Shuck and Jive


Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Play It Forward. Save a Life.

A number of presbyteries are going to be voting on amendment B this weekend, including mine, Holston.

BTW, Holston pals, we are having a chat tonight (Thursday) at First Presbyterian in Elizabethton from 7-9 p.m. I will provide the cookies. Snad will help. Actually Snad will probably do most of the providing while I take credit.

Before going to vote in your presbytery, you might be interested in this top secret information. I think this is one of the best articles ever on the topic of interpreting not only the Bible, but what it means to be a human being.

What the Bible Says--And Doesn't Say--About Homosexuality by Mel White.

This is an important article for anyone.

I should say this. Those who have decided to judge you will continue to do so regardless of reason, evidence, and sound argument. As Abraham told poor Dives, even if Lazarus rose from the dead it wouldn't matter. Prejudice is visceral and difficult to overcome. You will be disappointed if you think this article will convince others.

This is for you, so you can understand. I think it is terribly sad that those who have misinterpreted the Bible have driven people away from faith. It is not that I am an apologist for the faith. I am not. But, it is your church, your Bible, your Jesus as much as anyone's. It is sad that prejudice has soiled the Bible for so many.

The Bible is about God, not human sexuality. I squabble with it and with others about it, but I respect it and on those rare times when I get over myself, I read in it something that transforms me.

If others have soiled the Bible for you because of their judgments on you, Mel White's article might help clean things up. Those folks who read in the Bible condemnation for you, don't own it or its interpretation. They may be wrong. Likely, they are.

There may be folks you know who might benefit from this article. Maybe they too have been bashed by the Bible's self-appointed inquisitors. So, play it forward. Save a life.

For you Presbys going to speak and vote at the presbytery meeting, enjoy yourselves! Really! You get a chance to witness to truth and goodness. You never know--I mean you never know--who could be listening.

5 comments:

  1. John, thanks for posting the link to the Mel White article. It is a great jumping off place for so many uses... adult classes, to be shared with young people...

    I do ask your prayers. I've entered a period of fear and trembling, and I am hunkering down and getting ready. Your support is dear to me.

    Pax, C.

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  2. Thanks for posting this, John. I've linked to it on my blog.

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  3. I hope we have a good turnout tonight and can instill some enthusiasm and hope in some folks.

    I mean, after all, if you're gonna take credit for something, at least let it be worth my effort! ;-)

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  4. Cecilia--You have my prayers and my deepest admiration. You are embraced by the cloud of witnesses!

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  5. I will provide the cookies

    And what, may I ask, are in those cookies? Recipe, please. :-)

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