On my Facebook page I recently posted:
“Christianity is in the midst of a second reformation. For some that’s really frightening. For others (like me) it’s like watching a butterfly emerge from its cocoon.”
To which reader Ashley C responded:
“Can you elaborate how Christianity is going through another Reformation?”
No problemo, Ashley. Thanks for asking.
The splitting of Christianity in two — what I (and I would certainly guess others) call Christian Reformation II — is being occasioned by the gay issue, which in many ways is to the Christian church today what the sale of indulgences were in the days of Luther.
Like the sale of indulgences then, the condemnation of gay people now…
- is morally wrong.
- is an institutionalized abuse of power.
- is founded upon gross misreadings and misapplications of Scripture.
- capitalizes on people’s fear.
- terribly victimizes untold numbers of everyday people.
- is representative of significant other complaints people have against the church.
- calls for the shucking off of religious authority and the reclamation of a personal, one-on-one relationship with God.
- is fueled by a new and widespread communication technology. *
- was always destined for the dust heap of history.
*The printing press then; the Internet now.
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Filed under: Views & Voices
Florida teen fighting criminal charges related to same-sex relationship
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Texas judge enforces ‘morality clause’ to split up lesbian couple
Candidate for Va. Lt. Governor warns same-sex marriage leads to bestiality
ACLU, attorney condemn prosecution of teen who had sex with minor girlfriend
Sex and the teenage girl: The Kaitlyn Hunt tragedy
Transgender student skips graduation rather than wear female gown
UPDATED: Police call fatal New York City shooting an anti-gay hate crime
Attorney implies suspect’s child sexual abuse was a factor NYC killing
Iowa anti-gay activist explains his opposition to gay marriage: ‘It’s awful’
Details emerge in case against teen accused of lewd behavior with girlfriend
BREAKING: French president signs marriage equality bill into law
Everything is bigger in Texas – even the homophobia
Pa. school still refuses to announce transgender grad by his chosen name
You won’t find the politicized religion of “Christianity” in the Bible. And in the Greek Text of the New Testament when read and translated/interpreted in context, you will find NO condemnation of those whom we would call gays either. The founder of the politicized religion of Christianity was the Byzantine Emperor Constantine. He stupidly claimed that the LORD had given him a vision to militarily conquer other countries. In 325 AD, Constantine presided over the 1st of the 7 Church Councils and although he didn’t write it, the Nicene Creed was originally his idea, too.
Didn’t Jesus say something about love, forgiveness & God being Judge?
Let’s all acknowledge the fact that NONE of the contemporaries during Jesus’ time wrote about him and that everything we know about him comes from religious text.
We should FIRST see if this religion’s even the slightest bit credible before dabbling about what Jesus “really” said.