I mentioned in a previous post that the United Methodist Church is dealing with churches disaffiliating over the issue of gay marriage and gay clergy.
I am no theologian, but I have some thoughts on the issue, and how I find it interesting how people focus on rigidly following some verses, but not others.
The people who voted to leave the church if they affirmed gay marriage attend a church that
1. Has a mortgage with interest and would not have a problem with loan officers attending their church, but
5 “If a man is righteous and does what is just and right— 6 if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity, 7 does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, 8 does not lend at interest or take any profit,[b
Ezekiel 18:5-8
Has a female associate pastor who preaches regularly, but
the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.
1 Corinthians 14:34
Most likely wear blended fabric clothes and have their hair cut at the sides and the edges of their beards clipped, but
Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.
27 “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.
Levitucus 19
They seem perfectly happy to reinterpret some parts of the Bible or say it was just a product of the times when it suits them, but pull out verses from the same areas of the Bible to be absolute that they should be followed forever.
I went to a church last week where the pastor used “woke’ as an insult.
Churches on both sides seem to be so focused on fighting a culture war that they have forgotten what is the most important.
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22
Love. Love God. Love people.
Love people. Love people as you love yourself.
Not love people unless they are from another country.
Not love people unless they get an abortion.
Not love people unless they commit a crime.
Not love people unless they are transgender.
Not love people unless they are gay.
Love people as you love yourself.
If we could get churches and people to go back to loving God and people first and above all else maybe people wouldn’t have such a negative view of organized religion.
The World's Common Tater 
Too bad churches are run by people and not by God. My pastor at our old church told us to not worry about man’s laws, but to follow God’s. It was a Catholic church which is filled with laws by man.
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A friend of mine is a committed Christian, and his father is a minister. We have great discussions on all the big stuff of life, including organised religion and theology. I’ve never felt limited or frustrated by our discussions. But they are seriously good people – flawed human beings for sure, just as I am – but they don’t consider themselves innately superior to others “just because…”. If only there were more like them, I’d be more inclined to make space in my life for religion.
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I’ve met people like them over the years at churches. Too bad they are the exception in some places.
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Well said
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