tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6438555530050940668.post8944354762877409027..comments2023-11-02T07:07:17.651-05:00Comments on Love Is An Orientation: Guest Post: The Divorce of a Church—Part 1Andrew Marinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15792774593779675643noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6438555530050940668.post-25647784126499392272009-04-01T08:43:00.000-05:002009-04-01T08:43:00.000-05:00Hello, "Anonymous" :)Thanks for the offer! I, how...Hello, "Anonymous" :)<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the offer! I, however, do not live in Chicago, but I'd be more than happy to visit your church if I did!<BR/><BR/>I'm not so sure it's as easy for me to just say "it's their problem". That may, in fact, be true . . . but I also feel a connection to my own church, and the universal Church, and I would prefer that we do just as Andrew has suggested: stick around and live in the tension. I appreciate your comments and acceptance!<BR/><BR/>Jeff, yeah, you did jump the gun a bit there. This piece isn't really about who's right and who's wrong in regards to the morality of homosexuality. I'm just sharing my story, and my feelings. This has been my experience. I respect you for staying true to your convictions and your interpretations of Scripture. But recognize that this is what I have done as well. What hurts is that we feel the need to split over such issues, instead of having meaningful dialogue and seeking mutual understanding. Ultimately, that may still lead to a split, but at least that would be a decision that was come to thoughtfully. This is not how most churches operate, however. <BR/><BR/>You may feel very uncomfortable and even threatened by my convictions, just as I wholeheartedly disagree with yours. But I will not abandon you, nor reject you - especially without getting to know you first, and getting to see your side of the story. I will not leave this "marriage" b/c of disagreements over orthodoxy or orthopraxy. But when others do, it's hard not to feel the weight of that.<BR/><BR/>Andy,<BR/>Thanks for your grace, and your willingness to engage in this kind of dialogue. We probably don't agree very much on some of our theology, but this kind of discussion is so meaningful, profound, and necessary. <BR/><BR/>DJD.J. Free!https://www.blogger.com/profile/18149708709543170148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6438555530050940668.post-27478988831597581612009-04-01T07:35:00.000-05:002009-04-01T07:35:00.000-05:00Andy, sorry. I guess I did jump the gun. I didn't...Andy, sorry. I guess I did jump the gun. I didn't mean to raise the intensity so high. But the post did raise my concerns. Maybe it was a reaction from having grown up in a Methodist church that I saw go steadily more liberal while I was struggling with SSA, to the point of our pastor voting at conference to ordain gays, and I was left with the turmoil of what to believe while still in high school. I have felt much the same as DJ, but felt led to stay true to scriptures and my convictions. The tone of the guest post Part 1 seemed to be that it is better to be "true to yourself" and let the church struggle. Yes, I did react to that.<BR/><BR/>Ah, the disadvantages of responding in writing. <BR/><BR/>I'll continue to follow the conversation. Sometimes gut reactions kick in. Please accept my apologies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6438555530050940668.post-55181656251703967752009-04-01T06:59:00.000-05:002009-04-01T06:59:00.000-05:00Unfortunetly Jeff, you jumped the gun. You faithfu...Unfortunetly Jeff, you jumped the gun. You faithfully read this blog, and you know exactly where I'm theologically coming from. The whole point to building a bridge and/or living in the tension is being able to believe as you do and yet still make room to involve yourself with others who don't (coming from both sides). <BR/><BR/>Your filtration lens for anything gay Christian is clouding your ability to see that the "big idea" to this first part of the post is about nothing more then a gay man being afraid that becuase of his same-sex attraction, his church will divorce, and the potential weight (and burden) he feels from that understanding is overwhelming.<BR/><BR/>The point of my blog is to help people to live in that tension to advance the dialogue, and it can only truly happen when folks stop trying to jump to conclusions where or when conclusions aren't made.Andrew Marinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15792774593779675643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6438555530050940668.post-53959087919067821402009-04-01T03:55:00.000-05:002009-04-01T03:55:00.000-05:00If I see where this post and part 2are going, it a...If I see where this post and part 2are going, it appears to be saying that every church should be accepting of homosexuality and homosexual acts and if they're not, well then, the church has a problem. Is that what I'm reading? Because there is a way for a church to disapprove of homosexual acts based on scripture and still demonstrate love and acceptance of a person as an individual but without condoning the acts or endorsing a person for leadership who is involved homosexually. Similar to Jesus and the woman at the well. Similar to any couple in church who may be living together and having premarital sex. Our church does not "accept" or condone these behaviors, and they would disqualify someone from leadership, but that does not make it the church's problem if they believe these behaviors to be sinful based on scripture. The church is challenged to show love to anyone practicing sinful behavior, but it does not follow that it has to endorse those behaviors for someone in leadership or tell the congregation there is nothing wrong with those behaviors. That is the basis for anything-goes theology and watered-down Christianity.<BR/><BR/>If I'm misreading this post, I apologize for jumping to conclusions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6438555530050940668.post-25241341666665794922009-03-31T16:15:00.000-05:002009-03-31T16:15:00.000-05:00If this church would split, it's their problem...If this church would split, it's their problem, not yours. Be yourself & realize that you are loved & supported. There are always a few folks who don't understand. <BR/>Other things bother me more than if someone is gay. For instance, remarriage after divorce bothers me as it is so common, including my own (adult)child. Abnormal anger bothers me.<BR/>Snobbery bothers me. Selfishness & stinginess are not becoming to Christians.<BR/>I have thought if one of my kids said they were gay, it would not bother me as much as other things<BR/><BR/>You are welcome in my church if you don't already go there!!<BR/>If you agree & live in Chicago, I can communicate to you thru Andrew.<BR/>><> <><Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com