tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10217302.post1493707660854674150..comments2024-03-21T03:45:48.679-05:00Comments on Enter the Rainbow: Beyond "Right" or "Wrong" - Thoughts on InterpretationAndy B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05944614269873479581noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10217302.post-34366827236475149142019-01-03T10:59:39.576-06:002019-01-03T10:59:39.576-06:00"And my own interpretations of numerous other..."And my own interpretations of numerous other passages lead me to a belief that a mutually respectful, gracious, loving, covenant relationship between two consenting adults is a beautiful thing, and one that the church should indeed celebrate and honor with marriage vows."<br /><br />I've come to look for this statement in all the back and forth on this subject. It's amazing how often a statement of support like this is excluded. It's just a long, rambling critique of the other person's interpretation/integrity/intelligence. Statements of support, such as this, just seem fundamental for change IMO. <br /><br />I think its excluded in many cases, because so many, like myself, are hesitant to give that unqualified support of celebration. It's 5,000 years of human history versus 50. It's a foreign concept that just strikes me as hard to believe that we would want to endorse and celebrate. Condemnation seems to be totally counterproductive and the Methodist church has repudiated that idea for 50 years, but affirmation seems to be a significant step further.<br /><br />With that being the case, the second requirement for personal change is for me to have a connection with individuals that model that my status quo thinking is actually incorrect. The fact is that I don't see a lot of mutually respectful, gracious, loving, covenant relationships between gay men, especially at church. I live in a major metropolitan area that is a center for LGBT life. My son goes to a private school. Sebastian has two gay fathers. It's been an interesting process to watch him at school, but I'm watching, attending birthday parties, etc. I wouldn't say that's a connection, more like exposure. I think that's very, very rare. <br /><br />To expect people with no exposure, much less connection, to get to affirmation just seems like a real stretch. A bridge too far. It will be interesting to watch how we resolve this issue next month. We aren't going to create millions of connections with covenantal gay men in the next month. I think it will be a great loss if the traditionalists, who have stuck with the UMC as we have progressed to be a more liberal church, leave over this issue. When I'm online I don't see a lot of love for traditionalists from progressives. Unfortunately, loving your enemy, whether its a Roman solider or a UMC traditionalist is what Jesus thought it took to create change. <br /><br />It's not clear to me whether anyone can leave with property (be it a church or conference), but I think we may have gone too far to not find out at this point.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10217302.post-79118435933942628032019-01-02T14:47:11.002-06:002019-01-02T14:47:11.002-06:00Debi - You may. The best way to share would probab...Debi - You may. The best way to share would probably be through Facebook or Twitter.<br />- abAndy B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12069656553871499994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10217302.post-44140071734913871022019-01-02T14:20:52.829-06:002019-01-02T14:20:52.829-06:00I do not know why it had me down aa unknown, but a...I do not know why it had me down aa unknown, but again can I share this. Debi Altheimer Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06519151865940095972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10217302.post-145586258284733932019-01-02T14:18:59.240-06:002019-01-02T14:18:59.240-06:00Can I share this? Excellent.Can I share this? Excellent.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06519151865940095972noreply@blogger.com