Posted by
Playful Walrus on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 3:53:55 PM
Presbyterian Church USA refuses to recognize counterfeits as marriage, but doesn't punish someone who performed otherwise. Rebecca Trounson of the Los Angeles Times reports:
The highest court of the Presbyterian Church USA has found that a California minister did not violate the church's constitution when she officiated at the [“]weddings[“] of same-sex couples in 2004 and 2005.
The decision, announced Tuesday by the church's permanent judicial commission, cleared the Rev. Jane Adams Spahr of San Rafael of misconduct and lifted an earlier ruling of censure against her by a regional church court.
So it is just fine for her to participate in a mockery of a God-initiated institution?
In the decision, the Louisville, Ky.-based panel found that the ceremonies Spahr had performed for the two lesbian couples could not be considered marriages.
Look at that. They got something right.
Spahr, 65, who has fought for many years for full inclusion of gay and lesbian Presbyterians in the national church, said she was grateful she had been cleared of the misconduct charge but disappointed by the finding on marriage.
Funny, my church has full inclusion of gay people. It condemns, however, using your genitals in sinful ways and does not make a mockery of marriage.
"In not seeing same-gender marriages as marriages, the commission holds to the idea that we are separate and unequal," Spahr said in a telephone interview. "And that causes me great pain."
You know, you can always find another church instead of trying to impose your antibiblical ego stroke on an unwilling group. And two men and two women do not equal the union of a man and a woman. Men and women are different. A representative of each sex must be present for a marriage to exist. Only one kind of the three couples can ever produce children or unite the sexes.
Sara Taylor, Spahr's attorney, said she and her client also were troubled by parts of the ruling.
"It's worrying that the court seems to be attempting to legislate future marriages and restrict them," Taylor said.
Oh yes, worrisome. Worrisome for a church to follow the Bible. So no restrictions? The church should recognize “marriage” between a member and an unbeliever? Between a parent and a child? Between siblings? Between people already married to other people? Of one person to himself? Or only between people who have a vocal enough lobby?
"Can you imagine if I said no to these couples, after they come to me and want me to work with them?" Spahr said.
Responsible ministers say “no” all of the time. It’s called being faithful and discouraging sin.
She said she was now counseling six couples, three gay and three straight, and said she expected to officiate at weddings for all of them.
I wouldn’t have wanted someone to perform my wedding if they couldn’t tell the difference and had so little regard for the Word of God.
In our country, you should have the freedom to commit to each other, live together, celebrate your love, or whatever. It is ridiculous for anyone to try to stop you through the force of government. But there are some things in the Bible and some things in natural law that there’s just no getting around. Holy matrimony is something between a man and a woman, and churches that still recognize that should be able to operate by that conviction. If you want to continue being a member or person of authority in that church, you should agree to follow their rules. Otherwise, you can leave. Church membership and employment are voluntary, and there are many other churches out there.
Christianity is supposed to change you. It isn't supposed to be the other way around.