by Haruo » Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:26 pm
Where did Jesus tell the Samaritan woman at the well to repent? Where did he say to her "sin no more"? These are rhetorical questions meant to suggest that "sexual purity" is not the place to begin dialogue with the "sexually impure". (I'm not suggesting she was GLBT!)
Bryant Wright's implication that seriousness, committedness, and monogamy in homosexual relationships are to be disregarded and those relationships to be equated with one-night stands and casual pairings among heterosexual couples is also a big part of the reason that the dialogue has yet really to be joined.
Incidentally, Alan, what does "semi-Baptist" mean as a description of Dallas-area churches? I have a vision of a church that insists on half-immersion as a baptismal mode, but I'm sure that's not what you mean, just not sure what you do mean.
These "gay leaders" by and large do already go to churches that welcome and affirm them without condemning their sexuality out of hand. (This does not mean that they or their churches believe that they are not sinners, or that all sexual behavior is acceptable in God's sight. And it does not mean that they overlook Christ, the OT writers, or Paul in their study of these issues. From reading the over a number of years, this is quite obvious, as well as from having attended for a year, a decade or so back.) Their stated concern is for those other GLBT people who are being harmed and driven away from God by endemic gay-hating behavior and speech in SBC (and other fundamentalist) churches. This is a fact of life, and a major impediment to evangelizing our neighborhoods.
Haruo = Leland Bryant Ross
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