goes so far as to suggest the conservative position is akin to Holy Terrorism and recently a security guard at the Family Research Council in America has been shot and wounded in an incident that may have been linked to such bitter rhetoric.
Here in the UK Dean Jeffrey John has told gays not to listen to conservative Anglicans and asserted that the official position of the Church, held for centuries, is 'morally contemptible.'
Of course on the other side Christians have not always shown the love of Christ as it should and perhaps made gays feel unwelcome in the Church, which is a shame also. But there does need to be honesty and integrity in debate here. John accuses the Church of not showing integrity, but to deliberately misrepresent the traditionalist position so that gays are led to believe they are unwelcome in conservative churches does not show integrity. Instead, whether you agree with the conservative position or not, it represents a reasoned and long held position that is based upon the presence of the transforming grace and love of Christ in the world.
Here in the UK Dean Jeffrey John has told gays not to listen to conservative Anglicans and asserted that the official position of the Church, held for centuries, is 'morally contemptible.'
Of course on the other side Christians have not always shown the love of Christ as it should and perhaps made gays feel unwelcome in the Church, which is a shame also. But there does need to be honesty and integrity in debate here. John accuses the Church of not showing integrity, but to deliberately misrepresent the traditionalist position so that gays are led to believe they are unwelcome in conservative churches does not show integrity. Instead, whether you agree with the conservative position or not, it represents a reasoned and long held position that is based upon the presence of the transforming grace and love of Christ in the world.
2 comments:
Conservative Christians need to beware of the skilful use of rhetoric and false guilt. Our understandable desire to distance ourselves from haters like Westborough Baptist church must not let us be taken in by simplistic propaganda slogans like 'legalise love'. The Bible is clear, homosexual genital acts are not an option for Christians, let the pagans outside do as they please.
Jeffrey John is a heretic who has also by the way distanced himself from the doctrine of substitutionary atonement. His heretical words must be denounced, even if this leads to cat calls and accusations of 'having no compassion' etc. Our adversary the devil (I wonder if John believes there is a devil?) will never give up attacking the church from without by persecution and from within by false teachers.
There is no love or compassion in tolerating unbiblical doctrine about sexual sin pass into the mainstream church under false flags such as 'inclusiveness.' The 'gay marriage' agenda if not stopped will at the least lead to the disestablishment of the Church of England as Bible believers leave Anglican churches that accept 'gay marriage' and homosexual activists backed by atheist and revoutionary pressure groups sue those that won't. This in turn will destabilise the monarchy. Some dissenting conservative Christians may welcome both developments, but this should not happen by default and soft logic.
The coming months and very few years will deceide the fate of the Church of England as a national institution. Jeffrey John and his fellow travellers will be stopped or they will destroy Anglicanism and perhaps the British monarchy.
Elwin we can disagree with someone and argue that they are wrong in a Christ-like manner. We do not control other people's actions, but we can control how we act as Christians. This is what it means not to cast our pearls before swine, the swine being devils and the pearls being our words.
Post a Comment