tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64939512085222952982024-03-13T05:34:59.383-04:00Rainbows and SunspotsThere is a crack in everything;
that's how the light gets in.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10341469542637794631noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6493951208522295298.post-5466262322149133682016-04-04T17:43:00.003-04:002016-04-04T17:45:51.445-04:00On Waiting<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I was of three minds,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Like a tree<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>in which there are three
blackbirds.</i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><br /></o:p></i></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 5;"> </span></i>-
Wallace Stevens,<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“13 Ways of Looking at a
Blackbird”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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In our ongoing non-conversation about homosexuality <o:p></o:p></div>
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in the United Methodist Church, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
those arguing from one side rarely, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">if</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ever</i>, <o:p></o:p></div>
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change the hearts or minds of those defending the “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">other</i>” side(s). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Each camp responds to the other in the manner of boorish tourists,
<o:p></o:p></div>
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impatient and frustrated because the natives don’t understand<o:p></o:p></div>
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“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">their”</i> language”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So irritated, all sides shout louder still
. . . <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as if. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Unable to communicate better, all sides lament -<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>why do they
not comprehend what we are saying? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>(our position
is so obviously true.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Not to
mention that we are speaking so clearly!</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Are they daft?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>or biblically
illiterate? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>or maybe just
plain stubborn?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In this state of dysfunction we have now wandered in the
wilderness since 1972 – <o:p></o:p></div>
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4 years longer than did the children of Moses also wander.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Beleaguered tourists all, we simply cannot hear the “other”
side, their language foreign to us. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We are indeed spiritual babes, whining? in a tower of much Babel.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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I include myself, of course.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are few heroes in this long draining saga.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- - - - - - - -<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The quadrennial meeting of our beloved United Methodist
Church convenes next month.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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On the contentious issue of homosexuality, <o:p></o:p></div>
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a road to wholeness will once again be sought.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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There are, of course, rumors in the air. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Of endings.</div>
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Withering compromises.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Woundedness without balm.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The usual sad stuff.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But it need not be that way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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It is still possible to tell the truth -<o:p></o:p></div>
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admit that our church as a whole does not know what to do about homosexuality, <o:p></o:p></div>
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and decide to have no “corporate” opinion whatsoever.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Period.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Since we obviously cannot agree, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
why not <i>remove all language
about gay people from our <u>Discipline,</u></i> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
then wait until such time when <o:p></o:p></div>
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the Spirit speaks more clearly to all of us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Why endorse a moral position (one way or the other) when significant
numbers of our members will be in disagreement?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Our church has often avoided landing on one side or another of an issue when we had no
commonly held settled opinion. (abortion, divorce, for instance)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Why should the issue of homosexuality be any different?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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What is rush in “solving” this issue?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Since when is the United Methodist Church required to vote requiring every ethical issue in the world? <br />
<br />
We don’t even have to agree to disagree! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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We need only speak the most obvious truth in the room – which
is that<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we have no consensus regarding <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>the
morality of homosexuality and so <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>we
will say nothing about it at all</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> until a wider consensus is found.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- - - - - - - - - - <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I took the following from a blog called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rabbi Rami’s Guide to Judaism</i> - <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "geneva"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We Jews love to argue. We argue with
ourselves, with one another, and even
with God. We value argument over faith, and doubt over belief. Ours is a tribe of inquiry. When we argue over
our story we never ask, “What <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>does it
mean?” Instead we ask, “What could it mean?” And as soon as<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>one of us tells us what it could mean,
another of us asks, “What <i>else</i> could
it mean?” For us misreading Torah in order to yield ever–more <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>meanings is the deepest spiritual practice, one
that ignites the imagination and invites
dialogue and argument.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "geneva"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We never tire of arguing. That’s why we
say, “Two Jews, three opinions.” <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What
tires us, what bores us, are answers. If you are looking for answers, <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>our tribe is not for you. If you are looking
to sharpen your questions, or <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>better yet
discover new ones, you might find us a good fit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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I am jealous.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I love the way this rabbi encourages what our church so
often discourages.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I want our United Methodist Church to encourage every member to hold at least 2 opinions on issues!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Is it possible we maybe misreading the Bible when we find inside
its pages definitive answers to all of life’s questions?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not every jot and tittle has to be just so, perfectly in
place.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Not every issue needs to be addressed by tomorrow at high
noon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I wish our church were like Wallace Stevens’ tree, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
accommodating, no,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">celebrating </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>3
opinions, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">or a 103 – in a tree holding
all of us!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- - - - - -<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">To view Rabbi Rami’s
Guide to Judaism –<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/rabbiramishapiro/2014/03/4-two-jews-three-opinions/<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10341469542637794631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6493951208522295298.post-83600487328663374312015-06-11T17:01:00.000-04:002015-06-11T17:07:44.375-04:00Bishop Webb Dismisses Complaint<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Bishop Mark Webb, (Upper New
York Conference, United Methodist Church) has dismissed a complaint filed
against me for my officiating at a same sex marriage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In a letter addressed to me he
said,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“ . . . consider this matter
closed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Remarkably, his letter
contains no restrictive clauses, expectations, instructions, or requirements by
which I might yet be held accountable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There is no <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">quid pro quo</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">No deal was struck; no secret
promises made.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For all I know he may be the
first United Methodist bishop to dismiss this particular complaint (officiating
at a same sex marriage) without going through a trial, insisting on a penalty,
or otherwise demanding some promise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">He did not have to dismiss
the complaint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">He was not required to accept
the Church Counsel’s recommendation “to dismiss”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">He had the right to bring
this matter to a trial.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Instead, a dove of grace
appears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There will be fallout, of
course, mostly for Bishop Mark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If one is a public figure, there
is always fallout.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And all bishops are public
figures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Some will assume his decision
was strictly political – a “savvy play to gain street cred” with the
overwhelming number of people supporting marriage equality resolutions in Upper
New York. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Others will accuse him of infidelity
to the faith, or ignoring Scripture’s so-called “clear teaching” about
homosexuality, or not upholding his duty as bishop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Some will claim betrayal,</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> apostasy, or
</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“caving in” to the whims of popular culture.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: medium;">It’s hard for most public
figures to feel attacks are not </span><span style="font-size: 19px;">intended to be</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> personal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I hope he can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This week, as fate would have it, he has unexpected company.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Last Monday, Tony Campolo, one of the most influential
evangelical preachers in the country announced he <a href="http://tonycampolo.org/for-the-record-tony-campolo-releases-a-new-statement/#.VXmyp-uDS-8">changed
his mind about gay people and gay marriage</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">“It
has taken countless hours of prayer, study, conversation and emotional turmoil
to bring me to the place where I am finally ready to call for the full
acceptance of Christian gay couples into the church", he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">THAT VERY AFTERNOON, AFTER READING TONY CAMPOLO’S ANNOUNCEMENT, David
Neff, </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">the retired chief editor of
“Christianity Today” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(the most esteemed
and revered magazine written by and for evangelical Christians)</i> </span><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><a href="http://www.religionnews.com/2015/06/10/yes-gays-often-no-evangelicalism-commentary/">agreed
with Campolo’s affirmation</a> of gay people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“God bless Tony Campolo,”
he said. “He is acting in good faith and is, I think, on the right track.”</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Is the Spirit gently blowing
here and there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">THE SUPREME COURT is supposed
to release its decision about the constitutionality of gay marriage sometime in
the next 20 days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Many have suggested that no
matter what the Supremes announce, “there will be winners and there will be
losers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">To be sure, if the court
upholds the right of gay people to be married, I will be among the many to heartily
cheer the decision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Millions of gay people, and
their families and friends, will at long last, be vindicated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Personally, I hope it’s
rainbows from Maine to Alaska!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Yet, from the perspective of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Jesus Drawing the Circle Wide”, the win/lose
thing doesn’t really work, does it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">To go back to where we
started, what if Bishop Webb's decision (regarding my case) is not so much "a
victory for our side" or a “defeat for the other side” but rather "one
more hope-filled step closer toward living together in grace, all our issues
notwithstanding”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">You see, I actually need my
conservative/traditional brothers and sisters to balance me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I need them to forgive,
learn, celebrate, worship, and share the Gospel with me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Sure, we have different
interpretations of the Gospel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But so what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The Gospel (the way Matthew figured
it out) sits calmly in my Bible next to the Gospel (the way Mark thought it
should be). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">According to Luke’s memory,
they sure missed a lot of parables but the last time I checked, neither Matt
nor Mark had left my Bible angry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">All of them are quite
different from John, but not even once did John challenge the other 3 that they
pretty much missed the main point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I know scores of people who have
found healing, life and joy because of the way conservative churches have
preached the Gospel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s quite different than how
I preach, but so what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: medium;">I know </span><span style="font-size: 19px;">many</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> people who have discovered God's presence in the most liberal of churches.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Why should one size fit all?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">We have more in common than
we have differences.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If we progressives just “win”
the gay issue, but our conservative brothers and sisters leave the church
because of it, we will have accomplished very little.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As Len Cohen noted, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Love is not a victory march.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a cold and
it’s a broken halleluiah.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10341469542637794631noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6493951208522295298.post-16100015031872415772014-03-21T13:31:00.002-04:002015-06-15T10:33:40.186-04:00The Bible Says Nothing About Homosexual People (updated)<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">In Bible times, no physician ever diagnosed a man’s <i>hypothalamus-pituitary
endocrine system</i> as not functioning -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;"> therefore,
people who lived in Bible times assumed (wrongly) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>that
the “shame of barrenness” was a woman’s fault.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">Back then, no one understood that epilepsy was a malfunction of the
brain’s electrical system - <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;"> rather,
people assumed (wrongly) that demon possession<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>caused
the grinding of teeth and the thrashing about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">When the Bible’s story was being written, a bacterium called <i>mycobacterium
leprae</i> had not yet been discovered under the lens of a microscope -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;"> for
centuries, people reasonably assumed (wrongly) that lepers deserved the stigma of “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">religiously unclean</i>”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">In Bible times, the notion that every human being had a <i>unique,
irrevocable sexual orientation</i> would have been considered bizarre - <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>lacking the
insights of modern psychology, most assumed <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>(wrongly)
that same gender attraction was unnatural and reprehensible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">Fact of the matter is, biblical authors could not have written accurately
about <i>sexual orientation</i> even if they wanted to -</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">no more than they would have written accurately about gravity,
vitamins, NETFLIX, or, for that matter, the <i>hypothalamus-pituitary endocrine
system</i> !<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">Most of the people of the Bible <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">(as well as the writers who brought them to life) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">sincerely believed human beings were normally, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">naturally and exclusively<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">heterosexual .<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">When Bible people clumsily or hurtfully opined about same sex
attraction, they were not really being hard-hearted or even close-minded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rather, they were simple minded because they were mis-informed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">So, what then to do with all those “clobber verses” in the Bible,
warning about homosexuality?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">First, it might be noted that since all people were thought to
be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hetero</i>sexual <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">as an orientation</i>, no biblical injunctions about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">homosexuality as an orientation</i> were
ever introduced into the Scriptures! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">For starters, gay folk might want to start celebrating their own
collective exemption from exhortations in Scripture which were intended
exclusively for people with a heterosexual orientation!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">OK, that may be a bit of a jump, but there is truth in it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">The reality of sexual<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
orientation</i> was simply invisible when the Bible was written.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">Obviously, one cannot talk about that which one cannot imagine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Bible cannot have offered moral guidance about a topic it
cannot have understood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">In short, the Bible offers nothing particularly useful about being
gay. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">For sure, the Bible has nothing useful to say about the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">morality</i> of homosexuality, anymore than
it has anything useful to say about the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">morality</i>
of infertility, epilepsy, or leprosy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">So,
if you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">still</i> believe that being gay
is a sin, you might want to consider this short quote: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Why do you judge
others for their sins,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">just because they are
different than your own?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
have no idea whose quote it is, but it finds home in a refreshing way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">(It
has helped me to begin to address <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my own
judgmental self</i>, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">-
no small feat!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">Like
the Bible says, “All of us are to blame” or “None of us is to blame”, I ‘m not
quite sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">One
thing for certain:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">we
are all more alike each other <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt;">than
ever we will be different from each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10341469542637794631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6493951208522295298.post-83866428058558796932013-12-20T00:47:00.002-05:002013-12-20T11:21:54.528-05:00A Dark Day in UMC History<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6493951208522295298" name="OLE_LINK1"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6493951208522295298" name="OLE_LINK2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Today, one of our finest pastors was de-frocked
for disobeying a hateful, prejudiced, violent church rule against gay people.</b></span><o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"></span><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"></span>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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Today, the majority of a Board of Ordained Ministry in a
United Methodist Conference voted against the heart of the Gospel, saying they
had no choice but to do so.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Today Frank Schaefer received the harshest possible
punishment available from the church, simply because he stood up for his own
child.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Today, the UMC won a significant victory against people who,
though harming no one and having no choice in the matter, are not heterosexual.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Today, our church officially ignored the salient and important insight that in </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
every single verse where the Bible refers to homosexuality, </div>
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the writers who wrote those verses were saying that </div>
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since ALL human beings are </div>
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totally and completely heterosexual, </div>
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they should not be having sex with</div>
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with other human beings who were<br />
totally and completely heterosexual.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>(In that context, few of us would disagree with the Bible's view - that two people should not have sexual relationships if neither is attracted to the other.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
HOWEVER, in our own time, we have come to realize that our sexual orientation can be other than hetero - a truth unknown to Bible writers.</div>
</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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THEREFORE – the Bible says absolutely nothing– has no specific advice - zero – about sexual morality as it pertains to people </div>
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who do not have a heterosexual orientation.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
- - - - - - -<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
In 1836, the General Conference of the Methodist Church voted the following Resolution, almost unanimously:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b><i>"Resolved, by the delegates of the Annual Conference in General Conference assembled, That they are decidedly opposed to modern abolitionism, and wholly disclaim any right, wish, or intention, to interfere in the civil and political relation between master and slave, as it in the slave holding States of this Union."<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
A few years ago the General Conference of the United Methodist Church proclaimed an Act of Repentance on behalf of those who had harbored and encouraged racism.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
That act of repentance included language in which we (white people) acknowledged the ways in which the BIBLE was used WRONGLY </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
against BLACK FOLK.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Our church had a similar act of repentance for WOMEN.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
And, most recently for NATIVE PEOPLES.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
How long will it be before we offer the same service of repentance<br />
for all we have done against GAY folk?<br />
<br />
All of which begs Bob Dylan’s perennial question -<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>How many years can some people exist
<o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>Before they're allowed to be free?
<o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head,
<o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>Pretending he just doesn't see?
<o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>How many times must a man look up
<o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>Before he can see the sky?
<o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
<o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>Before he can hear people cry?
<o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
<o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>that too many people have died?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind<o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>the answer is blowin’ in the wind.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Today has been a terrible day in the history of a </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
communion of people who should know better.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Jesus weeps.</div>
</div>
</div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<!--EndFragment-->
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10341469542637794631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6493951208522295298.post-59261898958639931122013-11-25T14:40:00.000-05:002015-06-15T10:36:20.423-04:00Galileo, Sunspots, and Theologians of the Time<!--StartFragment-->
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Florence, Italy
1613 <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">400 Novembers
ago, exactly. <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">IT HAD BEEN THE
BEST OF SUMMERS. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Galileo had
published his remarkable book, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Letters on
the Solar Spots</span></u></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">after which, at
the speed of horse and printing press, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">his scientific conclusions
went viral all over Europe.</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In his book,
Galileo described the precise and careful method by which he had observed, over
the course of several months, mysterious dark blotches appearing on the surface
of the sun. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He described how
each “sun spot” seemed to traverse the surface of the sun, disappear over its
right “edge”, and then a few days later, reappear on the left side of the sun’s
face.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The pattern repeated
itself about every 28 days.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He concluded
that the movement of sunspots indicated that the sun, just like the earth, rotated.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It was a
dramatic confirmation of his cosmology. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">After publishing
his observations in the summer of ‘13, Galileo was well on his way to becoming a
rock star. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Holy Church was
not amused.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Storm clouds of
ecclesiastical discontent and disapproval quickly gathered around Galileo and,
by late autumn, Church’s self righteous rage thundered angrily against him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It began with a sermon
delivered by Niccolò Lorini, 400 years ago this month. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It was an
excoriating assault against Galileo. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Lorini was a
member of the Dominican Order.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In that era, the
Dominicans considered themselves zealous for the work of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">rooting out heresy </span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in the name of Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">No known copies
of Lorini’s sermon survive, but witnesses remember it as a long, damning
harangue against the person and work of Galileo. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ironically, it
was preached on </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">All Soul’s Day</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">
as part of the celebration when the church’s martyrs were honored !<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In Church’s
view, Galileo advocated an astronomical </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">orientation</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> which was incompatible with Christian teaching.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Imagining that the
Bible’s integrity was at risk and believing that Galileo’s “private astrological
conclusions” were a threat to the Church’s order, charges were brought against him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Church posted warnings,
advising that . . . <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">WHOSOEVER <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">publicly advocates that<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">God created sunspots or that<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sunspots are a normal and natural
phenomenon or that<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">belief in sunspots does not contradict
Christian teaching, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">will be BROUGHT TO TRIAL<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Among the
princes of Church in those days, one Christoph Scheiner, a conservative Jesuit
priest, was especially infuriated that Galileo had published his discoveries. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Scheiner decided
that God’s </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">perfect</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> creation
needed defending against the likes of Galileo and that he himself was just the
man to do the job.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Countering
Galileo, Scheiner declared, without a shred of evidence, that it was impossible
for the sun to have any offending spots or other blemishes on it because -<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">since God is perfect,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">he (sic) could </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">not</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> have created<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">an </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">imperfect</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> sun.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Therefore, the sun, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a creation of a perfect God, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">is obviously </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">without</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> spots of any kind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">That was it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">That was the essence
of his theological argument.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">What appeared to
be dark spots, he continued, were in fact </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">shadows</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> on the sun, not spots.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">These “</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">shadows</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">” on the sun were caused by various objects
God had (apparently) floated in the space just above the sun.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">With such
stellar logic, Scheiner defended God’s reputation as a flawless Creator, while simultaneously
attempting to trash Galileo’s “tale” about a blotchy sun. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Scheiner was
triumphant. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">At least for awhile.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Yet, Galileo’s </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">theology
from the lens of a telescope</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">
was not his only problem. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Church also argued,
naturally, that Galileo’s astronomical observations were wrong because they contradicted
Holy Scripture. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">At his eventual
trial, church counsel would enter (as evidence against Galileo) the 6 cosmological “clobber passages” in the
Bible which confirm Church’s teachings over and against Galileo’s learning.*<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And so, within a
year and a half of Lorini’s wretched diatribe (in the name of gentle Jesus)
against Galileo, Church initiated a long, painful, bitter, graceless grinding toward
a foolish, costly and unnecessary trial. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">When church court
finally announced the verdict of</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> guilty</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> upon him, Galileo was given two options.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He could either pledge
to uphold the Discipline of Church </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in its entirety</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">, or prepare for torture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">To avoid pointless
torture, Galileo signed an apology, recanted of all his hard won scientific
knowledge, promised not to speak or write anything more about his ideas and
concurred publicly with Church’s (medieval) teachings about its cosmology.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">After trial, he
remained under “house arrest” until the day he died.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> - - - - - - - - -<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In November of
1992, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pope John Paul II</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">
tried to explain why the Roman Catholic Church had failed to welcome Galileo’s
insights. The pope said, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“The error of the theologians of the
time,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">when they maintained <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the centrality of the Earth,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">was to think that our understanding<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of the physical world's structure was,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in some way, imposed by the <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">literal sense of Sacred Scripture.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">May I be so bold
as to suggest that some years from now, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">when church historians
try to explain <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">why our beloved United Methodist Church <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">was unable to fully
accept and celebrate <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">gay, lesbian,
bi-sexual and transgender human beings <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">will their explanation
be much different than this . . . ?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“The error of the theologians of the
time,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">when they maintained the <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">exclusiveness of heterosexuality,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">was to think that our understanding<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of human sexuality was,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in some way, imposed by the <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">literal sense of Sacred Scripture.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">- - - - - - - - <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>In November of 2013</i>, the bishops of the United Methodist Church announced
they were bringing a complaint against their colleague, Bishop Talbert. Their charge
is that he officiated at a wedding for a gay couple; a practice, they allege, against
their rulebook.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>In November of 2013</i>, a trial court in the United Methodist Church found the
Rev. Frank Schaefer guilty of officiating at his gay son’s wedding. The court then
ordered him to decide - either continue in ministry <i>without</i> officiating at gay weddings or lose ordination credentials.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">- - - - - - - - <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">* </span>The most prominent among Bible story chosen by Church to
“clobber” Galileo’s facts was a selection from Joshua 10. There it is recorded
that God “stopped the sun” in order to give the Israelites additional daylight to
win an important battle. Had the Bible said “God stopped the earth from
revolving”, Galileo could have used the Bible in his <i>own</i> defense!<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10341469542637794631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6493951208522295298.post-24187077302906613172013-10-26T13:51:00.002-04:002015-06-15T10:37:09.423-04:00Trial Time<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“It is surely harmful to
souls <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">to make it a heresy<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">to believe what is
proved.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Galileo </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“The idea that
homosexuality is a mental disorder <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">or that the emergence of
same-sex attraction and orientation<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> among some adolescents is in any way
abnormal or mentally unhealthy<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> has<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> no<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> support<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> among<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> any<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> mainstream<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> health<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> and <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">mental<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> health<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> professional<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> organizations.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> *</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Homosexuality and Youth <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“. . . homosexuality is
incompatible with Christian teaching.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The United Methodist Church<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bishop
Webb (Upper NY Conference) has referred the complaint he received against me
(from the Rev. Dick Barton, district superintendent of the Finger Lakes
District) to the Counsel for the Church who will determine if there is enough
evidence to support a chargeable offense and then forward his conclusions to
the trial process.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In
short, I am going to a church trial. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The
following words are extracted (slightly edited) from my final e-mail to <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Rev.
Barton and Bishop Webb, sent October 23. 2013<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">__________________________<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">My
great grandmother was so deaf that visitors needed to write down on paper their
side of the conversation so she could read it and respond. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I
clearly remember, when I was about 10, visiting her apartment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Attempting
to “catch her up” on what her great grandson had been doing, I printed on her
writing pad something about a Halloween party our youth group had had the week
before.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I
wrote something like this:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Everybody dressed up
for Halloween.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We played games.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We dunked for apples.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We went trick or
treating in the neighborhood.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We had a blast!<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">She
took up her writing pad and with the help of an over-sized magnifying glass
(pressed almost </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">on</span></i></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">
her forehead) she slowly read my words.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">All
of a sudden, a bit aghast, she looked up at me and asked in a tense voice:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“Was anybody hurt?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It
was the word “blast”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For
my great grandmother, the meaning of the word “blast” in the context of a party
for children was cause for concern.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It
would never have occurred to her that a blast could be a </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">good</span></i></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> thing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> - - - - - - - - -<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In
1972, United Methodists added words to the </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Discipline</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> to the effect that
something called “homosexuality” was incompatible with Christian teaching.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">During
that conference, those who supported the statement likely presented biblical
evidence against this “homosexuality”- perhaps a story or two about people who
were “homosexual” – and probably a few anecdotes about “the homosexual
lifestyle”. Doubtless the word “promiscuous” came up. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bishop Webb and Rev.
Barton, my brothers in Christ - you need to know<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I have never officiated
at the wedding of people<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">who were homosexuals<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">as homosexuality<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">was understood by most
church folk<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">when the “incompatibility”
language <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">was added to the </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Discipline</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in 1972.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Nor
would I. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It
would be wrong to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Although
the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">American Psychiatric Association</span></i></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder
in 1973, in the year 1972 homosexuality was still considered a mental disorder.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In
that era, this so-called “mental disorder” was popularly (though not scientifically)
associated with pedophilia, neurotic sexual obsession, violent behavior,
promiscuity, drug and alcohol abuse, emotional abuse, psychosis, and the
breakdown of social and of family life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Officiating
at a wedding for two people who were mentally disturbed, and had a propensity
toward promiscuity, sexual obsession, and pedophilia would be a gross violation
of my ordination.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I
think you would agree.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> - - - - - - - - - - - <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I
also want you to know <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I have never officiated
at a homosexual wedding<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">which violates the Bible’s
teachings about homosexuality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Why
would I?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It
would make no sense !<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">That
is because every Bible verse addressing “homosexual attraction” assumes that
all people are obviously and naturally “heterosexual”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For
Bible writers, heterosexuality was a given reality - true for all people - no
exceptions. All people are heterosexual. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">That
“truth” was simply </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">taken for granted</span></i></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> in the biblical world. It would never have occurred
to a Bible writer that a person would
be </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">other</span></i></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">
than heterosexual.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Obviously
then, when the ancient biblical authors and editors addressed what we might
call “same sex attraction”, they were astonished that anyone would </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">even be
tempted</span></i></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">
to “fool around” with members of the same sex. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In
their view, such uncanny behavior would not only be odd – it would be crazy!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The
notion that a person may have a “sexual orientation” other than heterosexual
was not thought of as “wrong” in the Bible – nor for that matter as “right”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It
was simply never thought about at all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">No
wonder Paul was upset! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He
must have suspected that some “dark side” was involved when he discovered men
seeking relations with men. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He
can barely find words by which to register his disbelief and confusion about
these “men with men working that which is unseemly”. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">KJV<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Had
we lived in his sandals - and his culture - we would likely have been confused
with him. How or why could heterosexual men even consider such things!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">So,
here is some more good news.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In
accord with Paul and all other biblical witnesses who were against heterosexual
people having sex with other heterosexual people, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I
unequivocally state - <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I have never officiated
at the wedding of<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">two heterosexual men who
are, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">nevertheless, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sexually attracted to
each other,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">nor have I ever
officiated at the wedding of<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">two heterosexual women
who are, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">nevertheless, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sexually attracted to
each other - <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">nor will I ever do so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I
guess what it comes down to is this:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">If,
in 2013, one still believes homosexuality is best understood as it was
doubtlessly understood by a majority of those who wrote the “incompatible”
clause in 1972, then <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I
am in violation of section 2702.(b)</span></i></b></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and, perhaps more
seriously,<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I am in violation of
Scripture.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">On
the other hand, if one believes homosexuality is best understood in 2013<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">as
a normal and harmless expression of sexuality, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">as
received unbidden, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">as
neither morally superior nor inferior, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">not
better, not worse than heterosexuality then<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I
am not in violation of section 2702.(b)</span></i></b></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and, perhaps more
importantly,<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I have applied a
helpful biblical exegesis<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in a way which honors
the Bible as the word of God<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in the context of
what it means to follow Jesus in 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Obviously
you, bishop, have the last word on this. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Should
you ask me,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I
would recommend </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dismissing charges</span></i></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> on the grounds that <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the
</span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Discipline</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> is contradictory and duplicitous about<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> what
constitutes homosexuality, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> who
homosexual people are, and<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> how
gay and lesbian people, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> justice
making, and <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> non-judgmental
compassion <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> correlate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">As
evidence, you might note that<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> “sometimes
a blast, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> harmful
in one century,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> means
joy in the next”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">____________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">So,
that was the letter I sent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Even
at that late date in our negotiations, I was naïve.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I
was hoping that by presenting yet one more biblical insight,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">someone
- </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">anyone</span></i></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> with authority in our
church conference<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">might
yet have pushed a PAUSE button,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">named</span></i></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> bigotry for what it is,
and<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">stalled
</span></i></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">this unholy
crusade against gay people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">That
just did not happen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">- - - - - - - -<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">* the source of
quote at beginning of article:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><u>Homosexuality
and Youth <o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">a
publication for educators endorsed by:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">American
Academy of Pediatrics<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">American
Association of School Administrators<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">American
Counseling Association<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">American
Federation of Teachers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">American
Psychological Association<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">American
School Counselor Association<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">American
School Health Association<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Interfaith
Alliance Foundation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">National
Association of School Psychologists<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">National
Association of Secondary School Principals<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">National
Association of Social Workers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">National
Education Association<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11.0pt;">School
Social Work Association of America</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10341469542637794631noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6493951208522295298.post-26748932527288066362013-09-23T18:27:00.001-04:002015-06-12T21:18:02.891-04:00Numbers (updated June, 2015)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">9 million - number of gay people in
the USA. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">8 million - number of United
Methodists in the USA. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">56% - percent of people in our
country who support gay marriage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">78% - percent of people <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">between
the age of 18 and 30</i></b> who support gay marriage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">63% - percent of the Upper New York
United Methodist Conference who voted to support gay marriage <i>at the last conference</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">4 - the statistical number of gay teenagers
who commit suicide, for every "non-gay" teen who commits suicide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">0 - number of the top 6 medical and mental
health associations who believe it is possible to change a person's sexual
orientation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">6 - </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">number of </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">those top 6 which believe that trying to become straight instead of
gay will be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">emotionally or medically
harmful</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">6 - number
of Bible references teaching homosexuality is wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">6 - number
of Bible references teaching that Galileo's astronomy is wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">20 - minimum
number of Bible references supporting polygamy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">60 -
minimum number of Bible references supporting slavery. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">140 -
minimum number of Bible references supporting the subordination of women.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">2000 - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fewest possible</i> Bible references teaching
that God desires mercy, not judgment; forgiveness, not self-righteousness; and
grace, wastefully and freely given, especially to the most vulnerable among us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">358 -
number of years after Galileo's death before the Roman Catholic Church
apologized for its role against him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">389 -
number of years after slavery began in this country until the year when the UMC
apologized for our role in supporting racism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">2,700 -
approximate number of years from when the first misogynous words in Scripture
were recorded by scribes, until the current era.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">44- <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the least number of years</i> for which the
United Methodist Church will eventually need to apologize for adding the words
"homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching" to our <u>Discipline</u>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">613 -
number of commandments in the Old Testament.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">10 -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>number of commandments in Moses'
summary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">3 - number of
teachings in John Wesley's summary -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>(do
no harm, do good, love God)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">2 - number
of teachings in Jesus' summary -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>(love
God, love your neighbor)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">1 - number
of people it takes to love enough to make a difference. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- - - - - -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The 6
Professional Associations referenced above -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">American Academy of Pediatrics</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">American Medical Association</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">American Psychiatric Association</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">American Psychoanalytic Association</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">National Association of Social Workers</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10341469542637794631noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6493951208522295298.post-11242646110727868402013-07-23T11:53:00.001-04:002013-07-23T14:15:21.220-04:00Welcome!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hopefully, this blog will become a forum for
compassionate responses to the seemingly unending feud within the United
Methodist Church around the issues of homosexuality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As life would have it, I now have a “front row
seat” to this strange, tragic drama.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On July 8, 2013 I received a registered letter
from my bishop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He wrote that he had “received a written,
signed formal complaint” against me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The complaint is based on a sentence I had
written in a <a href="https://drive.google.com/#folders/0B1chVZtfj-zAd3pUYWRVRjd1SkU" target="_blank">previous letter</a>, widely circulated, but addressed to Bishop Webb,
in which I state -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“I have officiated at several weddings<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for brothers
and sisters<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">who are lesbian or gay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The bishop’s letter to me continued, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Engaging in this practice is in contradiction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">to the 2012 <u>Book of Discipline</u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">paragraph, 2702”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And so, this blog intends to share, report,
and reflect something of my own journey as I grapple with the structures of the
United Methodist Church. I hope it will be as helpful for those of you who <i>log on</i> here, as I expect it will be
cathartic for me to write here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On August 1, 2013, I travel to Syracuse to
meet with Bishop Webb and the one who submitted a charge against me at 2:00 pm. The
purpose of our meeting will be to discover if a course of reconciliation can be
found.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If <i>no</i>
resolution can be found, Bishop Webb will either dismiss the charge or submit
the case to the next level of judicial authority.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I am as ready and prepared as I can be for our
initial meeting next week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I will tell you (on this blog) what happens
then. As long as my case is relevant, I will continue to report about it with
as much transparency as possible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One more thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Some have suggested that my ventures with
Bishop Webb and the Rev. Richard Barton (who brought the complaint) are
reminiscent of the battle between David and Goliath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I suppose they mean to cast me in the role of
David, the underdog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <i>(I don't think I have to tell you who gets
to play Goliath!)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I believe they are trying to say - <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> "Stay strong. Trust God. Don't be afraid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Speak truth to power until the powerful
fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> You never know what God can do, . . .
and so on"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I truly appreciate their support.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">They mean well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Yet, they miss the deeper truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My real adversary is not one of the others in
the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We are all on the same side - all of us
seeking justice, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> all
of us seeking God's direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Our struggle is truly not with each other, but
rather with Goliath itself - <i>those </i></span><i><span style="color: #030000; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">spiritual forces of
evil which rule over all of us, undermine the authority of God's Spirit, and
create havoc in our midst - <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #030000; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> and
when it comes to understanding homosexuality,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #030000; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> those dark powers condemn
our beloved community<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #030000; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to a perpetual
state of duplicity,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #030000; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> helplessness,
and fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #030000; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Regardless what happens with Webb, Barton, Heiss and
company, until we find a way to end Goliath's reign in our hearts and the
hearts of our beloved community, Goliath will continue to undo us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10341469542637794631noreply@blogger.com8