'to love.... fearlessly, and inclusively is to obey the will of Christ'

[bobbieinok]

http://hugoboy.typepad.com/hugo_schwyzer/2006/02/quite_some_time.html

....

When progressives endorse same-sex marriage in the church, our conservative opponents accuse us of "disobedience" to Scripture, tradition, and so forth. Over and over again, we are told that we have capitulated to modern secular culture and abandoned the teachings of God and His Son. According to traditionalists, by endorsing same-sex marriage, we progressive Christians are encouraging people to follow their own selfish desires rather than obey God. And the most frustrating thing is, most of the time we progressives don't fight back against this argument. We concede too easily, often because we're so reluctant to talk about obedience.

But when we welcome gays and lesbians and marry them, we ARE being obedient. Indeed, when we risk schism and international opprobrium, we do so because of a fundamental belief that we are obeying the Gospel. Straight folks make up the majority of liberal Protestants in this country; permitting gay marriage doesn't give us any new or special privileges. Why then are so many of us in the Episcopal Church willing to argue, debate, and possibly get thrown out of the Anglican Communion all so that our GLBTQ brothers and sisters might feel completely included? Secular liberal conviction isn't enough to bring most progressives to the precipice of schism -- what brings us there is a quiet conviction that to love radically, fearlessly, and inclusively is to obey the will of Christ. We know, just as our conservative brothers and sisters know, that obedience has a cost. And we know as believers we have to be willing to pay it.

[Erika]

1. Rove has chosen to use gays/lesbians as a rallying cry to

far right wingers that these people are out to destroy America. How very very sad. How exclusive. Mixing politics and religion for a political gain at the loss of loving minorities is not Christ like in my opinion.

[greyl]

2. "we risk schism and international opprobrium" ?

okayyyyyyyy.

[BattyDem]

3. Unfortunately ...

RW, conservative Christians really don't give a damn about the will of Christ! :eyes:

[sam sarrha]

4. to understand the situation you have to check out this link..

http://www.insider-magazine.com/ChristianMafia.htm

the 'Christians' that put on the political political, 'Prayer Breakfasts'.. was started by a Jew who was a founder of the Nazi Party, who fled to the USA when the Nazi's scapegoated the jews. The Christian Fellowship is apparently the Bastard child of Fascism.. you really cant expect amymore than you are getting from them.. but then again you can expect what you are getting from them.

[BattyDem]

5. That certainly explains it

:scared:

[NMMNG]

6. When the "traditionalists" start obeying God, then we'll talk.

Until then they can .