Episcopalian Ultimatum

When I was in boot camp for the Navy, I was one of the company petty officers -- given the rather politically incorrect job as protestant religious petty officer. We didn't do much, say prayers at bedtime, offer to help someone with a problem get in to see a chaplain, make sure anyone who wanted to go to church could get to. One of the services we discovered we could go to were the Episcopalian services. These had the advantage of being offered Sunday Evening on the main side of the base (where normal people could be seen), so we could get away from the recruit training command for an hour or two on Sundays. It was also my first involvement with the liturgical style of worship.

Now, it would seem, the mother church has reprimanded the wayward American branch of the family. The Anglican church has told the Episcopal church to basically stop promoting homosexuality. Now, I know it sounds old fashioned, and narrow minded, and uncaring -- but please remember that this religion is based on a book that says this:

Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. (Leviticus18:22 KJV)

If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. (Leviticus 20:13 NIV)

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relation for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion (Romans 1:26-27 NIV)

This is not me saying this, this is not conservative church leaders -- these are the words of God, according to Episcopals (and any bible believing denomination) . By ignoring these verses these people are saying that God didn't really mean what he said, and if he didn't really mean that homosexuality was wrong, maybe he didn't really mean that adultery was wrong, and maybe it's ok to lie to your neighbor, and maybe there's no heaven or hell, and maybe Jesus really wasn't the only begotten son of God, and maybe he really married Mary Magdelene, and maybe believing any of the Bible is a complete waste of time.

This is a free country, and I support any one's desire to practice what ever (legal) sexual practice they want -- whether I approve of it or not is of no concern to anyone. But if you are going to be a follower of Christ, you have to follow his word (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God John 1:1 NIV). If you want to be a religious gay person, choose a religion that doesn't condemn your behaviour -- don't expect those of us who genuinely believe the Bible to rewrite it for your own "perversions" (God's word, not mine). I heartily applaud the Anglican Church's call to return to the word of God, I hope the American Episcopal church heeds the call.