Friday, June 16, 2006

WE'RE FAMOUS??

Posted by Reverend Ref + at 7:42 PM

Well, I don't know about that, but there were a majority of Episcopalians on Larry King last night: Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, Bishop Gene Robinson and Canon David Anderson.

I thought the panel represented a wide variety of positions. I thought they all did a relatively good job of not sniping at each other. I even thought the three callers did a good job at not lashing out. I wish it would've lasted longer.

For the most part, I thought it went well; except for two instances.

The first one came towards the end when Canon Anderson said, "Well, many of us that are orthodox, conservative Episcopalians have experience a real sense of isolation within the Episcopal church, and we're hoping for a better day to come for our own situation. We anticipate that at some point, the global communion will remove the Anglican franchise from the Episcopal church and grant it to another entity. We don't see how the Episcopal church can really continue the way it is."

And when asked why he stays in TEC, he replied, "Because I like a good fight."

Two thoughts: 1) It's hard to work at listening and unity when you are already set to push for a secondary "official" church; 2) If he enjoys a good fight so much, why leave?

I know why -- heretical, apostate church turns back on 2000 years of teaching about sexuality. I guess it's more important to focus on sexuality than on feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, caring for the widowed and orphaned, sharing a meal and proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The second instance came at the very end when Larry asked Rev. Mohler, "Do you ever see the Baptists changing?"

He responded, "Well, I hope not on this regard because it comes under the authority of scripture, but I know the one thing that must not change is this, as one sinner saved by grace to other sinners, I say come to Jesus Christ and come no newness of life. It will change your sex life, for everyone. It will change every dimension of your life and that's by the grace and mercy of God." (emphasis mine)

Mrs. Ref stood there stupified and said, "Did he just say that?? I can't believe he said that!"

Yes he did; because, you know, homosexuality is a terribly bad choice that can only lead a person to death, not life.

Or something like that.

3 comments:

Anonymous | 11:51 AM, June 17, 2006  

Jesus. Sex life. Kinky, those Baptists. [giggle, snort]

Jim | 7:59 PM, June 17, 2006  

I think we should all be dismayed at what's transpired. We can be firm and well-resolved without being pugnacious, as I think Gene Robinson has so well shown us.

And I could be just as happy in an Episcopal church that proclaimed the kingdom of heaven to everybody, and left it up to the hearers to discern the proclamation's wisdom.

The heat, light, and smoke we've invested in this [non-]issue could have been the by-products of mercy and justice writ large. Instead, it's a tawdry public laundry presided over by the meanest of washer-women on one side, and the wishy-washiest bunch on the other.

Perhaps we should all get back to loving one another?

Brooke | 5:22 PM, June 18, 2006  

"I guess it's more important to focus on sexuality than on feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, caring for the widowed and orphaned, sharing a meal and proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior."

I honestly don't know whether it makes me feel better or worse to know that I'm not the only one who gets crazy about these things. My mother says that sometimes Christians forget what it means to be Christian. :(

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