Homosexuality and the ELCA Lutheran Church

Immanuel Lutheran Church in Crosby, Minnesota is at odds with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (the ELCA) regarding its decision to allow non-celibate homosexual clergy into its churches. This is a conversation that has been happening all over the United States since the ELCA took its position.

These are a few thoughts I've had about it.

More at:
facebook.com/ian.mcconnell
minnesotaninthevalley.wordpress.com

Music used in this video:
"What Matters More" by Derek Webb from his fantastic album, "Stockholm Syndrome" Find it on iTunes or at his website!

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• ELCA
• gay clergy
• adiaphora
• the point.
• homosexuality
• church
• Lutheran

[11webekl]

Sorry for all of those "comment removed" posts. My computer glitched and It said I wasn't posting my comment so I accidentally re-posted it a few times. MY BAD! Anyways, @Jumponit125 please, where does 1 Corinthians 6:9 come into pay?

[jumponit125]

@11webekl This is something that the general bible-reading population has a hard time with. While "homosexual" is the term often used in English translations, it is likely not accurate. If Paul wanted to refer to homosexual behavior, he would have used the word "paiderasste". He didn't. He used the word "arsenokoitai", whose exact meaning we're not sure. "Arsen" is "male" in Greek, so this word can't be describing homosexuality in general (including women).

[jumponit125]

@11webekl Most likely, this word "arsenokoitai" is referring to practiced behaviors with one of the following: male sex slaves and/or prostitutes, catamites (boy prostitutes/slaves), pederasts (adult males who sexually abuse boys), or just those who use and abuse sex in general. This is not my opinion; it is that of biblical language translation scholars.

[smurfboywv]

@GodCreatesGays2 Love your comment!

[retrospect1983]

@hahnbd

are you referring to the same book that brought you a man raising his arms and an ocean opening up, a woman coming from the rib of a man, and a man talking to a bush on fire? I have a recovering drug addict client that swears he "witnessed" similar things. Please consider supporting your local drug addiction rehabilitation efforts... for the sake of the children, help put a stop to over 2000 years of apparent drug abuse....

[11webekl]

@GodCreatesGays2 Can you stop with the "intones, babbles, admits" please? I don't like being mocked when I am trying to have a serious conversation, Thanks. Please point out in scripture or by credible source where the authors were factually incorrect and had an immense lack of knowledge? Again, I keep having to just take your words as truth over those who walked with Jesus so please use sources.

And as for your last part, yes, God has always created sinners on this earth, I agree.

[GodCreatesGays2]

@11webekl intones, "It kind of comes down to the question of, do you believe in absolute truth or not."

The absolute truth is, the men who wrote the Bible got many "facts" wrong. Their lack of knowledge doesn't reflect poorly on God, just on those who desperately need to believe them, regardless of their obvious errors. God's always created & kept gays right here on His planet, so unless He's an incompetent fool, He must want them here. There's no more ultimate truth than reality.