Now preacher, you've gone to meddlin'
BROOKLYN CENTER MN -- Today's sermon was about speaking out against injustice. In the intro, the minister referenced Aristotle's statement of "fact" that men had more teeth than women. It went unchallenged despite being easily disproven.
In discussing various injustices of the modern day, he discussed homosexuality -- more so than I have ever heard in a sermon, and largely positive. Some excerpts: God created some in a homosexual manner, biblical arguments to demonize homosexuality are taken out of context.
I've glanced at the American Lutheran church's website, and they will be putting forth a motion at their general convention in Minneapolis next month that stops short of approving gay marriage, but otherwise recognizes that all manner of people are equal when it comes to protection, opportunities, and responsibilities under the law.
As good current and former Methodists, Peteria and I discussed the sermon over brunch. While we both have friends in the BiGL(etc) community, she was a little surprised at how far her minister/boss went in his personal advocacy of the issue. She's not going to dismiss what he's said out-of-hand; she says she's going to root around the scriptures and pray about it.
In closing, I found a wonderful FAQ on the Lutheran website regarding a concept called "bound conscience" (the belief that a person's conscience is based on their interpretation of religious writings, and not personal desires):
Can conscience be wrong? Lutherans believe that human beings are fallible and that no one can achieve moral perfection.
In discussing various injustices of the modern day, he discussed homosexuality -- more so than I have ever heard in a sermon, and largely positive. Some excerpts: God created some in a homosexual manner, biblical arguments to demonize homosexuality are taken out of context.
I've glanced at the American Lutheran church's website, and they will be putting forth a motion at their general convention in Minneapolis next month that stops short of approving gay marriage, but otherwise recognizes that all manner of people are equal when it comes to protection, opportunities, and responsibilities under the law.
As good current and former Methodists, Peteria and I discussed the sermon over brunch. While we both have friends in the BiGL(etc) community, she was a little surprised at how far her minister/boss went in his personal advocacy of the issue. She's not going to dismiss what he's said out-of-hand; she says she's going to root around the scriptures and pray about it.
In closing, I found a wonderful FAQ on the Lutheran website regarding a concept called "bound conscience" (the belief that a person's conscience is based on their interpretation of religious writings, and not personal desires):
Can conscience be wrong? Lutherans believe that human beings are fallible and that no one can achieve moral perfection.