Two religions, one church continued:

Yesterday on ALPB Forum Online there was a strenuous dialogue between one proponent of same sex blessings and a raft of opponents. The lone supporter finally posted:

Re: Did Jesus Speak To Homosexual Relations?
« Reply #276 on: February 15, 2008, 06:32:14 PM »
Quote from: Jim_Krauser on February 15, 2008, 05:54:46 PM
"I'm sorry but I cannot be convinced that the permanent emotional and sexual relationship between two persons of the same gender is any more sinful than eating pork."

Then one of the moderators said: I'd say this amounts to the very definition of an impasse.

I was floored by the comparison of an equivalence between same sex union and eating pork. Therefore I couldn't agree with the moderator calling this an "impasse". It is much more a declaration of independance than a peace treaty.

I can't help but think at times that all this back and forth is for nothing. At other times I read things which affirmed the great alarm I experienced back in 2004 when I decided that it was more important to speak up about these two understandings of Christianity than what harm might result from the debate.

For me, I am much more alarmed that someone with the office of pastor would be saying "I can't see the difference between that and eating pork" than I am that "civilians" have decided that is the case and they are doing it.

So, I guess we'll see what happens. People are taking stands on both sides.

From the canary in a coal mine, the pioneering effort out in BC:


Second church in Diocese of New Westminster Set to Respond to Leadership’s Intransigence
Darah Hansen and Chad Skelton, Vancouver Sun

Members of an Anglican church in Abbotsford are expected to become the second local congregation in a week to split from Vancouver-area Bishop Michael Ingham over his support for same-sex blessings.

And two more Anglican churches -- St. Matthias/ St. Luke and The Church of the Good Shepherd -- in Vancouver are poised to fill out similar ballots later this month as orthodox followers openly challenge Ingham's liberal vision for the church.

"We are prepared to act on our faith," said Rev. Trevor Walters of St. Matthew's Anglican parish in Abbotsford, whose members will cast their votes Sunday.

Read it all: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=4089a9c8-6def-4256-8eca-d2dc8d45aac4&k=93350

I particularly "like" (sarcasm) the pure elitist dismissive of the diocesan spokesperson's reference to a congregation that split way back in 2004, "That parish [that left] . . . now worships in a school gym somewhere," he said.

Not a particularly great mainstream piece. They seem to me in general to be fixated on "anti-homosexuals" and power-wrangling but it is good to note that some people are taking a stand for the truth, they are paying a price and in the midst of it all the truth does get told.