Tioga Herald

IndependentLens: Discussion about Bishop Gene Robinson

Jesus spoke of love for one another. The Old Testament focus in Leviticus was about a lack of children in society. Homosexuals did not perpetuate the birth of children, so were going against the grain of the society. Thus stringent measures were taken, which are not necessary in today’s society. Our world is different today, requiring all kinds of forms of loving families, even alternative families with same-sex parents, to lovingly care for children of unwanted pregnancies and from broken homes in an over-populated world.

Jesus Christ never endorsed traditionalism. Yet, in this program about Bishop Gene Robinson, there were those who talked about “2000 years of tradition.” So what? If the traditionalism is not the solution, then why do we stand by it? Jesus did not believe in idolatry. Yet, the man in this IndependentLens program… the man from California who repeatedly used the words, “Bible-believing,” sounded as if he worshiped the Bible, not God. That is idolatry and blasphemous and would NOT have been favorable to Jesus Christ.

In another portion of this program, a man speaking against the pro-same-sex measures of the Episcopal Church said, “The needs of the many outweighs the needs of the few.” Jesus Christ said, “the road to hell is large and spacious and many would be on that road; whereas the road to everlasting life, few would find it.”  The words this man spoke before the Episcopal gathering were words abrasive to those of Jesus Christ. This recognition is the reason why our American justice system finally abolished Jim Crow measures against a minority. The larger numbers who persecuted the minority were/are evil in God’s eyes. Besides the fact… Jesus Christ said, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” “Love God; love your neighbor as yourself.”

The same book of the Old Testament speaking against homosexuality due to the need for more children also endorsed the stoning of rebellious children and forbade eating a number of foods, including shell fish. Why would we pick some and not the other? Because of men who don’t feel comfortable with themselves and who have endorsed continuing “traditions” which don’t mean a rat’s tail.

And at Genesis 19, there was only a threat of homosexual rape, but nothing actually took place. Yet, to hear the word, “sodomy,” one would believe there were explicit sexual acts at Sodom and Gomorrah. There were none. God disliked the violent rape, not the sexual acts.

Furthermore, the “traditions” at Sodom and Gomorrah were about deliverate violent homosexual rape acts with strangers visiting the area in order to discourage strangers from visiting. God had said those people should accept strangers in their midst, but they disobeyed God by promoting rape with strangers.

Glen Beck’s point about accepting civil unions, but not marriage, is not acceptable.  Even when same-sex marriage is accepted, there is no church which can be forced to perform such acts, as long as the separation of church and state remains. No person should be forced or coerced into a same-sex union of any kind. Yet, millions upon millions of GLBT are coerced by tremendous societal / religious peer pressure and intimidation (how many times did we hear, “why are you not dating some girl?”) to marry someone of the opposite sex.

Jesus is about love and acceptance. He never turned anyone away, whether he/she might be a GLBT lay person, a pastor or priest, or a bishop. “There can be no peace without justice.”