Categories: just-life
Date: 21 November 2005 17:39:33
This is a question I get asked every now and again by different people (like last Friday). It's a perfectly fine question, it's just being about as close to a confirmed bachelor as you can be at my age, you get bored of thinking of different ways of saying no.
But what I'm going to do is compare my life to that of the Anglican Church..... and it's current problem.
One of the main things that keeps coming up in the news is the general belief by the more conservitive churches that homosexuality is a sin and therefore homosexual priests shouldn't be allowed to serve the church. At the lowest, open, practising homosexual priest should be removed.
I can see the point. (here come my first contraversial point) Homosexuallity, I believe, is a sin. Being a sin, it does get in the way between the person and God. Because an open, practising homosexual is (presumably) not feeling guilt nor sorrow because of this, they cannot say that they are asking for forgivness for their sins. This is the stumbling block.
On the other hand (before you all shout at me) I also believe that all sins are equal. Any sin, no matter how small is a barrier between us and God. Therefore I know that the sins that I do are just as bad. In Matthew 5 it says; Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Under these verses I've broken the Ten Commandments (well the Seventh). I have sinned. Can I honestly say that I feel guilt and sorrow everytime....??? I can't.
If I "borrow" someone's milk for my tea, or do someone's else's crossword without their permission that falls under the Eighth. I'm almost certain that the photocopied music we use in choir is done without permission..... I have worked on the Sabbeth and I have covetted thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour's so in all fairness.... I am just as sinful as anyman... be he straight or gay.
The important thing is that we know that we fall short of the standard set us for entry to Heaven. But our fall-shortings have been paid for, by the death and resurection of the Son of God, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Ok, it didn't really relate to how I started......... but the joke that I was wanting to say all weekend (but couldn't) will.... and I'll tell that tomorrow!!!!