tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post7894443125696011931..comments2024-03-27T15:47:46.091-05:00Comments on Pastoral Meanderings: The way they love. . .Pastor Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-41757844560357521882019-05-24T06:13:09.007-05:002019-05-24T06:13:09.007-05:00Wow! So much insight is the several past comments...Wow! So much insight is the several past comments. So often today when clergy address the gay issue they either run from it, or they give into the culture. I suppose in times of great change it is a given that many mistakes in turns and directions will be made. Frankly this is the first discussion that I have encountered in which the writers, with a same sex orientation, are trying to make sense of moral living rather than try to coax the Church to changes the rules. I am thankful and hopeful that there are men and women out there who want authentic Christian living without political correctness, and still have to live with who they are and can even embrace it as a way that God accompanies them on the road to salvation. Thank you for the sharing of that dimension of who you are at the core of your being. God bless you.Archimandrite Gregoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09894842027467584759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-37971952507884335452019-05-24T05:46:44.935-05:002019-05-24T05:46:44.935-05:00What about the gentile women whose daughter had a ...<br />What about the gentile women whose daughter had a demon or the centurion whose servant was sick? No, as far as we know they were not gay. But it is also clear that, like many LGBT Christian kids, they felt singularly unworthy of the love of God. Both said as much quite clearly. Yet it was these two -neither of which had anything remotely like “an identity in Christ” whom Christ complimented for their great faith.<br /><br />The temptation of Christ. Pastor Peters referred to it in his post yesterday. But he kind of blew it when he used the Hebrews passage. The Hebrews passage finds an identification with Christ who “was tempted as we are.” But I bet if a gay kid said, “Oh, you mean maybe Christ might have been attracted to gust too?” Pastor Peters would squeal like a stuck pig. That would undo any good intended by the use of that passage and actually separate the kid further from identifying with Christ rather than bring him closer. But there is a different and better way to use that passage. We do not know specifically what various temptations Christ faced. But in every single one of temptations that are described for us, Christ was given the opportunity to turn from the cross and serve himself at the cost of losing us. He chose the cross. It is not that Christ was tempted just like we are in every respect that is the chief comfort (we forget that the context of the Hebrews passage was to an audience tempted to reject Christ, a temptation somewhat parallels to His and it should probably not be used outside that context). No, the chief message of the temptations of Christ is that, given the choice between saving himself from the cross and saving us, He chose to save us.<br /><br />Yes it is important for gay kids to have role models – by seeing others who may have been in similar circumstances they can say “maybe Christians act like jerks but just as THAT person was loved by God and part of His Body, so am I.” And here, again, the churches that uphold the biblical view of sexuality should have been on the forefront of providing those role models, not trailing behind and whining to each other about those naughty people out there.<br /><br />This is probably the biggest sin of the Church today and one that perhaps the faithful LGBT Christians can call the church to change. Christians, especially Christian pastors, spend too much time on blogs and in discussions acting like whipped puppies, licking their wound and whining to one another, “poor us, those nasty LGBT people out there object to our stand on marriage – Oh my, we are soooo persecuted and look at all the naughty things they are doing and saying whatever will we do?” Seriously, it is getting to the point I think pastors are bigger sissies than the most effeminate drag queen I ever met. Come on pastors, get out there and use the resources of theology and scripture we have – do some work – actually apply them to homosexuality and transgenderism and everything else beyond just caring whether LGBT people have sex or not.<br /><br />Yes, I was whining. But, frankly, I am always hoping that some pastor will actually respond with something solid. I keep hoping pastors will grow a pair and actually address the problems without me having to take them by the hand and lead them through. - this is basic practical ministry. It's law and gospel 101. A kindergarten theologian could do it – and probably does do it better than most pastors I have seen lately. Come one pastors figure out how to actually illuminate the Gospel instead of pissing and moaning about how hard it is.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-62075658753273568052019-05-24T05:46:00.291-05:002019-05-24T05:46:00.291-05:00Sin is sin even when committed by pastors and past...Sin is sin even when committed by pastors and pastors need to know the damage they have done and do. They don't get a free pass. If they can not show and elucidate the compassion of God they should be out of the ministry. Lutheran theology is extremely clear on this point. Law delivered to repentant sinners without, or with little Gospel, produces despairing sinners. I am just saying what a despairing sinner looks like and what the results of the mishandling of law and Gospel look like.<br /><br />What should they say?<br /><br />It is really fairly simple and that pastors can't figure it out is rather scary. I already outlined most of it above pretty clearly.<br /><br />Let's take Pastor Peter's post from yesterday about the gay survival guides from Sweden. He used that as springboard to complain about Bolz-Weber's writings and ideas. He is not completely wrong. I think she is, after-all, very non-Christian in her approach to shame and sex. But Pastor Peter's post is neither brave nor insightful. He is simply complaining to an audience and readership that largely agrees with him. I found myself wondering why he wrote it. There is nothing new, nothing challenging there. What was the purpose, other than to complain about "those people out there."<br /><br />Actually the guide he was complaining about would be a good idea written from the correct point of view.<br /><br />Back in the 70s there were no role models at all for gay kids - closest I had was Billy Crystal playing a gay man on Soap and I definitely did not want to be like that. Today LGBT kids in the Church are surrounded by "role models." But nearly all of those role models are out and gay affirming. What about giving them some role models of queer people who understood a biblical view of sex and sexuality? Paul, for instance, has always been a bit of a conundrum. On the one hand, because he was not married, he would seem to be a candidate as possibly gay individual. But because he also firmly held a strong sexual ethic, he is not exactly the kind of person the gay affirming theologian wants to hold up as an example. But he is perfect for a gay kid who has a conservative view of marriage. Was he gay? I don't know. But he certainly did not live a conventional life as far as marriage goes – choosing singleness and abstinence outside of marriage. As many LGBT kids do today, he certainly tried to be perfect and to earn God's love – and failed to do so. Just as many gay kids today are fooled into thinking if they are just strong enough, pray hard enough and try with all their might they will be able to be straight and finally be loved by God – and then fail to do so. He learned and proclaimed the love of God – and had to endure rather a lot of opposition to do so, at least at the beginning, because he was not trusted by the Church. Again, something a lot of gay people are familiar with and could relate to. Yet God chose to use him far more than He used any of the original 12.<br /><br />In fact, Paul would also be a good role model for pastors speaking the Gospel when addressing things like homosexuality. One of my major beefs with “the Gospel” as it is often applied to homosexuality is that pastors say a brief “God forgives you” and then leave it there, without any real context or illumination and expect that “Gospel” to be enough – they expect that little bit of Gospel, poor thing, to do all the heavy lifting of relieving the burden of law they have lavished upon despairing sinners. And then act insulted when that tiny little statement does not produce an amazing harvest of hope and joy.<br /><br />Paul does not do that. He gives the forgiveness of Christ a context. You are justified...therefore you are the Body of Christ....therefore you are the temple of God...therefore you are beloved...therefore you are beloved brothers. Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-35351157784323415132019-05-23T21:27:26.366-05:002019-05-23T21:27:26.366-05:00Anonymous,
THE TRUTH. If pastors etc, cannot be...Anonymous, <br /><br />THE TRUTH. If pastors etc, cannot be compassionate, I can't demand what they don't have to give. If they have given me the Truth then that is enough. I have to trust that God loves me if others can't, won't or don't. I have to trust that God has what's best for me in mind. I don't know what you expect but I sense that any answer you get will NEVER be enough. <br /><br />I was bullied by my peers and have a father who to this day will not apologize for the misery he caused in our house to me, the eldest son and to my mother, brothers and sisters. I have heard from him things such as, "You were born stupid and will die stupid." "You're a fag." "if I find out that you are a queer, I'll kill you." "You're fat." "Why can't you be like the other kids who go out and play." And after my brother, who was murdered, "YOu should have died instead of your brother." So I know what it is like to feel unloved by kids my age but most of all by my father. But I always had a sense of God even before I started going to Church and I guess in my childish mind I took comfort in that even though my home life SUCKED. But I am not bitter. Those experiences made me who I am today. And I am not perfect but I have compassion for the downtrodden. I love God and I see God in the things of the world. My cross is heavy to be sure but there is hope.<br /><br />It's a ramble I know but and I repeat, we have to stop looikng at the glass as half empty and count our blessings and STOP WHINING.Daniel G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00042322449680137387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-91382384648924655022019-05-23T20:56:23.236-05:002019-05-23T20:56:23.236-05:00Matt:
"But if they do not approach the topic...Matt:<br /><br />"But if they do not approach the topic publicly in a correct manner, they will never have the opportunity to have that individual ministry. "<br /><br />And what, exactly, do you want them to say publicly on these issues? Please be as specific as possible.<br /><br />Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-3275246105664143682019-05-23T20:55:30.596-05:002019-05-23T20:55:30.596-05:00Daniel G., you really did not answer my question:
...Daniel G., you really did not answer my question:<br /><br />Let me repeat/refine it.<br /><br /><br />What, exactly, are you expecting your priest/pastor to say to you?<br /><br />What do you want to hear?<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-76544533144262766802019-05-23T15:21:59.194-05:002019-05-23T15:21:59.194-05:00Indeed some good things may happen in individual r...Indeed some good things may happen in individual relationships. But that is not the point. Those individual relationships are inaccessible to the rest of us. We can not read minds nor experience those things others experienced.<br /><br />What we can and do experience is what the Church as a whole does and says in public forums. And there the church has not only been woefully negligent but often abusive. <br /><br />I would suspect, frankly, there are many pastors who would do quite well in individual one on one ministry to a same sex attracted person. But if they do not approach the topic publicly in a correct manner, they will never have the opportunity to have that individual ministry. <br /><br />The individual can in no way make up for the errors of the community. Especially when the individual is too cowardly to stand against those errors publicly. <br /><br />Nor do I find the message of self-control and not giving in to temptation offensive in any way. That is not and has not been a problem from me for a long time. I am celibate. I happen to agree with that message and don't find that offensive at all.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-33053779473719044142019-05-23T15:07:28.092-05:002019-05-23T15:07:28.092-05:00It may be your experience that Christians have fai...It may be your experience that Christians have failed to affirm the person while not affirming the behavior. I cannot say about that. But it is a false idea that because you have not seen or experienced it, it does not happen. I know of many congregations in which people are welcoming, loving, and encouraging to people with a variety of needs, issues, and lifestyles -- all while NOT giving divine sanction to those things that are against God's Law. Besides, if you are single, like I am, and straight, the message of self-control and not giving into temptation is no easier nor is it less offensive to desire than it is to you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-65068046495080622472019-05-23T10:37:22.853-05:002019-05-23T10:37:22.853-05:00So many voices speak out today about so many of ou...So many voices speak out today about so many of our social issues; not even Christians agree to the solutions in terms of how to approach them. I do believe that ministry to the individual as part of the healing of whatever separates us from the Love of God is the most realistic way to address our concerns. It is slow and is not comprehensive but It seems that is what Christ did. He preached to the multitudes and healed individuals right where the lived and experienced their state of being outcasts. When one compassionate heart sits and listens to another who is hurting, then together they can rise and journey together with Christ as did the disciples on the way to Emmaeus. The program of the 12 steps from AA has much to offer us as we rise and begin to walk together as Brothers and Sisters.Archimandrite Gregoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09894842027467584759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-64796469614812215352019-05-23T09:28:22.144-05:002019-05-23T09:28:22.144-05:00Matt,
Again you are putting the burden on the Ch...Matt, <br /><br />Again you are putting the burden on the Church (whatever Church you belong to) alone. The Church with all of it's human agents presents the Truth to us in whatever form and by whomever may present it for better or for worse. What WE do with that Truth is the difference between salvation and damnation. <br /><br />It's time to stop criticizing the Church and take the bull by the horns; that is, working out our salvation in fear and trembling as St. Paul put it and stop complaining. The pastors who have shown little or no compassion/love/charity will have much to answer for. Maybe those same pastors are dealing with the same issues we are. Not all the pastors are the same and thank God for that. Maybe they speak in terms of fire and brimstone because they know what the stakes are and want desperately for us to get to Heaven. And as ambassadors of God, they know that many of us need a kick in the pants and to snap out of it. In the meantime we must work (I know Lutherans hate that word but it is what it is)together and in alignment with the Truth.Daniel G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00042322449680137387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-90932809684929968192019-05-23T09:00:49.322-05:002019-05-23T09:00:49.322-05:00Oops, signing in under an old id on that last one....Oops, signing in under an old id on that last one.<br /><br />Daniel, I would not complain if it were not for the fact that I think the Church actually does have the answer. But if we do not present the problem, the answer will never be given either. Essentially the Church needs to<br /><br />1: acknowledge that in taking a stand against a behavior, Christians have nearly always gone to far and taken a stand against people - and apologize for that.<br /><br />2: take more time and put more effort in to exploring and discussing what love is and means and what positive benefits the Gospel offers - frankly, pastors have gotten lazy on this and let a sentence or two of "God forgives you" stand for the whole Gospel. That has to end.<br /><br />3: take leadership in defending those who are abused. The Church should have been in the forefront of calling for the inclusion of gay kids in the boy scouts and in developing anti-bullying and anti-suicidal programs for gay kids.<br /><br />4: The church needs to actively discuss and encourage people to discover how to show love for a person without approving of their behavior. There has to be more than what has been offered.<br /><br />But as long as pastors defend the status quo and lie to themselves that they "accept the person" but "not the sin" then nothing will happen.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-7509478823699822202019-05-23T08:54:14.747-05:002019-05-23T08:54:14.747-05:00Daniel, I will agree with you here. It is not the...Daniel, I will agree with you here. It is not the Gospel nor Christ that is bad. But "salespeople" sold us a bill of goods that is rotten. From the time I was a preteen, I was convinced that if I just bore my cross then I would be part of the Church and loved by God and by other Christians. The problem is that as the years have gone by and the "cross" of sexual temptation has become easier, the promise is still unfulfilled. If God loves us, no one could really tell by the attitude, actions and words of the Church. Am I bitter? Maybe - but its more like it doesn't matter anymore. It's more in the sense of hopelessness. <br /><br />In Lutheran terms it is what was predicted by Lutheran theology. If you deliver only law to a repentant sinner they will become a despairing sinner. And this is what the Church has done since I was a little kid - a lot of law to same sex attracted people and very little and weak Gospel. <br /><br />I fought and held on to hope as long as I could but it all gradually trickled away because their was no real confession of Gospel - just one more hoop to continually jump through in order to finally be part of God's Body.A Hedgehog Among the Rockshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00694050084913246543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-18019994109894654672019-05-23T08:52:41.694-05:002019-05-23T08:52:41.694-05:00Anonymous,
People can't give what they don...Anonymous,<br /><br />People can't give what they don't have, period. If they don't have compassion we won't get that. If they don't understand where we come from, no matter how much they try, they won't. But you can't fault for not trying. What can expect no, demand from them as shepherds is the Truth. What WE do with the Truth is what is important.<br /><br />If it is our lot to suffer then we must suffer in solidarity with the One who suffered unjustly for our sakes on the Cross. But we must suffer not as the Pharisees, we must wash our faces and comb our hair and suffer in secret as the Father who sees in secret will reward us. <br /><br />It's tiring, quite frankly, to bitch and moan about our situation. Nobody likes a complainer. Instead of looking at the glass half empty let's count our blessings instead such as; we know the Truth, we have our health, we have jobs to go to, clothes to put on, food on our table and above all that we are really never alone because God is with us every step of the way. Daniel G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00042322449680137387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-42517899258437726412019-05-23T08:44:25.287-05:002019-05-23T08:44:25.287-05:00Daniel G., could you help us learn from your exper...Daniel G., could you help us learn from your experiences? What, precisely, do you want to hear from "the Church's salespeople"?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-55187459849254317632019-05-23T08:28:36.949-05:002019-05-23T08:28:36.949-05:00Matt,
I guess what it boils down to is whether or...Matt,<br /><br />I guess what it boils down to is whether or not to be bitter about the whole thing. I am not bitter about my situation anymore. Sure I would like to know the reason I was given this particularly difficult cross to bear and to reiterate, I do not bear it well. But it profits me nothing to be bitter about it. I know in my heart of hearts that God loves me the sinner but detests my sin and does not define me by my sin but as his creation though fallen. I have come to believe and know that he wants what is best for me and that is communicated through his Church and the scriptures. Yet somehow the Church's salespeople, so to speak, are bad purveyors of God's truth. As my priest friend put it, it's not the product that is bad, it is the salesperson (priest, religious, what have you) that is the problem. What God expects of us is to not lose hope or become sullen like Cain. He wants us to love him of our own volition.Daniel G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00042322449680137387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-7960190868724317922019-05-23T07:15:18.135-05:002019-05-23T07:15:18.135-05:00Daniel G
I did not say the theological elements i...Daniel G<br /><br />I did not say the theological elements is irrelevant. I said the element of the original post was theologically correct but irrelevent.<br /><br />It is irrelevant, not because it is theological, but because it is does not admit reality. It is correct because we should be able to accept and affirm a person without accepting or affirming their behavior. It is irrelevant because it ignores the reality that few Christians have ever, in fact, actually done that in the last several decades. It acknowledges a truth but denies the reality of sin and culpability.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-46185271433958169782019-05-22T18:24:43.351-05:002019-05-22T18:24:43.351-05:00Matt,
I just checked your message. Perhaps you c...Matt,<br /><br />I just checked your message. Perhaps you could resend your comments to the following email efkaristo@att.net. It will probably be sometime tomorrow before i'll be freed up a bit.<br /><br />Fr. GregoryArchimandrite Gregoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09894842027467584759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-18497958118108933652019-05-22T10:12:29.285-05:002019-05-22T10:12:29.285-05:00Matt,
That was well written and you are correct i...Matt,<br /><br />That was well written and you are correct in most of your observations but I’m afraid that saying that the theological element is irrelevant is incorrect as everything hinges on that element. Daniel G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00042322449680137387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-63915309297017426922019-05-22T09:26:32.672-05:002019-05-22T09:26:32.672-05:00continued...
I have met many celibate gay men o...continued...<br /><br /><br /><br />I have met many celibate gay men of my generation who seem to be in the same boat. There is nothing fulfilling in their lives, no real joy, no hope and no desire for hope. In order to obey God, we turned ourselves off and now we don't know how to even exist anymore. We just hold on, somehow, from one day to the next.<br /><br />And all the Church has to say to us is advice on overcoming desires - well we we've been there and done that, didn't bother buying the T-shirt. And now we are saying "is this all there is?" Is this emptiness all that we can expect? <br /><br />Yes, we were well taught to deny ourselves. But what we were not given was the love of God. When I was a teen, I used to imagine that if I managed to get through to the end of my life, doing my best to be obedient sexually, and without killing myself, maybe God would smile when He saw me and give me a hug and welcome me to His kingdom. But over the years, it has so long since I had a real hug, I have forgotten what it was like. I can no longer even imagine it. People like me, we have forgotten what love was like and, now, can not even call up enough memory of it to desire it.<br /><br />And again, this is why I say the original blog post was both correct and irrelevant. Yes, theologically the Church accepts and loves people without approving of or accepting the way they behave sexually. But, in practice, I have never actually seen that done for LGBT people. Until Christians begin discussing and showing how to do that, the theological principle is irrelevant because the real confession of faith in words and action is corrupt.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-91462994790978891602019-05-22T09:25:47.544-05:002019-05-22T09:25:47.544-05:00Fr Gregory,
I don't know if you come back to ...Fr Gregory,<br /><br />I don't know if you come back to this blog after the first day - most don't. But it is interesting that your last two responses both have to do with overcoming passion or overcoming temptation. You ask if I identify by my sexuality. The answer is "yes." But not because the temptations are strong or the desires overwhelming. <br /><br />This is precisely the heart of the problem. "Ministry to homosexuals" has historically meant helping them either overcome or, at least manage, their temptations. This was the point of Exodus and its support groups - and it failed miserably. Nearly every pastor I have ever talked to has focused on this narrow part of me - they offer forgiveness for my "same sex attraction" or point me to the hope that one day, in the resurrection if not before, I will be fixed.<br /><br />But once you have figured a way to handle your sexuality, what's left? What else does the church offer? To be blunt, the answer is very little.<br /><br />When I first realized that I was attracted to boys instead of girls at age 11, I was terrified. It was wrong and horrible to be gay, especially as a boy in the 70s. And there was no one to talk to, no one to get advice from, no one I dared approach. I had to figure it out by myself. <br /><br />I heard the church say you had to repent. So I did. I repented of every twinge of sexual desire - and it did not work, it did not go away.<br /><br />I heard Christians say we had to obey God - so I tried. I tried to obey him in every way, both to earn His grace to become straight and to try to make up for being gay. But, being sinful, I could no be perfect. And so every little mistake, every sin was an utter failure before God - and I repented deeply of them and hated myself for all of them.<br /><br />It was obvious, by the time I was 15 that celibacy was my only option. But if you are a gay teen striving for lifelong celibacy, the dynamics are complicated to say the least. How do you make friends? There no such thing as a friendship not impacted in one way or another by sexuality. Friends who were girls came to expect something I could not give them and were hurt. Male friends presented me with temptations and desire I could not handle. The dynamics were far too complicated and so I did without friends.<br /><br />I had some good friends in college but within a year or two of graduations, as college friendships go, we all drifted away and lost touch.<br /><br />I made the mistake about 5 years ago of confiding in a couple of pastors. That was a huge error. Oh, yes, both talked about forgiveness. But, essentially, I was very nicely told that I should not be active in the Church beyond coming to worship. And so church became even more isolating.<br /><br />The problem is that every single facet of my life has either been about sexual attraction, the avoidance of sexual attraction, making up for the sin of sexual attraction or failing to do enough to make up for the sin of sexual attraction.<br /><br />So you ask me if I identify by my sexuality. Well, now that I am in my late 50s and experience very little sexual attraction, I have found that there isn't any left of "me." People say "how are you doing today" and I don't know what to answer because I don't even know who I am. There is no sense of self left. Just keep slogging on, trying to obey God, failing, and going home to be alone.<br /><br />I did such a good job of repenting of being me that now there is nothing left, no real interest in anything, no real desire for anything - just a continual attempt to be nice and show a happy face to witness to the goodness of a God I believe exists but that I no longer know how to relate to.Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-53463576836131138492019-05-20T14:50:37.286-05:002019-05-20T14:50:37.286-05:00Anonymous said:
What about all those divorced and...Anonymous said:<br /><br />What about all those divorced and remarried people in your congregation. They are adulterers. What about all those overweight, even grossly obese men, women, and children in your congregation? Do you publicly call them to repentance and deny them the sacraments until they repent? To not do so, is to approve of their damnable sins.<br /><br />He presumes that divorce is not preached against or that other sins are ignored. I know as one who sits in the pews that in preaching and teaching these pastors call their people to repentance regularly, sometimes painfully so. But what this post is about is a denial of original sin. The way we are is NOT the way God intended -- or God intended for suffering, pain, death, etc. It is not about comparing how sins are treated or not treated. That is a legitimate point but not the focus of this article. The alcoholic with the gene could say the same thing -- my alcoholism is not my fault but God's since I was made with that propensity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-68328224605842548652019-05-20T14:28:31.871-05:002019-05-20T14:28:31.871-05:00Anon.
Please do not insult our gracious host. He...Anon.<br /><br />Please do not insult our gracious host. He is a goodly man!Archimandrite Gregoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09894842027467584759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-39058073868719724082019-05-20T14:11:27.193-05:002019-05-20T14:11:27.193-05:00Glad to see that this blog is finally becoming Ort...Glad to see that this blog is finally becoming Orthodox!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-61311651392813271452019-05-20T12:24:26.958-05:002019-05-20T12:24:26.958-05:00Maybe when I retire from an active pastorate. Dan...Maybe when I retire from an active pastorate. Dan and Matt, want you to read what I see as the Eastern Orthodox way to overcoming whatever passions with which we struggle. Fr. Huneycutt is an amazing priest and confessor.He has a blog called Orthodixie, He is a southern convert from the Episcopal Church.<br /><br />Orthodox Christians, members of the Body of Christ, do not get to vote on morality. The will of God on all matters pertaining to our relationship with our bodies and each other has been revealed. We must struggle, daily, to practice the precepts of our Faith. We fall, we get up. Fall down, back up. Fall again, up again. If we sin, through confession and repentance, we are reconciled through Christ to His Holy Church. Never give up on Hope in the merciful Christ.<br />A priest once told about a man who came to see him about becoming Orthodox. The priest said, “Okay, we’ll need to discuss who Christ is, the Church, the Sacraments ….” The man interrupted him saying, “I’m gay.” The priest said, “Okay. But if you want to become Orthodox, we’ll need to discuss who Christ is, the Church, the Sacraments ….” “Dang it! Didn’t you hear me? I said, I’m gay!” “I heard you,” said the priest, “but if you want to become Orthodox, we’ll need to talk about who Christ is, the Church, the Sacraments ….” Crying, the man told the priest that other pastors had either told him it didn’t matter, or to get out! It took the man a couple years to become Orthodox, but another 10 years to become celibate. He claims he could never have made it without the benefit of Christ, the Church, and the Sacraments.<br />The Church – our Spiritual Hospital – must be open to all. We’re all sick with the disease of sin. We cannot be healed, really healed, without receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. We must never turn our backs on someone just because they’re a sinner or their sin’s not ours. God forbid! This is the mission of the Church, to save sinners! But, by the same token, it is not within our power to state that a sin is no longer a sin. God alone forgives. God alone is the judge. He has revealed Himself and His will to us in the Scriptures, within the Church. Our hope is to learn to struggle, abiding in His Grace.Archimandrite Gregoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09894842027467584759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-25150288419687394512019-05-20T12:11:41.781-05:002019-05-20T12:11:41.781-05:00Thank you Fr. Greg. Perhaps you should start a bl...Thank you Fr. Greg. Perhaps you should start a blog?Daniel G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00042322449680137387noreply@blogger.com