Our mole at Timbercrest, Dorothy Rice, recommends this speech given by the awesome Episcopal Rev. Gene Robinson: click here to go to the C-Span page with the speech for free viewing.
Here’s Dorothy’s recommendation of the speech:
“I happened upon Bishop Robinson’address on C-Span. It so nicely ties together the issues we’ve been working on-patriarchy,women, and gays. He lays out clearly how he sees the Holy Spirit working through these issues.”
Watch it and grow wise!
Categories: Christianity · Feminism · Sexuality and Spirituality
Tagged: Christianity, Church of the Brethren, Feminism, Holy Spirit, homosexuality, religion, Rev. Gene Robinson, Womaen's Caucus
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5 responses so far ↓
Jan Fairchild // December 19, 2007 at 9:54 pm |
I enthusiastically affirm the recommendation of Gene Robinson’s speech. I heard it on C-Span TV quite by accident and then I tracked down the three other speeches which had been part of the same series: 2007 Goodwin Symposium (NOVA Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center), Title: “The Continuing Role of Morality in the Development of Legal Rights for Sexual Minorities”…… the speakers are excellent. Click on: http://www.nsulaw.nova.edu/goodwin/
These speeches are well worth your time. People of faith communities can be challenged by these speakers to consider the church’s role in discrimination against/ immorality against LGBT people.
Carla Kilgore // December 24, 2007 at 2:38 am |
I agree that this is a wonderful speech, addressing the modern religious teachings for justice. I’m so glad you recommended it!
Lorraine // December 27, 2007 at 2:26 pm |
I stumbled onto this speech, and I am amazed at how much Bishop Robinsons speech resembled that of the serpent in the Garden of Eden. In true homocentric fashion, he brushed off 5000 years of Judeo-Christian teaching to reinterpret the scriptures to favor homosexuality and decry heterosexism (against the clear light of scripture and tradition), pointing to the end of patriarchy as the greatest product of this new “enlightened” interpretation. He encouraged everyone to disregard the priests and religious leaders God gave them “to exhort in sound doctrine and confute error” (Titus 1) and instead to lean unto their own understanding. Does that not sound like the words of the evil one when he told Eve that if she ate of the fruit, she would be like God, judging for herself what is good and what is evil? But our Lord gave us apostles to teach us, sending the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to remind them of all that he taught them. He said to them, “Whoever hears you, hears me, and whoever rejects you, rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects Him who sent me. (Luke 10).
The Lord also warned us about those who would have ears that itch for just the kind of garbage Bp. Robinson was spewing. “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings…(2 Tim 4:3)
I especially point out the passage from Leviticus, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. ” He was so busy reinterpreting the latter part (giving a sexist spin to “like a woman”) that he forgot the “Thou Shalt Not” part. The passage does not say, “like a woman” it says “as with a woman”, in other words, carnally knowing a member of the same sex. There is nothing sexist about it, but if it is, it is God’s sexism, and therefore, if you reject it, you reject Him, for the word is His. THOU SHALT NOT! Read it, accept it, and repent. Gene Robinson was right about one thing. God does love you just the way you are, but he hates the sin you commit. He loves you enough to give you his law, and a Savior so you can confess your sin, repent and be at peace with God. He loves you enough to give you the Spirit to help you should you repent and reveal your wretchedness to him and ask for strength to do his will. You deceive yourselves when you pretend otherwise. You have made your sexual proclivities your identity, and try to pretend that since God loves you, he must approve, because that’s who you are. But it isn’t who you are. It’s just a disordered inclination like any other, which you must reject and place yourselves in God’s hands. May you find your way home to his arms.
Lorraine
Brethren Priestess // January 6, 2008 at 5:37 am |
Lorraine;
Thanks for stopping by the blog. I’m not sure how you see serpentine behavior in the Rev. Robinson’s talk, but it is certainly a creative argument that I have not heard so much from the homophobic religious community. Thanks for sharing the observation.
The main caution I would send is to be careful in stating what prejudices God has. As Anne Lammott has pointed out, often, the prejudices we think God has turn out to be the same as our own. Prejudices are human inventions and human institutions, and we are frequently warned from perpetuating such sins. Romans 2:1 comes to mind: “Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.”
I do believe that we are called to look for God’s wisdom shining through the world, the Word, and our own hearts, and that whenever we substitute human prejudices for eternal, divine love, we are making a grave error. As one Bible study puts it, “the effects of sin corrupt not only behavior but also thinking itself,” as Romans 1:28 points out. Prejudice is exactly that corruption of thinking that results in corruption of behavior, to promulgate sin in the world.
Lorraine // October 14, 2008 at 2:28 am |
Reply to Brethren Priestess,
Bishop Robinson encouraged his listeners to ignore the clear prohibition of God with regard to homosexual behavior, and substitute their own experience and judgment, to decide for themselves what is right or wrong, as did the serpent in the Garden when he encouraged Eve to ignore God’s command and substitute her own judgment. Each invites their listener to usurp the place of God. Both encourage their listener to disobey and to follow their desires instead of God’s will.
With regard to what prejudices God has, he makes them clear in scripture. I don’t have to create my own. “It is an abomination” and those who practice it will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He said it, not me. Denial of that prejudice results from the willful blindness of those who want to have their cake and eat it too, or to redefine (as Robinson does) the Christian faith. I do not substitute human prejudices for eternal, Divine Love, since His moral Law is a gift of his Love, as a father’s measured discipline of his children arises out of his love and concern for their happiness. Love of God is expressed in obedience, and God’s love is expressed in forgiveness of those who repent. But repent they must.
–Lorraine