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Dear all:

I have been struggling with an issue for some time; One that affects us all.

In fairly recent decisions by the powers to be in the Episcopal Church of America, the issue of Gay Marriage has come up. Now, before anybody gets their panties in a wad, this is not about bashing people who live the lifestyle but rather the lifestyle itself.

I, for one, am very disappointed the Episcopal Church has decided to go the path of Gay Marriage and has even gone as far as to penalise any priest who refuses to do it as In the case of Bishop Love.

I do side with Bishop Love because I believe he is Biblically correct in obeying Pauls instruction in 1 Timothy 5:22 which tells us to not to lay our hands on another sin and to keep ourselves pure.

I do not believe it is right to hate or bash or otherwise denigrate another. Now, if they come to the church seeking faith and fellowship, then, of course, we give it to them.

However, when the time comes for that person to make a decision as to whether or not that wish to walk with the Lord and they refuse to give up that kind of lifestyle and say that's Okay, I don't want to change, then we are NOT to pat them head and say that's Okay, we will change to suite your “needs”.

It is at that moment we violate Pauls instructions. Please keep in mind, the word of God does not change,God does not change, Jesus does not change, WE CHANGE!

I well realise the argument is out there that Jesus never commented on Homosexual behaviour. The truth of the matter is, he couldn't. He said as much in John 5:19 New International Version (NIV)

19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
So, in light of this, we know the Father has never made any further comment since the original condemnation in Leviticus and neither could Jesus.
To sum up:
No, I do not want to see the Episcopal or any other church dissolve because of the false teachings of modern Progressive Liberalism which is what is happening now with a deep divide within congregations.
What I do want and pray for is for our badly misguided leaders to return to the teachings in the Bible and follow it like the African Bishops have elected to do and some Protestant denominations like the United Methodist Church which are cases in point.
Terry