Categories: church
Tags: homosexuality, prayer, Moldova, Christianity
Date: 09 May 2008 20:09:38
Having waxed lyrical about 84 Charing Cross Road and how charming and relaxing and pleasurable it was, I just need to let of a wee bit of steam about a totally different subject. In the Moldovan media this week there has been a flurry of debates due to the fact that there is due to be a Gay Pride march in Chisinau this Sunday. On one website in particular (the website of one of the TV stations) every time they have an article about it there appear hundreds of comments, and it is just desperately depressing to see the intolerance and bigotry and vitriol and hatred being spewed out - much of it from Christians - and it has made me so sad and angry and frustrated. The latest as far as I can gather is that the city mayor has banned the march, citing concerns from NGOs and fears that it could lead to violence, but the group that organised it saying it's going to go ahead anyway. Please do pray for Chisinau on Sunday - for no violence, for a way to be found for dialogue rather than partisan ranting, for hearts to be softened. I'm trying to pray for the church in particular, but I'm finding it difficult because I'm so angry with the Christian voices I'm hearing. So, as per the prayer from Jeffrey John that Auntie Doris posted on her blog a few days ago, do join me in praying for the church - but start with me, because God knows I'm so angry I'll be useless if God doesn't start with me.
”Lord, do something about your Church,
It is so awful, it is hard not to feel ashamed of belonging to it.
Most of the time it seems to be all the things you condemned:
Hierarchical, conventional, moralising, compromising,
Clinging to its privileges and worldy securities,
And when not positively objectionable, merely absurd.
Lord we need your whip of cords.
Judge us and cleanse us,
Challenge us and change us,
Break us and remake us.
Help us to be what you called us to be.
Help us to embody you on earth.
Help us to make you real down here,
And to feed your people bread instead of stones.
And start with me.”