Report: Archbishop of Canterbury said Bible doesn't forbid same...

The report by the Times of London was the latest development in the controversial issue of how the Anglican church should view homosexuality.

[Opinion]

Heck - Lets just re-write the scriptures to allow whatever modern sociaty wants.

[Kuni Lemmel]

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams apparently can't read, or doesn't understand what he does read. The greater question here is: how does someone that stupid, ignorant, and corrupt get to be Archbishop of Canterbury? Answer: Just keep at it year after year, because people get tired, but evil never does.

[ChristmasTree]

Guess the Archbishop never read the Old Testament story of Sodom & Gomorrah? Heck, they even made an old movie about it starring Stewart Granger, I believe. Any person calling themselves a practicing Christian must acknowledge that Christianity had it's roots in the Old Testament and the original covenant given to Moses, period. Oh wait, I forgot, the Anglican church exists historically because Henry VIII couldn't get a papal divorce, so he 'invented' his very own church. Remember that?

[kgc]

Opinion wrote:

Heck - Lets just re-write the scriptures to allow whatever modern sociaty wants.

Dear O,

That's precisely what the Church Fathers did along about years 200-300, A.D., when they got together numerous times to decide what was to be put in and what was to be left out of what became our modern Bible. Anyone who does not know and understand this has not taken time to research even the basic facts about the origin and development of the Bible. It did not just magically appear one day in its present form. There were many unresolved disputes and much messy controversy involved, arguably editing out many divinely inspired writings that could reshape our perspectives.

The idea that our understanding of reality has never and cannot now change or that faith and belief based upon Holy scripture cannot be changed by modern revelation is malarky. Of course, we would all want a source of Truth that we can rely upon to tell us that our decisions are always right. However, and unfortunately or fortunately as you may perceive, neither the Bible nor any other scripture can make decisions for us.

We are as we must be - always responsible for our own decisions and actions, individually empowered in the living universe that we call God.

Rewriting scripture is not necessary. Reconfiguring our understanding of reality and scripture in light of newly revealed facts about ourselves as human beings and about the world around and within us is a constant effort and is absolutely necessary. To do anything less is to deny the Truth of which Jesus Christ spoke. And, frankly, total reliance upon an unchanging interpretation of scripture alone makes an idol out of a book - a behavior which is expressly proscribed by the Commandments. Think about it.

For the literalist and fundamental evangelical Christian, including the Anglican or Episcopalian, this is a difficult Truth to accept. However, accept it we must or we become a captive to a stagnant backwater of loveless limitations, having abandoned the very principles of Christian Faith given to us by Jesus.

KGC

[abomb262]

He doesn't read that homosexual relationships are forbidded? Maybe some one tore the page with Levitticus 18:22 out of his bible.

[faith]

His church and he has told so many lies he doesn't read the bible he reads doctrines.

Levitticus 18:22
22 “‘And you must not lie down with a male the same as you lie down with a woman. It is a detestable thing.

[ChristmasTree]

OK, let's look at another side to this problem, there is(IMO)NO scientific explanation (as yet)for the biological deficit called homosexuality. Yeah, we know that all civilizations made some concessions for these unfortunate people, but scientifically, we just don't know as yet why they are UNABLE to relate physically to the other half of the human race. One Swedish study about six years ago posited that homosexual men and women didn't get enough of some protein in utero, which prevented them from functioning normally. Another recent newspaper article mentioned that the brains of gay men resemble women's brains, not men's. Go figure...But every major religion condemns this behavior, including Islam. Start your own church, and leave our alone. 'Equal'means loosely the same quantity, and unfortunately you're not equal.

[ex-anglican]

Political appointment I believe! He will go down as the destroyer of the Anglican church. IF he's really in charge, why didn't he rein in the flakes a long time ago

[Joe DeCaro]

kgc wrote:

... To do anything less is to deny the Truth of which Jesus Christ spoke. And, frankly, total reliance upon an unchanging interpretation of scripture alone makes an idol out of a book - a behavior which is expressly proscribed by the Commandments. Think about it.
For the literalist and fundamental evangelical Christian, including the Anglican or Episcopalian, this is a difficult Truth to accept. However, accept it we must or we become a captive to a stagnant backwater of loveless limitations, having abandoned the very principles of Christian Faith given to us by Jesus.
KGC

Very well said, but I don't believe Jesus allowed for SSM in Matt 19 when he was asked about divorce. Jesus said from the beginning God made them male and female, and that for this reason -- and He gave no other -- the man would leave his parents and cling to his wife, and the two would become one flesh.

Under this principle, I can't see how -- in the eyes of the Church -- two people of the same sex can become "one flesh" in the way that Jesus defined marriage. There is simply nothing Jesus specifically said that allows for SSM.

[Joe DeCaro]

ex-anglican wrote:

... He will go down as the destroyer of the Anglican church

Don't forget his helper, Katharine Jefferts Schori, who will preside over the demise of the Episcopal Church.

[faith]

Our Creator Sets the Standard
Our Creator established rules governing marriage long before governments began regulating the institution. The opening book of the Bible tells us:“A man will leave his father and his mother and he must stick to his wife and they must become one flesh.”(Genesis 2:24) The Hebrew word “wife,” according to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words,“connotes one who is a female human being.” Jesus confirmed that those yoked together in marriage should be “male and female.”—Matthew 19:4.

[MeeMee]

faith wrote:

His church and he has told so many lies he doesn't read the bible he reads doctrines.
Levitticus 18:22
22 “‘And you must not lie down with a male the same as you lie down with a woman. It is a detestable thing.

If you look at that quote completely out of context, it looks like the lesbians are ok.

Not saying I agree, but it just struck me as funny.

[kgc]

ChristmasTree wrote:

OK, let's look at another side to this problem, there is(IMO)NO scientific explanation (as yet)for the biological deficit called homosexuality. Yeah, we know that all civilizations made some concessions for these unfortunate people, but scientifically, we just don't know as yet why they are UNABLE to relate physically to the other half of the human race. One Swedish study about six years ago posited that homosexual men and women didn't get enough of some protein in utero, which prevented them from functioning normally. Another recent newspaper article mentioned that the brains of gay men resemble women's brains, not men's. Go figure...But every major religion condemns this behavior, including Islam. Start your own church, and leave our alone.'Equal'means loosely the same quantity, and unfortunately you're not equal.

Dear Christmas Tree,

You are4 getting closer to the Truth. But, consider this:

In only the last 60 years or so have we known of the XX and XY combination of chromasomes that opened our eyes to genetic sexual definition. tremendous advances and new insights are being made every day in this area of medical and genetic science.

However, none of the worlds religions and their accompanying scriptures have ever been formed in the light of these new understandings. As a result, our basis for behavior, sexual and otherwise, is changing to reflect the Truth. And there is nothing we can do, as much as we love to rely upon what we regard as Holy Scripture, to deny our advances in our understanding of Truth.

Jesus was right. Know the truth and the truth will set you free.

KGC

[Reader]

Senility is a terrible thing.

I have a dog that will screw anything ... even tried to put it into another dog's ear. He's just stupid, that's all.

Like the above (KGC) trying to find someway to justify getting off at any cost.

[ChristmasTree]

kgc wrote:

<quoted text>
Dear Christmas Tree,
You are4 getting closer to the Truth. But, consider this:
In only the last 60 years or so have we known of the XX and XY combination of chromasomes that opened our eyes to genetic sexual definition. tremendous advances and new insights are being made every day in this area of medical and genetic science.
However, none of the worlds religions and their accompanying scriptures have ever been formed in the light of these new understandings. As a result, our basis for behavior, sexual and otherwise, is changing to reflect the Truth. And there is nothing we can do, as much as we love to rely upon what we regard as Holy Scripture, to deny our advances in our understanding of Truth.
Jesus was right. Know the truth and the truth will set you free.
KGC

Great response, but remember, I just wrote my post to include the lack of scientific evidence in what is basically a matter of personal/denominational faith. Science is worshipped as a religion by many, and considered a false god by many others. Christianity does not reject science as the modern Antichrist, but it is not based on the so-called 'scientific method'. Once and for all, believing Christians, of whatever denomination need only the Old and New Testament for their faith, not validation by experiment. Atheists and skeptics are as welcome to their beliefs/values, period.

[Joe DeCaro]

kgc wrote:

... none of the worlds religions and their accompanying scriptures have ever been formed in the light of these new understandings. As a result, our basis for behavior, sexual and otherwise, is changing to reflect the Truth.

So does Jesus now need a PhD in order to remain an authority on marriage?

[Reader]

Joe DeCaro wrote:

<quoted text>
So does Jesus now need a PhD in order to remain an authority on marriage?

Nah, these guys are just playing with words ... it helps them float their own boat.

[kgc]

Reader wrote:

<quoted text>
Nah, these guys are just playing with words ... it helps them float their own boat.

Dear Reader and Joe,

I am probably just as uncomfortable with the idea of same-sex marriage as is any other heterosexual. Plus, I regard my faith as not subject to compromise and my will to be a disciple of Jesus, unshakable.

But, I have a problem with adopting a viewpoint in judgment of others for their choice to engage in a consenting sexual behavior that I do not understand. I do know of people who have known themselves to be homosexuals from their earliest remembrance. I don't have an explanation for their nature. But, most likely they didn't just choose to be that way on one sunny day just on a lark. Nope. No way would they have chosen to put themselves through such a trial of ostracization.

Now, I do believe that hedonistic behavior, hetero- or homo- is dangerous and deleterious to the psyche of the individual. But, people who engage in rampant promiscuity aren't generally looking to get married.

Plus, I don't find fault with Jesus for not leaving specific instructions with us, in his words, about how to deal with this problem. More important, it appears that his instructions would cause us to find reasonable ways to accept these people as normal everyday contributors to a productive society. In fact, that's just what most homosexual people are.

KGC

[cat]

TERRIFIC...I APPLAUD HIM...AND HIS COURAGE TO SPEAK OUT.
NOW HE HAS TO TAKE THIS TO THE POPE-BRING SMELLING SALTS...THE POPE IS NOT SO ENLIGHTENED.

[Timmytracker]

Kuni Lemmel wrote:

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams apparently can't read, or doesn't understand what he does read. The greater question here is: how does someone that stupid, ignorant, and corrupt get to be Archbishop of Canterbury? Answer: Just keep at it year after year, because people get tired, but evil never does.

Rowan is one of the most intelligent people who have ever walked the face of the earth. He is without peer when it comes to biblical scholarship. Unfortunately most of us can't begin to comprehend the complexity of scripture in the same way he does. Your accusations,(along with a number of other posters in this thread) are unfounded, unworthy and underscore your inabaility to comprehend that the Rowan is beyond question steeped in the presence of God. He is willing to open himself up to be led by the Holy Spirit into territory that challenges most of us. We should pray that we may be as open as he.