Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: tom@dvnspc1.dev.unisys.com (Tom Albrecht) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: homosexuality Message-ID: Date: 16 Jul 90 06:38:17 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Unisys Corporation, Devon Engineering Offices Lines: 63 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article jhpb@granjon.garage.att.com writes: >Whether homosexuality is an inborn tendency or not is really irrelevant. > >We all have a fallen human nature, with tendencies towards all kinds of >sins. > >What is objectionable is trying to call vice virtue. I must strongly agree with Joe. The problem we face today is largely brought about by a militant homosexual community that wishes to desensitize society to its particular vice. Unfortunately, many of the oldline, liberal churches have gone along with the agenda of the homosexual community, and are now engaged in the active harassment of those within their communion who would challenge the "progressive" idea that homosexual conduct is acceptable for a Christian. Homosexual groups are also using negative tactics to turn the opinion of young people in our society. They are demanding the right to present their case in our public school under the guise of wanting to "help youngsters with their latent homosexual feeling." This is happening even in the church. At a recent gathering of PCUSA young people, that denomination's gay and lesbian advocacy group passed out literature to young people on this matter of homosexual rights. I understand the uproar over the matter was felt in the denominational offices as well as at a recent General Assembly. Clearly there is an attempt by homosexuals to do an end run around the parents in order to get at the kids. Their hope being that if they can get 'em while they're young they won't make the same "mistakes" as their parents. Liberal churches are in this mess because they have abandoned the only true basis of Christianity, the Bible. They can wink at sin, abominable sin, because they don't believe the Bible is the word of God. Unrepentant sinners in the pulpits won't help matters. -- Tom Albrecht [Since this posting uses the PCUSA as an example in an article complaining that the "liberal" church now accepts homosexuality, one could easily infer that the PCUSA accepts homosexual activity. It does not, although it does oppose "homophobia". The PCUSA does not permit ordination of homosexuals. Because of the nature of Reformed polity, this restriction is somewhat more severe than it would be in other denominations. All leaders of local churches are ordained as elders or deacons. Over time, most active members end up being ordained. Thus prohibition of ordination effectively bars homosexuals from normal participation in the church. This issue, like many other issues involving sexuality, is very controversial. A number of proposals have been made to change it. There are groups such as the ones Tom describes, attempting to promote acceptance of homosexuals in the Church. I don't think I'd call them "homosexual groups", because that seems to imply that they are made up of homosexuals. There are certainly non-homosexuals active in promoting the acceptance of homosexuality. Whether this is an "end-run" around the parents depends upon your attitudes towards exposure of youth to controversial topics. There is to be a major report on sexuality at the next General Assembly, and discussion of homosexuality has been tabled until then. I'll be very interested to see how that discussion develops. My current feeling, based on experiences in one of the more liberal presbyteries, is that there is not likely to be any official acceptance of homosexuality. --clh]