[Magdalen] Bp. Wright OKs same sex weddings

[sally.davies at gmail.com]

Hi Martin

I understand that there are strong feelings on this subject. It's one that
I have struggled with; not for a moment with the question of what it means
to be gay or whether gay people should have the same rights as others to
love, comfort and security, but with what the Scripture says.

There are some very helpful articles around that one can read, from both
perspectives, and I think it's good that we all read them, perhaps with a
special focus on those whose views differ from our own, in order to
encourage respect for that difference.

President Obama mentioned that and I feel he was right to do so.

As to Moloch, those with a firmer grasp of Biblical history can correct me,
but I had the understanding that worshippers of Moloch would sacrifice
their children to placate this demon God. So I don't find that an accurate
or fair analogy, even if Moses lived at the time when Moloch worship was
extant in the region (not sure that he did).

As it has often been said, if you are against gay marriage, then don't
marry a gay person. Etc. The Bible is not strong on human rights either,
but that does not mean that laws governing human rights are not pleasing to
God in many ways.

I feel for gay people who - in an effort to be obedient to their
understanding of God's will - have struggled for years with the pain of
loneliness and celibacy that they would not have chosen, had a different
interpretation of Scripture been hegemonic as it were. Or those who have
conducted their romantic and sexual lives in the shadows and become used to
thinking of their sexuality as disordered and sinful. Such people naturally
have an investment in resisting this change, which does not mean their
arguments are invalid per se, but does muddy the waters, considerably.

YM clearly does V, and that's OK, but I would personally prefer it if we
don't try to offend each other here. We all respect the Scripture but we
don't all read it in the same way. And as far as I'm aware, it's still OK
to be an Anglican (Episcopalian) without affirming the "inerrancy" of
Scripture or denying that context can be critical as we wrestle with the
Scriptures, Old and New. We do not (yet) have a Covenant nor do we bow to a
Magisterium. Rather, we share common prayer and worship, within the
embracing shelter of Tradition, Scripture and Reason.

Sally D

On Sat, 27 Jun 2015 at 11:46 AM Zephonites--- via Magdalen <
magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:

>
> David
>
> Interesting this article by Matthew Parris - a self confessed gay man
>
>
> http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2015/05/as-a-gay-atheist-i-want-to-
> see-the-church-oppose-same-sex-marriage/
> <http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2015/05/as-a-gay-atheist-i-want-to-see-the-church-oppose-same-sex-marriage/>
>
>
>
> I liked this comment:
>
> Would  it have occurred for a moment to Moses (let alone God) that he’d
> better defer to  Moloch-worship because that’s what most of the Israelites
> wanted to  do?
>
> Blessings
> Martin
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------------------------
> In  a message dated 26/06/2015 21:24:36 GMT Daylight Time,
> fleenerj at gmail.com  writes:
>
> http://www.edwm.org/news_and_events.html
>
> Read what my bishop  has to say.  He is a relatively new bishop, and
> unabashedly  progressive.
> Judy
>
> On Fri, Jun 26, 2015 at 3:02 PM, Cantor03--- via  Magdalen <
> magdalen at herberthouse.org>  wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > In a message dated 6/26/2015 2:08:39 P.M.  Eastern Daylight Time,
> > jhandsfield at att.net writes:
> >
> > I  love  my bishop.>>>>
> >
> > I don't think he was the  only one in the upper levels of church
> authority
> > approving the  SCOTUS decision today.
> >
> > I am convinced that She approved this,  as well.
> >
> > In another of a series of mystical experiences I've  had involving
> > the BVM, I happened to watch an in depth travelogue  about Lourdes
> > last night.
> >
> > I've always tended to  dismiss Lourdes as a sort of honky-tonk
> > locale in the Pyrenees with a  lot of crutches and wheelchairs.
> > But I was quite amazed with this  travelogue.  Lourdes positively
> > exudes spirituality.  I'm  sorry I didn't go there when I lived  in
> > Europe to experience the  ambience first hand.
> >
> > Anyway, there were a number of scenes at  the shrine and in the
> > nearby villages featuring rainbow bunting.   I got shivers up my  spine,
> > and couldn't escape the feeling that  She was telling me something.
> >
> > She was.  The SCOTUS was  Her mouthpiece today.
> >
> > YMMV, of course, but I know what I  know.
> >
> >
> > David  Strang.
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> Judy Fleener,  ObJN
> Western Michigan
>
>