Churches -- and their denominations -- can be hotbeds of controversy. In these times of troubling differences on fundamental issues involving faith, theology, and life, there's no telling how people who disagree will treat each other.
Some years ago I attended a denominational convention whose leaders were struggling with the issue of how, or whether, to welcome gays and lesbians into their churches and include them in their leadership. The lines were clearly drawn; the debate was strong but mannered.
I've been a part of a congregation that wrestled with the same issues many years ago, leading ultimately to a painful split. This was particularly grievous to me, not only because folks on both sides of the issue were dear friends, but because one of the aspects of that church that drew me into its fellowship was the fact that people with a variety of views could still come together in love around the communion table.
Your faith group may be grappling with some other issue. Maybe it's about political issues, worship styles, or other doctrines that are causing division and discord.
During such times, God invites us to accept other believers with whom we disagree. The Apostle Paul wrote:
Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do. And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with -- even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently. (Romans 14:1 The Message)
Let that sink in. It's pretty basic stuff:
Perhaps your disagreement is not theological -- it might be a decision someone has made that you think is unwise. By all means, share your views with that person, but do it gently and lovingly.
This is not an easy assignment. When we feel that what we believe is right, it's very difficult to accept the right of others to disagree.
Of course, there is a limit. To allow grievous injustice to oppressed and powerless persons to continue is not an option for any follower of God.
Even so, God beckons us to converse with believers with whom we disagree, to be in community with them, to interact with mutual respect and tolerance, to embrace them in genuine fellowship marked by gentleness and sensitivity.
Out of that kind of relationship in community, things happen. God can work. The Spirit can change hearts and minds. And we can honor and serve God together.
Is it possible? Yes. The God who invites us into this sort of dialogue is able to give the strength and guidance to make it so.
But it begins with our decision to be in community.
Follow Rev. Peter M. Wallace on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pwallace
Spiritual Reflections: Love, compassion are common threads to faith
If you are a Christian, then you believe all sin. Whether sins of commission or omission, we are in need of the grace of Jesus. To single out one group of people and pretend that their sin is more egregious than one's own is hypocritical. Remember the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector: who walks away justified (acquitted)?
Take two individuals with the exact same sin, adultery say. One says "this is sin," asks for forgiveness, and tries to avoid the sin afterward. The second says "this is not sin" and continues on. The second individual hasn't met the basic prerequisite for Christian faith, the acknowledgment of a need for a savior. Whether his sin was murder, adultery, gluttony, or just too much sarcasm, it would be sufficient to keep him from grace as he does not recognize his need for grace.
I feel the Rev. Wallace is trying to equate the issues surrounding homosexuality to the issue at hand in Romans 14 (eating meat offered to idols). Paul may not have cared much about what members of the church ate, but he certainly cared about how they interpreted scripture, whether they viewed it as authoritative or mere cultural baggage.
http://wsimpson.wordpress.com/2010/05/31/in-every-age-god-has-reserved-to-himself-the-voice-of-moral-accountability/
The problem is that the CRAZY is baked right into the holy text, and that's true for Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. The Rev Wallace is being disingenuous in his cherry-picking, just as various Muslim apologists are elsewhere on this page.
Paul is a great case in point. There were those who disagreed with him on the theological matter of the need for gentiles to become circumcised, if they became part of the church. Paul didn't just state his opinion in a reasonable and sane way. He called his opponents DOGS. He said he wished that they would MUTILATE THEMSELVES.
I could give similar examples from the OT and the Koran - because they're surely in there.
The crazy is built right in, folks. That's why religion has the capacity to create so much shadowy behavior. We need a new generation of clerics who are willing to frankly admit that, and RENOUNCE the crazy once and for all.
That's right - it's not all "god-breathed". Some of it is just human flatulence. Some of it just stinks, and if you keep breathing it in INDISCRIMINATELY, your heart will surely shrivel up and die.
That's happened to the church plenty for twenty centuries. It's surely happening in global Islam today. It's happening in Israel among the extremist orthodox.
Wake up and smell the coffee, already.
Your statement that every condition we are born with is within God's will is ludicrous. God did create us, yes, but we have nine months in a womb after that creation. During that time, the fallen world can have an effect on us that we do not realize (whether from the actions of the mother or the environment or many other things - this has been proven) and that we do not choose. Also, do you consider horrific genetic illnesses (DNA) to be within God's will?
This situation is very complicated and I am not sure that homosexuality fits in here any way. I do know that as long as people treat others in a fashion that would God have them do (and I do not know anyone who does that 100% or, heck, even 75% of the time) then we should not be the ones to try and judge what they do.
Instead of trying to put people into boxes, perhaps we should remember Jesus' words about the blind man. I get from his words that we are not to try and figure out a person's condition in any kind of judgmental way but instead to seek what God is trying to say to us through all the circumstances of life.
As far as horrific genetic illnesses ... Sin has wreaked havoc on civilization since Adam and Eve. Genesis Chapter 3. See the book of Job for reasons God may "allow" not "will'" things to happen.
Please provide Biblical references and may God Bless You!!!
1Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.
Here is Romans 14:1 NAS:
Now (A)accept the one who is (B)weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.
The article cites a version called "The Message". It's difficult to see how a single ancient text could be properly translated as one sentence by one translator, and four sentences by another. Someone's being disingenuous here. I have to notice that NIV and NAS refer to one who IS weak in faith, as a matter of factual information, whereas "The Message" takes a "I'm OK, You're OK" approach, changing the actual meaning of the passage to "seems" rather than is, as though it were simply a matter of differing perspectives. How postmodern of "The Message".
The author no doubt has many excellent ideas about how to deal with disputes. This reference to Paul is not one of them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoBYYElyP4c