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CNS STORY: People wearing rainbow sashes denied Communion in St. Paul, Chicago
The Catholic Church continues its struggle with the issue of homosexuality. The issue of our culture's acceptance of this behavior shows up in politics (see Nebraska's gay marriage ban stricken) as well as in the church. What will be our response? Will we cave in to the pressures of the PC left? Or will we stand on the authority of God's Word on the issue while maintaining a spirit of love and grace to individual persons? Homosexuality is sinful and an abomination to God. But the church needs to beware the dangers that sometimes arise out of reactionary behavior. We need to maintain a balance between opposition to the movement and abhorrence of the practice with a recognition of the intrinsic value of a human life and faith in God's ability to redeem and restore. A movement too far in either direction will be harmful, despite our best intentions.
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2 Comments:
This is more of a comment about the “pastoral” figures that are accepting homosexuality, wearing rainbow sashes, and marrying homosexuals in their buildings. I say building because God is not present and does not honor a homosexual marriage.
I am not sure I can think of a reaction by the Church that is too far in the direction of rejecting homosexuality.
Homosexuality is a sin. There is definitely no question about that (If you believe the Bible). So the question lies in what is the Church to do. The simple answer is to totally reject homosexuality as a way of life. We should take a firm stance against homosexuality, and not tolerate any part of it in the Church. Any Church or pastor that tolerates homosexuality needs to be cut off, or excommunicated from the body.
If a so-called Christian pastor professes that homosexuality is not a sin, he needs to be publicly chastised, and given an opportunity to repent publicly, or be rejected from the Church as any false teacher or antichrist would be.
Why do we need to tolerate, or even try to be sensitive to these false teachers?
Why is the Church not dealing with these false teachers who carry an antichrist spirit, and are trying to, and succeeding at bringing division within the Body?
Anyone who thinks I am being harsh or overboard needs to read the New Testament, and see what it says about false teachers. 2 Peter, Jude, 1-2-3 John would be a good start.
We should be very careful not to allow these false teachers to persist in their destruction of the Body just so that we can be politically correct, and please men (Gal. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:1-4).
I am not inferring that this is what the original post suggests, just that too many “Christians” think that we need to be PC in order to be “right” with the world, so then the world will accept us.
Guess what “Christians” our job is to accept others, not necessarily be accepted. We (the Church) are too careful not to be persecuted. We keep tolerating, and accepting worldly (sinful) thing so that worldly (sinful) people won’t reject us. Wake up Church! Have a backbone, and stand for something! Quit being lukewarm.
I would love to know what kind of letter Paul would have written to a so-called Christian pastor that wore a rainbow sash, or one who performed marriage ceremonies of homosexuals.
I don't think Paul would be worried about who he offended, or if the "world" would get upset.
As Peter tells us, we are to remember God’s judgment, and we are to feel secure in our salvation. God will protect us from false teachers. As long as we stand firm on the Word, we can’t be wrong. When we decide to ignore certain parts of the Word for convienience or to be PC, then we are in violation and in great danger ourselves.
Good comment. As a point of clarification just to be safe, the original post was in no way to defend homosexuality or be politically correct. Those who know me best know that no one is less politically correct than I. As one who believes in a fully inspired Word of God, inerrant and infallible, timeless and supremely authoritative, I think it is imperitive that we stand on the Word and do not waver. My caution is for Christians who might allow a hatred of sin to cause them to refuse homosexuals love and grace. Of course, loving someone does not mean overlooking sin but rather speaking the truth (even when it's hard) and holding people accountible.
As for how we should handle pastors and church leaders who support homosexuality, I could not agree with you more.
Anyway, let the record show my position on this matter :)
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