Maybe the weirdest piece of alleged theology I have ever seen
[ by Charles Cameron — simply stunned — although I suppose i shouldn’t be too surprised ]
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Westboro Baptist reportedly planning to protest funerals of slain Chattanooga servicemen — http://t.co/3xCJr3LdbW pic.twitter.com/kcPZsej1pp
— Mike Walker (@New_Narrative) July 18, 2015
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There are plenty of other reasons to question the theology and behavior of the Westboro Baptist Church, and I don’t need to go into them here — but the placard on the left reading FAGS CAN’T REPENT may just be the weirdest piece of alleged theology I have ever seen. Even when Christians believe homosexual acts are an abomination, which some do and some don’t, they are still bound by Christ’s words in Luke 5.31-32:
Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Not to mention Romans 3.23:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
July 18th, 2015 at 7:33 pm
Westboro had best read their Bibles and be warned….
Matthew 7:15-20
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
and
Matthew 18:6
“If anyone causes one of these little ones–those who believe in me–to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
July 18th, 2015 at 11:53 pm
Then there’s Mt 19:11-12.
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‘were so born’ or ‘born that way’
‘The one who can accept this should accept it’
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Some believe Jesus is giving implicit acceptance to homosexualty. Although if that’s the case then it’s in the context of gays living outside of marriage.
July 19th, 2015 at 1:17 am
I try to avoid discussions on that, Greg, but I’ll just leave this here. It’s by a professor at the seminary near me.
http://www.robgagnon.net/articles/homosexScripReallySays.doc.pdf
July 19th, 2015 at 1:17 am
I should add, YMMV.
July 19th, 2015 at 1:23 am
By the way regarding the previous part of chapter 19 on divorce, it’s my under understanding that the Orthodox church is pretty lenient about allowing divorce and remarriage through their concept of Economia
http://orthodoxwiki.org/Oikonomia
They allow two remarriages but strictly follow a “three strikes and you’re out” doctrine and disallow a third.
July 19th, 2015 at 1:35 am
Scott, thanks for the sermon. I agree that the Old Testament and Paul are very clear on the matter. I’m not so sure about Jesus. Regardless, there’s no doubt that he would be and is infinitely more understanding and merciful than those pathetic scumbags from Westboro.
July 19th, 2015 at 1:39 am
Agreed. Westboro is a stain on the image of Christianity and does not in any way represent any of the Bible’s teachings.
July 19th, 2015 at 2:40 am
I don’t know whether it is still the case, but back when I was reading about such things, the argument for a reinterpretation of scriptural references condemning homosexuality was best presented in John Boswell’s Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century. It’s not an area in which I have any scholarly depth, but Boswell’s book — unless superseded — would appear to be the argument to accept or challenge
July 20th, 2015 at 12:27 am
To clarify, that wasn’t a sermon. Robert Gagnon is a professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and is considered to be a foremost scholar in Koine Greek. He has analyzed the original writings of the church and published prolifically on the subject.
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Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._J._Gagnon
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His site – http://www.robgagnon.net/
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A partial CV – http://www.robgagnon.net/CVofRobertGagnon.htm
July 21st, 2015 at 9:47 pm
Thanks, Scott. I only just noticed your post was awaiting approval, and regret the delay in posting it.