Protestantism

» jcredmond - Elton John Says Ban Religion...

I read the news story and what I got from it was that Sir Elton is saying that it's the lack of tolerance of certain religious faiths/people that is the problem, not the religion iteslf.

I would think that if Jesus were physically here now (not just in spirit), he would throw open the doors and say everyone is welcome! As it should be.

-- posted by jcredmond

» pink101 - Elton John Says Ban Religion...

In response to Elton John Says Ban Religion... posted by jcredmond:
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It was news on page 2 of our local newspaper here today.
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-- posted by pink101

» Brian Tubbs - Jesus

In response to Elton John Says Ban Religion... posted by jcredmond:

Jesus himself used the door illustration. You're right that the door is open to all, but people have to make a choice to come THROUGH that door.

» pink101 - Jesus

In response to Jesus posted by BrianTubbs:
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Not to take any sides on this issue; but, from what I've read of the Elton John story, his complaint is about the hatred being generated by Christians against homosexuals. I think his point is that Jesus would be much more accepting of homosexuals as such rather than what is seen in religionist circles today.

-- posted by pink101

» jcredmond - Jesus

In response to Jesus posted by BrianTubbs:
You are absolutely right.

-- posted by jcredmond

» Brian Tubbs - Hatred

In response to Jesus posted by pink101:

There's little doubt that Jesus Christ would love homosexuals and heterosexuals alike. There's also no doubt that there are many people today who hate others who are different - and that hatred extends into sexuality.

I would like to suggest, however, that I think that the word "hate" is thrown around much too freely today.

Does disapproval necessarily equate to hate?

I would submit that it IS possible for a person (Christian or non-Christian) to disapprove of someone else's behavior or predisposition and yet still love that person.

I'm not simply talking about "Hate the sin, love the sinner here." I'm not saying "hate" has to be a part of this at all.

What I AM saying is that I don't think a person must morally accept and/or socially endorse homosexuality and/or same-sex marriage in order to be a person of love. A person of love can still have moral and religious convictions that will disapprove of the behaviors, actions, lifestyles, etc. of others. In fact, we see this very thing time-and-again with Jesus Christ.

Disagreement is not the same as disrespect. Disapproval is not the same thing as hate.

» pink101 - Hatred

In response to Hatred posted by BrianTubbs:
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Well, I think we're on precarious ground here mixing the religious with the political and cultural.
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I don't like the idea of the homosexual life style as a cultural choice. That's my personal position. It's more than the idea that I might think it is wrong; but, I believe that it undermines the family as the basic building block of society for it carries a message within its form that tends to negate some of our time honored ideas about the family.
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We really haven't figured homosexuality out for its causes and or its purposes. We haven't put it on the table in the sense of being able to deconstruct it as we could. So, there are a host of questions about it that are going unanswered as we deal with the politics involved. That seems to be such a common happenstance in our current situation. Many things never make it to the table. Instead, we take sides and fight about the issues involved in ways that divide us as a people. We're smarter than that.
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Our intense focus on marriage as an institution is part of the problem. Marriange itself, I believe, is not an institution; but, it is a part of the institution of the familial--something that is an aspect of the family that has a father, mother, and children. It is a statement about the legitimacy of the relationship between the father and mother, the husband and wife. As the major organization of the familial institution, the family is in dystfunction and in sore need of repair. For some reason or another, modern Americans seem to be incapable of discussing the importance of anything that goes below the surface. We have a propensity toward letting the experts figure things out for us. In the case of the family, we've given our responsibility over to the freaking lawyers.
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What do you expect? That lawyers can help us find our way? Get a life! Lawyers are all about creating cases in which they can litigate. That's why they make so much money. Jesus came against them.
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-- posted by pink101