LONDON (AP) - The Anglican urch's only openly gay bishop says banning him from a once-a-decade meeting is a mistake.
The Most Rev. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire has not been invited to the Lambeth Conference, a summit of Anglican bishops that starts in Britain on Tuesday.
Robinson was consecrated bishop of New Hampshire in 2003 by the Episcopal Church, causing outrage among conservative Christians.
Robinson is quoted by Britain's Sunday Telegraph newspaper as calling it a mistake to ban him from the conference. Instead, he says he'll use his London sermon to denounce Anglican bishops who preach intolerance of homosexuality.
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Unlike what some want to believe, science has not proven whether homosexuality is something someone is born with or not. Perhaps for some homosexuality is not a choice. For some it is. But it really in the end makes no difference, God said it is wrong, and Christians should not engage in it.
Christians are to avoid living lifestyles of sin.
Galatians 5:19-6:1
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
Hebrews 3:12-14
12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
1 John 3:8-10
8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
What I have to say is to people who claim to be Christians.
Jesus spoke out against sexual immorality.
Matthew 15:18-20
18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what make a man unclean; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him unclean.
Mark 7:20-23
20 He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. 21 For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.
Now, sexual immorality would refer to what God had defined as wrong already by the time of when Christ said this; this would come from the Old Testament. As Christians today, we use both the Old and New Testaments to see Who God is, what God has done, how God feels about issues in life, and what He expects of and for us.
The word translated as sexual immorality is Porneia. This word means
1. illicit sexual intercourse
A. adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc.
B. sexual intercourse with close relatives; Lev. 18
C. sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman; Mk. 10:11
Romans 1 says even the desire of a man for a man or a woman for a woman is sin. The act of sex between two people of the same gender is also sin.
The term translated in Romans 1 as 'lust' is epiqumia in Greek. It means desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust.
It is even the mere desire for same gender sex that is wrong in God's eyes.
1 Thes 4:3-8 3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
It does not matter how you feel about it. It does not matter how you justify it. God said if you do not change and turn to God, then you are not saved. If you claim you have repented and turned to God, then you need to live like it.
Homosexuality is no more a choice than an addiction, whether sexual or substance. But like the young girl Jeuss healed on the Sabbath who was bent over, by her demon possesion, all her life, so do those with sin sickness need to seek healing from Christ.
A homosexual doesn't always choose to desire the same sex same way a bi-polar person does not chose to be emotionally unstable. But demons do choose to possess who they will and can only be rebuked in the name of the Jesus.
May the Lord have mercy...
Pro 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Pro 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Pro 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Pro 3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
Pro 3:15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Pro 3:16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
Pro 3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
Pro 3:18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
Pro 3:19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
Pro 3:20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
evil is evil whether it is a law or not. so put on yer mask you unrepentive sinners! and pass yourselfs off to the church goers who dont care about your soul , whether it burns for all time or you are in the Presence of God worshipping and being loved by him. This is were the rubber meets the road, do the ones you go to church with care about your relationship with God? It may hurt some to be told your not right with God but better than eternal separation and torment! True servants speak up!
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Job 5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:
Psa 94:10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?
Psa 94:11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
Psa 94:12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
ok who flagged me? fess up!
"It is indisputable that homosexuality is a sin. If Church makes compromise on this issue, more wrongers will be ordained as bishop,for example, pedophiles who are not repentent."
I don't understand why hyperbole is utilized as a means to making an argument.
1. It is quite disputable whether or not homosexuality is a sin. Just as it is disputable that the earth is not 6,000 years old nor the center of the universe.
2. Pedophilia is a crime; Being gay is not (not yet, anyway).
It is indisputable that homosexuality is a sin. If Church makes compromise on this issue, more wrongers will be ordained as bishop,for example, pedophiles who are not repentent.
Jesus spoke:
"But I have this against you. You TOLERATE that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality..." (Rev. 2:20)
Not only should he be banned from this once-a-decade meeting, he should also be banned from the ministry - indefinitely.
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19).
"It never ceases to amaze me that there are those who fail to differentiate between disciplinary and ceremonial/ritual or purity laws and moral laws."
That distintion is one of convenience - or inconvenience as the case may be: " . . . you shall not eat any of the following that only chew the cud or only have hoofs . . . and you shall treat them as loathsome. Their flesh you shall not eat, and their dead bodies you shall loathe."
LEVITICUS 18:19 - The Bible forbids a married couple from having sexual intercourse during a womanâ
"The Most Reverend"?????? That's funny! Kinda like "Rev." Sharpton or "Rev." Jackson.
"Oh brood of vipers!"
I flagged my first post because of a typo or six...
Let me see if I have this straight:
1) Robinson was married with children.
2) Robinson commits adultery repeatedly with a man.
3) Robinson abandons and divorces his wife and leaves his children
4) Robinson enters "committed" homosexual relationship.
5) Robinson does not repent.
6) Robinson becomes a Bishop (!?)
7) Robinson "marries" his gay lover.
8) Robinson complains that others are intolerant because they find sin in much of the above list.
9) Many Anglicans applaud him.
Incredible, simply incredible. I don't know whether to laugh at, or cry for, our Anglican brothers and sisters.
Let me if I have this straight:
1) Robinson was married with children.
2) Robinson commits adultery repeatedly with a man.
3) Robinson abandons and divorces his wife and leaves his children
4) Robinson enters "committed" homosexual relationship.
5) Robinson does not repent.
6) Robinson becomes a Bishop (!?)
7) Robinson "marries" his gay lover.
8) Robinson complains that others are intolerant because they find sin in much of the above list.
9) Many Anglicans applaud him.
Incredible, simply incredible. I don't know whether to laugh at, or cry for, our Anglican brothers and sisters.
"We can pretend that you cannot differentiate between gay relationships in contrast to child pornography, beastiality and incest but that would require a considerable leap of "faith." The hyperbole nullifies and rational argument.
There exists considerable learned and religious opinion that speaks to "abomination" in terms of biblical history and culture. My grandmother though that eating pork and shellfish was an "abomination" but never condemned those who did."
It never ceases to amaze me that there are those who fail to differentiate between disciplinary and ceremonial/ritual or purity laws and moral laws.
"Why stop there? Why not preach a sermon to denounce whose who preach intolerance of adultery, fornication, incest, bestiality, child pornography... I mean, after all, in the name of 'tolerance'..."
We can pretend that you cannot differentiate between gay relationships in contrast to child pornography, beastiality and incest but that would require a considerable leap of "faith." The hyperbole nullifies and rational argument.
There exists considerable learned and religious opinion that speaks to "abomination" in terms of biblical history and culture. My grandmother though that eating pork and shellfish was an "abomination" but never condemned those who did.
If this issue were not leverage for donations and political power, it wouldn't be much of an issue at all.
I pray for Gene and Kathleen every day. Lord, do not let them lead your sheep astray. In Jesus' name, amen.
The irony is beyond belief!
Why stop there? Why not preach a sermon to denounce whose who preach intolerance of adultery, fornication, incest, bestiality, child pornography... I mean, after all, in the name of 'tolerance'...
Let me see if I have this straight: it's okay to be openly homosexual, but he'll preach against being "intolerant" (i.e., agreeing with God's evaluation of homosexuality).
The irony meter just exploded!
instead he oughtta preach the Word of God. but the bible says in the last days men will not put up with sound doctrine