ELCA to Change Their Standards

[Snow4JC]

Greetings~

re: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ELCA to Change Their Standards

The ELCA has proposed to allow the ordination of gays and lesbians in same-sex relationships and open the door to blessing such relationships.

The new sexuality proposals will be voted on by the 1.018 voting members to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly to be held August 8-14 in Orlando, FLA. The ELCA with almost 5 million members, is the largest Lutheran denomination in America.

I found the whole article at: www.religionjournal.com/showarticle.asp?id=2871&ardate=7/18/05

I do not believe that the ELCA should have proposed these to begin with. Seems to be another man made proposal with no regards to what the Bible says.

What I don't understand is why know one seems to care about what is going to take place!

I grew up Lutheran although I do not attend a Lutheran church anymore.

I know that The Bible says that Once you know the Truth, You are set Free. (no cutting and pasting) John 8:31 "If you continue inmy word, you are truly my disciples, (32) and you will know the Truth, and the truth will make you free."

Free to stand back and watch this happen and say "Nothing", I don't believe so.

If you know any Lutherans who belong to this synod, Why not let them know how you feel about this.

Maybe email the ELCA churchs in your area and let them know how God will react to these proposals.

Snow4JC

[Keith]

Here's another article I just found on Yahoo... I wouldn't rank these people as being up there with Lutherans by any means, because it doesn't really identify the "denomination." At any rate, this article just goes to show how it's becoming an ungodly trend....

Some Black Preachers Embrace Homosexuality

By DAVID B. CARUSO, Associated Press Writer

Mon Aug 1, 8:17 AM ET

NEW YORK - The words that the Rev. James A. Forbes chose to share with the roomful of black gay and lesbian faithful might have come straight from the civil rights struggles of the 1960s. Forbes reminded his listeners that discrimination has no place in this world and urged them to lay down the notion put forward by some black ministers that they are less favored by God.

"Your job is to get up every day and be grateful to God for your DNA," Forbes said. "It took an artist divine to make this design!"

Forbes, senior minister at the Riverside Church, was among several religious leaders and politicians who attended a revival meeting Sunday aimed at countering what organizers said was a surge in anti-gay rhetoric coming from pulpits in conservative parishes.

The program for the event bore the pictures of 10 black men and women who were murdered, or severely injured, in recent years in attacks believed to have been motivated by their sexual orientation.

Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields likened the treatment of homosexuals today to the discrimination she faced growing up black in the old South, and Arun Gandhi, a grandson of Mohandas Gandhi, drew parallels to the repression once experienced by nonwhite citizens in South Africa.

Religious conservatives have chafed at similar comparisons between the gay rights movement, and civil rights struggles of the past.

The issue has been an especially sensitive one in some predominantly black congregations, where pastors have maintained that homosexuality is a sin or a social disorder that should not be compared with race or ethnicity.

Last winter, hundreds of black clergy attended summits aimed at opposing gay marriage held in cities across the country. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s youngest daughter even led a march through Atlanta to advocate a ban on gay marriage.

Speaking at the Riverside Church, the Rev. Cari Jackson of the Center of Spiritual Light said some conservative black clergy had, perhaps unintentionally, incited hate against lesbians and gays by repeatedly condemning them as sinners.

"Like our slave ancestors," Jackson said, "we are being spiritually, psychologically and physically abused."

Link to article... http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050801/ap_on_...ts_black_clergy

[Iryssa]

I'm so sick of Christians justifying homosexuality by saying it's born into them, that it's a part of their DNA. Hate to break it to them, but so is all sin; that doesn't make it acceptable.

[Snow4JC]

Here's another article I just found on Yahoo...  I wouldn't rank these people as being up there with Lutherans by any means, because it doesn't really identify the "denomination."  At any rate, this article just goes to show how it's becoming an ungodly trend....

Some Black Preachers Embrace Homosexuality

By DAVID B. CARUSO, Associated Press Writer

Mon Aug 1, 8:17 AM ET

NEW YORK - The words that the Rev. James A. Forbes chose to share with the roomful of black gay and lesbian faithful might have come straight from the civil rights struggles of the 1960s. Forbes reminded his listeners that discrimination has no place in this world and urged them to lay down the notion put forward by some black ministers that they are less favored by God.

"Your job is to get up every day and be grateful to God for your DNA," Forbes said. "It took an artist divine to make this design!"

Forbes, senior minister at the Riverside Church, was among several religious leaders and politicians who attended a revival meeting Sunday aimed at countering what organizers said was a surge in anti-gay rhetoric coming from pulpits in conservative parishes.

The program for the event bore the pictures of 10 black men and women who were murdered, or severely injured, in recent years in attacks believed to have been motivated by their sexual orientation.

Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields likened the treatment of homosexuals today to the discrimination she faced growing up black in the old South, and Arun Gandhi, a grandson of Mohandas Gandhi, drew parallels to the repression once experienced by nonwhite citizens in South Africa.

Religious conservatives have chafed at similar comparisons between the gay rights movement, and civil rights struggles of the past.

The issue has been an especially sensitive one in some predominantly black congregations, where pastors have maintained that homosexuality is a sin or a social disorder that should not be compared with race or ethnicity.

Last winter, hundreds of black clergy attended summits aimed at opposing gay marriage held in cities across the country. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s youngest daughter even led a march through Atlanta to advocate a ban on gay marriage.

Speaking at the Riverside Church, the Rev. Cari Jackson of the Center of Spiritual Light said some conservative black clergy had, perhaps unintentionally, incited hate against lesbians and gays by repeatedly condemning them as sinners.

"Like our slave ancestors," Jackson said, "we are being spiritually, psychologically and physically abused."

Link to article...  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050801/ap_on_...ts_black_clergy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Keith ~

I did some searching and look what I found:

Rev. James A. Forbes,

Riverside Church

490 Riverside Drive

New York, NY 10027

He makes a statement that if he doesn't help the poor of the world - I am going to be embarrased to meet G-D.

Later on today when I write my letter to him. I believe I will include his quote and apply it to his thoughts on the gay world.

Snow4JC

[Guest iamsoblessed]

churches/pastors that accept this and allow it in their churches are going to be held accountable....why are they giving into appeasing all people and their sinful actions? because they are weak in their spirit...i know i will never have to worry about my church or my pastor condoning the behavior...sin is sin is sin is sin...i believe homsexuals can be prayed out of their sin..ive heard so many cases...we need to pray for them and their soul...some pastors are such cowards...

[Smalcald]

Just a point about what is going on among Lutherans.

The ELCA is only one branch of Lutherans, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, Lutheran Church Wisconsin Synod, and a couple of other smaller branches will never ordain gays, and are sticking to the bible as much as they are able, in both talking about what is sinful sexual behaivior, what God's plan is for human expression of sexuality, and the direct instructions we have for who should and should not be ordained.

Unfortunately the ELCA is larger, and also gets more attention and press. But the ELCA has been floating off track for quite some time, their problems originate to the 1960's when they began questioning both the core Lutheran confessions and more importantly the infallibility and inerrancy of the Holy Bible.

I think we will see this happen more and more among main line Protestant denominations, as those who are trying to remain true to the Bible will simply be unable to remain a part of the larger denominations.

It is really unfortunate.

Edited August 3, 2005 by Smalcald

[mikado5001]

Where in the Bible does it specifically forbid homosexuality? I see more gay and lesbian's who act more G-dly than most straight folk.

Edited August 3, 2005 by mikado5001

[Smalcald]

Hi Makido

I know many gay and lesbians who are very loving good people also.

I also know many divorced people, people who live together outside of marriage, people who have had sex outside of marriage, and they also are often very loving good people.

However the bible is very clear on what God expects of us for our sexual behavior. Man and women were made for each other, our bodies conform to each other in a unique biological fashion, all sexual activity and expression is to only take place between a man and a women who are married. This is not a radical or irrational path God gives us in this teaching, it is what works best to create families and hold our culture together.

As far as specific versus go there are many. Do you want to go over them?

But I am not a person who thinks gays are evil.

[Leonard]

That ELCA is only just now taking this step is what I find surprising!

[Snow4JC]

That ELCA is only just now taking this step is what I find surprising!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi!~

I found a web site for an ELCA synod. There was an email address so I sent them a little note:

Subject: Two Proposals to be voted on - Vote "NO!"

To whom it May Concern: Please vote "NO" on these two proposals. The church already has too many Man Made Traditions of Pagan Origin.

Then I signed my name and sent it. I gave them my email address yet I haven't heard from anyone yet.

Snow