From: muehlhau@en.ecn.purdue.edu (John Muehlhausen)
Subject: Re: Homosexuality and Christianity
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 92 20:01:16 GMT

In article <22632@zephyr.ens.tek.com> davidh@cascade.ens.tek.com (David Hatcher) writes:
>In article <kubcgsINNnpo@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM> emarsh@hernes-sun.Eng.Sun.COM (Eric Marsh) writes:
>>It is because of people like John that I don't even bother to consider
>>what Christianity has to say any more. Much of my experience with
>>Christianity has been of a group of people fighting hard for their right
>>to intolerance. I for one am simply not interested in even hearing about
>>it any more.
>
>  I too am one of those who, because of big time bummer experiences with
>people like John, went looking out side of the Christian tradition for
>my spiritual connection with the Divine.

All I have done is present what the Word of God says about these matters.

2 Corinthians 2:15ff-

"For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and
among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to
the other an aroma from life to life.  And who is adequate for these things?
For we are not like many, peddling (or corrupting - NAS footnote) the word of
God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight
of God."

>  Part of that "something" that was within those encounters was that
>people like John seemed to me to be coming up short on direct experience
>of the "spiritual" aspect of growing close to the Divine. They talked
>about it a lot in the form and focus of "correct beliefs", but did not 
>manifest the attitude of one who WAS experiencing a Unity with God.

For this I am truly sorry.

> I now know that there are many great Christians who are not like John
>and who really do teach the deeper spiritual aspects of that tradition.

Like Thomas Merton?  :-)  Admiring others does NOT mean accepting everything
they do.  Likewise the "deeper spiritual aspects" involve presenting God's
plan to others, leaving it up to them to come to a personal decision.
Besides who are you to know what these aspects are?  The word "tradition"
sticks out like a sore thumb because Christianity is not about tradition but
a dynamic relationship with God based on his _infallible_ Word.

Does the best father let his child do things which he has commanded not to
do?  Likewise does a loving brother let the same individual "screw up"
without approaching him?  We are supposed to be accountable to one another in
Christ...

>        The saints are what they are, not because their sancity makes
>        them admirable to others, but because of the gift of sainthood
>        makes it possible for them to admire everybody else.
>                                        Thomas Merton

I admire (love) everyone else because they are unique creations of God. 
I do not admire (love) everything they do when it is clear that it is not of
God.  I speak out about this precisely because I love them.  I have come to
realize that this is not as effective as I would like, so having presented
the relevant scripture and my opinions I will not drag it out much further.


John M.
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc