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You are making the assumption here that all forms of Christianity believe the collection of 66 separate writings bound together in the volume known as The Bible are an inerrant guide on which all decisions should be made.
As someone already mentioned: Scripture, tradition, and reason.
Reason tells us that the "clobber verses" that condemn homosexuals as an abomination were written by men in a patriarchal society several thousands years ago when the survival and strengthening of the tribe through high birth rates was of the utmost importance. They had no concept of the fact that some people are simply born attracted to members of their own gender as we do now.
We don't adhere to the other laws from the same text that forbid us to wear mixed fibers or force women into isolation during their menstrual cycles, because we know those laws are stupid and the reasons for their establishment no longer exist in our society. The absolute core of the Christian faith is "love your neighbors". Gay people can--and do--try to live that way as part of their Christian faith.
No wonder people are leaving churches in droves with twaddle like this being peddled. No, "the absolute core of the Christian faith" is not "love your neighbors." The core of the faith is the sacrifice made on the cross and the grace rendered unto all those with faith in Him.
It should come as no surprise to anyone with much sense that the denominations that have made the greatest capitulations to fashionable secular demands are the churches bleeding the most. People in search of some sort of secular religion to replace unfashionable dogma are never going to be satisfied with Christianity or most any other traditional religion.
Looks like the church decided against Western mores and gave a nod to the churches in Africa, Asia and South America. Multiculuralism wins!
Yeah, it's kind of an unacknowledged conundrum for those folks here in the USA. LGBT tends to be unpopular with black-Americans as well, but that also gets conveniently overlooked. Folks of color globally just aren't really down with the cause, but instead of blaming them, the usual bugaboo of bigoted, white American Christians is made to be the villain.
I think it would have easily passed for the U.S., but Methodism is very big in Africa and the African bishops are very much against it. Very similar to what happened with the Episcopal church, but in that case, acceptance won.
It’s awful that they had to invite ppl from Turd 💩 world countries to join that church. I guess that witch doctoring wasn’t good enough for them? I thought that churches like to go where the $ is- who knew that it was in Africa? Who needs to belong to a hypocritical church anyway?
I've said it before and I'll say it again. It is mind-boggling to me that some are going out of their way to try to force churches to accept homosexuality.
I am a Methodist from birth, (I was born in a Methodist hospital.) and what you are saying here is absolutely NOT TRUE. The One Church plan, which was defeated, was for congregations to individually make decisions about accepting gays, but that the church would remain one. It was NEVER about forcing churches to "accept homosexuality." The plan that won says that the church in general, that is ALL United Methodist churches, will reject gay pastors and weddings. That is forcing churches to reject homosexuality. If there is to be a schism in the church, this will force it.
The United Methodist church I attend is a Reconciling church, which means we welcome ALL of God's children as equals. No exceptions. That is the way we want it.
We have a representative at that meeting. I'm sure we will get more detailed information very soon.
It should come as no surprise to anyone with much sense that the denominations that have made the greatest capitulations to fashionable secular demands are the churches bleeding the most. People in search of some sort of secular religion to replace unfashionable dogma are never going to be satisfied with Christianity or most any other traditional religion.
The United Methodist Church has not made "capitulations to fashionable secular demands." The Methodist Quadrangle - the equal footing of scripture, tradition, personal experience, and reason, has been a tenet of Methodism since its founding by John Wesley. "And now faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." That is the basis of our faith: God's love for us, and our love for God and for each other.
Looks like the church decided against Western mores and gave a nod to the churches in Africa, Asia and South America. Multiculuralism wins!
This was a democratic vote. It was not the "church" (whoever you think that is) "deciding." It was a vote.
There are some conservative United Methodist churches in southern US, too. I don't know how they voted, but my guess is that they voted with the African churches to reject allowing gay marriage and pastors.
No wonder people are leaving churches in droves with twaddle like this being peddled. No, "the absolute core of the Christian faith" is not "love your neighbors." The core of the faith is the sacrifice made on the cross and the grace rendered unto all those with faith in Him.
This is the twaddle on which our church bases its decisions:
The Greatest Commandment
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[e] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chiociolliscalves
It should come as no surprise to anyone with much sense that the denominations that have made the greatest capitulations to fashionable secular demands are the churches bleeding the most. People in search of some sort of secular religion to replace unfashionable dogma are never going to be satisfied with Christianity or most any other traditional religion.
That's not true. The ones that have made the greatest capitulations to fashionable secular demands are the biggest ones, the flashy ones with the fancy buildings and the expensive cars and even airplanes for the clergy, the ones with the TV shows and big donation drives, the ones that involve themselves in politics with the hope of oppressing others that they don't like while hiding those dislikes behind the claim that there's a God who thinks just like they do.
The oppressive churches have the numbers and the money and right now the political power, but the way I understand it, those things were never supposed to be the goal.
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Originally Posted by PullMyFinger
Whether you believe in God or not, the destruction of these churches is a terrible thing for humanity. Look at what happens to people who have no faith in their lives.
Not believing in God and having no faith in your life is not the same thing.
Religious people think they are the same thing because they are taught that.
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