I acknowledge and respect the equal dignity of all – regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation. There is no place for the harassment or persecution of anyone for whatever reason.
We are thankful that in this country there is freedom of meeting and expression for all.
The Bible and the Church teach that the proper expression of our sexuality is in the context of marriage. This has to do with God’s purposes in creating us, respect for persons and the importance of the family as a basic unit of society.
Kendall, or the Elves, perhaps the heading should be modified to make it clear that this thread is about the marvelous Pakistani-born Bishop of Rochester, ENGLAND, Michael Nazir-Ali, and not the Bishop of Rochester, NY.
Alas, this kind of public demonstration is all too typical of the how the promoters of the “gay is OK” agenda go about trying to “persuade” others, through political or social pressure rather than honest discussion. The vaunted “listening process” is so often just a one-way street, The LGBT folk talk, and we are expected to listen, and eventually agree. Or else suffer protests like this.
But somehow, I suspect that if the admirable +Nazir-Ali isn’t silenced by death threats from Muslims, he won’t be intimidated by mere threats of public demonstrations by gay advocates.
David Handy+
I will pray for the Bishop of Rochester. May God uphold him and give him strength and grace to endure these “slings and arrows”
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
I’d love to see the homosexuals, bisexuals, gender confused et al demonstrating outside one of those mosques in England where the imams call for homosexuals to be thrown off mountains etc. Now *that would be a true ‘encounter’. But for some reason I can’t quite figure that ain’t gonna happen…
Elves, I know this is a digression, but…
First, we need to put this at the top of every story about sexuality…WE CAUSED THIS BECAUSE OF OUR ACCEPTANCE OF DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE!!!!!!!!!!!
Every time a story on sexuality is posted, those words should be front and center.
And, sadly, the “reasserter” churches / missions (ie CANA AMiA, etc) have not spoken on this issue with real clarity.
That being said, God bless the Bishop of Rochester for Standing Firm in his faith. In many ways, his situation is more tenuous than that of Iker or Duncan (at least they don’t have to fear for their lives).
[blockquote]The Bishop can change his religion but, just as he cannot change his skin colour, we cannot change our sexuality.[/blockquote]
Dear Bp. Nazir-Ali, please reconsider your decision not to attend Lambeth. Yes, there are those who are going to try to open a direct channel to the abyss while there. Yes, demons will be everywhere in attendance. Yes, attending will be painful. BUT, your colleague ABp. Williams, and the faithful orthodox bishops, need your strength and support in what may well be the greatest crisis to face the Anglican Communion since the Elizabethan Settlement. You and your orthodox colleagues must reaffirm Lambeth 1998, make the strongest possible statements against the actions of the Canadian and US churches, and some of their bishops, and make it utterly clear to the world that if they do not repent, they will be separated from the body of the Anglican Communion. You have the authority and power to do that. Please prayerfully consider asking God to equip you for the task at hand.
Ralph, you say that Lambeth should say that “if they do not repent, they will be separated from the body of the Anglican Communion. Given all that has transpired in the last 5 or 6 years, let’s have it that Lambeth should say, “since you have not talen the opportunities offered to repent, you are now separated from the body of the Anglican Communion.” Sadly, I wouldn’t wager a penny that it will happen now that the Global South and many other orthodox bishops and archbishops will not be there in enough numbers to seize and change the agenda to dealing with the Anglican crisis instead of ignoring it as now planned.
Nearly 16:00 there and nothing to report in the news – must have been a non-event.
#7: They must be watching the FA Cup Final.
The concepts of ‘gender’ ‘gay’ and ‘sexual orientation’ ‘sexual identity’ are extra-biblical and have no business being recognized, accepted or affirmed by the Church. To do so is giving place to evil. I Corinthians 6:9-11 is the most inclusive Scripture passage. All sin is evil and destructive. Evidence in Science, Medicine and Scripture agree in this matter.
GA/FL (#9),
I find it hard to take your comment seriously, and yet you don’t seem to be joking. Are you really claiming that no extra-biblical concepts are to be recognized by Christians? Maybe your concern is that extra-biblical concepts must not be allowed to trump the truths set forth in Holy Scripture. I’d certainly agree with that more modest statement.
I’d much prefer to stress that all truth is God’s truth. There is such a thing as “general revelation,” i.e., truths discernible in creation itself. But “special revelation,” i.e., the truth disclosed in God’s Word written, goes much further and is far clearer in revealing to us what God is really like and his plans and purposes for us.
I would agree that there are popular notions, widely accepted today by many Christians as well as non-Christians, that are incompatible with the biblical perspective on our human nature, and what it means to be male and female. I myself generally take care to avoid calling people “gay” or “lesbian” as much as possible, as if that defined them as people. I think it’s more accurate to speak of people who struggle with same sex attractions or something like that which doesn’t make their sexual desires their primary characteristic. But I’m surprised that you’d consider the concept of “gender” itself problematic. I would think it’s specific distorted ideas about “gender” that are the problem. Not the word by itself.
I’m not trying to pick a fight here. I think we probably share the same basic worldview. But exaggerated claims by our side only provoke our foes and lead them to dismiss us without even taking us seriously.
David Handy+