Monday, December 05, 2005

The Church and Homosexuality

Opening the newspaper has always been a depressing task for me each morning. This morning's (11/1/05) The News-Journal (a local Florida paper) has a small article on page 3, reading "Panel pulls lesbian minister's credentials."

Rev. Irene "Beth" Stroud was defrocked on Monday by the highest court within the United Methodist Church. The court found that she violated the denomination's ban on "self-avowed, practicing homosexual" clergy. Accordingly, this "lifestyle" is incompatible with Christian teachings.

I find it ironic that a religion based on a man who was excepting of a prostitute and was trying to teach people to love one another without prejudice, now condemns those who do not conform to their standards.

Hypocrisy runs rampant here and in most religions. People go to church on Sundays to pray for their sins, which are supposedly forgiven, and come Monday morning, they are beating their kids, cheating on their spouses and 'coveting thy neighbors' possessions (i.e., "Keeping up with the Jones'"). People shroud themselves in the protection a religion claims to offer but forget the basic fundamentals of being a good, moral person each day of their life.

Discriminating against anyone for their "lifestyle" choices cuts at the very heart of the basic teachings of Jesus and I would imagine he would be ashamed of the state of the world today. Here is a woman who has faith in a religion that does not have faith in her. Religion is supposed to bring people together, not shun them.

Note: Religion has many positive aspects but no one person is better than another. People should know that our differences are what define us.

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