Return-Path: cms@dragon.com
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.catholic
Date:         Thu, 7 Jan 1993 18:45:46 EST
From:         "Spawn of a Jewish Carpenter (Cindy Smith)" <cms@DRAGON.COM>
Subject: Re: The Woman Caught in Adultery (John 8:1-11)

The story of the woman caught in adultery is a biographical apophthegm
in which the opponents of Jesus set a trap from which He must escape by
a wise saying or clever action.  It is similar to the story in the
synoptics about paying taxes.  Deut 22:23-24 says that a woman caught in
adultery must be stoned to death, but Roman rule prohibited Jews from
carrying out Jewish law in capital cases.  This is the trap:  Jesus must
either reject the law of Moses (heresy) or reject the law of Rome
(insurrection).  Jesus neatly turns the question into a spiritual issue.
Deut 17:7 implies that the witnesses who must throw the first stones
have a special responsibility for the death of the guilty party.  Jesus
then says, Let the one among you who is guiltless be the first to throw
a stone at her.  It is important to note that the law in Deuteronomy
calls for the execution of both the adulteress and the adulterer, however,
in this pericope, only the woman is brought forth to Jesus to be stoned.
Perhaps Jesus wrote in the dirt in amazement at their hypocrisy.  At any
rate, Jesus asks her, "Has no one condemned you?"  When said no, he
replied, "Neither do I condemn you.  Go away, and from this moment sin
no more."

 We are called upon to imitate Jesus.  I find it amazing that some people
think we should NOT imitate Jesus.  Jesus acknowledges the woman's sin
but does not condemn her, telling her instead to go and sin no more.
We should point out sin, but then we should not condemn the sinner.
The power to condemn belongs to God alone.  God is judge.  At the same
time, we should say to sinners, "Go and sin no more."  When I go to
Confession, my priest often tells me after absolving me, "Go and sin
no more."

 As many of you know from previous postings, I have mixed emotions about
the practice of homosexuality.  Like many heterosexuals, I found images
of homosexual intercourse revolting.  Does this influence my thinking?
Probably.  It's difficult to be objective.  The Bible, when it condemns
homosexual practices, is either referring to the worship of foreign gods
or to homosexual rape, not homosexual sex between consenting adults.
I do not think practicing homosexuals should be ordained priests.

Promiscuity is prohibited.  Sex with someone who is not one's spouse
is also prohibited, being the definition of adultery.  What about a
candidate who is in a stable relationship with a same-sex partner?
I'm holding out on that one.  Marriage is specifically defined as a
relationship between a man and a woman.  Is "sex" with a same-sex
partner the same kind of sex that is condemned with respect to someone
who is not one's spouse?  Scripture is not that specific.

 If I sincerely believe that a fellow believer is seriously sinning
continuously without repentance, I must tell that person of his sin
and the danger to his soul.  If I say nothing, it is as if I commit
the sin myself, and I endanger my own soul.  I do not believe Jesus
calls us to silence on the issue of sin.  Jesus himself is quick to
point out the sins of the Pharisees, whom we all love to hate.  He's
quick to point out the sins of his disciples as well.  If we are
Pharisees, we will seek to kill Jesus.  If we are disciples, we will
accept his rebuke as constructive and try to sin no more.  All of us,
I think, are a little bit Pharisee, a little bit disciple.  I try not
to judge homosexuals, although I feel compelled to point out the sin
of promiscuous homosexual practices; but I do not condemn.  If you
who are gay or who support gay positions condemn someone who condemns
you, you commit the same sin as the one who condemns.  Both of you sin.
If you sincerely believe that the person who condemns homosexuality
is sinning by doing so, then tell him of his sin, if you truly believe
the speaking of his words to be sinful.  If you sincerely believe that
the person who suppports homosexual practices is sinning by doing so,
then tell him of his sin, if you truly believe the speaking of his words
to be sinful.  Once in dialog, without screaming epithets at one another,
we can discuss what is sin, what is not sin, and truly attempt to
discover God's will, always being aware of God's love.  The purpose of
the law, according to Paul, is to make us aware of sin.  Once aware of
sin, we can repent.  The purpose of pointing out sin to someone is to
help that person to repent, allowing God to enter our brokeness, and
heal our wounds, cleansing our souls of all uncleanness.  The purpose
of point out sin is not to condemn, as Jesus taught us, but to help
the sinner return to God.  All of us (I hope) want everyone to be in
a relationship with God.  The spiritually sound do not pray for sinners
to go to hell (lose their relationship with God).

 I wrambling a bit, but I'd like to keep the tone of this discussion
civil.  I suppose I really want people who are posting on this subject
to think about what they believe and why and what they hope to
accomplish by pointing out the sins of others.  I don't want us to
hurl bricks at each other's stone walls.  Let's keep in dialog.

In Jesus Son of Mary,

Cindy Smith
cms@dragon.com
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