Rev. John Rankin: "The Pain That Dares Not Speak Its Name"

In 1895, Oscar Wilde spoke of "the love that dares not speak its name" at his public trial. However, there is a truly hidden "pain that dares not speak its name," which John first heard from fellow students at Harvard in 1988, and later testified to before the Judiciary Committee of the Connecticut State Legislature in 2002. But the silence continues ...

John's blog which accompanies this video is at http://revjohnrankin.blogspot.com/ Your thoughts are most welcome. Other articles by John on this topic can be found at http://www.teinet.net/marriage.html

For further information about the Theological Education Institute (TEI) and more articles by John Rankin please visit http://www.teinet.net/ and http://www.johnrankin.org/

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• Same-Sex
• Homosexual
• Marriage
• Lesbian
• Sexual Abuse
• Don't Ask Don't Tell
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[teinetwork]

Nicksum -- a postscript. You are free to advance your understanding of "committed same-sex relations," and in fact, you have the wind of great political energy in your sails. Why do you need to justify it by appealing to God or the Bible? The Bible says no to homosexual acts as foreign and harmful to the image of God. If you disagree, why not choose a different religion or scripture? Far deeper, the testimony of my lesbian classmates at Harvard is true, and such pain can only be healed in Jesus.

[teinetwork]

Nicksum -- thank you. If in your view the Bible is ignorant in its inability to "adapt itself to many modern contexts," then how can large Truth be fully true? You say I pick and choose according to my "favorite social taboo." Have you read my web articles as recommended? Can you justify this diagnosis from anything I have said or written? Show me where I support religious genocide, and how I commit "narrow abuse of scripture," likewise answering my second question concerning biblical reality.

[teinetwork]

Nicksum -- thank you again. I know Hebrew, Greek, biblical exegesis, historical and theological context, and the issues you have raised. I have been questioned accordingly in forums at Yale, Smith, Harvard, Brown, Princeton, Penn, UNH, URI, NYU, BU, Wesleyan and elsewhere. Your ex post facto question of what the Bible "doesn't know" is interesting. Two questions: 1) Is the Bible ignorant of some elements of human nature? 2) What biblical reality supports "committed same-sex relationships?"

[teinetwork]

Nicksum -- thank you. I know many homosexual persons. My example of Arline Isaacson is representative. At teinet.net, click on "The Ministers Affirmation on Marriage." I first say yes to the marriage of one man and one woman as the positive. Also, click on the icon "Marriage or Pansexuality." Look at the articles, especially on male and female as the image of God, and the forum at Yale Divinity School. Please show me the blasphemy you charge me with, according to the Bible.

[teinetwork]

Matt -- thank you, and yes, "soul pain" is very deep.

Nicksum -- thank you. Blamtasticful makes good observations. I have addressed forums at B.U. and Harvard with Arline Isaacson, the lead lesbian political activist in Massachusetts. She gave me a hug after a third forum, even though we disagree. She knows the respect by which I treat her and all people equally. Is it possible for me to say no to homosexuality without being called a bigot?" You say, "When Christ speaks." Please elaborate.

[nicksum29]

@teinetwork There are many good things unsupported by Biblical scripture. It is physically impossible for the entire history and future of human existence to be summed up in a single book, just as it is unreasonable to even consider believing that the correlation of documents we have come to know as the Bible contains the sum of human nature. Scripture is a springboard into the Divine. It is not the Divine itself, nor can it contain either the sum of man, and certainly not the sum of God.

[nicksum29]

@teinetwork The Bible is never ignorant in the sense of not knowing Truth. It is ignorant in the sense of being unable to independently adapt itself to many modern contexts (or "truth" with a small "t"). It is human beings that must interpret texts, guided by the Holy Spirit. To pick and choose according to your favourite social taboo, is not guided interpretation, but cultural predilection. All of the worst religious genocides have resulted from this kind of narrow abuse of scripture.

[nicksum29]

@blamtasticful Indeed, for a heterosexual to become involved in a homosexual relationship is extremely unfair to a homosexual partner - I would, depending on the situation, call such a situation immoral. I do not live a "lifestyle", but a life. A happy one. Love is the basis of all love relationships. The sexuality of two adults is immaterial.

Good luck with your exams, and have a Wonderful Christmas. The Lord comes in four days!

[blamtasticful]

@nicksum29 I will agree to disagree on this point because I think that God would specify such a hairsplitting difference. If the Bible says homosexuality is wrong I don't see how it would be now no longer long because it's in marriage. Side note: I'm going to leave it here because I have finals to work on so I won't be responding to anything further. I do hope you don't think that I think that you're any less of a person because of your lifestyle. God Loves us all and I am glad your a Christian.

[blamtasticful]

@nicksum29 I apologize for the humorous typo lol. All I'm saying is that extreme emotional situations can make a radical change in a person. I'm sure you would agree that some homosexuals stay in heterosexual relationships because of upbringing that is often harsh. All I'm saying is that I think some heterosexuals engage in homosexual relationships that only further hurt there broken state. I'm certainly not saying that sexual abuse is the reason for homosexuality. Such cases should be treated.

[nicksum29]

Saying the Bible is the Word of God is true, but you need not leave your brain behind. Homosexual love relationships were not common knowledge: the public versions of homosexuality were non-legal, usually perverted, connected with prostitution and temple worship, and exploitation. I would be the first to condemn them. The biblical authors had no knowledge of stable, committed same-sex relationships. You need to read some of the Bible within its historical and cultural. setting.

[nicksum29]

@blamtasticful I think you mean "ad hominem". I did not attack our species. I am sorry you think I attacked you - I meant to attack your ideas. Your passive aggressive violence towards lesbians and gays is really no worse than physical abuse - the ultimate result is the same. Also, the Bible does not condemn anything. People who wrote the Bible do. The Bible is not a nebulous entity with a faceless existence. It was written by real people. Kindly acknowledge them. (continued)