Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: tblake@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Thomas Blake) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Gay Ordination in the Presbyterian Church Message-ID: Date: 18 Mar 91 16:22:13 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: State University of New York at Binghamton Lines: 29 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu OFM writes... >[In retrospect, I think it's probably a bad idea for those who favor >ordination of homosexuals to use the argument that one particular sin >is being discriminated against. Generally those who favor ordination >of homosexuals do not believe that homosexuality is a sin at all. >From the point of view of someone who does believe it is a sin, the >unusual thing about ordaining homosexuals is precisely that typically >they do not acknowledge it to be a sin. You might ordain an >alcoholic, depending upon details of his personal situation. But you >probably would not ordain someone who taught that alcoholism is an >acceptable Christian lifestyle. This raises interesting issues about >the relative importance of practicing and preaching, but I think one >could justify this stand. --clh] I happen to be fond of Bacon-Double-Cheeseburgers. Even though I can find good reason in the Bible why this may be a sin, and it has been shown to be a health risk, I persist, and I am unrepentant, worst of all I am proud and boastful in that (respectively, I don't believe that God will damn me for this and I'm telling all of you about it.) Now, should I (on the basis that I am arguable an unrepentant sinner) be denied ordination? Should I be required to refrain from eating BDC's as a condition of ordination? Should I be forbidden to mention my belief that I won't go to hell for eating BDC's? Should I tolerate the serving of BDC's at church functions? Tom Blake SUNY-Binghamton