I guess there are times when doing the Lord’s work must be done behind closed doors. There was a time when they used to call it confession. I don’t know what you call this, or how the Bible says they can do what they are doing, which is destroying their church.
Today’s Laconia Daily Sun has the story, reporting on Saturday’s appearance (as noted in this prior post, and discussed on MTNP radio) here in Gilford of NH’s gay Bishop Eugene Robinson to promote the movie, "For the Bible Tells Me So" shown at a local "church." Read the whole thing, as what the bish has to say might leave you somewhat dumbfounded, as it did me. "Hatred" for women by Catholics, and in both Testaments of the Bible? I had no idea…
by Ray Carbone
GILFORD- In a revealing moment during the discussion time following the showing of the documentary movie at the First United Methodist Church of Gilford Saturday night, the Rev. V. Gene Robinson, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, told a group of about 100 people that he led a secret retreat for gay Catholic priests two years ago.
"About half were diocesan priests and half were in various (religious) orders where you have a little more flexibility," Robinson said during the question and answer period after the movie, The Bible Tells Me So," the story of about how Christian families deal with learning that one of the family members is homosexual.
The true purpose of the retreat was kept secret from Catholic Church leaders or it never would have been allowed, the bishop said.
Robinson, who is the first openly gay leader in a large American Protestant church, said he told the Catholic clergy members that there’s such a strong link between the fear of homosexuals and the hatred of woman and that he did not think the Catholic church would ever accept gay clergy members until it first accepted women clergy members.
"I told them, go home and work for women’s ordination and you’re going to be 75-percent of the way there, he said.
Robinson and his family are among five traditional Christian families from around the country that appear in the documentary. The powerful and emotional film is heavily slanted towards the need for acceptance of the gay lifestyle in the church and the audience applauded after the screening.
Robinson began his comments to the crowd by talking about how great his parents appeared in the movie. "Aren’t they darling?" he laughed.
Robinson only spoke briefly because he was expected to preside over Christian confirmation ceremonies at St. James Episcopal Church in Laconia Sunday morning, but he did discuss some issues related to homosexuality and Christianity.
Regarding the question of hatred some men have for women and its link with hatred towards gays, Robinson said the issue of accepting homosexuality is more difficult for men than it is for women.
"Men are more threatened by it, he said, because a male homosexual relationship seems to indicate at least one of the men will be woman-like, something men see as becoming weak."
"Men have the power and woman don’t. It’s related to how power works," he said. "Women are already second-class citizens."
Robinson said he thought 95-percent of the physical or emotional harm inflicted on gays and lesbiians "can be laid at the feet of religion… The Bible doesn’t have a whole lot of good things to say about women. There’s not a single mention of women in the Old Testament and they’re barely mentioned in the New Testament."
One audience member asked Robinson if accepting his gay lifestyle as moral wasn’t the same thing as accepting polygamy or "hedonist programs that portray people as expendable because someone’s sexual needs need to be gratified."
Robinson said he disagreed with the idea that accepting gay, lesbian, transsexuals and transgenders into a church community would lead to an "anything goes" philosophy.
"Most of the people I work with are for monogamous, intentional relationships of mutually responsible adults," he explained. "Nobody’s arguing for child abuse… We’re still arguing for the same quality (of respectful relationships) but we’re saying the gender of the persons involved is morally neutral. But the nature of the relationship still has all kinds of moral demands on it."
As the discussion ended, Robinson jokingly reminded the crowd that Methodists were once part of the Episcopal (or Anglican) curch community.
"Come home!" he said to the laughing audience. "John Wesley wants you to come home."
Robinson’s appearance in Gilford, as well as the screening of "For the Bible Tells Me So" was part of what has become an annual Open Doors Fellowship at the First United Methodist Church. Founded locally by retired pastor Terry Thomason, the Fellowship strives to make the church welcoming to gays and lesbians.
No, the "church" always has welcomed gays and lesbians. It just doesn’t celebrate them, just as the "church" welcomes all sinners while not celebrating the sin. I just cannot get over the gall the so-called "leader" of this "church" exudes as he reaches out into the other main line churches. Watching Robinson is like watching the spread of cancer…
Nathan of the Wayward Episcopalian blog has announced he will be interviewing Robinson later this week, and put out the call for reader-submitted questions for the bishop. These are my suggestions:
